Quarantine Benefits End For Unvaccinated Buncombe Employees
(Buncombe County, NC) -- Buncombe County's unvaccinated employees no longer have paid leave for quarantines. Commissioners voted this week to change the policy because they say it wasn't equitable. Employee sick time is now being reset, with 80 hours of emergency leave granted to all workers. At least 83-percent of county employees have been fully vaccinated.
Cawthorn Hosting Flooding Relief Virtual Roundtable
(Washington, DC) -- Western North Carolina's Congressman is hosting a virtual roundtable this afternoon to address flooding in the region. Madison Cawthorn will be joined by FEMA officials, Small Business Administration reps and more on YouTube at 5:30. Western North Carolina residents are encouraged to ask questions. The conversation is expected to center around disaster relief.
Hendersonville Police Chief Suggests Hiring Bonuses
(Hendersonville, NC) -- Hendersonville leaders are mulling over bonuses for newly hired first responders. Police Chief Blair Myhand suggested to the city council this week that they pay new hires five-thousand-extra-dollars in multiple tiers. His staff numbers are down around ten-percent, and the hope is to bring in quality officers. Existing employees would be paid a referral bonus as part of the plan.
Asheville Man Sentenced For Deadly Wreck
(Asheville, NC) -- An Asheville man is heading to prison for causing a deadly wreck. Seth Adam Coe was driving under the influence of drugs on U.S. 70 in Buncombe County, when he crossed the center line and slammed into a van in January 2020. The impact killed a woman and injured her two children. Coe was sentenced to at least 18-years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and other charges on Tuesday.
Buncombe Schools Still In Need Of Bus Drivers
(Buncombe County, NC) -- Buncombe County Schools is still in large need of bus drivers. WLOS-TV reports some current drivers are doubling up on their routes due to a shortage. The school district is currently looking to fill 17 positions. Pay starts at around 16-dollars-an-hour.
Brevard Vet Receives Congressional Gold Medal
(Brevard, NC) -- A World War Two veteran from the mountains is a recipient of a Congressional Gold Medal. Harold Wellington of Brevard just traveled to Baltimore, where the annual Merchant Marines convention was held for the first time since before the pandemic. The Merchant Marines were awarded the medals for their service for shipping military supplies defenseless across the Atlantic Ocean. Wellington told WLOS-TV they're being recognized for what they did, and they're proud of it.
Face Masks Now Required For Indoor Church Services
(Charlotte, NC) -- Face masks must now be worn inside Mecklenburg County churches. The county's mandate extended to indoor religious settings starting yesterday. It's been close to a year since around a dozen deaths were connected to large in-person events at the United House of Prayer For All People on Beatties Ford Road. Some Charlotte churches are solely holding services online.
Charlotte-Area Man Considered Competent To Stand Trial
(Washington, DC) -- It looks like a trial may be in the future for a Cleveland County man who ran into trouble in Washington, D.C. Floyd Ray Roseberry was arrested last month after he drove to the steps of the Library of Congress and threatened to blow it up. A judge ordered a 30-day observation period. It was determined yesterday that Roseberry is competent for trial.
Meck Detention Officer Fired After Inmate Assault
(Mecklenburg County, NC) -- A Mecklenburg detention officer accused of assaulting an inmate is off the force. Sheriff Garry McFadden revealed yesterday that Chandler Craig was fired for her actions on September 13th. She was arrested for simple assault. Investigators say Craig initiated force against a handcuffed inmate during a verbal dispute.
School, Apartments Planned Across From Ardery Kell High
(Charlotte, NC) -- A development proposal near a Charlotte high school is being considered. CMS officials and a developer have joined together to come up with a plan to build an elementary school and over 400 apartments across from Ardrey Kell High. NBC Charlotte reports some people are concerned about the traffic that will be added on the two-lane road, which is reportedly already backed up in pick-up and drop-off times at the high school. A study on the traffic's potential impact is expected to be completed within a few weeks.
Panthers Look For Another Win In Thursday Night Match-Up
(Houston, TX) -- The Panthers are heading to Texas. Carolina is seeking to start the season off with three-straight wins in a Thursday night match-up against Houston. The Texans come into the game with one-win-and-one-loss. The Panthers dominated the NFC South rival Saints last weekend.
CMS Building To Be Demolished
(Charlotte, NC) -- A controversial building in CMS is being torn down soon. WSOC-TV reports the school board placed the Smith Family Center on the surplus list, with demolition being a condition in the deal. Nearly a dozen current or former employees have been diagnosed with cancer while working in the building. An assessment earlier this year reportedly found no identifiable environmental factors that would cause health concerns.
Suspect Turns Himself In For Deadly Shooting
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- Winston-Salem police are announcing the arrest of a man wanted for murder. Forty-four-year-old Nathaniel Hood turned himself in yesterday. He's charged in the death of 58-year-old Timothy Lee Jackson, who was found shot on the front porch of his home on Bon Air Avenue earlier this month. Hood is being held at the Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center on no bond.
Thousands Overdue For Second COVID Vaccine In NC
(Raleigh, NC) -- Thousands of North Carolina residents are overdue for their second COVID-19 vaccine. The state Department of Health says five-percent of the people who got their shots from state providers have not returned for the second dose. That's over 190-thousand people. The C-D-C says the second shot can be administered up to six weeks after the first.
Man Arrested In Connection To Reidsville Murder
(Reidsville, NC) -- A Georgia man is under arrest in connection to the death of a Reidsville woman. Forty-five-year-old Charles Librizzi was taken into custody Monday night for one count of malice murder. Thirty-five-year-old Kathern Scott was found dead late Monday night at a motel on Statesboro Highway in Coopersville, Georgia. The Bureau of Investigation did not say how the two knew each other.
Dozens Of UNC Health Employees Quit Over Vaccine Mandate
(Undated) -- Dozens of employees at U-N-C Health are resigning over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Officials have given workers until November 2nd to get the shot. Sixty employees decided to resign before facing termination. They cited safety, the quick rollout of the vaccine, and the potential long-term side effects.
Mount Airy Teen Shot, Killed
(Mounty Airy, NC) -- An investigation is underway in Mount Airy where a teenager was shot and killed. Eighteen-year-old John Martinez was found lying in the road at the corner of North Main Street and Jones School Road. Police say he suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Martinez died at the hospital. Police have not yet identified a possible suspect or motive in the case.