Mar
16

Viewpoint: Be a wildlife hero — spare a snake!

BY JESSICA HILL As temperatures rise in the Carolinas, our cold-blooded wildlife will be waking up and snake season will soon be upon us! I’d just like to remind everyone

Mar
14

Letter to the Editor: Troutman Council wasting more taxpayer money on Georgie Park

To the Editor: So let me get this right. The taxpayers in the Town of Troutman have the privilege of paying for a community park that is not accessible to

Mar
12

Letter to the Editor: Board member’s snub of N.B. Mills Elementary School was telling

To the Editor: During the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education meeting on Monday evening, N.B. Mills Elementary was the school spotlight. The administration and staff at N.B. Mills is doing

Mar
11

Viewpoint: Former mayoral candidate sinks to new low with social media attacks on Gallina, Kutteh

BY MIKE FUHRMAN In a world where influencers can reach millions of followers with a few keystrokes, it’s not surprising that social media has taken on a larger role in

Mar
02

Viewpoint: National Call for Moral Revival highlights struggles of poor North Carolinians

BY TODD SCOTT Several members of the Statesville Branch NAACP attended the National Call for Moral Revival at the State Legislature Building ln Raleigh on Saturday. Led by Rev. William

Mar
01

Viewpoint: Voters in I-SS District 2 primary can prevent escalation of Moms for Liberty nonsense

BY MIKE FUHRMAN The fate of Iredell-Statesville Schools may well rest on the outcome of next week’s District 2 primary election. Voters in Tuesday’s GOP primary will decide if they

Feb
26

Letter to the Editor: Statesville Branch NAACP working to re-establish Youth Council

To the Editor: The Statesville Branch NAACP #5454 wishes to re-establish its Youth Council. According to the national NAACP website, “the NAACP’s youth programs ensure a society in which all

Feb
18

Viewpoint: Voters in 84th N.C. House District can choose a different type of leader in March 5 primary

Editor’s Note: Iredell Free News invited candidates for the 84th N.C. House District in the March 5 Republican primary election to share their qualifications, relevant experience and vision for this

Feb
18

Viewpoint: Experience, proven results differentiate candidates in 84th District N.C. House race

Editor’s Note: Iredell Free News invited candidates for the 84th N.C. House District in the March 5 Republican primary election to share their qualifications, relevant experience and vision for this

Feb
16

Viewpoint: Decades of community involvement, trial experience and FOP endorsement matter in DA’s race

Editor’s Note: Iredell Free News invited candidates for District Attorney in the March 5 Republican primary election to share their qualifications, relevant experience and vision for the DA’s Office with

Feb
16

Viewpoint: Improved transparency, efficiency will yield better results for District Attorney’s Office

Editor’s Note: Iredell Free News invited candidates for District Attorney in the March 5 Republican primary election to share their qualifications, relevant experience and vision for the DA’s Office with

Feb
14

Viewpoint: Gallina is the best choice in GOP primary for 84th N.C House District seat

BY BRAD STROUD SR. I guess there is something of an unwritten rule that elected officials should not endorse a candidate other than the incumbent of their own political party.

Feb
12

Viewpoint: My conservative values, experience in local and state government matter in Raleigh

BY JEFF McNEELY This is a tale like many of my fellow neighbors and friends who grew up and live in Iredell County. It’s about a simple life of hard

Feb
11

Letter to the Editor: Troutman Council has responsibility to scrutinize request for $3.2 million in unbudgeted expenses

To the Editor: The “circus” is in town? Wow, what a professional way to address a group of volunteers who serve the community. Now the town manager wants to send

Feb
09

Viewpoint: What obligation do Christians have for the public welfare?

BY REV. H. STEPHEN SHOEMAKER It seems alarming to many that the social fabric of our nation is tearing. The social compact that knits us together in mutual regard is

Feb
05

Letter to the Editor: Troutman Council should not waste millions of dollars on new town hall

To the Editor: The burden of oppressive municipal taxes that we are experiencing in the Town of Troutman could be alleviated if we had a budget-conscious town manager or at

Jan
08

Letter to the Editor: Community support made Be a Santa to a Senior program a success

To the Editor: Everyone likes to be included in holiday festivities when the airwaves are full of songs and stories celebrating family and togetherness. The staff at Home Instead in

Jan
04

Viewpoint: Don’t fall for scams involving foreign princes, IRS refunds or threats of arrest

BY DAVID BENBOW There are many wonderful people who call Iredell County home. I have lived here most of my life and raised my children here. I have chosen to

Jan
02

Letter to the Editor: MGSD School Board members perform invaluable community service

To the Editor: As we step into the month of January, it is with great pleasure and gratitude that we take a moment to celebrate and honor five very important

Dec
28

Viewpoint: Abused, neglected children benefit from Guardian ad Litem program

BY DANIELLE SWEET When I first read a newspaper article about the Guardian ad Litem program of Iredell County, I was a stay-at-home mom with two middle school-age sons. I

Dec
24

Year in Review: 2023 was a banner year for the City of Statesville

BY COSTI KUTTEH Following the pandemic, the “new normal” in Statesville is in full swing. While zoom meetings are hardly a thing of the past, more and more meetings are

Dec
20

Viewpoint: Practice of adorning graves of ancestors rooted in ancient traditions

BY SHELLIE TAYLOR This time of year, I can walk through any cemetery and see a plethora of holiday florals adorning the graves of those who have passed on. Christmas

Dec
18

Letter to the Editor: Troutman Council should hold town manager to higher standard

To the Editor: As a resident of the Town of Troutman, I find Town Manager Ron Wyatt’s comments toward our elected officials at the end of the December 14 meeting

Dec
09

Viewpoint: Celeste Henkel Elementary preparing for upcoming centennial

BY FRANK SARACO Celeste Henkel Elementary School has been a fixture in our community since 1926. It holds a rich history and many wonderful memories for several generations. When the

Dec
08

Letter to the Editor: Iredell commissioners’ action on Jennings Park project raises questions about compliance with open meetings law

To the Editor: It is the public policy of North Carolina that the hearings, deliberations, and actions of these bodies be conducted openly. This statement is directly from North Caroline

Nov
18

Letter to the Editor: When ‘See Something, Say Something’ fails those it’s designed to protect

To the Editor: Picture this: A mild-mannered middle school student courageously musters the strength to report a deeply distressing incident. A sexually explicit and uninvited message, sent by a classmate,

Nov
15

Viewpoint: Kubiniec’s divisive personal agenda has nothing to do with education of I-SS students

BY JEAN FOSTER For months, District 5 Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education member Mike Kubiniec has been occupying the Board’s time at meetings with his personal agenda regarding Constitution Day.

Nov
09

Letter to the Editor: Howell should be removed as I-SS Board chairman

To the Editor: A perfect example of despotic political behavior and suppression of basic civil liberties has been on display during the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education’s last three meetings.

Oct
27

Viewpoint: The last thing MGSD needs is a Moms for Liberty disciple on its board

BY MIKE FUHRMAN Theresa Knight has taken a calculated risk in her bid to win a seat on the Mooresville Graded School District Board of Education. She’s betting that her

Oct
23

Viewpoint: Research project reveals opportunities for improvement for local businesses

BY CADEN BOST I’m excited to share my journey and findings from my recent graduation project, which aimed to answer a compelling question: How can major businesses benefit from understanding

Oct
22

Letter to the Editor: Descendent of Wallace Brothers moved by support of Statesville residents

To the Editor: Thank you to Statesville! On October 15, the Wallace Brothers Herbarium Highway Historical Marker was erected on Front Street. As  Issac Wallace’s great-granddaughter and the last direct

Oct
20

Letter to the Editor: I-SS Board should provide public with evidence against former vice chairman

To the Editor: Did Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education Chairman Bill Howell actually compile those accusations against board member and former vice chair Mike Kubiniec? Or did he simply repeat

Oct
05

Letter to the Editor: DiFiore would be an ideal representative for Ward 4 residents

To the Editor: As Statesville residents prepare for their municipal elections, I want to speak out on behalf of Jennifer Thorson DiFiore, candidate for the Ward 4 seat on the

Oct
03

Viewpoint: What I learned during my first year as a town commissioner

Editor’s Note: Mooresville Commissioner Tommy DeWeese made the following comments during Monday’s board meeting. BY TOMMY DEWEESE I just completed my first year as a commissioner and asked if I

Oct
01

Letter to the Editor: Lawton has been a difference-maker for Ward 4 and entire city

To the Editor: It is with great pleasure that I write this letter to express my support for Amy Lawton’s candidacy for the Ward 4 seat on the Statesville City

Sep
23

Viewpoint: Book banners present real threat to freedom, unity

BY ERIC TODD SCOTT SR. The “book-banning mommas” in our community and elsewhere are consciously ignorant in their thinking. They say they are Christians, but remind me of Hitler’s Nazi