What is the K-Town Connection?

The K-Town Connection brings you a mix of entertainment, local updates, and plenty of laughs! Join us for some light-hearted fun as we highlight the best of our hometown, Kannapolis, North Carolina, and celebrate the community we all love.

Misson:

To promote the community of Kannapolis through storytelling, preserving our rich history, collaborating with citizens, local leaders, and stakeholders to connect our past while looking toward the future.

Vision:

Create a digital scrapbook capturing the news, history, and happenings in Kannapolis, while showcasing the citizens of our community. By filling the void left by the loss of the Daily Independent, we aim to highlight the people and the spirit of Kannapolis—celebrating both longtime residents and newcomers alike.

What is Rough Talk?

It’s real talk—raw, authentic and unfiltered. A blend of our city’s rich racing heritage intertwined with its proud textile workers, all delivered in a bold, edgy tone that’s as tough as it gets.

K-Town Connection Logo: 

Anyone who grew up in Kannapolis from the 1970s through the 1980s remembers their hometown station, 99.7 WRKB FM. In the 1980s, the station underwent a transformation, rebranding as WJZR with the tagline Z100.

The Kannapolis-based Z100 quickly became the hottest station in the Charlotte area, and its flashy logo turned into a must-have bumper sticker, seen on cars all over the region.

The K-Town Connection crew stumbled upon the idea of using a Z100-inspired logo by chance with a little help from former Z100 disc jockey Chuck “Dr. Dave” Irvin. When Phil Rogers from Omega Graphics mocked up the current K-Town Connection logo with that inspiration, it became an instant hit!

3 For Dale:

Kannapolis isn’t just the home of Cannon Mills; it’s also the proud home of the legendary Earnhardt family, pioneers and champions in stock car racing. It’s rare for a city to be famous for two major things, but Kannapolis is celebrated as the birthplace of Cannon Towels and Sheets and the hometown of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt.

Known as Kannapolis’ favorite son, Dale was a seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion. His swagger, larger-than-life persona, and connection to the common man made him a true icon with Mill Workers.

Growing up tough as the son of Grand National Champion Ralph Earnhardt, Dale embodied resilience and grit. That’s why, at the end of every episode, we honor Dale and his family by raising three fingers and proudly saying, “3 for Dale!”

The Mill Guy:

Let’s be clear: the Kannapolis many of us grew up with was a gritty, blue-collar town built by generations of hardworking men and women who dedicated their lives to Cannon Mills. These Mill Workers were the backbone of our community, raising families and shaping the character of our town. At K-Town Connection, we affectionately use the term “Mill Guy” to honor those hardworking individuals who made Kannapolis what it is today.