Asheville Homeless Camp Being Shut Down
(Asheville, NC) -- An Asheville homeless camp is being shut down. The police department told WLOS-TV that officers are asking those staying at an encampment behind Haywood Street Congregation near I-240 to leave. A complaint came in recently about fires and trash at the location.
Candidate Filing Resumes Today
(Raleigh, NC) -- Candidate filings in Congressional and legislative seats will begin in North Carolina today despite a legal setback. A three-judge panel decided to halt the filing period yesterday due to legal battles over the newly-drawn lines, but the entire Court of Appeals later ruled against the blockage. That means anyone interested in running for North Carolina's Congressional seats, state House or state Senate can file for candidacy beginning today. The filing period runs through December 17th.
Asheville Schools To Revisit Mask Requirement
(Asheville, NC) -- Asheville City Schools officials are planning to take up the district mask requirement again. The school board has decided to vote on guidelines next week. School districts in North Carolina are now required to vote on face mask guidelines once a month. The Buncombe County Schools board voted last week to extend its mask requirement.
Activist Sentenced For Stealing Goat
(Brevard, NC) -- An animal activist who stole a goat in Transylvania County is guilty. The man was given a suspended sentence and two-years probation after being convicted of breaking-and-entering and larceny yesterday. The property is a goat ranch in Pisgah Forest that specializes in providing meat. The activist claimed he was saving the animal because it had lice and pneumonia.
Construction Worker Killed In Future I-26
(Buncombe County, NC) -- A driver is facing charges for striking and killing a construction worker in Buncombe County. WLOS-TV reports a Candler man was performing contract work on a bridge along Future I-26 West when he was hit late Sunday night. The DOT says alerts were in place surrounding the work zone. The driver was arrested for misdemeanor death by vehicle.
Forestry Officials Remind Of Fire Potential
(Haywood County, NC) -- Forestry officials are reminding residents that a ban remains in place for outdoor burning. It began last week as dry conditions persisted statewide and fires spread across two mountains. One forestry rep said yesterday that it will be a threat until a soaking rain moves through the state. There's an off-and-on chance of rain through the rest of the week.
Suspect ID'd In Myers Park Sexual Assaults
(Charlotte, NC) -- A string of sexual assaults from the '90s in Myers Park has likely been solved. The CMPD revealed yesterday that forensic genetic genealogy and additional DNA testing has identified the suspect as David Edward Doran, who died 13-years ago. Investigators say he's allegedly responsible for attacking 15 girls locally during the decade. Doran was reportedly masked during the assaults.
Union County Commissioners Want School COVID Protocols Changed
(Union County, NC) -- Union County commissioners are looking to end the school district's COVID contact tracing requirements. The board passed a resolution yesterday which urges the state Department of Health and Human Services to stop the regulations revolving around tracing and quarantining. Union County's school board will take up the joint resolution today.
Charlotte School Threatens Suspensions For Recording Fights
(Charlotte, NC) -- Some Charlotte high school students are being told to stop recording fights. Anyone filming fights at Butler High School will face a suspension of up to five-days, according to the guidelines that were updated yesterday. School leaders are trying to stop clips from the disturbances being posted on social media. Sheriff Garry McFadden wants parents to intervene with their children before it gets to the height of gun violence.
CMPD Investigates Homicide In North Charlotte
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is investigating a deadly double shooting in north Charlotte. Officers found two men shot after responding to a car in the middle of the road at North Graham Street and Oneida Road early Monday morning. One man died, while the other was treated for injuries. There's no word if any suspects have been identified.
Mecklenburg County Offering More COVID Testing Kit
(Charlotte, NC) -- More at-home COVID tests are being offered through Mecklenburg County Public Health. Starting yesterday, kits were available at seven county library branches and the health department's southeast office. No appointment is necessary to pick up a kit.
Battery Plant Bringing Jobs To Charlotte
(Charlotte, NC) -- An electric vehicle company is bringing jobs to the Queen City. British-based Arrival announced plans yesterday to open a plant to assemble car batteries off Yorkmont Road. The eleven-and-a-half-million-dollar investment is expected to bring 150 jobs. A micro-factory for Arrival is on track to open in Rock Hill next year.
Former Judge Sworn In As Durham's First Black Woman Mayor In City History
(Durham, NC) -- History was made Monday night as former Judge Elaine O'Neal was sworn in as the first Black female mayor of the city of Durham. Before a packed city council chambers, outlined some of the top priorities in her new administration, which will include reducing violent crime, as well as addressing staffing shortages among first responders, including police and firefighters.
Back And Forth Decisions By North Carolina Appeals Court Leaves District Maps In Place
(Raleigh, NC) -- A North Carolina appeals court reversed an earlier decision Monday by ruling that the state's newly redrawn district maps do not discriminate against black voters. The decision by the 15-member majority Republican panel vacates a temporary stay, meaning that candidates who want to run in the March 2022 primary election can resume filing through December 17th. Governor Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein responded by filing an amicus brief, requesting that the North Carolina Supreme Court immediately hear arguments in the case.
North Carolina Awarded 141-Million Dollar Federal Grant To Build Climate Resistant Infrastructure
(Raleigh, NC) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture will award the state of North Carolina a federal grant totaling 141-million dollars to help build climate resistant infrastructure. The new system is designed to better safeguard against extreme weather events caused by climate change. The funds will support 43-infrastructure projects across the state.
Unmasked And Unvaccinated Thanksgiving Social Gatherings Result In Post Holiday Surge In North Carolina
(Raleigh, NC) -- New data released by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirms a post Thanksgiving spike in new coronavirus cases over the past week. According to the Department, from Wednesday through Saturday, the state averaged around 3-thousand new cases a day, which brought the total to over 20-thousand. Health officials worry that it's only a matter of time before the Omicron variant arrives in the state. Doctors urge people to wear masks and get vaccinated.
It's Official: Toyota Announces It Will Build Battery Manufacturing Plant In Greensboro
(Greensboro, NC) -- State officials say Monday's formal announcement that Toyota will be building a batter manufacturing plant near Greensboro will be the largest capital investment in the history of the state. The cost for the initial outlay has been estimated to be more than a one point 29-billion dollars. The new plant will employ just under 18-hundred people at the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite, who will initially make batteries for the automaker's hybrid electric vehicles. Eventually, the plant will produce batteries for electric vehicles.
Man Critically Hit By Gunfire in Winston-Salem, Police Asking for Witnesses to Come Forward
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- Winston-Salem Police are asking for the public's help to provide information after a man was critically shot in the leg and stomach Monday. A news release says the unidentified man was found Monday morning about 10:30 a.m. near the 21-hundred block of East Tenth Street. The 30-year-old victim was taken to a hospital where is being treated for life-threatening injuries. The motive behind this shooting is unknown; the investigation continues. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Winston-Salem detectives.
Some Parts Of Greensboro-High Point Area Have Higher COVID-19 Infections Than National Average
(Piedmont-Triad, NC) -- New daily cases of COVID-19 are beginning to rise once again in parts of the United States and in North Carolina. New federal government information shows that even though Greensboro-High Point has fewer COVID-19 infections per capita than the national average, there are parts of the metro area where this is not the case. Randolph County has the most COVID-19 cases per capita with a total of nearly 16-thousand cases for every 100-thousand people. In the past week, there were an average of zero-point-eight [[0.8]] daily new coronavirus cases per 100-thousand Americans There have been a total of 231 coronavirus deaths for every 100-thousand people in Randolph County, compared to 194 across the entire Greensboro-High Point metro area.
Three Triad McDonald's Restaurants Offer COVID-19 Vaccinations, Testing on Tuesday
(Greensboro, NC) -- N-C Counts and McDonald's are offering free vaccination clinics and COVID testing Tuesday outside three restaurants in Greensboro and Kernersville. The medical care will be offered from 1 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at McDonald's locations in Kernersville at 1300 Heartland Drive and 1480 Jag Branch Boulevard and in Greensboro at 7069 Albert Pick Road. Appointments are not needed, and participants who receive a vaccine will be eligible for a free order of medium McDonald's French Fries at the locations. Also, first-time vaccine recipients are eligible to receive a cash gift card.
Gas Prices Declines By 5 Cents in Many Areas
(Harrisburg, PA) -- The average price for a gallon of regular gas in North Carolina has come down a little bit compared to a week ago. Triple-A says the price at the pump statewide as of Tuesday is three-dollars-and-14-cents per gallon. Last week, it was three-19. The national average for regular gas is also down about five cents per gallon to three-35 a gallon. A year ago, gas was 1.99 in North Carolina.