News

SALISBURY — Rowan Helping Ministries is expanding eastward thanks to a partnership with St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Rockwell. The church, off St. Peter’s Church Road, will host a Saturday food pantry under the auspices of Rowan Helping Ministries beginning in late October. “It’s a great opportunity,” said Kyna Grubb, executive director of the agency.…

SALISBURY — Dari Caldwell, president of Novant Health Rowan Medical Center, on Monday presented the Rowan County commissioners with what she called “something wonderful.” The something was the 2018 Corporate Cup, which Caldwell explained. “It is a trophy to commemorate the organization that, in that year, did the most … to improve the health of…

SALISBURY — After a long push from local health organizations, the Rowan County Commissioners voted Monday to make parks tobacco-free. The new regulation bans traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping devices and other uses of tobacco in all county parks, recreation buildings and recreation grounds. Previously, smoking was prohibited only in designated areas or “any part of…

Just a few years ago, Rowan County’s health outcomes could best be described as “dismal.” According to County Health Rankings, Rowan ranked 76th out of 100 counties in health outcomes in 2014 and had lower health outcome rates than all of its neighbors But with the help of the community coalition Healthy Rowan, the winds…

SALISBURY — Rowan County Public Health this week released its annual State of the County Health Report. The report describes health issues and summarizes local efforts and progress toward addressing health priorities. In 2015, the Rowan County Health Department conducted a Community Health Assessment in partnership with Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. The assessment identified health priorities as tobacco use, prescription…

Moving company The Daily Mile pushes students toward new goals in physical activity. Read the full feature.

SALISBURY — Whenever Healthy Rowan Executive Director Alyssa Smith does presentations, people ask why Rowan County is ranked 73 in county health rankings. “What is it about Rowan County that makes it different from other counties around us that are healthier?” Smith asked. “With this data, we’ll get to the roots of why.” The “data”…

SALISBURY — Alyssa Smith says one of her favorite poems is “Daffodils” by E.E. Cummings. The very first line is special to her: “In time of daffodils (who know / the goal of living is to grow).” Growing is a fitting motif for the executive director of Healthy Rowan, a community coalition that was revitalized in 2014.…

SALISBURY — Crystal Miller had never danced before she started coming to the biweekly meetings of the Dancing Queens and Kings of Salisbury. “I love it. I love learning with them,” she said. Because the group is oriented toward people over 55, Miller — who is in her 40s — is the youngest member of…

SALISBURY — Magic was in the air for students at Overton Elementary School on Monday afternoon. Teachers and administrators wore pajamas, Santa was comfortably seated in front of the gym and the Polar Express conductor punched tickets for every student to enter. Once inside, they all got hot chocolate, Christmas cookies and a reading of “The…