Search Continues For West Asheville Woman
(Asheville, NC) - The search continues for a West Asheville woman who vanished over a week ago. Thirty-four-year-old Elizabeth Belcher was last seen by her husband, Brandon, at their home near Candler Knob Road on July 18th. He said her phone, ID and other belongings were left behind. Family, friend and volunteers from four different states scoured the area near Hat Creek Drive yesterday afternoon for any signs of Belcher. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to call 9-1-1.
COVID-19 Outbreak At Marion Daycare
(Marion, NC) - North Carolina health officials are reporting a coronavirus outbreak at a childcare facility in Marion. At least two cases were identified Friday at the McDowell Early Childhood Enrichment Center. It's the only facility in Western North Carolina with an outbreak listed by the state. Officials say so far, no staff members have tested positive for the virus.
Asheville Boil Water Advisory Expired
(Asheville, NC) - The City of Asheville Water Resources Department is lifting a boil water advisory that was in effect for over six-thousand residents. An advisory for Sweeten Creek Road was lifted yesterday after lab results confirmed the water was free of contaminants. Folks living in the area were told on Saturday to boil their water, and flush their lines, due to a water-line repair.
Mountain Bike Park In Hendersonville Opens
(Hendersonville, NC) - A new mountain bike park in Hendersonville is open to the public. Ride Kanuga is located on the property of Kanuga Camps and Conference Center. It features 20 miles of trails, as well as campsites and cabins for rent. The park officially opened on Saturday.
Study: NC Has More COVID-19 Restrictions Than Most State
(Asheville, NC) - North Carolina is doing more to stop the spread of coronavirus than most states. That's according to a new study by Wallethub, which ranked states based on the fewest COVID-19 restrictions in place. It looked at things like re-openings and mask requirements. North Carolina ranked 45th, which means it is doing a lot to combat the virus. South Dakota has the fewest restrictions in place, giving it the number-one spot on the list, and California has the most.
Two Inmates Die After Testing Positive For COVID-19
(Charlotte, NC) - Two North Carolina inmates are dead after testing positive for coronavirus. State prison officials say one male inmate, from the Albemarle Correctional Institution, died Friday, and the other male inmate, housed at the prison, died on Thursday. They're among the eight prisoners in the state who've died since the pandemic began.
Honeywell Intl. Lays-Off Nearly Ten-Thousand Nationwide
(Charlotte, NC) - Charlotte-based Honeywell International Incorporated is letting go of about ten-thousand staff members worldwide. That's roughly nine-percent of its 113-thousand-person workforce. The lay-offs are a part of the company's repositioning in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Charlotte Mayor Says City Will Host Scaled-Down RNC
(Charlotte, NC) - Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles says the city will host a scaled-down Republican National Convention next month. This after President Trump announced he was canceling the Jacksonville, Florida portion of the convention due to a "flare-up" of coronavirus cases there. Mayor Lyles says the city will not spend any more than what was approved by the Department of Justice. The Charlotte portion of the R-N-C includes a small group of G-O-P delegates gathering in the city for just a few hours on August 24th.
Atrium Health CEO Talks Hospitals' Response To Pandemic
(Charlotte, NC) - The president and CEO of Atrium Health in Charlotte is talking about how his hospitals are handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking on CBS' Face The Nation over the weekend, Eugene Woods says they are now facing a reagents shortage. That's the chemical compound needed to process coronavirus tests. Woods says hospital capacity remains manageable because they are using virtual visits to treat COVID-19 patients from home and are working with paramedics to deliver medications.
President Trump To Visit North Carolina Plant Working On Vaccine Today
(Morrisville, NC) -- President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit North Carolina later today. Trump will tour the Fuji Film Diosynth Biotechnologies plant in Morrisville to get a look a work being done to develop a new vaccine against the coronavirus. The biotech center has been tasked with mass producing key components of the vaccine developed by NOVAVAX. NOVOVAX was recently awarded a federal grant totaling one-point-six-billion dollars under 'Operation Warp Speed.' Trump's visit comes as Phase 3 of human clinical trials are set to begin within a few weeks.
Singe-Day COVID-19 Total On Sunday Lowest In Six Days
(Raleigh, NC) -- The number of new coronavirus cases reported in North Carolina Sunday was the lowest in six days. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, there were 16-hundred-21 new lab confirmed cases yesterday, down from two-thousand-97 reported on Saturday. That brought the total to more than 112-thousand since the pandemic first began. There were also one-thousand-170 patients being treated at hospitals across the state. Seventeen-hundred-85 people have died from the illness.
Duke Will Allow Only Limited On-Campus Residential Housing For Fall Term
(Chapel Hill, NC) -- Officials at Duke University have unveiled the school's special student-housing protocol for the upcoming fall semester. According to the University, only freshmen and sophomores will be allowed to live on campus. Exceptions will be students who require special accommodations. Upperclassmen, graduate and Phd. students will be allowed on campus to visit libraries, labs, or to perform research, but they will be prohibited from going inside residence halls.
Peaceful Protests Turn Violent In Roxboro Saturday Night
(Roxboro, NC) -- Several protesters were arrested in Roxboro Saturday night after a peaceful demonstration over an officer-involved shooting of a black man on Friday turned violent. Police say a group of about 20-to-30 people, some armed with Molotov cocktails and incendiary devices, were ordered to disperse. When they refused, officers took them into custody. Several were charged with resisting arrest and possession of illegal weapons. The protest march and rally was in response to the shooting death of 45-year-old David Brooks Jr. on Old Durham Road near the Dollar General on Friday morning.
Longtime Republican Lawmaker To Retire At End Of Year
(Raleigh, NC) -- In a surprise move, North Carolina Representative David Lewis announced Friday that he is retiring from the legislature and will not seek re-election. The Harnette County Republican had served in the General Assembly for some 18-years. Lewis, who represents District 53 in the House of Representatives, will serve through the end of the year. Lewis is credited with being one of the major architects of a Republican-led effort to redraw state legislative district lines in 2016. He was also one of the strongest supporters of a voter ID law that was struck down by a federal appeals court in 2016.
WSPD Makes Ten Arrests In Connection With Occupy Protest
(Winston-Salem, NC) - Ten people are facing charges in connection with an Occupy protest in downtown Winston-Salem. At least 30 protesters took to the streets near 4th and Cherry Saturday evening. They had a list of demands for WSPD, including notifying the public immediately after an officer-involved death. Ten protesters were arrested for refusing officers' commands to return to the sidewalk. No one was hurt.
UNCG Students Start Moving In
(Greensboro, NC) - Students at the University of North Carolina - Greensboro are starting their two-step move-in process. Students who are staying in dorms spent their day Saturday hauling boxes and setting up their rooms. It's phase one of the two-phase process, which was designed to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Phase two involves students actually moving into their rooms. UNCG also says it's lowering its resident-housing capacity to 75-percent to help slow the spread of the virus.
Winston-Salem Pools Closed After Employees Test Positive For COVID-19
(Winston-Salem, NC) - Winston-Salem pools are closed after two employees tested positive for COVID-19. City officials say the employees may have had contact with other pool staff, and that's why they had to shut all of the facilities down. They reportedly did not come into contact with the public. City officials say splash pads are still open.
Three People Shot Saturday In Winston-Salem
(Winston-Salem, NC) - Three people are in serious but stable condition after a drive-by shooting in Winston-Salem. It happened Saturday afternoon in the 900-block of Ferrell Avenue. Police say two vehicles stopped in front of a home, and the people inside opened fire. Three people who were standing in the front yard were hit. Anyone who can help police in the investigation is urged to come forward.