The Mercy Award is the highest honor a LifePoint employee can receive. It is named in memory of Scott Mercy, LifePoint Hospital's Founding chairman and CEO. Mercy believed that a group of people working together toward a common goal or common vision can accomplish great things. The award commends individuals who consistently go beyond the call of duty in serving patients and community. It recognizes one employee at each hospital who best exemplifies the spirit and values upon which the company was founded. This year's Mercy Award winner is Anagine Burns.

Cars are sometimes at the heart of Rutherford County. Luckily Roy Mullins and Paul Deck have hearts for selling and servicing cars.

"When you watch a young couple buying a new car or even a newer car than the one they're driving, you see all kinds of emotions. But when all the details are worked out and they realize they've done it, it's pretty obviously one of the best days of their lives. They will even hug and kiss," Mullins said when asked what he likes about selling and servicing cars at Friendship Chrysler Dodge Jeep Nissan and dreams of continuing the traditions at the company's newly purchased McCurry-Deck dealership.

In a recent media release to Community First Media, the Catawba Nation announced it plans to fast-track the summer 2021 opening of the Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort project in Kings Mountain.

Watching youtube videos during the toughest days of COVID-19 last year sparked a new interest and a challenge for one 18-year-old R-S Central High School student.

Construction is underway at Wells, Jenkins & Wells after being awarded the Increasing Meat Processing Efficiency and Capacity Grant from NCDA&CS last September. This grant is being used to expand their operations off Rollins Road in Forest City.

A chat with Margaret Annuziata is as comfortable as sweet tea at Smith's Drug or lunch at the Copper Penny.

The Town of Forest City proudly presents "Country Music's Breakout Stars" Parmalee and local favorite Dirty Grass Soul at the Pavilion On Park Square (POPS) Friday, May 14 at 7PM.

Mike and Tommy Haire of the Oak Springs community, better known as Two Men and a Farm, are being recognized by Volunteer Rutherford as 2021 Volunteers of the Year for their work to feed those in need throughout the county. The award includes a $1,000 donation from United Way for their work.

Dreams come true on Hardin Road near the intersection with Oak Street in Forest City.

Three members of the Piedmont-Pleasant Hill Community Club sat at long white-clothed tables inside an unlighted clubhouse recently reminiscing about the days of the award-winning community club and how the clubhouse was the center of the community. They discussed the efforts in saving the more than 60-year-old building and community club.

Faster opening of Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort will accelerate job creation for region

KINGS MOUNTAIN, N.C. - The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs has approved the Catawba Nation's Tribal-State Compact with the State of North Carolina, allowing the state to share in revenues generated by the new Two Kings Casino Resort

DAR has again tapped future heroes and heroines for Rutherford County's youngest generation.

The Griffith Rutherford Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution announced the School and Chapter winners of the Junior American Citizens Contest for 2020-2021.

Maryssa Dysart of Mooresboro is a recipient of a personalized quilt from the nonprofit group Quilts of Hope. She is the daughter of Jeremy and Tonya Dysart. The quilt was delivered to the Dysart home Saturday by Jaime Smitte, owner/creator of the Quilts of Hope. Smitte and her mom drove to Rutherford County from Florida to hand deliver the quilt to Maryssa.

Magnolia Long is becoming more and more familiar with the Town of Rutherfordton and the community as its Lead for North Carolina (LFNC) fellow sponsored by the UNC School of Government. In addition to a number of tasks, she most recently launched the Rutherfordton Community Garden.

Town Manager Doug Barrick said the community garden project has been a true pleasure.

If the image of flying away in the old Gospel song looks like passing through the clouds, that might be slightly off from Elijah Pendergast's call to the mission field.

Emma Neal, a senior at East Rutherford High School, has been named the Distinguished Young Woman of North Carolina 2021. She has been awarded a $10,000 cash scholarship and will represent North Carolina in Mobile, Alabama this summer for the National Competition.

What Is The FACTORY?

THE FACTORY is the exciting new 8,400-square-foot addition to KidSenses Children's Interactive Museum. Now under development, THE FACTORY will be a special place where youth can meet friends, ask questions, share ideas, make things, and pursue their passions.

Increasingly, jobs in our region are reflecting a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) based economy, and THE FACTORY will help our youth acquire the knowledge and develop the skills necessary to succeed in this future work environment. Youth will be encouraged to be creative, innovative, independent, and technologically literate.

The current audience for KidSenses is families with children from infancy to age 10.

THE FACTORY will be designed to engage youth from age 11 and up.

The measure of a man can often be learned from his wife.

Writing about Cecil Geer is like trying to sip water from a firehose.

Good-byes will be said during an afternoon drive-thru

Come early and stay late.

The Habitat Store at 269 West Main, Forest City, behind the old Charles Watkins location, hopes to sell everything.

When Rutherford County Manager Steve Garrison posted five photographs of his latest big cat pencil drawings on Facebook a few weeks ago, the more than 300 people commenting said they had no idea Garrison could draw. Even close friends and neighbors didn't have a clue. The drawings are amazing, many said.

If you want evidence Rutherford County is a generous place, just talk to Lisa Wilson at the Town And Country Inn and Suites in Spindale.

The Griffith Rutherford Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is pleased to announce the winners of the State JAC, Southeast Division (7 southeastern states) and National levels of judging of the 2019-2020 Junior American Citizens Contest (JAC).