“It’s where we’re headed as a society and we might as well get to it sooner or later. It does protect officers and it does protect citizens.”

— Mike Caskey, Rowan County commissioner, on equipping deputies with body cameras

“She’s a good role model for anyone who wants to be part of local government … not only for local government but for anything in your life.”

— Barbara Mallett, East Spencer mayor, on Mary Ponds, former mayor of Granite Quarry

“I just feel like we’ve been treated differently than we should have.”

— Louise Williams, China Grove resident, on police reaction to the firing of a bullet into her home

“Where are we, the righteous? This is our time to stand. …We have to organize like it’s 1955. We cannot back up, we cannot turn around.”

— the Rev. Curtis Gatewood, state NAACP second vice president, on African Americans’ fight  for justice and equality

“We can’t look at the county and expect them to do everything, and people that care about animals are
going to have to be the ones to come together.”

— Nina Dix, chairwoman, Shelter Guardians, on raising funds for county animal shelter improvements