“We’ve seen families grow up here, and kids have been coming in with their kids. It’s sort of surreal sometimes.” — Mike Orlando, restauranteur, upon retiring from and selling Spanky’s after 28 years there.

“Even though outside is devastation, I don’t think God is finished with this little church.” — Sherrell Dennis Hedrick, lay leader, Yadkin United Church, recently decommissioned by the Methodist Church

“If you saw something 65 percent off, you’d probably buy it whether you need it or not.” — Dick Goho, homeowner, on the 65 percent tax credit for buying a solar energy system

“We are not not having it.” — Clyde, on downtown New Year’s Eve celebration at the bell tower

“Outside of I can’t hear and can’t walk, I feel like I’m 30 years old.” — Glenn Jenkins, Kannapolis, celebrating his 99th birthday

“We need to stop placing the entertainers, the athletes so high up when we have people in our family who are heroes, and we need to acknowledge them.” — Obakunle Akinlana, drummer and storyteller, at Kwanzaa service