State Senate Passes New Maps
(Raleigh, NC) -- State lawmakers will spend the next two days reviewing new district maps. The state Senate approved its version of district lines last night, which follows Friday's state House approval. A judge ordered legislators to redraw the state's districts after finding the current lines were unconstitutional due to racial gerrymandering. Republican Senator Ralph Hise said the maps were drawn without consideration of political or racial data.
WNC Campus Placed On Lockdown
(Jackson County, NC) -- Reports of a suspected gunman on a college campus in Jackson County are turning out to be false. Law enforcement officers converged at Southwestern Community College Monday morning after students said they saw someone with a gun. The campus was placed on lockdown for around three hours while investigators searched, but they found nothing. Classes were canceled for the day.
Crisp Guilty In Swain County Murder Trial
(Swain County, NC) -- A man is guilty of killing his girlfriend in Swain County. The jury convicted Alex Crisp of second-degree murder yesterday. Prosecutors said Crisp shot and killed Summer Johnson five years ago in Bryson City because she was threatening to leave him. The defense argued in the trial that Johnson may have committed suicide. The judge sentenced Crisp to 18-to-23 years in prison.
Father Charged In Baby's Death
(Burke County, NC) -- A Burke County father is accused of second-degree murder in the death of his infant son. Sheriff's officials say the two-month old died from a traumatic brain injury five days after he was brought to the hospital on September 4th. Maurice Springs was arrested Friday and remains in jail without bond. He made his first court appearance in Burke County yesterday.
Suspect Arrested For Church Break-Ins
(Asheville, NC) -- A suspect is facing charges for allegedly breaking-in to two Asheville churches. Conner Fewell is accused of multiple break-ins at Biltmore United Methodist Church and Foster Seventh Day Adventist Church over the past month. Asheville police say he stole electronics, two safes and thousands-of-dollars worth of gift cards. He was arrested on Sunday and charged with seven felonies.
Successful Attendance Numbers At Mountain State Fair
(Fletcher, NC) -- Officials for the North Carolina Mountain State Fair are reporting good attendance numbers for the ten-day event. WLOS-TV says over 170-thousand people walked through the gates in Fletcher last week. That's higher than the total for the last two years when weather from Hurricanes Irma and Florence kept some folks away.
ATV Rider Hit By Train
(Charlotte, NC) -- A person who was hit by a train in South End is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The CMPD says an all-terrain vehicle was on the tracks on Camden Road when the light rail train came through around 9:30 last night. The LYNX blue line service was modified as the investigation unfolded and the ATV was removed from the tracks. The victim was rushed to Atrium Health.
Twelve Suspects Arrested In String Of Armed Robberies
(Charlotte, NC) -- A dozen suspects are facing charges in a string of armed robberies across the Steele Creek community. The CMPD says the suspects divided into small groups to target the Hispanic community beginning in early July. A total of 25 robberies have been linked to the suspects. Most of the victims were approached while walking down the street, although there's no rhyme or reason for the time of day the robberies happened. The police department said yesterday that twelve were arrested and another suspect is at-large.
Financial Tech Company Adding One-Thousand Jobs
(Charlotte, NC) -- A financial tech company is planning to add one-thousand jobs in Charlotte. Better-dot-com announced yesterday it is expanding the workforce at its existing office at South End's Rail Yard to 100 employees by the end of this year. The rest will be hired in the next five years. Better-dot-com's CEO says the Queen City is a place where dynamic young people want to help Americans reimagine home ownership. There are over 40 financial tech companies in Charlotte.
No Rain Means No Rural Hill Corn Maze
(Huntersville, NC) -- The lack of rain is forcing a Huntersville corn maze to shut down this fall. The Amazing Maize Maze at Historic Rural Hill is missing the tall corn that usually grows for the annual operation. The maze is a major source of funding for cultural and educational programs at the historic site, sometimes raising as much as 250-thousand-dollars. Rural Hill officials are hoping for more rain next year so the annual event can resume.
Two Injured In West Charlotte Shooting
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is investigating a shooting in the middle of a west Charlotte street. Neighbors told WBTV that shooters opened fire on a man and woman on Alice Street Monday afternoon. The getaway car allegedly circled back around to the scene of the crime before leaving. The victims' injuries weren't considered life-threatening.
Escaped Python Found In Stanley
(Gaston County, NC) -- An escaped 13-foot-long snake is back off the streets of Gaston County. The platinum reticulated python's owner says the snake got out of its container Sunday night at a home on Killian Road in Stanley. Friends helped the owner search overnight. The python was reportedly found and back at home early Monday evening.
Vaping Sickens 150 North Carolinians, Including 75 Kids Under 5
(Undated) -- E-cigarettes are making a lot of people in North Carolina sick, including dozens of children under age 5. NC Poison Control said Monday that nearly 150 people have gotten sick from exposure to the high levels of nicotine in e-cigs. That number includes about 75 children younger than 5. NC Poison Control says kids can be exposed by swallowing the brightly colored liquid from e-cigarettes, or if they get it in their eyes or on their skin.
Granville County Sheriff Indicted, Accused Of Not Protecting, Warning Threatened Ex-Deputy
(Oxford, NC) -- Granville County Sheriff Brindell Wilkins is under indictment and accused of not warning a former deputy of death threats against him. Wilkins was indicted Monday and two counts of felony obstruction of justice in an investigation of his department's drug interdiction unit. Wilkins was indicted after a recorded conversation with someone described as a well-known person threatening to kill former Deputy Joshua Freeman. Prosecutors say Wilkins heard specific threats to kill Freeman at a certain time in a certain place but didn't warn Freeman or take any action to protect him.
Raleigh Woman Sentenced To 10 Years For Running Fake Charity
(Raleigh, NC) -- A Raleigh woman is on her way to prison for ten years for running a fake charity. Jennifer Lynn Pierce was sentenced Monday after she was convicted of operating a non-existent charity that cost AT&T more than half-a-million dollars. Pierce posed as the operator of the bogus charity in order to get large orders of mobile phones and service contracts from AT&T in 2014. Pierce never paid for the devices but sold them and pocketed the cash.
UNC Study: Storms With Heavy Rainfall Are New Normal
(Chapel Hill, NC) -- Major storms loaded with heavy rain and causing flooding across North Carolina appear to be the new normal. That's the finding of a UNC-Chapel Hill study of storms over the past 120 years. Researchers found that six of the seven wettest storms in that period happened in the past 20 years. The leader of the study says that's most likely because of a changing climate, with warmer oceans pumping more water vapor into the air.
Three People Killed In Burlington ID'd
(Burlington, NC) -- Burlington police are identifying the three people found shot to death Sunday morning. The bodies of Dana Underwood, Tyson Bennett and Anthony Fitcher, who're all in their 40s, were found in a home on Adams Street. Police believe Underwood and Bennett had been in a relationship, but they did not give a motive for the shootings. An investigation is ongoing.
State Trooper Badly Hurt In DWI Crash In Wilkes Co.
(Wilkes Co., NC) -- A state trooper is recovering after he was struck head-on by a suspected drunk driver in Wilkesboro. The accident happened Sunday night on state Highway 115, near Damascus Church Road. Highway Patrol officials say Trooper Jonathan Barnes suffered several broken bones in the accident. He's expected to be okay. The alleged drunk driver, Luis Castillo, was airlifted to a local hospital in serious condition.
Man Arrested After Shooting Two People In Winston-Salem
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- A man is under arrest after police say he fired shots into an apartment in Winston-Salem, injuring two people. The scene unfolded yesterday morning at an apartment unit on Nita Drive. Police say Johari McNair fired multiple shots through the door after arguing with the people inside. Two victims were found suffering gunshot wounds but are expected to be okay. McNair was arrested on several charges and is being held without bail.
American Hebrew Academy In Greensboro To Stay Open
(Greensboro, NC) -- The American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro will stay open. The academy made the announcement yesterday, saying it secured the long-term financial support it needed. It will continue full operations for ninth, tenth and 11th grades for the 2020-2021 academic year. The academy has not said whether 12th grade will also resume.
Trader Joe's Accepting Applications Through Tomorrow
(Greensboro, NC) -- Trader Joe's is accepting applications for its new location in Greensboro through tomorrow. It's looking for crew members to help staff the location on Battleground Avenue at the Brassfield Shopping Center. Folks who have a passion for people and food are encouraged to apply. The store is expected to open sometime this fall.