Community Corner

🌱 What’s planned for MLK Day at Kannapolis’ Laureate Center?

And on the Kannapolis Patch calendar - Kannapolis Celebration of Lights and Winterland Express

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Good day Kannapolis! We're here again with what you need to know today. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • What’s planned for MLK Day at Kannapolis’ Laureate Center?
  • How the leader over Kannapolis’ YMCA rose from teen scorekeeper
  • Why is Kannapolis City Schools losing students faster than neighbors?

Also on today's calendar: One Mic Stand Open Mic Poetry & Music! and 2 more events.

Find out what's happening in Kannapolisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Kannapolis? Post it to Kannapolis photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Find out what's happening in Kannapolisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Weather forecast:

  • Tuesday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 51 and low of 31 degrees.
  • Wednesday: Increasing cloudiness, temps: high: 57, low: 35.
  • Thursday: Cloudy; breezy in the p.m., with a high of 59 and low of 45 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. MLK Day in Cabarrus County: Parade, Dream Day, Wreath Laying (charlotteonthecheap.com) — Several major Martin Luther King Jr. Day events are coming to Kannapolis this January, centered at the Laureate Center on Laureate Way. You can attend the Keeper of the Dream Awards Banquet, a free Dream Day Parade, and a community-focused Dream Day with health, business, and college fairs, plus other celebrations nearby in Concord and across the Charlotte region.
   

2. A culminating moment: Morgan's award represents life of hard work, persistence (salisburypost.com) — Kannapolis readers may be interested to know that the longtime leader of the Rowan-Cabarrus YMCA system, which includes the Cannon YMCA – Kannapolis branch, has earned a major regional Legacy Award. The story traces Jamie Morgan’s journey from teen scorekeeper to president and CEO, highlighting how local branches, donors, and staff shaped his career and expanded YMCA services across Rowan and Cabarrus counties.
   

3. Only 1 Charlotte-area NC school district didn't see an enrollment decline this year (charlotteobserver.com) — Kannapolis City Schools just saw one of the steepest local enrollment drops, losing about 3.7% of its students this year. The decline mirrors a broader trend across Charlotte-area districts and North Carolina, where traditional public school numbers are falling while charter school enrollment grows and funding formulas tied to student counts face new pressure.
   

4. House oversight committee discusses ‘Parents' Bill of Rights,' achievement gaps (ednc.org) — If you live in Kannapolis, new state data show a troubling 21-point achievement gap between white and Black students in Kannapolis City Schools, with fewer than half of white students on grade level. Lawmakers highlighted these numbers while grilling Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools, underscoring that similar racial and overall performance gaps are a serious concern across Cabarrus and Columbus counties.
   

📸 Around Kannapolis

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Kannapolis

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🗓 Events Nearby

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Lost dog!
    She is a black lab mix and her name is Pepper. She has a "Blueberry" brand collar that is mint green and pink, but no tag. Lost in the Normandy Road… (Nextdoor Rainbow Dr)
  • Please share & repost to help reunite this lost dog!
    Pepper was LOST on December 14, 2025 in Kannapolis, NC 28081 near Nathan Ave & West C St and Kenlough Dr & Rainbow Dr Sharing for a neighbor. For… (Nextdoor Rainbow Dr)
  • Home Depot (Retail) posted a job opening for Freight/Receiving in Kannapolis. Apply here.
  • Sam's Club posted a job opening for Meat Cutter and Wrapper in Kannapolis. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Kannapolis here.

Ok Kannapolis! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don't know, but April May!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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