State Senate Passes Billion-Dollar Relief Plan
(Raleigh, NC) -- Parents are set to see some relief with a new spending plan passed by the North Carolina Senate. Lawmakers passed a plan yesterday to divide out close to one-billion-dollars in CARES Act funding throughout the state. Parents of children aged 17 and younger would receive a 335-dollar check to help in costs for remote learning. The House is expected to vote on the measure today.
McDowell County Man Arrested For Murder
(McDowell County, NC) -- A McDowell County man is in jail for an August murder. Investigators say Vietnam veteran Carroll Eckard was shot to death in his Nebo home. WLOS-TV reports a 34-year-old suspect has since been arrested for murder. The victim and suspect allegedly knew each other.
NC Man Sentenced In Child Exploitation Investigation
(Charlotte, NC) -- A North Carolina man is heading to prison in connection to an investigation into child exploitation. The Boone Police Department arrested the man after undercover agents found he was part of online groups dedicated to trafficking child pornography and sexual exploitation. Nearly two dozen arrests have been made and eight children have been rescued from abuse around the world due to the investigation. A judge sentenced the man to five-and-a-half years yesterday.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations Drop To Two-Month Low
(Raleigh, NC) -- The state's COVID-19 hospitalizations are at a low not seen in more than two months. Public health officials said Wednesday the number dropped to 858 patients. The number of new COVID-19 cases came in at over eleven-hundred, which is a drastic drop from 24-hours before.
One Dead In Brevard Wreck
(Transylvania County, NC) -- Police are investigating a deadly wreck in Brevard. Officers told WLOS-TV a car and truck collided at Ecusta and Morris roads on Tuesday afternoon. A third car was damaged from the impact of the initial collision. A 78-year-old woman died in the wreck.
Asheville Hotel Development Plan Unveiled
(Asheville, NC) -- Details are out on Asheville's new hotel development plan. The Planning and Zoning Commission heard a presentation last night, which highlighted recommendations developed over the last year. The city would form a design review board and create zones for specific sizes of hotels. A moratorium on new hotel construction is currently in place.
Meck Aligns Alcohol Restrictions With State
(Mecklenburg County, NC) -- Mecklenburg County's alcohol restrictions are falling in line with the order issued by Governor Roy Cooper. The 11 p.m. cutoff time for restaurants statewide is extended to October 2nd, while capacity limits are still in effect. Seating is allowed at restaurant bars with proper social distancing. Meck's health director said yesterday the continued restrictions are effective in limiting mostly younger residents gathering in social establishments with no face masks or distancing.
One Dead In Gastonia Stabbing
(Gastonia, NC) -- A man is accused of killing his grandfather in Gastonia. Officers found 67-year-old Darrell Phillips stabbed to death inside his home in the Smyre community on Wednesday morning. The man's grandson was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder.
Davidson County Man Sentenced In Child Exploitation Investigation
(Charlotte, NC) -- A Davidson County man is heading to prison in connection to an investigation into child exploitation. The Boone Police Department arrested the man after undercover agents found he was part of online groups dedicated to trafficking child pornography and sexual exploitation. Nearly two dozen arrests have been made and eight children have been rescued from abuse around the world due to the investigation. A judge sentenced the Davidson County man to five-and-a-half years yesterday.
CMPD Step Up Effort Against Stolen Guns
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is kickstarting a campaign to stop gun thefts in the city. More than 460 guns have reportedly been stolen so far in 2020, and nearly 50 have been taken from cars. The Lock It or Lose It campaign encourages gun owners to keep their weapons locked up. Hyatt Gun Shop is offering gun safes and locks at reduced rates.
In-Person Learning Increasing In Union County
(Union County, NC) -- In-person learning is getting busier soon in Union County. Students who chose the hybrid face-to-face and remote learning have gone to school for one day a week. Later this month, the district moves to two days per week in the classroom.
Great Wolf Lodge Re-Opening
(Concord, NC) -- A Charlotte-area indoor water park resort is re-opening soon. Visitors will be welcome back at the Great Wolf Lodge in Concord beginning September 17th. The company is implementing a safety plan that concentrates on disinfection, physical distancing and keeping surface interactions to a minimum. Face coverings will be required in public spaces at the lodge, except when the water park is in use.
Body Of One Of Two Children Lost In Flood Found In Smithfield
(Smithfield, NC) -- Search crews recovered the body of one of two children swept away by strong currents during flash flooding Monday night in Smithfield. According to the Johnston County Sheriff's Office, the body discovered Wednesday was that of a five year old girl identified only as Alexa. Her four year old brother Abraham, is still missing. The search for the boy will continue this morning.
Remarkable Single-Day Drop In New Coronavirus Cases Wednesday
(Raleigh, NC) -- Data released by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services showed a dramatic decrease in the number of new coronavirus cases on Wednesday. The 1-thousand-129 new infections were 982-fewer than on Tuesday. The 858-COVID-19 patients in the hospital was also the lowest single-day figure since the end of July. North Carolina's positivity rate remained at 7-point-6 percent. Over 27-hundred people have died from the disease.
Pence Returns To Triangle Today In Re-Election Campaign Bid
(Raleigh, NC) -- Vice President Mike Pence will return to the Triangle today. Pence is scheduled to tour the Gateway Women's Care Center in Raleigh and participate in a panel discussion. Pence will also visit the Christ Baptist Church, where his re-election campaign is expected to be endorsed by the Southern Police Benevolent Association.
RTP Based Pharmaceutical Company Awarded Huge Contract To Speed Up Development Of Antiviral Medication
(Raleigh, NC) -- Raleigh based BioCryst Pharmaceuticals has been awarded a new 47-million dollar federal contract to further develop a drug to treat those already infected with the coronavirus. BioCryst researchers will try to determine if an antiviral medication used in the treatment of 'Yellow Fever', can also be effective against COVID-19. The drug known as 'Galidesivir' has already shown some promise in the fight against SARS and MERS.
Body Of Missing Girl Found In Johnston Co.
(Johnston Co., NC) -- The body of a missing five-year-old girl in Johnston County has been found. Alexa Castro and her four-year-old brother, Abraham Martinez Junior, were in a car that was swept away by floodwaters early Tuesday. The girl's body was found yesterday in a creek near the Neuse River. Rescuers are still looking for the boy. They're mother has been rescued.
Two People Killed In Murder-Suicide In High Point
(High Point, NC) -- Two people are dead after a possible murder-suicide in High Point. The scene unfolded Tuesday morning in the 14-hundred block of East Avenue. Neighbors reported hearing gunshots in the area, and 23-year-old Brooklyn Williams and 27-year-old Andre Cousiamono were found dead on the porch. Police believe Cousiamono shot Williams and then pulled the trigger on himself. An investigation is ongoing.
President Trump Designates Wilmington as First World War II Heritage City
(Wilmington, NC) -- President Trump is designating Wilmington as the first American World War Two Heritage City. Speaking at the U.S.S. Battleship North Carolina yesterday, Trump praised veterans who "raced into the fires of hell to vanquish tyranny, dethrone fascism and defend the American way of life." The trip was timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the end of World War Two.
Pres. Trump To Visit Winston-Salem Next Week
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- President Trump is planning a trip to Winston-Salem next week. The President is hosting a campaign event at Smith-Reynolds Regional Airport at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The trip comes after Trump's personal appearance in Wilmington yesterday.
Stokes Co. Schools Want Kids To Return To School
(Stokes Co., NC) -- Stokes County Schools want to give children to option to return to campus. The district announced yesterday it's moving to Plan B on September 14th. It started the year fully-remote but is switching to a hybrid option. Officials say schools did not have enough personal protective equipment to safely reopen schools at the start of the year, but now they do.