Shelby Action News an alternative for the community

Former Cleveland County Manager David Dear is sold on the new lobbyist that was hired by the Cleveland County Chamber, Inc. Former NC Representative, James A. Harrell III, runs the lobbying firm James A. Harrell III and Associates in Raleigh. Harrell, you may recall, was the man who led the infamous Teapot Museum pork project. Harrell chided those who were against this project by saying the museum’s critics don’t know enough about the project to understand what it’s worth. Oh yea? Why did it close up shop in January 2010? Harrell was hired by the Cleveland County Chamber, Inc around May 2010.

Wes Westmoreland, was today, selected to serve the final year in former Senator Debbie Clary’s seat.  The vote was unanimous.  Westmoreland has stated that once he fulfills the one year left on the term, he will not run for another term, and will support the sitting Senator from Burke County, as it will share with Cleveland County, the same district in November.

I started my research on this episode around the middle of November 2011. People were upset that the Sylvan Learning Center in Shelby had closed abruptly, and many people were set to lose thousands of dollars. The owner of the franchise kept insisting that by the end of the month, things would be settled, and he gave an email address to communicate with him.