SALISBURY - Rowan-Cabarrus Community College students returned from the 58th Annual North Carolina Phi Beta Lambda Leadership Conference with numerous awards – including first prize in accounting, financial services, small business management, and word processing.

“I am so proud of all of our students who competed at the conference,” said Martha Cranford, Rowan-Cabarrus faculty member and chapter advisor. “I’m proud of our students and would encourage all Rowan-Cabarrus students to consider being part of the PBL organization and compete in state and national competitive events.”

Nine students from Rowan-Cabarrus attended the Phi Beta Lambda Leadership conference in Charlotte late last month. Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL) is the largest and oldest student business organization.

KANNAPOLIS - On Monday we brought you the news of the discovery of a clue into what may cause infertility in some men.  On Tuesday we were able to talk to one of the research scientists involved in the study, and the scientist who led the study.

Could the answer to infertility be found at the local farmer's market...maybe, at least for some men.

The research is from a study at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis. 

"It is the dream of a scientist who has an interest in the clinical end of it," Dr. Karen Corbin, PhD, RD, told WBTV.  "Is to be able to take something that you see at the bench with a mouse or cell models and look to see if it's happening in humans and use that information to help people."

The research may also be a dream come true for couples dealing with infertility.

CONCORD - On Thursday, Margaret Cox will turn on the lights in her corner office at Cooperative Christian Ministry for the last time. She’ll interview clients, host meetings and get a lot of hugs. When she turns off those lights at the end of the day, it will be for the last time. After a combined 19 years, Cox is retiring.

The first paid employee of the organization, Cox was hired in November, 1985 as director of the Kannapolis Christian Ministry, which was later combined with CCM. She took some time away from the organization in 1993 after her husband, a Methodist minister, was transferred away from the area. In June, 2001, they moved back to the area and Cox was hired in her current position of Client Service Provider.

“I was very happy to come into a service position,” says Cox. For the past 11 years, she has been helping members of the community through struggles during tough economic times.

In January, Cox decided to retire. “I really had thought I’d work until I was 70 years old,” says Cox. After 19 years, she says it will be different having a day with no plans or structure. Her first order of business will be spending more than 10 days at her beach home in Holden Beach. After that, Cox says she’ll weigh all her options and spend time with her friends and family more. She has one daughter and no grandchildren yet.