Phase Two Decision Coming Mid-Week
(Raleigh, NC) -- A decision on whether or not to move into Phase Two re-opening in North Carolina is expected mid-week. Governor Roy Cooper says the state still needs to look at a couple more days of data on coronavirus trends before making the call. Phase Two would most likely begin once Phase One expires on Friday, if Cooper decided to go through with it. Case numbers rose by more than 500 from Sunday to Monday, now topping more than 19-thousand statewide. All 100 counties have lab-confirmed cases.
Asheville Restaurant Cited For Dining Violation
(Asheville, NC) -- An Asheville restaurant is accused of violating stay-at-home orders. The Asheville Police Department told WLOS-TV they received several complaints over the weekend about potential dining violations at the Rise 'N Shine Cafe on Merrimon Avenue. Officers issued a citation yesterday after the restaurant was given a verbal warning the day before and allegedly didn't comply. District Attorney Todd Williams is encouraging all business owners to follow all health directives.
Coronavirus Testing At Buncombe's Long-Term Care Facilities Increases
(Buncombe County, NC) -- Buncombe County health officials are ramping up COVID-19 testing at its long-term care facilities. Around one-thousand coronavirus tests were administered to residents and staff countywide yesterday. This come as the first death was reported at a Buncombe long-term care facility. The county's interim public health director blamed the lack of coordination at the federal level on hampering things locally.
City Council Expands Restaurant Seating For Downtown Hendersonville
(Hendersonville, NC) -- Downtown Hendersonville is about to look a little different. The city council voted last night to allow restaurants to expand sidewalk seating to help allow for better social-distancing measures, once in-person dining restrictions are lifted. There will also be an experimental run on the last two days of the month when Main Street will be completely shut down to traffic. The council will discuss again in early June whether or not to continue closing Main Street on the weekends.
Missing Asheville Man Found Dead In South Georgia
(Asheville, NC) -- The search for a missing Asheville man is over. The Asheville Police Department confirmed yesterday that Bryant Alexander Poole was found dead on Saturday in south Georgia near the Florida border. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is helping in the case. Poole's family last hear from him two weeks before. There's no word if foul play is suspected.
Duke Energy Urges Past-Due Customers To Pay
(Asheville, NC) -- Duke Energy is reminding customers that a ban on utility disconnections is ending up soon. Governor Cooper's restrictions on turning off power for unpaid bills expires at the end of the month, and the company says nearly 140-thousand customers are 60-or-more days behind. Duke sent out a letter to everyone to remind them to pay their bills or set up a payment plan with the company.
Lincoln Commission Chair Cited For Opening Restaurant Dining
(Lincoln County, NC) -- Lincoln County's commission chair is heading to court for opening up his restaurant's dining area yesterday. Carroll Mitchem made it clear on Facebook the night before when he said in-person dining would be available at Mithcem's Kitchen in Vale. The sheriff issued Mitchem a citation at the county commission meeting last night for violating Governor Cooper's stay-at-home order after he opened for full service. Mitchem said people are tired of being told what to do.
One Dead After SUV Slams Into Home
(Charlotte, NC) -- One person is dead after an SUV crashed into home in east Charlotte last night. The driver of the SUV reportedly lost control and ran off Cello Court, slamming into the home and killing a person inside. Two others were taken to the hospital for injuries. Investigators told WSOC-TV there was major structural damage to the home.
Teen Dead In East Charlotte Shooting
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is investigating a deadly shooting in east Charlotte. Officers found a 15-year-old inside a wrecked car off Briarhill Drive on Monday afternoon. Investigators say they believe the teen was shot in the parking lot of a nearby apartment complex. He reportedly crashed trying to drive himself to the hospital. No arrests have been announced by the CMPD.
GOP Pledges No Virtual Republican National Convention
(Charlotte, NC) -- Republicans are pushing ahead with plans to hold an in-person national convention in Charlotte. The Republican National Committee's chairwoman said Monday that they won't be holding a virtual convention when the GOP meets at the Spectrum Centre in late August. The Democratic National Convention has already shifted from July to August over coronavirus concerns. The chairwoman said there still needs to be coordination with the governor and local officials for the RNC to happen.
Monroe K9 Helps Seize Nearly One-Million-Dollars In Traffic Stop
(Monroe, NC) -- Nearly one-million-dollars in suspected drug money is off the streets thanks to the work of a Monroe police K9. Investigators say Zorro sniffed out vacuum-sealed bags full of money during a traffic stop off U.S. 74 on Saturday night. The bills totaled up to 900-thousand-dollars. The police chief said it was clearly the by-product of drug trafficking.
Cooper Says He's Hopeful About Moving Into Phase Two Of Reopening
(Raleigh, NC) -- Governor Roy Cooper says he remains hopeful that the state can move into Phase Two of reopening by this Friday. At a news conference Monday, Cooper said the decision would be based on a set of metrics established by state health officials. Those barometers include a trend downward in the number of new coronavirus cases, an increase in the number of people getting tested, a reduction of the number of patients hospitalized and an increase in contact tracing.
Cooper Slams The Practice Of Herd Immunity Parties
(Raleigh, NC) -- Governor Cooper is calling it "absolutely unacceptable" the rumored practice of certain groups of people in North Carolina, who've been attending so-called Herd Immunity parties to purposely expose themselves to COVID-19. Hospital officials say over the last few days, they've treated patients who said they attended the parties to intentionally get infected, so that they can speedily develop antibodies against the virus. That way they can go about their day to day activities without having to take strict safety precautions. Health officials warn the practice is reckless and dangerous in that it could help spread the virus to people who are more vulnerable.
State Lawmakers Back In Session To Resume Work On Budget
(Raleigh, NC) -- Members of the North Carolina General Assembly returned to the capitol Monday to resume work on the 2021 budget. Some House and Senate leaders predicted revenue shortfalls during the next fiscal year by as much as four-billion dollars. However, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger said Monday, the state's rainy day fund should be sufficient enough to keep the state functioning for at least another two years. Berger said he will also request that federal rules be relaxed to allow North Carolina to use some of the money left over from the one-point-eight billion dollar CARES Act stimulus grant.
State Labor Department Releases Latest Figures On Unemployment Filings
(Raleigh, NC) -- New figures released by the North Carolina Division of Employment Security show that since mid March, nearly 900-thousand people in the state have filed claims for unemployment benefits. Of that number, the state has paid out over two-billion dollars to an estimated 537-thousand workers. A spokesperson for DES said Monday, that the Department is currently receiving an average of around 42-thousand calls a day. But with new system upgrades and the adding of more personnel, they expect to be able to handle around 65-thousand calls a day by the end of the week.
Tropical Storm Arthur's Center Going Away From NC
(Miami, FL) -- The National Weather Service says the center of Tropical Storm Arthur is moving away from North Carolina. However, parts of the state's outer banks are expected to see tropical-storm-like winds. The highest sustained winds with the storm are 50 miles-per-hour. Arthur is moving to the northeast at around 16 miles-per-hour.
Winston-Salem Man Arrested After Chase In Stolen Vehicle
(Davidson Co., NC) -- A Winston-Salem man is accused of leading Davidson County sheriff's deputies on a chase in a stolen vehicle. Deputies were investigating a stolen vehicle crash this past Friday on Hairston Road when another vehicle was reported stolen. A chase ensued, and John Szwalla was arrested. He's facing several charges, including larceny of a motor vehicle, breaking and entering, and assault with a deadly weapon on a government official.
NC A&T Students To Return In The Fall
(Greensboro, NC) -- NC A&T State University officials say they're moving forward with plans to reopen in the fall. The university says students can return on August 19th. The Planning Committee will release additional details about move-in/housing, health and safety, and athletics at a later date.