Caretaker Arrested For Murder Of Avery County Woman
(Avery County, NC) -- A caretaker is accused of killing an Avery County woman. Seventy-year-old Lynn Keene was initially reported missing on June 30th. A break in the case came last week when deputies found her car in Cherokee. Investigators eventually discovered Keene's body entombed in concrete in her basement. Her caretaker, Elizabeth Carserino, was arrested on Saturday for murder.
Transylvania County Court Closed Due To COVID
(Transylvania County, NC) -- Court cases in Transylvania County are being delayed due to COVID-19. District court is closed through tomorrow, while Superior Court will be shut down through Wednesday. Some staff in the Superior Court's office is in quarantine after one person tested positive. The building is also undergoing a deep clean.
State Releases New Transportation Map
(Raleigh, NC) -- The public now has access to the state's updated transportation map. The North Carolina Department of Transportation produced the new publication, which is available free at Visit-N-C-dot-com. The state map is drawn up every two years, featuring details on major North Carolina cities and scenic views.
Asheville Event Raises Money For Music
(Asheville, NC) -- Another large fundraiser for music initiatives in Asheville is in the books. The lead singer of the rock band Boston was the headliner at the 13th annual Give to the Music benefit, which was held at the Orange Peel Saturday night. WLOS-TV reports more than 250-thousand-dollars has been raised over the years of the drive. Money is used to help underserved kids in the community gain access to music lessons and instruments.
Asheville Ranks High For Rent Gap
(Asheville, NC) -- The Asheville area has one of the largest rent gaps in the country, according to a new study. The financial website Smartest Dollar listed Asheville seventh for midsize metro markets. The study shows a person must make nearly 22-dollars-an hour to afford a one-bedroom home rental, but the average hourly wage locally runs under 12-bucks.
Back-To-School Drives Ongoing
(Asheville, NC) -- Back-to-school events are popping up in western North Carolina. School supplies will be given out at JH Sullivan Park in Hendersonville on the 21st. New Hope Community Church in Asheville is holding a school supply drive on the same day. Similar events were held over the weekend in Mills River and Rutherfordton.
Healthcare Workers In Shelby Protest Vaccination Requirements
(Cleveland County, NC) -- More people are protesting against Atrium Health's vaccination requirements. A group marched from downtown Shelby to Atrium Health-Cleveland yesterday, protesting for their right to choose. Both Atrium and Novant Health are requiring employees to be fully vaccinated by this fall.
CMS Principal Suspended
(Charlotte, NC) -- A CMS principal is suspended with pay. The district has informed parents an interim principal will be assigned at Myers Park High School after Mark Bosco was placed on leave. No specific reason was given. A petition for his removal has circulated since school officials were accused of ignoring sexual assault complaints from students.
Gaston County Commissioners Halt Mining
(Gaston County, NC) -- Gaston County commissioners are putting a halt on exploratory drilling locally. Some residents have spoken out against plans developed by Piedmont Lithium, which wants to extract lithium from underground to help make electric car batteries. The board of commissioners voted on Friday to impose a 60-day moratorium on mining. County leaders will spend the time developing regulations.
Mecklenburg Court Delayed By COVID-19
(Mecklenburg County, NC) -- Court cases in Mecklenburg County are being delayed due to COVID-19. The decision to shut district and superior courts down was made after five people tested positive for the coronavirus over the weekend. Nearly 30 people are now in quarantine. Court officials and the health department will meet tomorrow to see if opening Wednesday is possible.
Matthews Alive Festival Canceled Again
(Matthews, NC) -- A festival in Matthews is being canceled again over COVID. The board of directors voted Friday to call off the Matthews Alive Festival, which was planned in early September. The decision was made with the guidance of Novant health doctors and the town of Matthews. The festival had been held for 27 years before cancellations in 2020 and this year.
State Of Emergency Goes Into Effect Today In Durham County And City
(Durham, NC) -- Starting at 5 this evening, a new State of Emergency is set go into effect for both Durham City and Durham County. The public safety measure comes in response to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases across the Triangle, largely brought on by the Delta variant. Under the terms of the State of Emergency, face coverings will be mandated by all persons while inside businesses and municipal buildings. The latest figures released by the state Department of Health and Human Services showed the test positive rate in Durham County has jumped to four-point-six-percent within the last month. Statewide, the rate is now 12-point-two-percent.
Some Students At UNC Chapel Hill Have Been Paying To Get Fake Vaccination Cards
(Chapel Hill, NC) -- Officials at UNC Chapel Hill have sent out a warning to students that says, although getting a vaccine is currently not a requirement, lying about a vaccination status is a violation of the University's honor code. This comes as reports have surfaced that some students have been paying as much as 200 dollars to obtain fake vaccination cards in advance of the start of the fall term in two weeks. The University has sent out verification forms to all students encouraging but not requiring those already vaccinated to verify their status.
Stella Patterson To Be Sworn In Thursday As Raleigh's New Police Chief
(Raleigh, NC) -- Official swearing-in ceremonies are scheduled to take place later this week for new Raleigh Police Chief Stella Patterson. Organizers of the event say Patterson's husband, Lance Patterson, will pin the insignia of Police Chief on her new uniform. Patterson replaces former Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown who retired earlier this year. The ceremony is set to begin Thursday morning at 10 at the Meymandi Concert Hall in downtown Raleigh.
Two People In Raleigh Struck And Killed By Vehicles Over The Weekend
(Raleigh, NC) -- A second pedestrian hit by a car in the Raleigh area over the weekend has died. Authorities say the victim, identified only as an adult male, was struck while walking along New Bern Avenue and New Hope Road just before 10 p.m. Saturday. He was treated at a nearby hospital but died of his injuries on Sunday. The incident comes after a woman was fatally struck by a car on Friday. In both cases, the drivers of the vehicles remained on the scene of the accidents. No word on whether any charges will be filed.
PNC Arena To Host Job Fair To Fill Over 500 Positions
(Raleigh, NC) -- The PNC Arena in Raleigh will host a hiring event this week in an effort to fill more than 500 part-time positions. Officials say they need to hire more workers to handle the expected return of large crowds for upcoming sporting and entertainment events. Vacant positions include security officers, cashiers, parking attendants and food service employees. The job fair will be held on Thursday, August 12th from 3 until 6 p.m.
Guilford Co. Officials Plan COVID-19 Meeting Today
(Guilford Co., NC) -- Guilford County leaders are meeting with medical staff today to discuss the growing number of COVID-19 cases across the state. The county's positivity rate has more than tripled in the last month, and the amount of patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19 has also spiked. The meeting is planned for 3:30 p.m.
Two NC A&T Students Are Gold Medalists
(Greensboro, NC) -- North Carolina A&T State University is now home to a couple of Olympic gold medalists. Trevor Stewart and Randolph Ross Junior took home gold in the men's 4x400-meter relay at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo on Friday. It marks the first time in A&M history that two Aggies have competed on the same team for a single event. Stewart also made history earlier in the week as the first Aggie to earn a medal in the Olympics; he secured bronze in the inaugural mixed 4x400-meter relay.
Driver Killed, Passenger Injured In Greensboro Crash
(Greensboro, NC) -- A driver is dead and their passenger is hurt after a single-vehicle accident in Greensboro. It happened just before midnight Saturday on North Elm Street and Waldron Drive. Police say a Dodge Challenger lost control and barreled through street signs and trees before crashing into a wall. The driver died, and the passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Their identities have not been released.
Winston-Salem Man Shot In Jaw During Drive-By
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- A Winston-Salem man is in the hospital after a drive-by shooting. Police say the 51-year-old victim was shot in the jaw late Saturday night at his home on the 19-hundred-block of East 17th Street. Around 20 shell casings were found in the road. The victim is expected to be okay. So far, no arrests have been made.
Caretaker Arrested After Woman Found Entombed In Basement
(Avery Co., NC) -- The caretaker of a North Carolina woman is accused of murdering her and then burying her body in concrete. Elizabeth Caserino was arrested Sunday and charged with murder. Seventy-year-old Lynn Keene was found "entombed" in the basement of her Avery County home last week. Caserino had already been charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, financial card theft and identity theft. She's due to appear in court today.