Hickory Man Facing Charges For Second Murder (Hickory, NC)
A Hickory man charged in a Christmas Eve death is not facing his first murder charge. The Hickory Daily Record is reporting that Jerry Woods was released in prison in 2013 after serving time for the 1982 shooting death of his brother-in-law. Woods is now being accused of stabbing a woman to death in Hickory on December 24th. He's being held without bond.
Hospital Group And United Healthcare Fail To Agree On Contract (Jackson County, NC)
A group that runs nine North Carolina hospitals and United Healthcare can't come to terms in a contract agreement. WLOS-TV reported that Duke Lifepoint and the insurance provider had until Tuesday to reach a deal, but nothing was signed. A Duke Lifepoint official said that employed physicians at Harris Regional in Sylva and Swain Community in Bryson City will be considered out-of-network.
More Rain On The Way In WNC (Asheville, NC)
Western North Carolina isn't getting much of a break from rain. The National Weather Service says a chance of heavy rainfall tonight is expected to be followed by another system on Friday. It may result in more flooding where soil is already saturated from rain that fell between Christmas and New Year's. There is a flood advisory for the French Broad River near Fletcher until at least Thursday.
Republican Candidate Agrees To Meet With North Carolina Election Officials (Raleigh, NC)
The Republican candidate in the only congressional district that has not been decided is agreeing to meet with North Carolina election staffers this week. Mark Harris leads Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes in the state's ninth congressional district but those results were not certified because of suspected election fraud. Harris released a statement last night saying he looked forward to answering any and all questions. The race is in limbo after a three-judge panel forced the previous elections board to dissolve.
First Baby Of 2019 Born At Mission Hospital (Asheville, NC)
Asheville Mission Hospital's first birth of 2019 is a baby that wasn't due for another five weeks. Mackenzee Lynn Robinson was born around one hour after midnight early Tuesday morning. Her Mars Hill mother wasn't expecting to deliver until around February 3rd.
Fees Up In National Forests (Asheville, NC)
Increased fees for using nearly a dozen campsites in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are now in effect. The cost to use certain day areas, cabins and shooting ranges are also up. The U.S. National Forest Service plans to use the collected fees to make site upgrades in order to improve visitor experience. The proposal for the increase first came up a couple of years ago.
Two New Year's Homicides Investigated (Charlotte, NC)
The CMPD is investigating Charlotte's first two homicides of 2019. One man was found shot to death on his front porch on Highlander Court around 3 a.m. Tuesday. It was less than two hours later when officers found a man shot inside his car on Parkway Avenue near uptown. The suspects are still on the run.
Pedestrian Dragged One-Thousand Feet (Charlotte, NC)
Investigators say a man was killed when he was hit by two cars and dragged one-thousand feet early Tuesday morning in University City. He was struck by one car and thrown into the path of another while walking on North Tryon Street. The second car reportedly ran him over and dragged him until pulling into a gas station. The CMPD said the drivers weren't speeding or drinking.
Man Killed During Struggle With Davidson County Deputy (Denton, NC)
The SBI says a man was shot and killed in Denton yesterday during a struggle with a deputy. The man reportedly tried to take the Davidson County deputy's gun away when he came out for a disturbance call on Tuesday. The deputy also suffered minor injuries.
Man Shot, Car Hits Pole (Charlotte, NC)
Charlotte-Meck Police are investigating a shooting after a car smashed into a telephone pole yesterday. The driver was reportedly trying to drive a friend injured by gunfire to the hospital, but lost control near Johnson C. Smith University. The man was shot on Maribel Avenue. No major injuries were reported.
Great-Grandmother Scratches Ten-Million-Dollar Winner (Cleveland County, NC)
A Cleveland County great-grandmother is millions richer thanks to a Christmas Eve scratch-off purchase. It cost Dorothy Martin 30-bucks to buy an Extreme Millions ticket from a Grover convenience store. The prize she ended up calling a Christmas Eve miracle was ten-million-dollars.
Four Men Killed In Three Durham Shootings Yesterday (Durham, NC)
Durham is off to a violent 2019. Police say two men were killed in a shooting last night on House Avenue. Another man was killed in a separate shooting yesterday along Larchmont Road that left a woman injured. And a fourth man was killed in yet another shooting; this one happened on Berwyn Avenue last night and left two other people injured. It isn't known if any arrests have been made.
UNC Student Recovers After She Was Shot By New Year's Gunfire (Raleigh, NC)
A UNC student shot during celebratory New Year's Day gunfire in Raleigh is expected to survive. Police say a bullet fired in the air came down and hit 22-year-old Kaitlyn Kong at the intersection of Fayetteville and Davie streets shortly after the acorn dropped. Her dad said she had to be cut open because the bullet went in through her lung, punctured her stomach and bounced around inside her. Kong was in surgery for several hours and is expected to spend several more days in the hospital.