Buncombe Commissioners Pass Budget
(Buncombe County, NC) -- Buncombe County's budget is in place. Commissioners approved a nearly 400-million-dollar spending plan at its Tuesday meeting. More than 100-million of that will go to K-through-12 schools and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. It represents a 12-percent increase in education spending for the county.
Rutherford County Man Sentenced To Life
(Rutherford County, NC) -- A Rutherford County man is heading to prison for the kidnapping and death of a South Carolina woman. The 80-year-old victim was found dead in May after she was reported missing last summer. Daniel Printz was sentenced to life in prison after he pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday. Printz allegedly told investigators earlier this year that he had killed four people.
COVID Vaccines For Kids Coming To Buncombe County
(Buncombe County, NC) -- COVID vaccines for young children should be ready in Buncombe County today. The county's health and human service department is expected to receive Pfizer vaccines today for kids age six-months to five-years-old. Appointments are not required at the immunization clinic on Coxe Avenue.
More Rental Aid Coming To Asheville
(Buncombe County, NC) -- More rental aid is on the way to Buncombe County. Commissioners are expected to approve around two-and-a-half-million-dollars to help in rent and utilities for those facing the threat of eviction. WLOS-TV reports 16-million-dollars has already gone to more than five-thousand residents in need.
Asheville Schools Dealing With Resignations
(Asheville, NC) -- Resignations are up in Asheville City Schools. Close to 150 employees left the district in the last school year, which represents a jump of more than a-dozen from the year before. Close to 70 vacancies still need to be filled before the next academic year starts. The interim superintendent told WLOS-TV most school systems are dealing with smaller numbers of teachers coming out of college.
WNC Swim Beach Re-Opens
(Nebo, NC) -- A swimming area at Lake James State Park is safe to swim in again. The beach at Paddy's Creek was shut down last weekend after a conservation group found high levels of E. Coli in the water. The swim beach opened again yesterday after new test samples came back safe. Parks and Recreation officials say the original contamination may have been due to geese.
Wake County Board Of Education Votes To Continue Using School Resource Officers
(Wake County, NC) -- At the Wake County Board of Education meeting last night, members voted to continue employing police officers at all of the Districts schools. The vote came after the Board listened to a security assessment of the system's safety protocols in the aftermath of the Uvalde school massacre in Texas. The panel voted to approve new one-year contracts with the police departments of Raleigh, Apex, Cary and Garner to continue employing School Resource Officers. Contracts are being finalized with other police departments within Wake County for a later date.
Durham City Council Approves New 570-Million Dollar Budget For Fiscal Year 2023
(Durham, NC) -- The Durham City Council, Tuesday, approved a new 570-million dollar budget for Fiscal Year 2023. One that allocates more than 77-million dollars for the city's police department, including 200-thousand for a year-long pilot trial of the ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology. The budget, which goes into effect on July 1st, also includes a 3-percent salary increase for employees, along with a 0-point-6 cent property tax increase for every 100-dollars of assessed value.
Conserve Water Notice Issued For Parts Of Johnston County
(Johnston County, NC) -- Some 40-thousand Johnston County residents have been asked to limit their water usage for the next couple of days. A notice, which was sent out Tuesday, requests that customers immediately stop using water for non-essential purposes, such as watering lawns, filling swimming pools and irrigation. A busted pipe at the county's water treatment plant cited as the reason. The conserve water notice runs through Thursday.
Two Sports Gambling Bills Approved By The House Judiciary Committee
(Raleigh, NC) -- Two bills that would legalize sports betting in the state of North Carolina, have been approved by a House committee. By a vote of 6-3 with one abstention, the House Judiciary Committee passed Senate Bills 688-and-38, which would raise tax rates and fees paid by sports wagering operators. The bills will be considered by two more House committees today and be voted on by the full chamber as early as tonight. If approved, sports gambling is expected to bring in between 8-and-24 million annually in tax revenue.
Raleigh City Council Approves New Ordinance Outlawing The Ownership Of Wild Animals
(Raleigh, NC) -- The Raleigh City Council has passed a new ordinance that bans the ownership of wild and dangerous animals within city limits. The so-called 'Dangerous Wild Animal Ordinance', would prohibit local residents from owning animals such as lions, tigers, wolves, monkeys, hybrids, crossbreeds and venomous snakes. A final vote on the proposal is set for July.
Legendary Former St. Augustine Track And Field Coach To Be Honored With Lifetime Achievement Award
(Raleigh, NC) -- Former St. Augustine head track and field coach George Williams will be honored this weekend with the 2022 USA Track and Field Coaching Legend Award. The award will be presented Saturday at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Williams will be recognized for winning 38-NCAA Division II National Championships during his 44-years of coaching at St. Augustine. In 2004, Williams also served as Head U.S. Olympic Track and Field Coach at the Athens Games.