Wildfire Burns On Side Of Candler Mountain
(Candler, NC) -- Emergency crews are working to contain a wildfire in western North Carolina. It had burned up to 20-acres on the side of a mountain in Candler as of last night. Recent dry conditions are making it more difficult to get fires under control. WLOS-TV reported it had been around 60-percent contained.
Steam Plant Ready At WCU
(Cullowhee, NC) -- A newly-constructed steam plant is being used to supply power to Western Carolina University. School officials and the state's labor commissioner were on-hand in Cullowhee for a ribbon-cutting last week. Commissioner Josh Dobson said it'll be his job to make sure boilers at the university and across the state are operating safely. The new plant replaces another one that was over a century old.
Solar Panels Installed At Asheville School
(Asheville, NC) -- An Asheville elementary school is being equipped with solar panels. Buncombe commissioners recently dedicated ten-million-dollars to spend on panel installation at 40 county buildings. Ira B. Jones Elementary School is the latest building in the project. The goal is to eventually use 100-percent renewable energy.
Yancey County Church Vandalized
(Yancey County, NC) -- Investigators are looking for suspects who vandalized a Yancey County church. The sheriff's office says Halls Chapel Baptist Church was ransacked overnight Tuesday. A one-thousand-dollar reward is being offered for information.
Design For Ecusta Trail Progressing
(Henderson County, NC) -- Design plans are moving forward for the Ecusta Trail in Henderson County. WLOS-TV reports the design phase has hit around 30-percent for the project, which is expected to start construction in the spring of next year. The completion rate pulls organizers closer to securing federal and state funding to put the trail on the ground. The trail will be 19-miles long.
Controlled Burn Planned At Cades Cove
(Cades Cove, TN) -- Some residents in far western North Carolina could see some smoke drift in from a controlled burn soon. Around 12-hundred acres of fields will be set on fire in a controlled burn in the Cades Cove area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park over the next few weeks. Occasional burns are known to help native plant species grown more healthily.
Charlotte DOT Employee Accused Of Stealing City Money
(Charlotte, NC) -- A Charlotte DOT employee is accused of stealing city money for gas. The CMPD says the employee spent ten-thousand-dollars in unauthorized transactions on a credit card for personal use between June and September. Much of that was used to pay for gas. The employee is on administrative leave and charged with embezzlement and fraud.
Reward Increase In Charlotte Homicide
(Charlotte, NC) -- A massive reward is being offered in a south Charlotte homicide. It's been just over a year since Edy Alvarado was shot to death at a home on Southern Loop Boulevard. Investigators have been looking for two suspects caught on surveillance video. CrimeStoppers is offering 40-thousand-dollars for information leading to an arrest.
Judge Denies Bond In CATS Driver's Murder
(Charlotte, NC) -- The suspect behind the deadly shooting of a CATS driver is being ordered to stay behind bars. A judge denied bond for the man yesterday, around eight months after the killing. Ethan Rivera was shot to death while driving a bus in Uptown. Prosecutors say the suspect is a flight risk.
Woman Accused Of Throwing Bleach On Charlotte Bus Driver
(Charlotte, NC) -- A Charlotte woman is facing charges for allegedly throwing bleach in a school bus driver's face. That driver told WSOC-TV it burned her face after the incident on October 18th, but now she's back at work. The suspect was charged with voluntary assault on a school employee. Earlier this week, students in Lancaster County were medically evaluated when they were exposed to a chemical on board a bus.
Union County Employee Charged With Sex Crimes
(Union County, NC) -- A Union County government employee is charged with sex crimes. The sheriff's office said yesterday Jamie Belk was arrested for sexual exploitation of a minor and secretly peeping. It came after a cyber tip was sent in from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The employee is on administrative leave without pay.
One Injured In Cornelius Business Fire
(Cornelius, NC) -- A person is being treated for injuries suffered in a Cornelius business fire. Flames broke out yesterday at Dealer Imports, which is a lumber company on Old Statesville Road. There's no word yet on what caused the fire. Injuries were considered life-threatening.
Mayfield Okay In Back-Up Role Ahead Of Falcons' Game
(Charlotte, NC) -- Baker Mayfield is embracing his back-up role with the Panthers heading into the weekend. He said yesterday that he's rolling with the punches and here to help out. Coach Steve Wilks revealed earlier this week that PJ Walker will start against the Falcons on Sunday, even though Mayfield appears to be healed from a recent high ankle sprain.
Four Roxboro Convenience Stores Raided For Selling Counterfeit THC Laced Candy
(Roxboro, NC) -- Police in Roxboro made a huge drug bust Thursday involving counterfeit candy. The undercover effort known as "Operation Sweet Tooth", seized 145 packages of candy from four convenience stores that were laced with THC. Investigators say the goal was to get the counterfeit candy off the store shelves before Halloween. Police also say 126-of the seized counterfeit candy packages were in violation of U.S. copyright laws. So-far, no arrests have been made.
State Troopers Arrest Virginia Man In Orange County Following A High Speed Chase
(Orange County, NC) -- A Virginia man was hospitalized in Orange County yesterday, after leading law enforcement officers on a high speed chase that ended with a vehicle crash. The chase began in Durham County when State Troopers tried to pull over 28-year old Emone Gaines for speeding near I-40 West near Airport Boulevard and he refused to stop. During the course of the chase, Troopers called ahead to other officers, who deployed tire deflation devices. Gaines and another passenger were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. He faces multiple charges including felony fleeing to elude arrest, speeding, reckless driving and driving without a license.
Vilsack Announces 17-Million Dollar Federal Grant To Expand Internet Access To Rural North Carolina Communities
(Raleigh, NC) -- U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was in North Carolina Thursday to announce the awarding of a 17-million dollar grant for expansion of broadband internet access to rural areas of the state. Speaking at Wake Tech, Vilsack say the funds would be used to connect communities in Warren and Halifax Counties. The Secretary also said broadband internet would be expanded to the Haliwa-Saponi tribal areas. Vilsack was joined by Governor Roy Cooper and other local leaders for the announcement.
Wake County Launches Program To Help Low-Income Households Pay For Well And Septic Tank Repairs
(Wake County, NC) -- Wake County leaders have announced the launching of a new pilot program that would provide financial assistance to low-income households to help repair water wells and septic tanks. The Well and Septic Pilot Assistance Fund has been given a 200-thousand dollar budget to support lower income, elderly and disabled residents who otherwise, could not afford to pay for the repairs. Qualified applicants could receive up to five-thousand dollars each.
Cape Fear Valley Health Announces The Elimination Of 200-Jobs
(Fayetteville, NC) -- Cape Fear Valley Health has announced the elimination of 200-positions at the hospital. In a statement released Thursday, the facility cited unprecedented expenses, staffing shortages and inflation as some of the reasons. The statement also said 158-of the jobs being eliminated would come from open unfilled positions. The remaining 42-will be existing non-direct patient care positions and that the quality of care would not be impacted.
County Commissioners Approve Incentives for German Company
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- Forsyth County Commissioners have approved using over 400-thousand-dollars to help lure a German motor company to re-locate in the area. The panel approved the incentives at their meeting Thursday. Coupled with funds offered by the city, Ziehl-Abegg could receive over a million-and-a-half dollars to move their motor manufacturing business to Winston-Salem. County officials say the factory could provide nearly 800 jobs to the area over the next ten years.
More Companies Eyeing Forsyth County for Relocation
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- At least one other company is reportedly considering bringing their business to Winston-Salem. After Forsyth County Commissioners Thursday approved an incentives package for a German company to possibly relocate in the area, County Manager Dudley Watts relayed that possibly two others have also expressed interest in Forsyth County. In November, the county board will hear details about a medical packaging company that would bring nearly 80 new jobs, along with more than 20-million-dollars in capital investment. More information on a third company will be released later.
Second Block Party Shooting Victim Identified
(Greensboro, NC) -- Officials have released the name of the second person who was shot Tuesday night after a block party in Greensboro. Ronaldlee Snipes, who was 15, was one of two people killed according to a Thursday news release from Greensboro police. Guilford County Schools confirms he was a student at Dudley High School. Kaneycha Turner, a 19-year-old North Carolina A&T State University freshman from Statesville, also died at the scene. Police are investigating the shootings as homicides.
School Leaders Mourn Sudden Death of Educator, School Board Candidate
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- A candidate running for the district two seat on the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education had passed away unexpectedly. His family has posted on social media that longtime educator Stan Elrod died Tuesday night. The Republican candidate had been a teacher and coach at Reynolds High school. He also served as principal at Reagan High School and later was the athletics director for the school district. The director of the Forsyth County Republican Party must name a replacement candidate to run in Elrod's place before Election Day.
Adaptive Sports Expo Set for November 5th in Greensboro
(Greensboro, NC) -- Leaders at Greensboro's Parks and Recreation Department are welcoming people who have disabilities to a free, adaptive sports expo next weekend. The event will feature modified equipment and amended rules for players in Paralympic sports and other games. Some of those will include wheelchair basketball and tennis, sitting volleyball and boccia [[ BOW-chuh ]]. The expo will happen from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, November 5, at the Greensboro Sportsplex.