Iredell Free News

BY STACIE LETT CAIN Members of the Mooresville Town Board of Commissioners expressed their appreciation this week for two commissioners who were defeated in the November election. “Affordable housing is

Special to IFN RALEIGH — Voters across North Carolina soon will learn the candidates who will vie for their votes in 2026. Candidate filing for most contests in the 2026 elections

BY DONNA SWICEGOOD They still have one more scheduled meeting representing the City of Statesville, but Mayor Costi Kutteh, and City Council members C.O. Johnson, Steve Johnson and Joe Hudson

BY DONNA SWICEGOOD Tyler Bowie grinned broadly as he was presented the Tony Stikeleather Athlete of the Year Award on Wednesday at the Iredell County Special Olympics’ annual donors banquet.

Special to IFN RALEIGH — The North Carolina Chamber has named Senator Vickie Sawyer (R – Iredell, Mecklenburg) as a “Jobs Champion” in its 2025 How They Voted report. This

Special to IFN Iredell Memorial Hospital’s emergency department has been named an Accredited Geriatric Emergency Department by the American College of Emergency Physicians. Geriatric Emergency Departments (GEDs) are suited to

Special to IFN Paumac Tubing, a leading manufacturer of precision exhaust, air in-take, and fluid conveyance tube assemblies along with structural frame components, has achieved ISO 14001:2015 certification, an internationally

BY JEFF CORBETT Glenn van Eckeren tells a story about a shady motorcyclist at the Canadian border seeking to cross into the U.S. On the back of the bike were

Special to IFN The Town of Mooresville and City of Statesville recently proclaimed November as Hospice & Palliative Care Month, and November 20th as Children’s Grief Awareness Day. This marks

To the Editor: Along with my wife Xochitl and three other women from Statesville, I had the privilege on Wednesday, November 19, to act as scouts in Charlotte for Siembra

IFN Staff The Statesville Police Department reported the following felony arrests: NOVEMBER 1 ♦ Eronte Sharrell Jones, 47, of Dobson Road, Statesville, charged with possession of a firearm by a

BY DONNA SWICEGOOD Nancy Keith knew something was up when her former work family insisted she attend the annual Farm City Week Banquet on Tuesday night. But Keith, who recently

BY JOE HUDSON I was on the front porch when you drove by and I waved, having been chased all week by small joys, like the wonderful singing of “Come

Special to IFN The Iredell Arts Council, the designated county partner for the State of North Carolina, has awarded 12 organizations across Iredell County a total of $64,152 through the

Special to IFN The Mooresville Graded School District hosted its inaugural First LEGO League Regional Qualifying Tournament on Saturday, November 15, at Selma Burke Middle School. This event brought together

Special to IFN The Birth Place at Iredell Memorial Hospital announced the following births: NOVEMBER 5 ♦ A girl, Aria Garcia Melos, born to Jennifer Melos and Jesus Ivan Garcia

Special to IFN RALEIGH — To recognize and raise awareness of safe antibiotic use, Gov. Josh Stein has proclaimed the week of November 18-24 as North Carolina Antibiotic Awareness Week. The

BY DONNA SWICEGOOD In his next to last official meeting as mayor, Costi Kutteh cast votes to approve two highly contested agenda items during Monday’s Statesville City Council meeting. Kutteh,

Special to IFN After more than a decade, the annual Empty Bowls fundraiser benefiting Fifth Street Ministries’ community kitchen enjoyed another successful year with over 100 guests sharing a meal

IFN Staff A Statesville man faces a felony charge in connection with the theft of an enclosed trailer containing thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the

Special to IFN The Hiddenite Arts & Heritage Center will welcome the holiday season with “A Be-Jeweled Christmas,” a sparkling Christmas open house celebration at the historic Lucas Mansion, located

BY KEVIN IMM Troutman Fire & Rescue personnel, along with the N.C. Forestry Service, were dispatched to a grass and woods fire on the Barium Springs property about 10:41 a.m.

Special to IFN RALEIGH — A new audit by the N.C. Office of the State Auditor (OSA) shows that while federal COVID-19 public emergency funds provided to North Carolina have been

BY REP. TODD CARVER I wanted to take just a moment to temper expectations this week about the Medicaid funding situation in North Carolina. The reason I feel it is

Special to IFN Iredell Health System’s Skilled Nursing Facility has been recognized as a Best Nursing Home for 2026 by U.S. News & World Report. Since its debut in 2009,

Photos BY Wayne Atkinson Photography, Hannah Elsenboss, and Paige Jackson Special to IFN Allison Woods Outdoor Learning Center and the N.C. Falconers Guild joined forces on Sunday for their 7th

These positions are subject to pre-employment screenings. Iredell County does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, political affiliation, genetic information, or handicapping

IFN Staff The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office reported the following felony arrests: NOVEMBER 4 ♦ Jean Marie Anderson, 43, of Cross Country Road, Statesville, charged with maintaining a dwelling or

BY KEVIN IMM The Harmony Fire Department, N.C. Forestry Service and County Line Fire Department were alerted for a large grass and woods fire on Sheffield Road in Harmony about 2:20

BY TAYLOR BURRIS As the holiday season approaches, the Lonely Children’s Fund continues to make a difference in the lives of children and teens in foster care in Iredell County.

To the Editor: The Troutman Town Council has been handed an opportunity to fix what they screwed up on January 4, 2021, when they hired the current town manager, who

The City of Statesville is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in employment practices based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, non-disqualifying disability or

Special to IFN Iredell Memorial Hospital earned a fourth consecutive “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an

Special to IFN Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the arrests of more than 30 individuals on various felony and misdemeanor drug charges as part of the ICSO Fall Narcotics

BY DEBBIE PAGE Niagara Cares, the charitable division of Niagara Bottling, partnered with Feed the Children, Food For Days, Iredell-Statesville Schools, and the Mooresville Graded School District on Tuesday to

BY KARISSA MILLER Exchange Club of Troutman officially chartered the Vikings Exchange Excel Club at South Iredell High School Friday afternoon. The new club has about 30 members. Excel clubs

Special to IFN RALEIGH — Gov. Josh Stein has directed the Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships to make recommendations to effectively implement the newly created Workforce Pell grants to

Special to IFN Cornerstone Christian Academy held its annual Veterans Day Program on Wednesday, November 12, welcoming students, families, and community members to honor those who have served in the

BY DEBBIE PAGE Troutman interim town manager and finance director Justin Mundy, who joined the town’s administrative team in September of 2021, is leaving to become Alexander County manager beginning

Special to IFN More than 200 attendees enjoyed the fourth annual Heart of Jazz at the Statesville Civic Center on November 7, raising a record $88,000. Net proceeds will benefit

IFN Staff A Statesville woman faces several charges, including felony assault, in connection with an incident at Third Creek Middle School on Wednesday morning. Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell announced

BY KEVIN IMM Mooresville Fire – Rescue and Shepherds Fire – Rescue, along with N.C. Forest Service personnel, extinguished a grass and woods fire encompassing more than two acres on

Special to IFN Raleigh — The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) expects to process full November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments by Friday morning. Approximately 600,000

Special to IFN United Way of Iredell County is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award and the Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service. Established by the

Special to IFN Local business owner Bob Gates was presented the N.C. School Boards Association Champion of Education Award on Wednesday, November 12. The Champion of Education Award recognizes individuals

Special to IFN Mitchell Community College on Thursday announced a new guaranteed admission agreement with North Carolina State University, reinforcing its commitment to expanding educational access and promoting student success.

BY BRANDY TEMPLETON American Renaissance School’s Donovan Cook Center was packed with students and guests on Monday for an event to honor veterans. Foods & Nutrition Director and After School

Special to IFN Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the U.S. with more Americans dying from it than any other type of cancer. With November being Lung

Special to IFN Christian and family-friendly country and comedy artist Shellem Cline reached a career-defining milestone on Sunday night, earning the title of Artist of the Year in the Inspirational/Gospel

IFN Staff The Mooresville Police Department reported the following felony arrests: OCTOBER 17 ♦ Nathaniel Phillip Knox, 48, of Grandview Drive, Flushing, Mich., charged with possession of stolen property and

BY DEBBIE PAGE Troutman Town Council members voted on Monday to contribute $150,000 to the Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County’s (HPCIC) efforts to build a grief and bereavement