TO THE EDITOR: Just over two years ago, following a review by our staff, this Board was notified by  the Superintendent that there were some inappropriate books in our media  centers. …

The house where my bride and I reside, just a stone’s throw from the Drexel Town Hall, is starting to show its age. That’s natural. The house is virtually the same age as I am. Construction on …

And so The Paper begins Year Two. Wow! What a journey it has been. Some highlights of the first year from the editor’s perspective. Friday, Oct. 21, 2022: Allen VanNoppen offers The Paper’s …

“I don’t get no respect!” That famous one-liner from the late comedian and actor Rodney Dangerfield always brought a chuckle when paired with some of his famous quips like “I played …

Newly elected Valdese Town Councilman Glenn Harvey is not likely to win any popularity contests. Small talk and social niceties are not his strong suit. He’s a “get to the point” sort of …

The Paper features candidate profiles for the six Republicans seeking seats on the Burke County Board of Commissioners in the upcoming primary election: Brian Barrier, Jeff Brittain, Johnnie Carswell, Shawn Freeman, Scott Mulwee, Mike Stroud

I am a window seat guy. When traveling on airplanes I prefer the window seat. You have a great view with a little private area all to yourself. You’re not fighting over both armrests. And you have …

Robert Smith is the Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church in Morganton, where he has served since 1998 and as Organist/ChoirMaster for St. Stephens Lutheran Church in Hickory for over 14 …

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” — Martin Luther King …

TO THE EDITOR: When I was seven I proudly wore an “I Like Ike” button, just like the one my father wore. I was a college student in the turbulent 60s, and we all leaned a little to the left as we …

Edward Bland has been a “Young Artist” with the Palm Beach Opera in Florida since 2022. He has an impressive list of accomplishments in his field: As an undergraduate he was regional and state …

On the planet Saturn, the month of January lasts approximately 896.7 Earth days — give or take a day or two. For that, the Saturnians can be most grateful, for here in Burke County the month of …

The Irmo Okra Strut had been an annual event for eight years by the time September 1982 rolled around. The accompanying parade on Saturday morning stretched all along St. Andrews Road, the main drag …

I was standing at the bakery counter at Ingles Sunday afternoon in Marion when the realization of what I had done washed over me in an icy wave of panic. In the midst of a conversation with my …

There’s a lot to learn in early elementary school. And for an educationally challenged person it’s tough.   You got letters. Upper case AND lower case. If you’re left handed you have to …

I may have mentioned the ACT previously in one of my columns on college applications, but with our school’s ACT around the corner, I thought now would be a good time to revisit the ACT and its …

A thorough examination of the many ways in which our American political system is broken would no doubt fill this page and quite possibly this entire 32-page newspaper. Money plays far too great a …

TO THE EDITOR: The crime rate for Glen Alpine is 50 percent below the state and national average. We have people in Glen Alpine who retired from cotton mills, furniture factories, and small …

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers certainly nailed it when they penned the lyrics to the tune “The Waiting is the Hardest Part.” If you think about it, we spend a big part of each day waiting. We …

In the cold darkness of an early January morning, the bright flashing red lights and partially operational heating system welcome the sleepy teenagers aboard the great yellow flagship.  Hopped …

AP classes have long been the way ambitious students challenge themselves. The AP program started in the 1950s out of fear that American students were falling behind Soviet students. AP classes …

Kennedy Owens is a senior at Freedom High School. She is the daughter of Brandon Owens, who is a funeral director at Sossomon’s Funeral Home and plays lead guitar in the Gospel group, …

In a community, its fabric is often created by the individual threads that weave together to make it work, resilient, and strong.  Most of the time, the strongest threads are easy to recognize. …

There's something for everyone this week with YAS! Monday, Jan. 22, at the C.B. Hildebrand Public Library is " D&D @ the Library " at 4 p.m. This session is full. Waiting list information can be …

This week’s column is part two of my recommendations for fun winter weekend trips to places within a couple of hours of Morganton. I highlighted Abingdon, VA, (north) and Spartanburg, SC, (south) …