SUV Missing From Homicide Scene
(Swain County, NC) -- A homicide is being investigated in Swain County. The sheriff's office posted on Facebook that it needs the public's help in finding a dark blue Ford Explorer that's missing from the scene of the crime. The homicide reportedly happened at a home on Deep Gap Road on Friday. No details on exactly what happened have been released.
NC Trials Delayed Another 30 Days
(Raleigh, NC) -- Jury trials are being delayed again in North Carolina. Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley extended COVID-19 emergency court procedures on Saturday, which will put trials on hold for another month. Beasley said the emergency directives are to help ensure public safety. Courts are currently drawing up plans on how to safely hold trials with proper social distancing.
Airport Passenger Numbers Rise Slightly
(Asheville, NC) -- Passenger numbers are slowly coming back up at Asheville Regional Airport. The airport's authority says June numbers were unsurprisingly down 75-percent compared to the same time last year, but it's still an improvement from May. Average daily numbers stood at 500-a-day in May, but rose to 800 the next month. Asheville Regional was hitting record high totals prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
Interstate Shuts Down After Six-Car Wreck
(Buncombe County, NC) -- Emergency officials are investigating a multi-car crash that shut down I-40 in Buncombe County yesterday. WLOS-13 reports six vehicles were involved in a collision near Swannanoa at exit 59. All eastbound lanes were closed for around two hours. There's no word on any injuries at this time.
Athletic Association Temporarily Halts Sports Scheduling
(Raleigh, NC) -- High schools are being told to postpone scheduling sports. The state's athletic association issued a moratorium Friday for scheduling, so that the board can evaluate details on each sport. The association decided last week to push back football to the winter.
Father Charged In Child's Death
(Charlotte, NC) -- A Charlotte father is facing charges in his toddler son's death. The CMPD says it appears the two-year-old found a gun and accidentally shot himself at a home in the Sugar Creek area on Saturday night. Antonio Cureton was arrested for involuntary manslaughter and several gun charges. Another child was injured in a shooting on Rodney Avenue in north Charlotte yesterday.
CMS Beginning School Virtually Today
(Charlotte, NC) -- The new school year begins today for CMS students. They'll be learning remotely until the district deems it's safe to be in the classroom. Cabarrus schools are also operating remotely for the beginning of the academic year. Union and Gaston counties are opening under hybrid plans.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations Down
(Raleigh, NC) -- Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are back under one-thousand in North Carolina. Public health officials reported a drop of nearly 100 patients from Saturday to Sunday, down to around 930 statewide. It's the first time under the one-thousand threshold in several weeks. There were more than 12-hundred new COVID-19 cases in North Carolina yesterday.
Homicide Investigated In West Charlotte
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is investigating a suspicious death in west Charlotte. Detectives say one person was found dead on Reid Avenue near West Boulevard last night. The investigation is considered a homicide. There's no word on any suspects.
Deputy Dies In Off-Duty Wreck
(Union County, NC) -- The Union County Sheriff's Office is mourning the death of one of its own. Deputy Christopher Horne died on Saturday night when his motorcycle collided with a car in Monroe. He was off-duty at the time. The sheriff's office said Horne worked there for seven years, and also served the police departments in Monroe, Waxhaw and Stallings.
Oldest American Celebrated B-Day In Charlotte
(Charlotte, NC) -- The oldest person in the U.S. is celebrating another year, and she happens to live in the Queen City. WBTV reports Hester Ford celebrated her 116th birthday on Saturday with a drive-by party. That makes her life the 21st longest on record so far.
COVID-19 Clusters At UNC Chapel Hill Blamed On Parties
(Chapel Hill, NC) -- Officials at the University of North Carolina have confirmed a fourth cluster of the coronavirus on its Chapel Hill campus. The latest outbreak occurring at the Hinton James men's residence hall Sunday. Two other clusters have also been reported on the campus within the last week. Another was confirmed at the off-campus Sigma Nu fraternity house on Saturday. Witnesses have reported in all four instances, there were previous large social gatherings without social distancing and very few people wearing face masks. The UNC Faculty Executive Committee is scheduled to meet later today to discuss ways of mitigating the spread of the disease on campus.
COVID-19 Metrics In North Carolina Trending Lower
(Raleigh, NC) -- The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in North Carolina dropped to below one-thousand for the first time in more than a month Sunday. Figures released by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services showed there were 934 patients being treated at hospitals yesterday, a drop of 98 from the day before. There were also 12-hundred-46 confirmed new cases of the coronavirus reported Sunday, down 290 from Saturday. Two-thousand-347 people have died from the disease.
Teen Girl Found In Car Outside Raleigh Bojangles Was Murdered
(Raleigh, NC) -- Raleigh police investigators have confirmed that the death of a 17-year-old girl whose body was found in a car outside a Bojangles restaurant Saturday night was a homicide. The incident was reported around 8:15 p.m. in the restaurant's parking lot on Jones Sausage Road near the Interstate 40 interchange. The victim, identified as Veronica Lee Baker, was declared dead at the scene. Police did not release any information about the cause of death. So far, there have been no suspects in this case.
Sparta Area Still Feeling Aftershocks Week After Big Quake
(Sparta, NC) -- Officials in Sparta are scheduled to give an update on damage and recovery efforts since a magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck the city last Sunday. This as the U.S. Geological Survey reports at least 13 aftershocks have shaken the area around Allegheny County over the last week, with the latest on Saturday. The quake was the strongest recorded in the state of North Carolina since 1916.
Report: State AGs Talking About Lawsuits Against Trump Over USPS Issues
(Washington, DC) - North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein is one of several attorneys general considering legal action against the Trump Administration over issues relating to the U.S. Postal Service. Other states include Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington. Newly-elected Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is accused of trying to sabotage the 2020 elections. The Washington Post says an announcement is expected some time this week.
Protesters Give Postmaster General Early Morning 'Wake-Up Call'
(Greensboro, NC) - Protesters are giving Postmaster General Louis DeJoy a "wake-up call" over his decision to restructure the Postal Service right before the elections. A group gathered outside DeJoy's home in the Irving Park Historic District in Greensboro Sunday afternoon, carrying signs and chanting. DeJoy made major staffing changes and scrapped hundreds of letter-sorting machines, causing delays in mail delivery. Yesterday's demonstration followed a protest earlier this week at DeJoy's Washington, D.C., estate.
Application Filed To Demolish Historic High Point Home
(High Point, NC) - The owners of a historic High Point home, believed to have ties to the Underground Railroad, want to tear it down. An application has been filed to demolish the 200-year-old Mendenhall-Blair homestead on Skeet Club Road. The home is now in a high-growth area surrounded by residential developments, but it's not clear what the owners plan to do with the property. A public hearing on the demolition request goes before the Guilford County Historic Preservation Commission tomorrow.
Man Shot, Killed At Party In Lexington
(Lexington, NC) - A man is dead after gunfire erupted at a party in Lexington. The scene unfolded late Saturday night, near the 700-block of Dixie Street. Police say a large crowd of people were gathered when unknown suspects started shooting. Thirty-five-year-old Melvin Clark, Junior was killed. Police say several vehicles were also shot. An investigation is ongoing.
Teenager Killed In Winston-Salem
(Winston-Salem, NC) - An investigation is underway after a 19-year-old man was found dead in Winston-Salem. Henry Flores was found lying outside his vehicle in the 45-hundred block of White Rock Road early Friday morning. He was shot to death. Police say the wounds were self-inflicted.