Who would have thought the team who finished fourth in the SMAC 2A/3A standings would win the 2A State Title? Apparently, the East Rutherford Baseball team could do so.

Students at Forest City-Dunbar Elementary recently shared what they've been learning as part of the school's Leader in Me program.

Raven Nealey is too young to know the lyrics to the John Mellencamp song. She's too young, also, to face a disease that no one wants to have. But she's just the right age to enjoy her very own little pink house, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Who would have thought that East Rutherford baseball would have been playing for the 2A state title one month ago? This has got to be the most surprising visit back to the title series in Cavalier history.

The boys of summer will make their return to Rutherford County when the Forest City Owls kick off the season on Monday, May 30 at McNair Field. We recently caught up with Owls owner Phil Dangel to catch up on what fans can expect this year from the home team.

Representatives from local businesses that belong to the Rutherford County Chamber came together recently, some trading their inside desk jobs for a day outdoors constructing porches and railings for those who needed them.

Maybe the Cavaliers just needed to play all their games on the road. East Rutherford baseball is the only team still around in the playoffs after knocking off four teams in the playoffs and all of them on the road. East has downed North Rowan, Forbush, Reidsville and Smoky Mountain to reach the 2A Regional round.

As a foster parent, children coming into your home don't always come with what they need. Often, foster families are left to pull together clothes, toys, carseats and more. James and Rhonda Schneider, who have provided foster care for more than 20 years, have found themselves in this situation and have created a foster care closet for other foster families.

Emily Wood knows that when people hear about foster care, it's often from a negative viewpoint. And because of that, she knows that people have fears about becoming a foster parent, asking a lot of questions that begin with "what if." These are questions Wood and her husband, Brandon, asked prior to becoming foster parents themselves.

Life is funny sometimes. You never know what exactly is behind the next door. Meet Austin Neal for example.

Bud Byers, 78, may live on Tiney Road near Ellenboro, but there's nothing tiny about his love of our nation and especially those who protect and defend it. Taking those feelings to the next level, Byers has created a memorial on his farm that stops nearly everyone who sees it in their tracks.

It's hard to believe, but another school year has passed. While there is less than a month to go before graduation, the spring sports season is coming to a close. Playoff brackets were announced Monday.

Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity's Women Build 2016 will be held Saturday, May 7, with work shifts from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. This year the build will be held in Hopeview Estates, a Habitat for Humanity subdivision, in Spindale.

For one local mom, the worst news and best news she could receive came within days of each other.

Two subjects were pretty popular over the weekend, let's get to it.

Rutherfordton is about to get "funky" once again.

FUNC - which stands for Fridays Unplugged on Central - returns on May 6 at 7 p.m. This marks the second season for the music series which includes kid games, food, drinks, music and more.

If April showers bring May flowers, then May festivals bring family fun for Rutherford County.

Rutherfordton's Annual MayFESTival returns Saturday, May 7, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., complete with fresh-squeezed lemonade, handmade pottery and a little bit of something for everyone.

Real quickly, let's look at the playoff scenarios for Rutherford County with less than two weeks remaining before the playoffs.

It could be something as simple as requesting a certain toy from home to more complex issues such as where a child wants to live. No matter the request or situation, volunteers with Rutherford County's Guardian ad Litem program are there to advocate for children.

Rather than several smaller walks, this year's Hanes of HOPE (Help Offered in a Pregnancy Experience) Annual Walk for Life will be held in a central location and expanded to include more than just a walk.

It seems like Tyler White is in for a heck of a year with Houston. White already won Rookie of the Week honors, has a .438 batting average and a .486 on-base percentage.

Matthew McEnnerney has lost count of the total number of productions he has been a part of. When you act for a living, typically you are in 250 to 300 shows per year. But, he can recall details from the productions he's been a part of as President of the Rutherford County Arts Council (RCAC).

What a first week of Major League Baseball for Tyler White! The former Chase High grad went 9-for-13 from the plate. White smashed two homers, two doubles, picked up 7 RBI and had a batting average of .692. It will be tough to keep up that kind of hitting pace, but I guarantee he has grabbed some early season attention around the league. Of all things, White gets his first MLB home run at Yankee Stadium. That's just crazy!

A chance meeting with a fellow musician recently led to a career opportunity for Phillip Snider, a 2012 graduate of Gardner-Webb University. He was asked to play the drums on the popular A&E reality show, "Duck Dynasty," in Monroe, La. The show stars the Robertson family, who have made millions selling duck calls and decoys. Snider was in the ninth episode, which originally aired Feb. 17, 2016, and can be seen in reruns.

More than 30 years have passed since the publication of "The Heritage of Rutherford County, NC - Volume 1." Now, a new hardbound book featuring the stories and pictures of families in Rutherford County will be printed in late 2016, and the Genealogical Society of Old Tryon County is seeking submissions for publication.