More Residents Eligible For Vaccine Today
(Raleigh, NC) -- More North Carolinians are eligible for the COVID vaccine starting today. Yesterday, Governor Roy Cooper announced the next phase was being moved up as more doses are being sent to the state. That means all frontline workers are eligible today, including first responders, grocery store workers and restaurant employees. More than 80-thousand doses of the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be in the Tar Heel state this week.
Suspects Charged In Yancey County Murder
(Burnsville, NC) -- A man is in jail for a murder in Yancey County. Police officers found a woman dead at a home in Burnsville during a welfare check late Sunday night. The police chief says the suspect was the boyfriend of the victim. The cause of death hasn't been released.
FBI Seeks Help In Search For Robbery Suspect
(Asheville, NC) -- The FBI wants the public's help in finding an Asheville armed robbery suspect. A man robbed the BB&T on Hendersonville Road at gunpoint last Thursday. The Asheville Police Department and the FBI have released several surveillance images of the suspect. No one was injured during the crime.
Henderson County Waiting To Expand Vaccines
(Henderson County, NC) -- The Henderson County health department is waiting on more COVID vaccines before expanding to more people. The governor is allowing all frontline workers to be vaccinated starting today, but Henderson County officials say thousands of already-eligible residents locally are still waiting. Most of those include people 65-and-older, which make up more than a quarter of the county's population.
Mother, Child Missing In Rutherford County
(Rutherford County, NC) -- A Rutherford County mother and child are missing. The sheriff's office says Anna Head and her six-month-old son were last seen on Saturday in Forest City. The pair may be traveling in a mid-90s white Honda Accord with a North Carolina tag.
Asheville Nonprofit To Start Certification Of Living Wage Businesses
(Asheville, NC) -- An Asheville economic development nonprofit is again offering certification to businesses who offer a living wage. WLOS-TV says the living wage in Asheville has recently increased to 17-dollars-an-hour. Just Economics announced yesterday it is relaunching its certification program, and will be lenient with businesses trying to reach that wage. A six-month grace period is currently being offered.
Meck Offering More Vaccine Appointments
(Charlotte, NC) -- Mecklenburg County public health is opening up more COVID vaccine appointments. Those eligible in phases one-through-three will be able to register beginning tomorrow morning. The appointments will be held between the 10th and 31st. The county is expected to receive ten-thousand doses of the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week, which will be split between Novant and Advent Health.
Brothers Arrested For Long Crime Spree
(Charlotte, NC) -- Two brothers are facing dozens of charges for a long crime spree in Charlotte. The police department told NBC Charlotte that Joseph Caldwell had been on the run since he failed to appear in court in mid-2019. Officers chased him down last week after he has allegedly committed multiple theft, stolen property and vehicle break-in crimes since that time. His brother was also arrested in the case, and faces more than a dozen charges of his own.
One Killed After Mall Fight
(Monroe, NC) -- Monroe police are looking for the suspect in a homicide. Investigators say a man died after he was shot on Maurice Street early Monday evening. The shooting allegedly stemmed from a fight at Monroe Crossing Mall two hours before. A separate shooting in Monroe later Monday night is considered to be connected.
CMS Investigates Inappropriate Video
(Charlotte, NC) -- CMS is trying to find out who played an inappropriate video during remote learning this week. The principal at Greenway Park Elementary told parents the video played while fifth graders were attempting to log in to class through Zoom. A student's name was allegedly used by someone else to access the session.
Fans To Soon Be Allowed At Hornets' Games
(Charlotte, NC) -- Fans are soon being allowed to attend Charlotte Hornets' games at home. The team announced yesterday that capacity can reach around three-thousand people in the Spectrum Center beginning with the March 13th game against Toronto. Single-game tickets go on sale Friday morning. Fans will be required to wear face masks at all times, unless actively eating or drinking.
Senators Planning To Take A Second Vote To Override Governor's Veto Of Education Bill
(Raleigh, NC) -- Members of the North Carolina Senate are planning another attempt to override Governor Roy Cooper's veto of an education bill. Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger confirmed Tuesday that the upper chamber will vote today on a motion to reconsider a veto override of Senate Bill 37, which would require school districts to offer in-person classroom instruction. The new development comes after a Democrat who co-sponsored the Republican backed bill, missed casting a vote Monday night because he had to work at his regular job. The effort to override fell short by just one vote.
Durham City Schools To Return To In-Person Classroom Instruction
(Durham, NC) -- In response to the failed override attempt in the State Senate, members of the Durham Board of Education voted Tuesday to return students for in-person classroom instruction on March 15th. Under the accelerated plan, Durham elementary school students will begin in-person classes on March 15th. Middle and high school students will return on April 7th. Until Tuesday's vote, Durham had been the largest school system in the Triangle using the virtual learning model.
Group 3 Frontline Essential Workers Can Start Getting Vaccinated Today
(Raleigh, NC) -- Governor Roy Cooper has moved up the date for expanding vaccinations to include people in the Group 3 category, which includes frontline essential workers. The decision to allow Group 3 to begin receiving vaccinations today, is a full week ahead of original March 10th start date. According to State Health Officer Dr. Mandy Cohen, anyone who works outside of the home and their job requires them to come in contact with the public is considered eligible to be vaccinated. The rollout plan will expand to Group 4 on March 24th.
Some COVID-19 Numbers Have Started To Rise Again
(Raleigh, NC) -- Data released by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services showed some COVID-19 key metrics inching back upward on Tuesday. The number of people in the hospital was one thousand-353, the first increase recorded in two weeks. There were also one-thousand-239 new cases of the virus reported, a decrease of 227-from the day before. North Carolina's test positive rate was at 5-point-7 percent. And there were 34-additional deaths reported on Tuesday.
Students Warned Not To Go Out And Celebrate After Duke/UNC Game On Saturday
(Chapel Hill, NC) -- The City of Chapel Hill has issued a warning to UNC students who may be thinking about storming Franklin Street again to celebrate a possible victory over rival Duke on Saturday. Thousands crowded Franklin Street last month after the Tar Heels beat Duke on their home court in Durham. City and University officials warn that such large social gatherings are a violation of COVID-19 safety restrictions and that violators will face disciplinary actions.
Military Members To Help Administer COVID-19 Vaccines In Greensboro
(Greensboro, NC) -- About 140 military men and woman are headed to Greensboro to help out at the new federal COVID-19 vaccination clinic. It's opening up at the Four Seasons Town Centre shopping mall. The U.S. Air Force team is expected to arrive Friday, March 5th and help administer up to three-thousand shots per day. The White House announced it was opening the large-scale COVID-19 vaccination site in the Triad last week.
Parent: Kids Left Unattended On Davidson Co. School Bus
(Davidson Co., NC) -- A Davidson County school bus driver is accused of leaving kids unattended while he ran into a gas station. A parent tells FOX 8 the Fairgrove Elementary School bus driver stopped at the gas station on February 22nd and told the children he was going inside to get the "good ones" treats. The parent says he came out empty-handed and finished his route. A representative for Davidson County Schools did not comment on the incident.
Gibsonville Woman Wins $250K Off Scratch-Off Ticket
(Gibsonville, NC) -- A Gibsonville woman is celebrating after she won a 250-thousand-dollar lottery prize. Barbara Johnson says she bought the five-dollar scratch-off "20-Times the Cash" ticket from the Quick N Easy on Burlington Road in Greensboro. She claimed her prize yesterday. Johnson tells the "News & Record" she's going to use the money to pay off her house and her car, and to help her kids.
Missing Nine-Year-Old Found Safe In Winston-Salem
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- A nine-year-old boy who vanished from his home in Winston-Salem is back with his guardian. Jauris Harris was last seen around 1:45 Tuesday morning in the Easton Community. Police say he had left on foot. The boy, who police called "high-risk," was found about four hours later and returned home. They did not provide any further details.