Jeff Hodge has checked another item off his bucket list after entering and completing The Great Race and describes the race as one of his most unique experiences of his life.

On Friday, September 26, Forest City and the POPS Pavilion Concert Series welcomes home one of its own: home grown and highly accomplished musician Christopher "Chris" Cole, who will perform with the highly acclaimed band Continental Divide. Chris and Continental Divide have long anticipated this special opportunity to perform in Chris's hometown for friends, family, and a Rutherford County audience which has waited patiently for this opportunity to see Chris perform with Continental Divide and hear this band's unique sound.

There are a lot of things a person can buy at the Green Hill Store on Hwy. 64/74 outside of Rutherfordton and heading toward Lake Lure and Chimney Rock. Family owned since 1995, customers come in the store for snacks, groceries, beverages, coffee, ice cream, pizza, ice, breakfast biscuits, lunch, gifts, gas and on and on. Some people stop by the store to visit friends and take a comfortable seat in one of the rocking chairs outside and inside the store.

One of the most successful and the area's own hometown music festivals -- the Earl Scruggs Music Festival -- begins Friday, Aug. 29 at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) in Mill Spring and continues through Sunday evening, Aug. 31. General admission tickets are still available, as some of the country's finest musicians will entertain thousands and celebrate the legacy of Earl Scruggs, the world's most influential banjo picker.