Asheville Wants Confederate Monument Lawsuit Dismissed
(Asheville, NC) -- The city of Asheville is attempting to finish off the removal of downtown's Confederate statue. It's been three months since the Court of Appeals halted removal of the Vance Monument after a historical preservation group appealed a lawsuit dismissal. The city filed a motion this week to dissolve the lawsuit once and for all due to alleged missed deadlines in the case. The only thing that's left of the monument is the base.
Cawthorn Accused Of Bringing Knife To School Board Meeting
(Henderson County, NC) -- A Democratic congressional candidate is accusing Representative Madison Cawthorn of bringing a knife to this week's Henderson County school board meeting. Jay Carey is running against the Republican in the 11th District race next year. He posted a picture on social media late Monday night, which shows what he claims to be a knife under Cawthorn's wheelchair. Possession of a knife on education property is a misdemeanor.
Flooding Fundraiser Hauls In Over 800-Thousand-Dollars
(Haywood County, NC) -- Money is still pouring in to help victims of Haywood County flooding. It's been a month since the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred walloped western North Carolina with heavy rain, killing six people in floods. WLOS-TV reports the United Way has raised over 800-thousand-dollars in its Hope for Haywood campaign. Federal assistance is now also being provided to affected residents.
Appointed WNC District Attorney To Run For Office
(Henderson County, NC) -- A western North Carolina district attorney is running to keep his office. Governor Roy Cooper just appointed Andrew Murray in May to serve as D-A for Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties. He was selected to replace Greg Newman, who was ousted for allegedly mishandling cases. Murray told the Citizen-Times this week that being a public servant is part of his blood.
COVID Clusters Increase In Mountain Schools
(Asheville, NC) -- COVID clusters are on the rise in mountain school districts. Health and Human Services reported yesterday there are 14 clusters in schools across seven counties. That marks a rise from six the week before. Both Henderson and McDowell County schools decided on Monday to extend their face mask mandates.
Asheville City Council Deciding How To Divide Relief Funds
(Asheville, NC) -- The Asheville City Council is figuring out exactly how its American Rescue Plan funds will be distributed. Members created over ten categories at a meeting last night, including affordable housing, infrastructure and small business recovery. More than one-million-dollars will be used towards homeless shelters. The council also decided to use some of the funding to pay for a reparations project manager.
Charter School Requiring Staff Vaccinations
(Charlotte, NC) -- A Charlotte-area charter school is requiring its teachers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The board at Socrates Academy in Matthews voted unanimously this week to mandate vaccinations by Thanksgiving. Staff will be given an opportunity to seek an exemption. The board president told the News and Observer that the school is taking the position to follow science.
Teen Killed In Downtown Gastonia
(Gastonia, NC) -- Gastonia Police are looking for suspects in the killing of a teenager. Officers say a 14-year-old girl died after she was shot outside of Rodgers Bail Bonding in downtown yesterday. The car reportedly used as a getaway in the shooting was found abandoned around four-hours later. Police are also trying to figure out why the girl wasn't in school.
CMS To Start Testing Employees For COVID
(Charlotte, NC) -- COVID testing for unvaccinated staffers in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will begin soon. Employees will start providing their vaccination statuses next week. Testing for those who haven't gotten their shots begins the week of September 27th for bus drivers, transportation staff and after-school staff. The initiative will expand to different school levels throughout October.
Union County Teacher Resigns After District's Contact Tracing Decision
(Union County, NC) -- A teacher for Union County Schools is blaming the district's health decisions for her resignation. The school board voted earlier this week to stop contact tracing for students and staff who are either not positive for COVID or who aren't showing symptoms. A band teacher from Piedmont High School called it quits after the meeting due to what she called an irresponsible and careless decision.
Man On Run After High Speed Chase Out Of Charlotte
(Charlotte, NC) -- A Virginia man is on the run after a high-speed chase from Charlotte into Chester County. Police tracked a stolen car on Monday night along interstates 485 and 77 until it stopped near Highway 21. A woman was arrested while trying to run away, but her companion is still at-large.
Charlotte Staffing Company Holding Job Fair
(Charlotte, NC) -- A hiring event for the Charlotte area is continuing today. The staffing company Hire Dynamics is seeking to fill nearly 400 positions in several different industries. Interested applicants are welcome to come by the company's offices today in Charlotte, Gastonia, Concord and several other cities.
Johnston County School Board Postpones Vote On Mask Mandate By One Week
(Johnston County, NC) -- Across the state of North Carolina, school board meetings have become the recent sites of heated debates over the issue of mandatory face masks. In Johnston County Tuesday, hundreds of parents rallied outside the District's headquarters building in Smithfield, while inside others expressed varied opinions to Board members about government-imposed masks requirements. At the end of the public hearing, the Board decided to postpone voting on the resolution until next week.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations Rising Again In North Carolina
(Raleigh, NC) -- While some COVID-19 key metrics are trending downward, there was a slight uptick in the number of North Carolina hospitalizations Tuesday. HHS reported three-thousand-690 people were in the hospital statewide, an increase of 161 over the day before. There were also four-thousand-760 new cases yesterday. North Carolina's test positive rate was at an even 13-percent. And, there were 58 additional COVID-related deaths.
New Policy On Vaccinations Set To Take Effect Friday For City Of Raleigh Employees
(Raleigh, NC) -- Beginning this Friday, any employee of the City of Raleigh who becomes eligible for a promotion must first be vaccinated. The new policy comes approximately one month after the City offered the option of getting vaccinated by September 17th, or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing. The rule does not go into effect until January 1st, 2022 for police and firefighters.
Record Number Of New Businesses Started In North Carolina In 2021
(Raleigh, NC) -- Data released by the North Carolina Secretary of State's Office show a record number of new businesses have been launched in 2021. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall said Tuesday that the state is on pace to reach 185-thousand new business filings this year, an increase of 55-percent. That compares to 127-thousand new businesses that were started in the state during pandemic-plagued 2020, which was also a record.
Amazon To Hire Thousands In The Triangle
(Research Triangle Park, NC) -- Amazon has announced plans to hire thousands of workers in the Triangle area. Reports say the positions are in many areas of product distribution and pay at least 18-dollars-per-hour plus benefits. Some locations are also offering three-thousand-dollars in sign-on bonuses. This comes as the company has already opened multiple new distribution centers throughout North Carolina.
Truck Driver Killed In Stokesdale Crash
(Stokesdale, NC) -- A truck driver is dead after the big-rig he was operating crashed in Stokesdale. The wreck Monday evening caused the truck to dump its load, spilling six-thousand gallons of a chemical compound onto Belews Creek Road in Guilford County. A HazMat team responded to the scene to help with the clean-up process, which continued though Tuesday morning. Police say the driver, 59-year-old William Siano of Virginia, was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.
Monoclonal Treatment Site Opens In North Wilkesboro
(North Wilkesboro, NC) -- A monoclonal antibody infusion center is open in North Wilkesboro. The therapeutic treatment is for high-risk COVID-19 patients. The facility, located at 1901 West Park Drive, is one of five in the state that is funded by FEMA. It can treat up to three-dozen patients a day.
Amazon To Hire Thousands In The Triad
(Kernersville, NC) -- Amazon says it is planning to hire thousands of people in the Triad area and nationwide. That includes its Kernserville and Colfax centers. Jobs in fulfillment and transportation pay up to 22-50 per hour in some locations. There are also positions in corporate and technology. The online retail giant is hosting a virtual career day today. Folks can register at Amazon-Career-Day-dot-com.
Two Men Hurt In Separate Winston-Salem Shootings
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- Two men are hurt after a pair of shootings in Winston-Salem. Th first one happened at an apartment on Ferrell Court around 3:30 yesterday afternoon. An adult male was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. The second shooting was reported about two-and-a-half hours later on Salem Gardens Drive. The victim, also an adult male, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police say the suspect in that case is believed to be a juvenile.
UNCG Homecoming Will Not Include Alumni
(Greensboro, NC) -- The University of North Carolina Greensboro is scaling back its homecoming plans due to the rise in COVID-19 cases. This year's event will not include alumni. University officials say they will, instead, celebrate their "future alumni" on campus. They say it's not the news they hoped to deliver, "but it's the most responsible course of action."