Democrats Push Expulsion Of WNC Congressman
(Haywood County, NC) -- Some Democrats want western North Carolina's Congressman to be held accountable for statements he made before last week's violence at the U.S. Capitol. Nearly a dozen party leaders from the region have signed on to a letter sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that requests District 11's Madison Cawthorn be ousted from Congress. Cawthorn told WLOS-TV last week that his statements to supporters before the protests weren't enough to place any fault on himself. The Republican tweeted last week "let's show Washington our backbones are made of steel and titanium." He then said at a pro-Trump rally that the crowd had some fight in it.
Vaccinations For Elderly Being Today In Buncombe
(Buncombe County, NC) -- COVID-19 vaccine rollouts are continuing today in Buncombe County. More than two-thousand appointments through the health department are already booked up for the month. Residents aged 75-and-older can receive doses starting today in Buncombe. Henderson County is working with Pardee UNC Health Care ahead of extending into the next phase.
Cooper Inaugurated For Second Time
(Raleigh, NC) -- North Carolina's governor is urging residents to put aside party politics. Roy Cooper was inaugurated for another term in a ceremony that was streamed online Saturday. His address focused on learned lessons during the coronavirus pandemic, racial injustice and healthcare. In reference to last week's violence at the U.S. Capitol, Cooper said we need to cast aside the notions of red counties and blue counties.
Pedestrian Killed On I-240
(Buncombe County, NC) -- Asheville police are investigating a pedestrian death. Officers say someone was killed early Saturday morning after being hit by a car on I-240. It happened near the Haywood Road exit, going westbound. There's no word if the driver faces any charges.
Cold Leads To Code Purple In Asheville
(Asheville, NC) -- Some Asheville organizations are making preparations to help the homeless as cold settles in the mountains for the week. A code purple has been issued over the next few days since temperatures are expected to be in the 20s each night. Western Carolina Rescue Ministries is opening up a shelter at the First Congregational Church on Oak Street. A warming center will also be operated at Central United Methodist.
Two Killed In Rowan County Fire
(Rowan County, NC) -- Investigators are searching for the cause of a deadly fire in Rowan County. The fire chief told WSOC-TV that two people in their 60s died when flames tore through and destroyed a home on Double Thumb Road in Rockwell yesterday. Firefighters from around 20 departments came together to fight the blaze. Tanker trucks brought in water since there were no hydrants close by.
One Injured In Bowling Alley Shooting
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is investigating a shooting inside a south Charlotte bowling alley. Officers rushed to AMF Centennial Lanes on South Boulevard, where one person was injured on Saturday night. There's been no word if anyone has been charged or arrested. The victim is expected to survive.
Record High Weekend For COVID-19 Cases
(Raleigh, NC) -- COVID-19 is continuing its large spread over North Carolina. It was a record weekend in the state, when more than 20-thousand new cases were reported on Saturday and Sunday. Public health officials also revealed 140 more deaths yesterday. Hospitalizations are down slightly, but still remain over 37-hundred. The state's top health official, Dr. Mandy Cohen, has urged residents to pull together to do everything to help stop the spread.
Car Wreck Claims Life In Charlotte
(Charlotte, NC) -- One person is dead in a northwest Charlotte wreck. The CMPD says one driver died after he crossed into the opposite lane of traffic on Mount Holly Road and crashed into another car Saturday night. A second driver and an infant from the other vehicle in the crash were taken to the hospital for minor injuries. Investigators believe speed and reckless driving were factors.
Union County Back In Classroom
(Union County, NC) -- In-person learning begins again today in Union County public schools. The district took a pause and stayed in a virtual learning plan last week due to a rise in COVID-19 cases. There have reportedly been more than 300 cases among students and staff since December 22nd. Several schools in nearby Lancaster County are also virtual for now.
Some Members Of North Carolina Congressional Delegation Calling For Trump's Ouster
(Raleigh, NC) -- In the days following the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol, more North Carolina lawmakers are now calling for President Donald Trump to be removed from office. Representative G.K. Butterfield, of the 1st Congressional District, says he expects impeachment charges to be brought as early as today, and the House to vote on the articles by Tuesday or Wednesday. This comes as a new ABC News/IPSOS poll found 56-percent of respondents want Trump removed from office before Inauguration Day.
North Carolina COVID-19 Numbers Showing Decline
(Raleigh, NC) -- For the first time in several weeks, COVID-19 key metrics in North Carolina are beginning to show a slight decline. Data released by the Department of Health and Human Services recorded eight-thousand-833 new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, down from a record 11-thousand-581 the day before. And the number of people in the hospital also dropped from a record 39-hundred-60 on Friday, to three-thousand-774 yesterday. North Carolina's test positive rate was down to 13-point-seven-percent Sunday.
Hospitals, Clinics In The Triangle To Start Phase 1b Vaccinations
(Raleigh, NC) -- Several Triangle-area hospitals and health care facilities are scheduled to start moving into Phase 1b of vaccination distributions today. Phase 1b includes North Carolina residents who are ages 75 or older regardless of whether they have underlying health conditions. Counties expected to begin administering doses to the elderly this week include Orange, Nash, Wayne, Durham, Cumberland, Moore and Lenoir. Wake County is expected to begin Phase 1b on January 19th.
Robeson County Sheriff's Deputies Shoot Man Who Set Fire To His Own Car
(Robeson County, NC) -- The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is conducting a probe into an officer-involved shooting in which a man was killed over the weekend. It happened around 9:45 p.m. Saturday along Union Chapel Road near Pembroke. Sheriff's deputies say they responded to a 911-hang-up call from a person saying "I'm just going to bleed out. "Upon arrival, they found a man sitting inside a vehicle he had just set on fire. Deputies say when law enforcement tried to approach the vehicle, the man pointed a gun at them. Several officers fired shots into the car, killing the man. He has been identified as 46-year-old Matthew Oxendine of Red Springs.
Raleigh Ranked Third Best 'Zoom City' In U.S.
(Raleigh, NC) -- Results from a recent survey ranks the city of Raleigh third in the nation among the list of 'Zoom Cities 'in America. 'Zoom Cities' are defined as communities experiencing exponential growth due to the increase in remote work brought on by the pandemic. The survey, conducted by 24/7 Wall Street, places Raleigh at number three because of its relatively low cost of living. Figures from 2020 show the cost of living in and around the metro area three-point-four-percent lower than the national average. The survey also found the region's median household income of 80-thousand dollars exceeds the U.S. median by more than 14-thousand.
Guilford Co. Rolls Out First Phase Of General Public Vaccinations
(Guilford Co., NC) -- Guilford County is moving forward with its first phase of general public COVID-19 vaccinations. County staff filled five-thousand appointment slots in just a day-and-a-half. Vaccines will be provided today and tomorrow. They'll include ongoing vaccinations of healthcare providers, first-responders and individuals over 75-years-old.
Woman Critical After Falling From Pilot Mountain
(Pinnacle, NC) -- An elderly woman is in bad shape after she fell at Pilot Mountain in Pinnacle. It happened yesterday afternoon on the Ledge Springs Trail. Emergency crews say the hiker, who's in her late 60s or early 70s, fell from a ledge and had to be carried out on a stretcher. She was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.
Person Hit, Killed By Train In High Point
(High Point, NC) -- An investigation is underway in High Point after a person was hit and killed by train. It happened yesterday on West Point Avenue. Police have not identified the victim or said why they were on the tracks. It's also not clear if any passengers were on the train at the time.
NC Selling Old Circus Cars
(Momeyer, NC) -- The state of North Carolina is holding a second online auction for railroad cars that used to belong to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus. The state purchased the circus cars back in 2017 for just over 380-thousand dollars. It's selling them for a minimum of 45-thousand dollars each. The circus train cars were put on the auction block last month and will be up for auction again by the end of this month. Folks can bid at NC-State-Surplus-dot-com.
Mooresville Man Wins Lotto
(Mooresville, NC) -- A Mooresville man is starting off the year with a whole lot of cash. Matthew Hehs won 100-thousand dollars from a 100-Times the Cash scratch-off ticket. He bought it at the Harris Teeter on Peninsula Drive in Davidson. Hehs claimed his prize at lottery headquarters in Raleigh, and after taxes, he took home just over 70-thousand dollars.