Artists Begin BLM Mural In Asheville
(Asheville, NC) -- Work is underway on a Black Lives Matter mural in Asheville. Artists started the street painting around the Vance Monument yesterday. The Asheville Area Arts Council has raised over 15-thousand-dollars for the project since the idea was formed a few weeks back. Three lead artists were joined by a team of 20 others for the initiative.
State's Jobless Rate Drops Drastically
(Raleigh, NC) -- North Carolina's jobless rate is taking a downward turn. Labor officials say June's rate decreased more than five-points to seven-point-six-percent. It was one of the country's biggest drops and remains well below the national average. The state's unemployment rate was just four-percent this time last year.
COVID-19 Cases Close To 100K In NC
(Raleigh, NC) -- The number of overall COVID-19 cases is expected to hit the six-figure mark today in North Carolina. The state's 18-hundred new cases yesterday brought the total to just under 100-thousand. Hospitalizations have dropped two days in a row since reaching a record high Friday. COVID-19 case numbers have also risen above one-thousand for both Buncombe and Henderson counties.
Senator, Governor Comment On Georgia Congressman
(Undated) -- North Carolina leaders are speaking on the legacy on Congressman John Lewis. The Georgia Democrat and Civil Rights icon passed away on Friday at the age of 80. Governor Roy Cooper said Lewis was a hero whose lessons will echo for generations to come. Senator Thom Tillis called Lewis a titan.
State Adding Early Voting Sites
(Raleigh, NC) -- Early voting sites are expanding by the fall election in some parts of the state. The North Carolina Board of Elections issued an order on Friday which requires one polling location for every 20-thousand residents. The decision was made in an attempt to avoid long voting lines as the coronavirus continues to be a public health concern.
McDowell County Courthouse Re-Opening
(McDowell County, NC) -- The courthouse in McDowell County is opening back up today. It shut down ten days ago for deep cleaning after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. Court appointments will resume as normal, while anything missed last week will be rescheduled. Rutherford County's courthouse is still currently closed due to a COVID-19 case.
Man Drowns On Catawba River
(Mount Holly, NC) -- A 22-year-old man is dead in a Mount Holly drowning. Investigators say he went under while swimming with another person in the Catawba River and never resurfaced early Sunday afternoon. Crews recovered the man's body after several hours of searching off Mountain Island Road.
Heat Advisory Issued For Charlotte
(Charlotte, NC) -- It's another dangerously hot day in the Queen City. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory from noon to eight tonight in Charlotte. The heat index could reach as high as 105-degrees. Residents are being urged to drink plenty of fluids and stay out of the sun if possible.
Boaters Rescue Two On Lake Norman
(Lake Norman, NC) -- Some boaters are being credited for helping rescue two people on Lake Norman. A single-engine amphibious plane toppled into the water near Lake Norman State Park on Saturday morning. A state trooper said nearby boaters pulled a pilot and passenger from the partially submerged plane. They appeared to be okay. The plane was towed to the shore in Catawba County.
One Injured In NW Charlotte Shooting
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is investigating a shooting in northwest Charlotte. One person was seriously injured at West 5th Street and Frazier Avenue yesterday. Two men were arrested on Friday in a separate shooting that killed a 14-year-old boy last week. He was shot in the parking lot of a Murphy USA store in west Charlotte.
Catawbas To Break Ground On Casino
(Kings Mountain, NC) -- A new casino is coming to the Charlotte area. The Catawba tribe is planning to break ground on land near I-85 in Kings Mountain on Wednesday. The 300-million-dollar casino is expected to be open within a year.
Afternoon Heat Index Expected To Top Triple Digits
(Raleigh, NC) -- Weather forecasters have issued a heat advisory for most of central North Carolina today. The advisory begins at noon and will run through 9 tonight. That means heat index values will be in the triple digits this afternoon. While the forecast calls for a high of 97-degrees, it will actually feel like it's 105. Persons are advised to drink plenty of fluids, wear light clothing and avoid strenuous activities when outside this afternoon.
Single-Day COVID-19 Total Dips Slightly On Sunday
(Raleigh, NC) -- The number of new coronavirus cases reported on Sunday in North Carolina was the first day the single-day total was below two-thousand in four days. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported 18-hundred-20 cases yesterday, down from a record two-thousand-481 on Saturday. The Department also reported the total number of people infected since the outbreak first began was 99-thousand-778 on Sunday. Of the more than 15-thousand people who were tested over the weekend, nine-percent were positive.
Deadline For Virtual Academy Registration Today In Wake Count
(Wake County, NC) -- Today is the deadline for submitting applications for admission into the Wake County Public School System's Virtual Academy. The School System says, as of last Thursday, nearly one-quarter of the more than 38-thousand students currently enrolled had registered for the Virtual Academy. This comes as several other school districts in the Triangle have announced they had decided to exercise the Plan C option for reopening, which is remote learning only. A meeting to discuss Wake County's option is scheduled for tomorrow.
Over 20-Rioters Arrested For Vandalizing Durham Police Department Building
(Durham, NC) -- At least 23-people were arrested in Durham Saturday night after a peaceful demonstration earlier in the day turned violent when rioters broke into the old police headquarters building on Chapel Hill Street and caused significant property damage. The protesters smashed windows and doors, spray painted graffiti on the walls and hung banners from the roof of the building that read "Defund" and "Reclaim." Several of those arrested were charged with felony inciting a riot and failure to disperse.
Mass Demonstration And Strike To Take Place Today Over Work Place Racism
(Durham, NC) -- Hundreds of workers in the Triangle are expected to join tens of thousands in cities across the country today for a strike and demonstration to end systemic racism in the workplace. The event, organized by the groups 'NC Raise Up' and 'Fight for 15,' is calling on the government and private sector to take substantial action to alleviate wage disparities among workers in black and brown communities. The march and rally is scheduled to begin in Durham at noon outside the McDonald's on West Morgan Street and proceed to CCB Plaza.
Person Hurt At Winston-Salem Party Shooting
(Winston-Salem, NC) - One person is hurt after shots rang out at a party in Winston-Salem. It happened early Sunday morning in the 13-hundred-block of Thurmond Street. The 24-year-old victim tells police two people who were denied entry into the party returned and opened fire. The victim is being treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries. There's no word on if any arrests were made.
Stokes Co. Schools To Follow A-B Schedule
(King, NC) - Stokes County Schools is announcing its back-to-school plan. The district wants to start the year with remote learning for two weeks, followed by an A-B alternating schedule. An A-B schedule means half of the students will attend school on Mondays, Wednesdays and alternating Fridays. The other half will attend school on Tuesdays, Thursdays and alternating Fridays. The district says that schedule will help to limit the spread of COVID-19 by limiting capacity to 50-percent.
High Point PD Investigate 'Suspicious' Death
(High Point, NC) - High Point police have a death investigation on their hands. Officers responded to a home on South Scientific Street Saturday afternoon. A 50-year-old man was found stabbed to death. Officers are still talking to witnesses and collecting evidence. They're calling the case suspicious.
Abandoned Warehouse Catches Fire In Thomasville
(Thomasville, NC) - An investigation is underway in Thomasville where an abandoned warehouse caught fire. Crews responded to the scene yesterday afternoon near Ridgecrest and Taylor streets. Black smoke could be scene from several miles away. The cause is unknown. No one was hurt.