Newman Hearing Ends in No Decision, AVL Cracks Down on Homeless Camps

District Attorney's Removal Hearing Ends With No Decision

(Henderson County, NC) -- There's no decision in the removal hearing for District Attorney Greg Newman. The three-day proceedings wrapped up Wednesday, but the judge said he'll issue an order later. Newman was facing scrutiny from sexual assault victims who claim he mishandled cases. He's served as district attorney for Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties for nearly eight years.

Asheville Orders Another Homeless Camp To Leave

(Asheville, NC) -- Another homeless camp in Asheville is being pulled down. WLOS-TV reports neighbors close to Isaac Dickson Elementary School have been worried about safety issues surrounding a homeless site that went up on a vacant lot owned by Duke Energy. The city of Asheville gave out a seven-day notice to leave the property on Monday. Homeless camps in Aston Park and Martin Luther King, Junior Park were also recently given notice to leave over safety reasons.

NC Lawmakers Propose Ban On Handheld Phones Behind Wheel

(Raleigh, NC) -- State lawmakers are again tackling the use of phones while driving. A bill which would outlaw holding a phone has been filed in the state Senate. Current North Carolina law bans texting while driving, but has no rules about talking or getting on the internet. Surrounding states like Georgia and Tennessee already have laws that prohibit holding a phone behind the wheel.

Asheville Studies Ways To Ease Property Tax Burdens

(Asheville, NC) -- Asheville's budget leaders are studying ways to ease tax burdens for property owners. The council discussed implementing a revenue-neutral property tax rate during a budget work session Tuesday. It could essentially level off tax hikes that many residents saw in recent property reappraisals. The budget is expected to be presented near the end of May.

WNC Career Expo Underway

(Asheville, NC) -- Western North Carolina's largest hiring event is going on now. Job seekers are invited to visit the in-person part of the W-N-C Career Expo today at Rabbit Rabbit in downtown Asheville. The Chamber of Commerce says 40 employers will be there. The virtual portion of the expo is also underway and runs through tomorrow.

Buncombe, Asheville Schools To Hold In-Person Graduations

(Asheville, NC) -- Both Asheville City and Buncombe County Public Schools are planning in-person graduation ceremonies. Last year's events were altered to either drive-thru or virtual commencements due to the COVID pandemic. Asheville schools officials announced yesterday graduation will be held at Asheville High's football field on May 28th. Buncombe County doesn't have locations yet.

Union County Coach Killed In Shootout Over Drugs

(Union County, NC) -- Investigators say a Union County basketball coach died in a shootout over drugs. Barney Harris and his brother-in-law allegedly showed up to steal drugs and money from a cartel in Alamance County one week ago. The sheriff's office reports gunfire erupted during the home invasion, which killed Harris. He was a teacher and coach at Union Academy, which is a charter school in Monroe.

NASCAR's Wallace Teams With Novant Health For Vaccines

(Charlotte, NC) -- NASCAR's only Black driver and Novant Health are teaming for vaccine awareness. Bubba Wallace says he got vaccinated for fans, family and everyone else around to provide security. He is encouraging Black and brown communities to get vaccinated despite some hesitancy that exists. Novant Health is serving as the health provider for Wallace's racing team, 23IX [[ 23-eleven ]].

Sentence Hearing For Self Hits Third Day

(Gaston County, NC) -- The sentence hearing for Roger Self is extending into another day. Testimony in Gaston County court yesterday focused on Self's mental health leading up to the day in 2018 when he rammed a car into the Surf and Turf Lodge in Bessemer City. His daughter and daughter-in-law were killed, which led to second-degree murder charges. Today will be the third day of the hearing.

Teen Charged In Charlotte Murder

(Charlotte, NC) -- A suspect is facing charges in the deadly shooting of a teen in west Charlotte. A 15-year-old died and another juvenile was injured last Saturday on Tuckaseegee Road. The CMPD said yesterday murder charges were filed against a 15-year-old.

Hornets Behind Final Guaranteed Playoff Spot

(Charlotte, NC) -- The Hornets are on the outside of the final guaranteed playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte's 103-90 loss to Cleveland last night was their third in a row. The team currently sits in the eighth-seeded spot. The NBA reconfigured this year's postseason to include a play-in tournament featuring seeds seven through ten before the first round of the playoffs begin.

Pat McCrory Officially Launches Campaign For U.S. Senate In North Carolina

(Raleigh, NC) -- Former North Carolina governor Pat McCrory made it official Wednesday, confirming that he will seek the 2022 Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Richard Burr. McCrory, who served as governor from 2012-to-2016, made the announcement on his radio talk show in Charlotte. McCrory joins Congressman Mark Walker as the only two candidates who have formerly announced their intentions to run. U.S. Representative Ted Budd and former President Trump's daughter in-law Lara Trump have also expressed an interest.

Old Bridge Under Demolition Crashes In Outer Banks Killing Construction Worker

(Dare County, NC) -- Authorities in Dare County are investigating the collapse of a section of an old bridge Wednesday that resulted in the death of a Department of Transportation contractor. The structure, known as the Herbert C. Bonner bridge in the Outer Banks, was in the process of being demolished. Work crews say the tallest and last remaining portion of the bridge fell into the Oregon Inlet around 5 p.m., killing the worker. His identity was not immediately released, pending notification of relatives.

Duke Researchers Using mRNA Technology To Develop New Flu Vaccine

(Durham, NC) -- Researchers at Duke University have been asked by the National Institutes of Health to develop a new mRNA vaccine to treat the flu. mRNA, which is stands of Messenger RNA, is the same technology used by Pfizer and Moderna to create their coronavirus vaccines. According to the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, the goal of the mRNA flu vaccine is to create a drug that will treat multiple strains of the flu that will be distributed internationally. The mRNA flu vaccine would also last up to five years.

People Just Outside Raleigh Demand Something Be Done About Homeless Camp

(Raleigh, NC) -- Residents and businesses near a huge homeless encampment off Interstate-540 and Capitol Boulevard are demanding that city leaders order the site be cleaned up. An aerial video of the site taken from a helicopter shows large piles of trash and debris, multiple tents and people living in squalid conditions. City officials have so-far not responded because the site is technically not located within Raleigh city limits. Calls have gone out to the state Department of Transportation to take action since the site is located near an interstate.

Truck/Motorcycle Crash Leaves Johnston County Biker Dead

(Johnston County, NC) -- The driver of a motorcycle was killed and a passenger seriously wounded Wednesday when his vehicle was hit by a pickup truck in Johnston County. It happened around 6 p.m. along Highway 301-and Pittman Road near the town of Micro. An accident report filed by the North Carolina Highway Patrol said the pickup truck that was also pulling a trailer ran through a stop sign and into the path of the motorcycle, causing the collision. The motorcycle driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman passenger was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.

Chathan Co. Has Highest Percentage Of Vaccinated Residents In Triad

(Chatham Co., NC) -- Chatham County has the highest percentage of vaccinated residents in the Piedmont Triad. State Health officials report about 33-percent of residents there are partially-vaccinated for COVID-19. That's one in three people. Alleghany County has the highest amount of fully-vaccinated residents at about 27- percent. Rowan County is trailing when it comes to vaccinations; only about 19-percent of the population is partially-vaccinated, or about one in five people.

Two Suspects In Custody In High Point Shooting

(High Point, NC) -- Two suspects are in custody in connection to a triple shooting in High Point. It happened late Tuesday night near Wendover Avenue and Eastchester Drive. Police say shots were fired between two vehicles, and three people were hit. One of the victims died. Twenty-six-year-old Justice McLaurin and 23-year-old J'Mariuis Howze Junior are charged with first degree murder and attempted murder. They're being held in the Guilford County Jail with no bond.

Teenager Arrested For Deadly Shooting Of Another Teenager In Greensboro

(Greensboro, NC) -- A 16-year-old is accused of shooting and killing another teenager in Greensboro. The juvenile was arrested on charges of involuntary manslaughter and possession of a handgun by a minor. The shooting happened Tuesday night on Laray Drive, near West Florida Drive. The victim is identified as 18-year-old Aamir Gaskins. An investigation is ongoing.


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