Recovery in Chimney Rock is shifting from cleanup to construction, and town leaders say the pace will quicken in 2026.

Rutherford County Manager Steve Garrison will leave his position early next year, closing nearly 11 years as the county’s top administrator.

Sunday’s average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline in North Carolina was down to $2.73, one penny higher than in March 2010.

On December 5, 2025, a McDowell County jury found 38-year-old Brian Kyle Warren guilty of two counts of felony Trafficking Opium or Heroin and felony Possession of Opiates. Warren was sentenced to a minimum of 118 months and a maximum of 166 months in prison.

Detectives with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office have charged 37-year-old Joshua Adam Chilcote of Marion with felony Breaking and Entering a Motor Vehicle and felony Attempted First-Degree Burglary. He was issued a secured bond of $150,000.

Governor Josh Stein announced Monday that North Carolina is now accepting applications for a new program aimed at repairing and rebuilding small rental properties in western North Carolina damaged by Hurricane Helene.

Lake Lure town officials released a sweeping recovery update on Dec. 16, detailing plans to rebuild Washburn Marina, reopen Lake Lure by late spring 2026, and advance millions of dollars in water and sewer projects following the devastation of Hurricane Helene.

The Rutherfordton Police Department and town officials are facing renewed scrutiny after a controversial social media post about a man living outdoors downtown was deleted, prompting questions about transparency and North Carolina public records law.

Jeff Randall, age 60, of Forest City, passed away Friday, December 12, 2025 at his home.

Lawmakers return to sessions in Raleigh on Monday without the gift of North Carolina’s two-year budget expected to be in tow.

North Carolina lawmakers pressed Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) Director Ryan Boyce on Dec. 11 for detailed answers about cost overruns, system performance, and long-term efficiency tied to the state’s eCourts technology rollout.

McDowell County ranks among the counties with the highest motor vehicle theft rates in North Carolina, according to a new analysis of federal crime data covering the five-year period from 2020 through 2024.

The Town of Rutherfordton has appointed Lindy Abrams as the first Director of the newly established Parks, Arts, Recreation & Culture (PARC) Department.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting an increase in flu activity and flu-related deaths.

Lake Lure leaders pushed forward a wide slate of Hurricane Helene-related recovery work, infrastructure upgrades, and major engineering agreements on Dec. 9 during a 30-minute meeting that highlighted both accelerating progress and ongoing delays tied to state and federal permitting.

The State Water Infrastructure Authority convened on Dec. 10 for a day-long meeting, taking up a packed agenda centered on funding decisions for communities recovering from Hurricane Helene and expanding statewide drinking water and wastewater resilience.

As of December 1, 2025, North Carolina has received federal funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and the state Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is preparing to open applications for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP).

Gov. Josh Stein on Wednesday directed the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to restore Medicaid reimbursement rates to their Sept. 30, 2025, levels, saying recent court rulings have made the state’s October rate cuts untenable and have put patient access at risk.

More than fourteen months after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, the waiting has become its own form of hardship. Families who lost homes in the storm are still stuck in the federal buyout process, unsure whether they will ever receive help — or when.

The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office has arrested an Ellenboro man following a weeks-long investigation into reported child exploitation materials.