Spotlight COMMENTARY MTCC president: McDowell Tech can help you find good jobs, good futures By J.W. KELLEY President of McDowell Technical Community College Jun 23, 2026 Jun 23, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save My first teenage job was at a summer church camp. The weekdays started early with cleaning the pool before breakfast. J.W. Kelley PHOTO SUBMITTED kAm|@C?:?8D H6C6 DA6?E 4FEE:?8 8C2DD[ H665 62E:?8 2?5 92?5=:?8 @E96C =2?5D42A:?8 5FE:6D] p7E6C?@@?D H6C6 7@C =:768F2C5:?8 2?5 E6249:?8 DH:>>:?8 =6DD@?D] $2EFC52JD H6C6 7:==65 H:E9 4=62?:?8[ >2:?E6?2?46 2?5 H92E6G6C 6=D6 ?66565 E@ 36 5@?6]k^AmkAm%96 A2J H2D D>2==[ 3FE E96 7@@5 H2D 7C66] u@C 2 E66?286 3@J[ E92E H2D 2 DF3DE2?E:2= 7C:?86 36?67:E] (2D :E 2 8@@5 ;@3n x? >2?J H2JD[ J6D] |J H@C< 6E9:4 2?5 492C24E6C 8C6H 7C@> E92E 7:CDE 6IA6C:6?46 @7 7F== 52JD @7 H@C<[ D:I 52JD 2 H66<] x =62C?65 9@H E@ 7@==@H 5:C64E:@?D[ D6CG6 @E96CD[ 2?5 8:G6 >J 36DE 6G6? H96? E96 H@C< H2D 9@E[ E:C:?8 2?5 C6A6E:E:G6] u@C 2 E66?286C[ :E H2D 2 8@@5 ;@3] u@C D@>6@?6 ECJ:?8 E@ DFAA@CE 2 72>:=J[ AC@323=J ?@E]k^Am People are also reading… Marion police respond to shooting involving death of 15-year-old Man pleads guilty of distributing 156 pounds of meth in Burke, McDowell counties McDowell County bridge temporarily closed for resurfacing Old Fort officials day Fourth of July parade will take place on new route McDowell County woman charged after child tests positive for meth The Madness holds soft opening of the new Marion restaurant Corpening YMCA director leaves Marion to assume new role Old Fort to see 8-cent property tax increase, 10% increase in water and sewer rates NC state employees’ health plan faces big changes. Here’s what’s coming in July 'I shot that guy': Hickory man gets $2.5M bond; charged with murder of business partner, who was on area school board Boil water notice issued for Nebo water customers Letter from Marion resident voices concern over state legislation These brands pulled back on Pride. It could cost them. Here's why He was 28 in law enforcement training when he had a medical emergency. The people around him saved him. Old Fort man charged with shooting into home, kicking in door kAm(92E >2<6D 2 ;@3 2 “8@@5 ;@3n” %92E :D 36:?8 5:D4FDD65 ?2E:@?2==J[ C68:@?2==J 2?5 =@42==J] x? 4@>>F?:EJ 4@==686 =6256CD9:A[ E96 4@?G6CD2E:@? 92D 6IA2?565 36J@?5 2446DD[ 6?C@==>6?E 2?5 8C25F2E:@? C2E6D] %9@D6 E9:?8D DE:== >2EE6C 566A=J] qFE >@C6 =6256CD 2C6 ?@H 2D<:?8 H92E 92AA6?D 27E6C 4@>A=6E:@?] s:5 E96 DEF56?E EC2?D76C DF446DD7F==Jn s:5 E96 4C656?E:2= =625 E@ >62?:?87F= 6>A=@J>6?En s:5 65F42E:@? AC@G:56 2 A2E9 E@H2C5 72>:=J\DFDE2:?:?8 H286D[ DE23:=:EJ 2?5 FAH2C5 >@3:=:EJnk^AmkAm~C82?:K2E:@?D DF49 2D E96 p>6C:42? pDD@4:2E:@? @7 r@>>F?:EJ r@==686D 2?5 E96 r@>>F?:EJ r@==686 #6D62C49 r6?E6C 92G6 96=A65 25G2?46 E9:D 4@?G6CD2E:@?] %96:C H@C< C6:?7@C46D 2? :>A@CE2?E ECFE9i 4@>>F?:EJ 4@==686D D9@F=5 ?@E >62DFC6 DF446DD @?=J 3J 9@H >2?J DEF56?ED 8C25F2E6[ 3FE 2=D@ 3J H96E96C DEF56?ED 2C6 AC6A2C65 7@C E96 ?6IE DE6A :? 65F42E:@?[ 6>A=@J>6?E 2?5 =:76]k^Am kAm%96 D2>6 4@?G6CD2E:@? :D 92AA6?:?8 96C6 :? }@CE9 r2C@=:?2] %96 q6=< r6?E6C 7@C r@>>F?:EJ r@==686 {6256CD9:A 2?5 #6D62C49 C646?E=J 9@DE65 sC] y2D@? (@@5 7@C E96 a_ad s2==2D w6CC:?8 {64EFC6] w:D >6DD286 H2D 4=62C 2?5 >6>@C23=6i “(6 5@?’E 8C25F2E6 A6@A=6 :?E@ A@G6CEJ]” %92E DE2E6>6?E 42AEFC6D 3@E9 E96 492==6?86 2?5 E96 42==:?8 @7 4@>>F?:EJ 4@==686D] r@>A=6E:@? >2EE6CD[ 3FE 4@>A=6E:@? D9@F=5 =625 D@>6H96C6 >62?:?87F=]k^AmkAmqF:=5:?8 @? E92E >@>6?EF>[ 2?5 :? E96 4@?E6IE @7 H6DE6C? }@CE9 r2C@=:?2’D @?8@:?8 C64@G6CJ 7C@> wFCC:42?6 w6=6?6[ v@@5 y@3D (6DE6C? }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 H2D =2F?4965] %9:D C68:@?2= :?:E:2E:G6 :?4=F56D |4s@H6== %649 2?5 `_ @E96C 4@>>F?:EJ 4@==686D[ 2=@?8 H:E9 A2CE?6CD DF49 2D p>6C:42 p49:6G6D[ 6>A=@J6CD[ 7@F?52E:@?D 2?5 C68:@?2= =6256CD]k^Am kAm%@86E96C[ H6 2C6 H@C<:?8 E@ :56?E:7J H92E 8@@5 ;@3D >62? 7@C @FC 4@>>F?:E:6D 2?5 9@H 65F42E:@? 42? 36EE6C 4@??64E A6@A=6 E@ E9@D6 @AA@CEF?:E:6D]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm$@[ H92E :D 2 8@@5 ;@3 7@C |4s@H6== r@F?EJnk^AmkAmp 8@@5 ;@3 :D H@C< E92E AC@G:56D 72>:=J\DFDE2:?:?8 H286D[ DE23:=:EJ[ @AA@CEF?:E:6D 7@C 25G2?46>6?E[ 2?5 2 4=62C 4@??64E:@? 36EH66? 2 A6CD@?’D 65F42E:@?[ D<:==D 2?5 AFCA@D6]k^AmkAmpE |4s@H6== %649[ H6 <?@H E9:D H@C< 42??@E 92AA6? 7C@> 369:?5 2 56D<] xE C6BF:C6D =:DE6?:?8 42C67F==J E@ =@42= 6>A=@J6CD[ F?56CDE2?5:?8 E96:C H@C<7@C46 ?665D[ 2?5 >2<:?8 DFC6 @FC 65F42E:@?2= A2E9H2JD 2=:8? H:E9 C62= @AA@CEF?:E:6D] pD A2CE @7 E9:D 677@CE[ q2IE6C[ r@=F>3:2 u@C6DE !C@5F4ED[ 2?5 $>FC7:E (6DEC@4< 8C24:@FD=J ;@:?65 FD 7@C 2 EH@\52J H@C<D9@A E@ 5:D4FDD 3@E9 :>>65:2E6 2?5 =@?8\E6C> >2?F724EFC:?8 H@C<7@C46 ?665D]k^Am kAm%96:C :?D:89ED H6C6 G2=F23=6] %96J 96=A65 FD 36EE6C F?56CDE2?5 E96 D<:==D[ H@C< 923:ED[ E649?:42= <?@H=6586 2?5 42C66C A2E9H2JD ?66565 7@C DEF56?ED E@ >@G6 7C@> 65F42E:@? :?E@ 8@@5 ;@3D] %@86E96C[ H6 92G6 5C27E65 E96 |4s@H6== |2?F724EFC:?8 |@>6?EF> :?:E:2E:G6[ @C |b v@@5 y@3D] %96 |4s@H6== %649 |b v@@5 y@3D E62>[ =65 3J p??:6 sF?42?[ :D ?@H 7:?2=:K:?8 A=2?D 2?5 3F586E AC@A@D2=D 7@C A@E6?E:2= 7F?5:?8 E9C@F89 v@@5 y@3D (6DE6C? }@CE9 r2C@=:?2]k^AmkAm%9:D H@C< 7:ED DBF2C6=J H:E9:? |4s@H6== %649’D >:DD:@?i “E@ 6?C:49 @FC 4@>>F?:EJ H:E9 2446DD E@ DEF56?E\46?E6C65[ 277@C523=6[ 9:89\BF2=:EJ[ =:76=@?8 =62C?:?8 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E92E AC@>@E6 H@C<7@C46 56G6=@A>6?E]” %96 |b v@@5 y@3D :?:E:2E:G6 3F:=5D @? @FC 9:DE@C:42==J DEC@?8 H@C<7@C46 65F42E:@? AC@8C2>D 2?5 D66<D E@ 4C62E6 4=62C6C A2E9H2JD 7@C DEF56?ED :?E@ 6>A=@J>6?E E92E 42? DEC6?8E96? 72>:=:6D 2?5 DFAA@CE @FC =@42= 64@?@>J]k^Am kAmu@C D@>6 DEF56?ED[ E92E A2E9H2J >2J 368:? H:E9 2 D9@CE\E6C> H@C<7@C46 4C656?E:2=] u@C @E96CD[ :E >2J =625 E@ 2? 2AAC6?E:46D9:A[ 2 46CE:7:42E6[ 2 5:A=@>2[ 2? 2DD@4:2E6 568C66[ @C EC2?D76C E@ 2 F?:G6CD:EJ] %96 A2E9H2J >2J =@@< 5:776C6?E 7C@> A6CD@? E@ A6CD@?[ 3FE E96 8@2= :D E96 D2>6i 65F42E:@? E92E =625D E@ @AA@CEF?:EJ]k^AmkAm|J DF>>6C 42>A ;@3 82G6 >6 :>A@CE2?E =6DD@?D[ 2?5 x 2> 8C2E67F= 7@C E96>] qFE 2D 2 4@==686[ @FC C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ :D 8C62E6C E92? 96=A:?8 D@>6@?6 7:?5 2 7:CDE ;@3] (6 H2?E E@ 96=A DEF56?ED AC6A2C6 7@C 8@@5 ;@3D E92E DFAA@CE 72>:=:6D[ DEC6?8E96? 6>A=@J6CD[ 2?5 3F:=5 2 DEC@?86C |4s@H6== r@F?EJ]k^Am kAm%92E :D H96? DEF56?ED <?@H %96 %649 :D #:89E (96C6 %96J q6=@?8]k^Am kAm*@F 5@ ?@E 92G6 E@ H2:E @? E9:D ?6H :?:E:2E:G6 E@ 5:D4@G6C |4s@H6== %649’D 4FCC6?E H@C<7@C46 65F42E:@? @AA@CEF?:E:6D]k^AmkAm':D:E FD 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>45@H6==E649]65F^H@C<7@C46\56G6=@A>6?EQm9EEADi^^>45@H6==E649]65F^H@C<7@C46\56G6=@A>6?Ek^2m E@ =62C? >@C6]k^Am J.W. Kelley is president of McDowell Technical Community College. 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Privatizing Social Security is the best way to save it | Les Rubin The Social Security retirement trust fund is projected to be depleted in late 2032, one year sooner than previously forecast. At that point, t… Elon Musk's new 'trillionaire' status is a good thing, actually | Jonah Goldberg I am not a huge fan of Elon Musk as a political activist or commentator. I think he's made Twitter -- sorry, X -- worse. His support for the n… What was happening in McDowell County in June 250 years ago? Historian tells us Here's where McDowell County was at the brink of the Revolutionary War. Democrats’ populist bargain looks familiar to Republicans | David M. Drucker “Oh no, not us — not ever.” For 10 years running, that’s been the Democratic response to any suggestion that grassroots liberals are like Repu…
Privatizing Social Security is the best way to save it | Les Rubin The Social Security retirement trust fund is projected to be depleted in late 2032, one year sooner than previously forecast. At that point, t…
Elon Musk's new 'trillionaire' status is a good thing, actually | Jonah Goldberg I am not a huge fan of Elon Musk as a political activist or commentator. I think he's made Twitter -- sorry, X -- worse. His support for the n…
What was happening in McDowell County in June 250 years ago? Historian tells us Here's where McDowell County was at the brink of the Revolutionary War.
Democrats’ populist bargain looks familiar to Republicans | David M. Drucker “Oh no, not us — not ever.” For 10 years running, that’s been the Democratic response to any suggestion that grassroots liberals are like Repu…
