“‘40 under 40’ before 30 ain’t too bad.”

— Tremayne Smith, West Rowan High graduate, on receiving a ’40 under 40′ Leadership Award from alma mater ECU at the age of 28

“I almost ate a whole Patterson’s bucket last night.”

— Sophia, third grader, feasting on North Carolina strawberries

at Millbridge Elementary School

“He doesn’t want them to settle for average … because this could be the difference between a bridge collapsing or not collapsing.”

— Daryle Adams, Kannapolis Schools, about Mike Huffman, instructor in A.L. Brown’s welding program, operated in partnership with Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

“We have paid for emergency bypass surgery, chemotherapy treatments, baby delivery.”

— Kevin Auten, sheriff, on medical procedures his department has covered for inmates  in the Rowan County Detention Center

“Depending on how the courts rule on the bathroom issues, it may be a pretty valuable tool to have on the female students if they go to the bathroom, not knowing who may come in.”

— Chuck Hughes, member, Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education, bringing up HB2 as the board discussed and voted to allow high school students to carry pepper spray

“No one really spoke up with concerns about major liability.”

— Josh Wagner, chairman, on the school board’s decision to revisit

the pepper spray issue