Former Buncombe Commissioner Indicted For Fraud Scheme
(Asheville, NC) -- A former Buncombe County commissioner is facing federal fraud charges. U.S. Attorneys say Ellen Frost was indicted by a grand jury for her part in a scheme to use over half-a-million dollars in county funds to sponsor equestrian activities at the Tryon Center and in Florida. Other former top county administrators are scheduled to be sentenced soon in connection to a kickback scheme involving a contractor.
Dixon Sentenced To Life Without Parole
(Asheville, NC) -- Nathaniel Dixon is heading to prison for life without parole. The official sentence for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Candace Pickens, in 2016 was handed down in Buncombe County court yesterday. Members of Pickens' family gave emotional testimonies during the sentencing hearing. District Attorney Todd Williams said the family agreed not to move forward with the death penalty in the case, and he wished them peace and privacy in the future.
Auto Shop Employee Fired After Printing Alleged Discriminatory Invoice
(Asheville, NC) -- An employee for an Asheville auto shop is out of a job for alleged discrimination on a customer invoice. A woman posted a copy of her friend's invoice on Facebook this week from Valvoline Instant Oil Change, which referred to her as "poka honas." The customer told WLOS-TV that she felt it was racist microaggression. The company CEO says the employee was terminated and offered a full apology.
Former Teaching Assistant Guilty Of Assaulting Child
(McDowell, NC) -- A former McDowell County teaching assistant is guilty of assaulting a nine-year-old child with disabilities. Anjanette Meyers was given a suspended 60-day jail sentence with supervised probation for the misdemeanor conviction on Monday. She reportedly struck the child while working at West Marion Elementary School earlier this year. The superintendent says she was fired shortly after the charges were filed in February.
Driver Dies After Plunging Off Clingmans Dome Road
(Swain County, NC) -- Park rangers say a Missouri man died in a wreck off Clingmans Dome Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. His car reportedly plunged 50 feet off the road on Monday about a mile from the Clingmans Dome parking area. A passenger was flown by helicopter to the UT Medical Center in Knoxville. The road was shut down for five hours.
Old Hendersonville Mill Upgrading To Apartments
(Hendersonville, NC) -- An old mill in Hendersonville is getting a facelift. WLOS-TV is reporting a developer is turning the Grey Hosiery Mill building into a 35-unit apartment complex. Some of the building's historic features will be preserved. It's scheduled to be completed sometime early 2020.
CMS Board Expected To Discuss Superintendent's Contract
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMS board of education is soon expected to discuss the contract of its suspended superintendent. The Charlotte Observer is reporting the board will meet for a closed door session at the Government Center on Friday morning. Dr. Clayton Wilcox was placed on suspension with pay on Monday. Earnest Winston is serving in the interim.
Toddler Seriously Injured By Car In Steele Creek
(Charlotte, NC) -- A toddler who was hit by a car in the Steele Creek area yesterday is in the hospital with serious injuries. The two-year-old boy allegedly ran out of his townhome on Calloway Glen Drive before he was hit. The child's grandmother accused the driver of running a stop sign. The CMPD says the driver initially left the scene, but later contacted officers.
World Cup Stars To Join Charlotte Soccer Event
(Charlotte, NC) -- Some stars of the U.S Women's 2019 World Cup championship team will be in Charlotte for a large soccer event on Saturday. Megan Rapinoe and Crystal Dunn will join 2015 World Cup champ Heather O'Reilly and other athletes at the House of Soccer Experience in Uptown. The event is a festival of sports, music, street art, food and drink. It coincides with an International Champions Cup match between ACF Fiorentina and Arsenal at Bank of America Stadium.
Council Gives Approval For Multi-Use Development In University City
(Charlotte, NC) -- A new development is planned for University City. The Charlotte City Council approved a rezoning request on Monday night for a proposed space that includes offices, retail shops and 300 residential units. The extension of the Blue Line Light rail between Uptown and University City is being credited as a major factor in making the 180-thousand-square-foot space a reality. A ground-breaking is set for March of next year.
Former Chester Police Officer Arrested For Child Porn
(Chester, SC) -- A former police officer in Chester, South Carolina is facing child porn charges. Michael Young was arrested by federal Secret Service agents yesterday for ten counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Chester Police Chief Eric Williams told NBC Charlotte that Young hasn't been on the force in six years.
Heat Index Reaching Triple Digits
(Charlotte, NC) -- Another heat wave is hitting the Queen City. Forecasters are calling for the heat index to start creeping up into the triple digits by this afternoon, with higher numbers on the way by the weekend. The National Weather Service predicts scorching heat will affect about two-thirds of the U.S. High temps will hover in the mid-90s, but the humidity will push the index to 100.
Trump Rally Set For Greenville Tonight
(Greenville, NC) -- President Trump will be campaigning in Greenville tonight. A Trump 2020 campaign rally is set for 7 p.m. at East Carolina University's Minges Coliseum. The Coliseum seats eight-thousand and police expect people to start showing up around 9 or 10 a.m. Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to speak to troops at Fort Bragg on Wednesday, before the rally in Greenville.
Raleigh Neighborhood Cleaning Up Major Storm Damage
(Raleigh, NC) -- Today is cleanup day in Raleigh's Oak Park neighborhood after Tuesday's storm did a lot of major damage. The heavy rain that started falling in the Triangle late Tuesday afternoon was accompanied by strong winds that blew down a number of big trees. Trees slammed into homes in Oak Park and knocked out power for a time. People in parts of Fayetteville, Southern Pines, and Rocky Mount say the storm did a lot of damage in their areas too.
Today Could Be Year's Hottest In Triangle
(Undated) -- Today could be the hottest day so far this year in the Triangle. Forecasters are predicting sunny and hot with a high near 98. A heat advisory will be in effect and the heat index will be as high as 106. There's a 20-percent chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5 p.m.
Authorities Seize 80 Kilos Of Cocaine, Millions In Cash In Halifax County Bust
(Littleton, NC) -- Local and federal officers seized more than 170 pounds of cocaine and about two-million dollars in cash during a raid in Halifax County. Halifax County Sheriff Wes Tripp says Tuesday's bust is the biggest drug and money seizure in the county's history. The raid in the area of Aurelian Springs Road involved federal drug agents, deputies from Halifax, Wake, Nash, Orange, Durham, and Franklin Counties, along with police officers form Raleigh, Apex, and Garner. Two people are in federal custody.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Adding Hundreds Of Jobs In Cary, Winston-Salem
(Cary, NC) -- Blue Cross Blue Shield is adding more than 350 jobs in North Carolina. The Winston-Salem Journal reports the health insurer is expanding its Healthy Blue Medicaid program. The company says it will add 200 jobs at its locations in Cary and as many as 170 in Winston-Salem. Hiring is underway and will continue through the end of this year.
Eden Police Search for Suspect Considered Armed and Dangerous
(Eden, NC) -- Police in Eden are searching for a suspect wanted in the kidnapping of a man and the shooting of a woman in Rockingham County. Police are searching an area where the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Jesse Edwards, was last seen. Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page says he spotted a man he believed to be Edwards yesterday on Highway 87 near the North Carolina-Virginia border. The shooting and kidnapping occurred this past Sunday night. Anyone with information is asked to call local law enforcement.
Blaming Lack of Profit, Organizers Cancel Annual Barbecue Capital Cook-Off
(Lexington, NC) -- The annual Barbecue Capital Cook-Off that has drawn thousands of visitors and Kansas City barbecue aficionados to Lexington each spring is shutting down. The organizers, Uptown Lexington, say they're planning new events to improve downtown. The barbecue began in 2011 but organizers say it failed to make enough profit.
New Pursuit Policies in Guilford County Draw Praise from Families
(Greensboro. NC) -- Guilford County Sheriff's deputies must follow new pursuit policies that are meant to avoid crashes that can be deadly. The new policies prevent deputies from pursuing suspects in what are considered non-violent crimes, such as shoplifting. Pursuits would be permitted in more violent crimes, such as carjacking. The county implemented the policies following a crash on Battleground Avenue that killed two women two years ago. That chase involved a report of a stolen car. Families of the two women are praising the new policies.
5-Million Dollar Grant to Be Used to Study State
(Greensboro, NC) -- Researchers at a center at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro will use a five-million dollar grant to study a program that lets high school students take college classes. The grant from the Department of Education will go the SERVE Center and will be used to examine the state's Career and College Promise Program. The program helps high school students take community college or university programs while in high school.
Nesting Sea Turtles Set New Record
(Buxton, NC) -- The National Park Service says nesting sea turtles have set a new record at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. With more than a month to go before nesting season wraps up, park officials say they've discovered the 326th nest of the season. The previous record of 325 was set three years ago. Almost 11-thousand turtle eggs have been laid on beaches on Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands.