“I want to remind you your task is to be ordinary, do ordinary things, make room for God to show up and do the  extraordinary.”

— Bishop Teresa Snorton,

Hood Seminary commencement speaker

“We recognize the schools have  significant need. They recognize the county has significant limitations.”

— Greg Edds, chairman,

Rowan County Board of Commissioners

“Embracing diversity is never wrong. The mayor that issues the proclamation is the mayor for everyone.”

— Cheryl Goins, Salisbury resident,

on the push for a mayoral proclamation marking Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Day

“Knowing that, come August, I won’t be coming back, is a sad thought. But it’s also exciting to know that life is going to be right around the corner for us.”

— Sloan E. Kessler,

Whitener Medal recipient,

on graduating from Catawba College

“We’re running almost 1,200 calls per year, which is a lot. It’s killing our volunteers.”

— Chief Rusty Alexander,

Locke Volunteer Fire Department,

on proposing a 3-cent fire district tax increase to hire five fulltime firefighters