Asheville's VA Center Affected By Data Breach
(Asheville, NC) -- A data breach is being investigated at the Charles George Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Asheville. It was revealed late last week that more than 15-hundred veterans may have had personal information accessed due to a May 12th email correspondence. The center has reportedly notified all individuals who may have been affected. Free credit monitoring services are being offered.
Dozens Of Animals Rescued In Andrews
(Andrews, NC) -- Animal advocates in western North Carolina are helping nearly 40 dogs recover from what they call horrific living conditions. The Valley River Humane Society Animal Shelter says multiple groups seized the dogs, three birds and one cat from a home in Andrews on Friday. All animals are reported to be doing well, but the shelter is in need of food donations.
Broadband Grant To Help Mountain Counties
(Asheville, NC) -- High-speed internet capabilities are growing for nearly ten western North Carolina counties. They are among more than 30 counties statewide that are included as recipients of a massive grant aimed at expanding broadband into areas where it hasn't existed before. Governor Roy Cooper announced the 80-million-dollar grant last week. A state administrator said it will affect 25-thousand households and 860 businesses.
Body Discovered In Swain County
(Swain County, NC) -- Swain County investigators are piecing together details in a death. They were busy processing the scene after a body was found near Morrow Cemetery Road on Saturday. No suspected cause of death was released. The sheriff's office said there was no immediate threat to the community.
Suspect Arrested For Meth Bust In Madison County
(Madison County, NC) -- A man is facing charges connected to a Madison County drug bust. The sheriff's office revealed over the weekend that deputies uncovered close to four-ounces of methamphetamine during a recent traffic stop. The driver was initially pulled over for an expired registration. Deputies sent the suspect to jail for drug trafficking, possession and driving on a revoked license.
Part Of Trail Near Asheville Re-Opens After Bear Encounters
(Asheville, NC) -- A trail near Asheville is open again after a recent bear scare. A half-mile section of Bull Mountain Trail was initially closed off due to aggressive bear encounters, but no problems have been reported since the section re-opened a week ago. A spokesman for the Blue Ridge Parkway told the Citizen-Times that visitors should maintain situational awareness, keep pets on a leash and keep food out of sight.
Housing Market In Charlotte Normalizes
(Charlotte, NC) -- The Charlotte housing market is somewhat returning to normal. The president of the Canopy Realtor Association told WCNC that the Queen City area remains in the top-eight nationally, but homes are remaining on the market a little while longer compared to a year ago. Sellers are getting, on average, about 98-percent of their asking prices.
Work Underway To Improve Uptown Office Spaces
(Charlotte, NC) -- Efforts are ongoing in Charlotte to bring more people back into the office. An official with Charlotte Center City Partners tells WCNC that they're adding amenities to new office spaces in Uptown so that employees will come back because they want to, not because it's required. Work is also being done to repurpose older office spaces to keep vacancy rates down.
Wadesboro Shooting Kills One, Injures Six
(Anson Co., NC) -- Police in Wadesboro are investigating a deadly block party shooting. Officers say one person was killed and six were injured when gunfire erupted in the parking lot of North Wadesboro Grocery early Sunday morning. The owner of the business told WSOC-TV that no one had permission to be there. The SBI was called in to process the scene.
Gastonia Community To Require American Flags
(Gastonia, NC) -- A new neighborhood in Gastonia will be full of American flags. One of the requirements of the homeowners' association at 1776 Gastonia will be to display the flag in front of each of the 43 planned homes. The owner of the development company says they're not associating with any single political party. The first homes will be ready within a few months.
First Building Almost Ready At Statesville Industrial Park
(Statesville, NC) -- The first building in Statesville's new industrial park is almost complete. The Charlotte Business Journal reports Kansas City-based Northpoint Development is wrapping up a half-million-square-foot building at Park 4077 [[ forty-seventy-seven ]] sometime next month. The site between Interstates 40 and 77 was rezoned last year to make room for the development. Several million-square feet of space is still available.
Albemarle Native Picked Seventh In MLB Draft
(Albemarle, NC) -- An Albemarle native is one of the top picks in the Major League Baseball draft. The Cincinnati Reds used the seventh-overall pick to select Rhett Lowder, who attended North Stanly High School. The 21-year-old won 15-games for Wake Forest during his campaign as this year's Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year. The Atlanta Braves selected Waxhaw native Cade Kuehler with the 70th pick.
Search For Boating Collision Victim To Continue Today At Falls Lake
(Wake Forest, NC) -- Search and recovery efforts will resume this morning for a man who went missing in Falls Lake, following a collision between two boats. It happened just before 2 p.m. Sunday during the height of a severe thunderstorm. Investigators say three people were involved in the crash. One of them was rushed to a hospital in Durham with serious injuries, another was treated and released at the scene. However, a third boater disappeared in the waters and hasn't been seen since. Search teams looked for the victim for more than seven hours on Sunday without any success.
Another North Carolina Man Convicted Of Attacking The U.S. Capitol To Be Sentenced Tomorrow
(Washington, DC) -- A Nash County man will be sentenced in federal court in Washington, D.C. tomorrow for his part in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. This, after 22-year old Matthew Jason Beddingfield of Middlesex, pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of attacking Capitol police officers with a flag pole while storming the federal building. Prosecutors have recommended a sentence of 42 months in prison. It would be the second longest sentence of anyone charged so far from the state of North Carolina.
Candidate Filing Period For Municipal Elections Now Underway
(Raleigh, NC) -- Candidate filing for the 2023 municipal elections in North Carolina, officially began on Friday. Those interested in running in elections across 90 counties in the state, have until July 21st to turn in their documents. Prospective candidates must complete their filing applications at county election offices in which they are domiciled. About 475 of the states 550 cities, towns and municipalities will hold elections this fall.
Year Round School To Begin In Wake County Tomorrow
(Wake County, NC) -- The Wake County School District will begin its year round class schedule tomorrow. The year round academic school year runs from mid-July through early June and will be divided into nine week quarters separated by three week vacations. Parents and others who want to visit school buildings, will have to go through a new security system that will require their personal information to be checked against a cloud based data list for sex offenders, prohibited persons and recent child custody court orders.
Busy Highway In Wilson County To Be Closed Starting Tomorrow
(Wilson County, NC) -- Starting tomorrow, the North Carolina Department of Transportation will shut down a section of U.S. Highway 301 near Kenly in Wilson County. The Agency says crews will be working to repair a drainage pipe that runs under the highway. The work is expected to be completed in about two weeks, weather permitting.
Four North Carolina Players Taken On First Day Of MLB Draft Yesterday
(Raleigh, NC) -- Several baseball players from North Carolina were picked up in the MLB Draft last night. They include Wake Forest pitcher Rhett Lowder, who was the seventh overall pick by the Cincinnati Reds. North Carolina outfielder Mac Horvath was taken 53rd by the Baltimore Orioles. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected NC State infielder Gino Groover as the 48th pick of the second round. And South Brunswick High School's Walker Jenkins was the 5th overall pick of the Minnesota Twins. Jenkins, the top high school baseball player in the country, has also committed to play for UNC.
Three Arrested in Shooting of 12YO Boy
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- Winston-Salem police say they have arrested three men for a shooting that left a 12-year-old boy injured. It happened Thursday at Cleveland Avenue Homes on East 15th Street. Officials said the three suspects, who were wearing masks, walked onto a basketball court there and started shooting. The victim's name hasn't been released but he's expected to recover. John Henry Williams and James Denard Goodine have been charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Another 22-year-old suspect, Sir Winston Mekhi Johnson, has been charged with marijuana possession and conspiracy. Investigators say they also seized the car used in the shooting, as well as many guns and narcotics.
High Point Police Officer Shoots, Kills Labrador Dog
(High Point, NC) -- Officials with the High Point Police Department are launching an internal investigation after an officer shot and killed a dog Sunday morning. They say it happened when the officer went to a home on Homewood Avenue just before 10 a.m. to let a resident know that a German Shepherd dog, that was reported to be theirs, was running loose. But when the officer called at the home, they reportedly were greeted by a barking Labrador who lunged at the officer, who shot and killed it. The officer, whose name has not been released, has not been placed on administrative leave.
Greensboro Police Officers Get New SUVs After Long Delay
(Greensboro, NC) -- Ten Greensboro police officers have finally gotten to take home their new department-issued SUVs after an 18-month delay. Officials say the Ford Police Interceptor Utility units were presented Friday after nearly a year-and-a-half wait due to supply chain issues. They are the first vehicles that the city council approved buying in late 2021. The authorization called for spending just over a million dollars for 20 extra vehicles, which are all-wheel-drive and have a hybrid gas engine and a lithium electric battery. At a news briefing, Chief John Thompson said the department is still committed to a larger goal of buying 100 cars for the department over five years.
Ministry To Provide More Housing For Homeless Veterans
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- A local ministry is kicking off its newest outreach project today that will renovate houses for homeless veterans. Pastor Camilla Washington of Whole Man Ministries says she and her husband, Bishop Barry Washington, have partnered with the City of Winston-Salem to expand their efforts. They have received a grant of nearly 450-thousand-dollars for renovating homes with help from volunteers. Their latest property is in the 61-hundred block of University Parkway. Washington says Whole Man Ministries has helped place 30 people in permanent homes across the city over the last couple of years.
North Carolina A&T State University Names New Coach
(Greensboro, NC) -- A former high school girls basketball coach has been named an assistant women's coach at North Carolina A-and-T State University. Mike Moses says in a social media post that he's extremely thankful to be part of the Aggies tradition and history. He was an assistant coach at Western Kentucky University last season and before that had coached championship seasons for the Lady Bulldogs' program at St. Paul's for several years. The Aggies are an NCAA Division-One program and compete in the Colonial Athletic Association.