Veterans Welcome To Get COVID Vaccine
(Asheville, NC) -- Veterans of all ages are welcome to receive a COVID vaccine in the mountain region. Those who are enrolled in the Western North Carolina VA Healthcare System are now able to schedule an appointment. Veterans will receive the Pfizer vaccine. More than a quarter of North Carolina's population have received at least one dose of a vaccine.
Tons Of Trash Picked Up On NC Roads
(Raleigh, NC) -- This year has been a trashy one for North Carolina roads. The DOT is reporting that nearly one-million-pounds of roadside litter has been picked up through the first three-weeks of the month alone. The total for the year so far is just over two-million pounds. Coming up in just a few weeks is the state's annual Spring Litter Sweep, which needs volunteers from April 10th through 24th.
Buncombe County Warns Of Scam Calls
(Buncombe County, NC) -- Buncombe County is warning the public about a phone scammer. There has been a recent complaint about a caller claiming to be with Buncombe's Internal Auditor's office. The suspect is reportedly seeking information about the victim's mortgage and bank account. The county posted on its website to never share any personal information unless it's on a secure platform.
Body Found In Watauga County River
(Boone, NC) -- Medical examiners are looking for the cause of death after a body was found near Boone. The Watauga County sheriff's officer says a male was discovered in the New River yesterday afternoon. An autopsy will be performed by state officials in Winston-Salem.
Prescribed Burns Planned For Mountains
(Transylvania County, SC) -- Prescribed burns are coming up in U.S. Forest Service areas of western North Carolina. The scheduled events are supposed to be a way to promote the growth of plants that are sources of food for local wildlife. The Grandfather Ranger District in Burke County and the Pisgah Ranger District in Transylvania County are both planning burns soon. The exact dates will depend on weather conditions.
Tweetsie Railroad Re-Opening
(Blowing Rock, NC) -- A beloved Wild West theme park is finally able to re-open in the North Carolina mountains. The public is welcome to head back in to visit Tweetsie Railroad between Boone and Blowing Rock on April 2nd. It's the first time the train hits the tracks since the railroad shut down last year in the early days of the COVID pandemic. The Easter Bunny is the park's special guest for visitors on opening weekend.
Meck County Health Departments Wants Against Spring Break Travel
(Mecklenburg County, NC) -- Local health officials are warning against Spring Break travel. The Mecklenburg County Health Department has issued an advisory that outlines risks with heading out of town during the pandemic. The guidelines also mention potential travel suspensions that could pop up at anytime. People are urged to get vaccinated for COVID-19 if plans continue to involve travel.
West Charlotte Fire Considered Suspicious
(Charlotte, NC) -- A Sunday morning fire in west Charlotte is being considered suspicious. Flames spread in an apartment complex on Springmont Lane, causing around 45-thousand-dollars in damages. Charlotte fire investigators say they believe the fire was set on purpose. Everyone made it out safely.
CMS Discussing Full Plan A
(Charlotte, NC) -- CMS could soon see a full return to a Plan A schedule. Superintendent Earnest Winston is expected to present the school board tomorrow with recommendations to move middle and high schoolers into a full in-person schedule with minimal social distancing. Elementary school students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Schools are starting Plan A today.
Juvenile Charged With Attempted Murder
(Charlotte, NC) -- A juvenile is facing charges in connection to a Charlotte mall shooting. Northlake Mall was placed on lockdown after gunfire rang out on Saturday afternoon. Officers arrested the suspect on a charge of attempted murder. Three people were reportedly injured during the mall's evacuation, but none were related to the shooting.
Fire Battalion Chief Arrested For DWI
(Charlotte, NC) -- A Charlotte fire battalion chief is facing a DWI charge. WBTV is reporting Michael Gerin was arrested Saturday night by officers in the Pineville Police Department. He's since been placed on administrative leave during the investigation. Fire Chief Reginald Johnson said the department won't tolerate behavior that violates the law or the community's trust.
Lamelo Ball In Danger Of Missing Rest Of Season
(Charlotte, NC) -- The season may be over for LaMelo Ball. The Hornets' rookie suffered a fractured wrist during Saturday's loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. Ball averages nearly 16-points-a-game and is considered a favorite to win the Rookie of the Year Award. The point guard is expected to get a second opinion with a specialist in New York early this week.
Protesters Gather In Cary To Condemn Violence Against Asian Americans
(Cary, NC) -- Hundreds of supporters gathered in Cary over the weekend to join a nationwide protest to denounce violence and hatred against Asian Americans. The candlelight vigil was held Saturday night in front of the downtown Cary Regional Library. The demonstrations came after the shooting deaths of eight people in Atlanta last week, six of them Asian women. During the vigil, organizers read off all of the names of the victims. The event, which was organized by the Chinese American Friendship Association, was also attended by North Carolina Congresswoman Deborah Ross.
Garner Man Arrested After Threatening Several People With A Chainsaw
(Raleigh, NC) -- A North Carolina man is in police custody after he reportedly used a chainsaw to threaten several people at a motel and cause property damage to another. It happened around 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the Super 8 Motel and the Claremont Inn on South Saunders Street. The suspect, identified as Joseph Vanderburg of Garner, was also recorded on a hotel surveillance video carrying the chainsaw. Although no one was injured, Vanderburg is now facing several felony charges including kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and four counts of injury to real property.
Wake County Board To Decide Today Whether To Bring All Students Back To In-Person Classes
(Wake County, NC) -- Members of the Wake County Board of Education are set to take a vote today on whether to return middle and high school students back to in-person learning. District Superintendent Cathy Moore recommended last week, that all K-12 students return to classes, after a new law was passed eliminating the provision that requires six feet of social distancing. If approved, up to 162-thousand students in the state's largest District, would return to in-person classroom instruction under Plan A.
Duke Lifts Stay-In-Place Order But Leaves Some Mobility Restrictions
(Durham, NC) -- Officials at Duke University announced Sunday that a campus wide stay-in-place order is being lifted. The one-week order was imposed on March 13th after a surge of new COVID-19 cases was detected mostly among the undergraduate student population. The outbreak was blamed on at least two off-campus fraternity rush parties. Under the new rules, students living in University housing will be allowed to move about the campus, but are being asked not to leave except for essential travel or medical reasons until March 28th.
Johnston County Health Department To Open Mass Vaccination Clinic On Wednesday
(Johnston County, NC) -- Beginning Wednesday, the Johnston County Health Department will host its first mass vaccination clinic. The event, which will be held at the North Johnston High School, will be offered on a first come first serve basis to people in groups 1-through-4. The distributions will begin at 8 a.m. and will last until the vaccines run out. The Johnston County location has been allocated two-thousand doses.
Man Arrested Following Accidental Shooting At Forsyth Hospital
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- A man is under arrest after his gun misfired at Forsyth Hospital. It happened Friday night on the fourth floor of the building. Police say 69-year-old Gary Cope of Virginia was visiting a patient when a gun fell out of his pocket and fired into the floor. No one was hurt. Cope was cited for carrying a concealed weapon and discharging a firearm in city limits.
Randolph Co. Only County In Red Zone
(Randolph Co., NC) -- Randolph County is the only county in North Carolina that is still in the Red Zone of the COVID-19 alert system. With a seven-point-five-percent positivity rate, the county is still showing critical community spread of COVID-19. Tiers are determined by their 14-day case rate, percent positive numbers and hospitalizations. All other counties are either in the orange or yellow zones.
Missing Guilford Co. Woman Found Dead
(Greensboro, NC) -- A missing Guilford County woman has been found dead. Forty-year-old Nikki Shore had not been seen or heard from since February 22nd. Her body was found in Greensboro this past Friday. Greensboro police and the Guilford County Sheriff's Office are conducting a joint death investigation.
Florida State Pulls Away From UNC Greensboro
(Indianapolis, IN) -- Fourth-seeded Florida State pulled away late as they beat 13-seed UNC Greensboro 64-54 in Indianapolis in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Spartans guard Isaiah Miller said Saturday the transition game really hurt them. He said they couldn't get back at the beginning, and that's when the Seminoles made their run. Miller had 17 points to lead the Spartans.