Drivers Urged To Be Cautious Of Black Ice
(Asheville, NC) -- Black ice could be a problem this morning for drivers in Western North Carolina. Temperatures plummeting into the teens will freeze any leftover water on the roads. The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory for much of the area through this morning. Wind chills at elevations above 35-hundred feet will make temperatures feel as low as 15-below zero.
Buncombe County To Select Manager Next Week
(Buncombe County, NC) -- The search for a new manager in Buncombe County is over. Commissioners are expected to approve the hiring of the lone candidate left in the process at a four p.m. meeting on Tuesday. Buncombe County has gone through several county managers over the past two years. The incoming manager was chosen from an original pool of around 40 candidates in a nationwide search.
Legislators Resume General Assembly
(Raleigh, NC) -- Lawmakers are meeting in Raleigh today to begin work in the General Assembly. Legislators met briefly at the beginning of the month for the swearing-in and leadership election process. Results from November's midterm elections will prevent Republicans from holding a supermajority in either chamber.
Child Pornography Charges Land Asheville Man In Prison
(Charlotte, NC) -- An Asheville man convicted of producing child pornography is heading to prison for nearly 30 years. Gabriel Goss was accused of using his phone to make at least three videos and then attempting to trade them in 2017 while he lived in Haywood County. He'll head to a federal prison to serve his term, which includes no parole. A U.S. District Court judge sentenced Goss in Charlotte last week.
Man Dies In Rutherfordton Fire
(Rutherfordton, NC) -- Fire investigators are trying to find the cause of a deadly blaze in Rutherfordton. WLOS-TV is reporting that the fire was too intense for firefighters to make it inside a home on Benton Lane Saturday night. They found a resident dead inside after the blaze was subdued.
Schools Delayed This Morning
(Asheville, NC) -- The possibility for treacherous roads is affecting school schedules today. Buncombe, Avery and Swain counties, along with the city of Asheville, are delaying class today. Schools in Graham County are closed completely. Some buses for the city of Asheville are changing up their routes to avoid designated icy roads.
CMPD Officer Accused Of Sexual Battery On Leave
(Charlotte, NC) -- A CMPD officer accused of sexual battery is on unpaid leave during an internal investigation. Michael Santiago is accused of touching a woman inappropriately inside a West Fifth Street nightclub last Saturday night. He was not on duty at the time. Police Chief Kerr Putney said officers with no regard for the law will be held accountable.
Superintendent: No Weapons In School Searches
(Charlotte, NC) -- CMS Superintendent Clayton Wilcox says no weapons were found in two security screenings yesterday. Searches were conducted in four random classrooms at Garinger and Rocky River high schools at the beginning of the day. The district chose eight schools this week to be part of the first round of random screenings. The remaining six high schools will be screened at unannounced times.
Charlotte Wakes Up To Bitter Cold
(Charlotte, NC) -- Bitter cold is settling over the Queen City this morning. Residents are waking up to temperatures in the low 20s with a warm-up to around 45 this afternoon. Wind gusts over 20-miles-an-hour today will make it feel much colder. Tomorrow morning will be much of the same, when temperatures are expected to dip slightly lower.
Former Charlotte Pastor Sentenced For Tax Fraud And Evasion
(Charlotte, NC) -- A former Charlotte pastor is going to prison for five years. Evangelist Todd Coontz was sentenced yesterday for tax fraud and evasion. Prosecutors said he spent hundreds-of-thousands-of dollars from his business accounts on personal items. The judge also ordered Coontz to pay over 750-thousand-dollars in delinquent taxes.
Mother Accused Of Daughter's Death Denied Bond
(Charlotte, NC) -- A Charlotte mother accused of killing her infant daughter remains in jail. A judge denied bond for Raeonna Watson yesterday on her first-degree murder charge. She was arrested on Monday after her seven-month-old daughter was found unresponsive at their Galena View Drive home. The cause of death hasn't been released.
Cooper Vows To Keep Panthers Local
(Raleigh, NC) -- Governor Roy Cooper is working to ensure the Carolina Panthers remain in Charlotte. He told the Charlotte city council last night during its Raleigh retreat that the team will have support from the state and city. WSOC-TV says Panthers' owner David Tepper and Cooper have reportedly met to discuss ideas about a new stadium. The council will continue the retreat today.
NC Lawmakers Move To Fund Testing For Untested Rape Kits
(Raleigh, NC) -- A new bill in Raleigh aims to clear up the backlog of untested rape kits. Data shows that at the end of 2017 there were more than 15-thousand untested rape kits across the state. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle came out in support of the Survivor Act that was introduced yesterday. The bill would put six-million-dollars towards testing these kits, and another 600-thousand-dollars for more forensic scientists at the State Crime Lab to process them.
Local Man Proposes To House Silent Sam At A History Center
(Harnett Co., NC) -- A Harnett County man is offering to put Silent Sam in a historical center. WRAL reports that Historian Brian Avery plans on developing an old plantation into the Harnett County History Center. Avery says the statue that was torn down by UNC students is a part of history and would go along with their theme. Officials are expected to recommend what they want to do with the Confederate statue in March.
Investigators Look Into A Deadly Raleigh Housefire
(Raleigh, NC) -- The cause of a deadly fire in Raleigh is under investigation. Firefighters responded to a fire yesterday afternoon at a Village Apartment fire. After they extinguished the blaze they found 54-year-old Michael Staton dead on a couch. He died of smoke inhalation. Only one apartment unit was damaged.
Police: Fayetteville Cop Who Killed Himself Was Facing Arrest For Crimes Against A Kid
(Fayetteville, NC) -- A Fayetteville police officer who killed himself was under investigation for crimes against a child. Police say on Friday they received a complaint by a young victim against 32-year-old Officer Wade Lee Junior. An internal affairs investigation began on Saturday and arrest warrants were issued. He was found dead in the median of I-95 in Wilson County Sunday of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A Dunn Woman Is Accused Of Murdering A Man During A Robbery
(Burlington, NC) -- A Dunn woman is facing murder charges in Burlington. Last year 22-year-old Colton Murray was shot in the back and killed during an armed robbery. On Monday, Jacqueline Frost and Jocelyn Carden of Burlington were both charged with murder. They're behind bars without bond.
A NCSU Student And Four Others Are Accused Of Stealing Part Of A Stadium Floor
(Raleigh, NC) -- At least one North Carolina State student is accused of stealing parts of the Reynolds Coliseum stadium floor. Police say last month, several masked or hooded men stole portions of the historic wooden flooring, and severely damaged the court. Police have arrested three 21-year-old men and an 18-year-old. They're facing felony charges and police say they've identified a fifth suspect.
Two Victims ID'd In Davidson Co. Double-Homicide
(Davidson Co., NC) -- Davidson County authorities are identifying two victims whose bodies were found after a house fire south of Thomasville. Forty-six-year-old George Jones Junior and 51-year-old Kimberly Jones were found dead in late December after crews extinguished the flames. It was later discovered that the couple suffered injuries that were not caused by the fire. No arrests have been made.
Man Charged With Human-Trafficking In Graham
(Graham, NC) -- A man is charged with human trafficking after reports of an assault in Graham. Officers were called to the Flying J travel plaza on Jimmie Kerr Road last Friday after the alleged assault. They talked to the female victim, who said she was kidnapped and being sold as a prostitute. Winston Williams was arrested the following Sunday in Person County on multiple charges, including human-trafficking, kidnapping, promoting prostitution and assault on a female.
School Bus Driver Charged After Injury Accident In Davidson Co.
(Davidson Co., NC) -- A school bus driver is charged after an injury accident in Davidson County. It happened yesterday afternoon at the intersection of Craver and Enterprise roads. Troopers say Candice White failed to yield the right of way to a Toyota. The woman who was driving was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. There were 34 students from North Davidson High and middle schools on the bus at the time, but they were not hurt.
North Carolina To Use Six-Million To Backlog Rape Kits
(Greensboro, NC) -- North Carolina is putting more money toward testing backlogged rape kits. Attorney General Josh Stein announced a two-million-dollar increase in funds yesterday, which brings the total for testing backlogged rape kits to six-million. He also talked about a new proposed law that would help solve more than 15-thousand cases. Greensboro has the third-highest number of untested kits in the state.
Greensboro Shelter Raises Its White Flag
(Greensboro, NC) -- A Greensboro shelter is raising its white flag due to the bitterly cold temperatures. The Interactive Resource Center turns into an overnight shelter when its temp drops below 25 degrees. The director, Katrina Singleton, tells NBC 12 they expect hundreds of people over the next few days. The center will be under white flag operations again tonight and tomorrow night.