Area Breaking News

Alexander County Manager Justin Mundy presented the recommended 2026-2027 budget at the June 1 meeting of the Alexander County Board of Commissioners, according to a county press release. Following discussion of the budget proposal, which included a 2-cent reduction in the property tax rate, a majority of the board voted to direct the county manager…

Recent rainfall helped improve drought conditions in some parts of the state, but most of the state remains in extreme or severe drought, according to the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council on Thursday, May 28, 2026. The exceptional drought classification has been removed, which had included Alexander and four other counties last week. “The weekend…

Swanson named Principal of Year Matt Cochran, of West Alexander Middle School, has been named Alexander County Schools 2026 Teacher of the Year. The announcement came during a special luncheon ceremony on Tuesday, May 26, at Redbird Ridge Estate in Ellendale. Cochran is not only a teacher, but also a mentor, bus driver, coach, and…

By ANGELA FARR KING Thursday, May 21, 2026, was graduation day for the 2026 class of fifth graders at Stony Point Elementary School. It was a bittersweet day for students, teachers, and parents as children said goodbye to the elementary school they have known for six years and prepared to enter middle school. Each fifth…

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of America, an incredibly special event will be held on Friday, May 29, 2026, at 7:00 pm, at Rocky Face Park in Hiddenite. Partners Patriots Theater and Studio 3 will bring this performance to life with music and theatrical performances in an open-air setting where actual events portrayed took…

The following is a Wilkesboro Police Department press release: Armed Robbery Investigation Leads to Two Arrests Wilkesboro, NC — On Thursday, May 21, 2026, at approximately 5:00 p.m., Wilkes County 911 dispatched officers with the Wilkesboro Police Department to an armed robbery reported in the parking lot area of Brushy Mountain Powersports. The caller advised…

Entries for the 2026 Taylorsville Times’ Father of the Year Essay Contest are being accepted until Thursday, June 11, at 5 p.m. To enter The Times’ 37th Annual Father of the Year Essay Contest, simply write an essay on why your nominee should be Father of the Year. The winner will receive a $50 food…

A fire in the Wittenburg Community has claimed a home. On Thursday, May 14, 2026, Wittenburg Fire, along with Taylorsville and Bethlehem fire departments, were dispatched to a reported structure fire at 42 Yorks Bluff Drive, off NC Hwy. 16 South, said Alexander County Fire Marshal Christopher Hicks. Wittenburg Fire arrived within three to four…

On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at approximately 8:29 p.m., the N.C. State Highway Patrol responded to and investigated a fatal collision on Rink Dam Road near Fess Little Road, in Alexander County. A 2019 Harley-Davidson motorcycle was traveling south on Rink Dam Road, lost control, and drove off the right side of the road before…

Alexander County Manager Justin Mundy presented the 2026-2027 proposed budget at the May 18, 2026, meeting of the Board of Commissioners. The total proposed general fund budget is $62,779,084, which is a 3.62 percent increase compared to FY 2026, according to a county press release. The proposed budget includes a two-cent property tax rate decrease,…