Santa Claus will make a special appearance in Rutherfordton on Tuesday, Dec. 23, as part of the town’s annual Santa Drive-Through, scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m.

A man accused of choking a woman until her vision dimmed was brought before a judge days after his arrest, as newly filed warrants spell out graphic injury allegations and a strict court-ordered no-contact directive.

Detective Derrick McGinnis with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office has charged 27-year-old Joshua Mark Cline of Marion with felony Larceny of Chose in Action and felony Forgery of an Instrument.

On Dec. 19, Renew NC, North Carolina’s housing recovery program, announced that the deadline for western North Carolina homeowners to apply for assistance through the Single-Family Housing Program (SFHP) has been extended to January 31.

President Donald Trump and Republican leaders, including U.S. Rep. Tim Moore, used an economic rally in North Carolina to sharpen their message ahead of the pivotal 2026 midterm elections.