Area News

The winner of the 2026 Alexander County Schools Spelling Bee is Jace Foster, seventh grader from East Alexander Middle School (above right). He won with the word “bodega.” Jace goes to compete in March at Panthers Stadium in the regional spelling bee. Second place went to Cinthia Herrera-Salinas (above center), an eighth grader from West…

Fundraiser breakfast is Saturday at St. Luke Lutheran Church By MICAH HENRY He’s thankful to be alive and be with his family — that’s the positive outlook that Hiddenite resident Guy Mundy, 56, has after a November 22 hunting accident caused extensive right arm injuries. Guy noted that he was hunting in Alleghany County with…

Alexander County Schools administrators on Feb. 6 announced an updated school calendar, following the recent weather-related closures and delays, as shown below: * Monday, February 2 – Optional Remote Workday – Buildings Closed Change(s): February 13 (ACS) Regular student day. February 13 Alexander Early College (AEC) Regular student day. * Tuesday, February 3 – Optional Teacher…

Due to overnight snowfall, there will be no school for students on Thursday, February 5, 2026. This will be an annual leave day for staff.        

Article and photo courtesy of Lenoir-Rhyne University Michael Gerbitz ’27 has charted an ambitious course from the Navy to Lenoir-Rhyne University. His latest stop was to land one of the most competitive scholarships in the country. A computer science major with a concentration in cybersecurity, Gerbitz, 30, a former Alexander Central High School student, is…

By SANFORD TEAGUE Special to The Times Eighty-four years ago, on a Sunday, December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked, beginning at 7:55 a.m., and it lasted over an hour, concluding around 9 a.m. Over 2,400 Americans were killed. Alexander County native Asa Steele was there, according to his military record. There were at least…

The Alexander County Board of Commissioners received a favorable audit report during its February 2, 2026, meeting, according to a county press release. Beau Hildebrand of Martin Starnes & Associates CPAs presented the county’s audited financial statements for fiscal year 2024-2025. The firm issued an “unmodified opinion,” the highest level an audit can receive, indicating…

Strategic Economic Development plan approved By ANGELA FARR KING The Taylorsville Town Council met on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., for their regularly scheduled meeting. Town Manager Nathan Hester brought forth a resolution for the Council to approve an offer of $375,000 to purchase property owned by the Town of Taylorsville located at…

By MICAH HENRY Alexandrians and most of North Carolina had to dig out from another winter storm over the past weekend, when Winter Storm Gianna dumped five to eight inches of snow across Alexander County. Some locations in North Carolina had less snow, others had double digit accumulation, such as Lexington (16 inches) and along…

Schools will operate on a two hour delay Wednesday, February 4, 2026, in Alexander County. Some roads will not be traveled by school buses. Please check the Alexander County Schools district website for a list of roads buses will not be able to travel on Wednesday. Here’s a link to the website: https://www.alexander.k12.nc.us The school…