More Complaints Filed Against Cawthorn
(Haywood County, NC) -- Western North Carolina's Congressman is facing more complaints seeking to keep him off the ballot. Challenges were recently made to stop Madison Cawthorn from running for office due to his alleged role in inciting the 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. The Republican sued the state last week, but the state board of elections has since filed a brief against the lawsuit. The board told the News and Observer yesterday that more than a dozen complaints have now been issued against Cawthorn.
Driver Facing More Charges In Deadly Wreck
(Hendersonville, NC) -- More charges are being filed in a deadly Hendersonville wreck. It's been seven months since a driver was killed in a head-on collision along U.S. 176 in June of last year. Investigators say the suspect crossed five lanes of the highway before the crash. She was initially arrested for a DWI, but was recently charged with involuntary manslaughter and felony death by vehicle.
Two Suspects Arrested For Asheville Armed Robbery
(Asheville, NC) -- The search for two suspects in an Asheville armed robbery is over. WLOS-TV reports a man and woman were arrested in Catawba County earlier this week. They were wanted for robbing a man at gunpoint in mid-January. Court hearings are expected this week in Buncombe County.
Biltmore Beauty Ranks High Among U.S. Landmarks
(Asheville, NC) -- The Biltmore House is being praised for its beauty. The travel blog ParkSleepFly just listed the estate as the second-most beautiful landmark in the country, behind the Golden Gate Bridge. The blog used reviews from Tripadvisor to compile the rankings. A Biltmore spokeswoman told the Citizen-Times that to be included in the incredible collection of destinations is a thrill.
Grants Awarded To Asheville Neighborhoods
(Asheville, NC) -- Grants are going out to Asheville neighborhoods for improvements. WLOS-TV reported yesterday that the Neighborhood Matching Grants program is providing up to five-thousand-dollars each to 15 different areas across the city. The money will be used for things like community paths, signs and trees.
Bonuses Doubled For CMS Staff
(Charlotte, NC) -- CMS teachers are getting a lot more than anticipated in retention bonuses. The school board voted last night to double the initial 25-hundred-dollar bonus for full-time staff. The funds will be covered by the American Rescue Plan Act. The board's chair said many teachers have been pushed almost to their breaking point during the pandemic.
Triple Murder Solved In Boone
(Boone, NC) -- The 50-year-old investigation into a Boone triple-murder is over. A husband, wife and their son were found dead inside their home during a snowstorm in 1972. The Watauga County Sheriff's Office reported yesterday that a man serving life sentences for crimes in Georgia recently revealed information that linked him and several others to the murders. The suspects were said to be part of a group called the Dixie Mafia.
Flight Diverted After Leaving Charlotte
(Charlotte, NC) -- American Airlines is confirming a flight from Charlotte was diverted earlier this week. A pilot was forced to land in New Mexico after a passenger allegedly threatened someone on the flight crew as the plane was heading to Los Angeles Monday night. The plane was able to head back out to L-A a little more than an hour later. Reports of incidents with passengers have rocketed dramatically since 2020.
Mecklenburg Commission Approves Leave For Scarborough
(Mecklenburg County, NC) -- Mecklenburg County will continue paying a commissioner during her medical leave. The board voted last night to pay compensation to Ella Scarborough, who has taken a time of leave due to medical issues. She has reportedly been unable to attend meetings in-person for a few months. Scarborough previously ran twice for the mayoral seat in Charlotte.
Sherwin-Williams Expanding In Statesville
(Statesville, NC) -- Sherwin-Williams is expanding manufacturing in Statesville. The company announced yesterday it plans to add close to 200 jobs while its current location is expanded. A new distribution and fleet transportation center will also be built for the paint-maker.
NC COVID Cases Plummeting This Week
(Raleigh, NC) -- North Carolina's COVID cases are continuing to decline. Health and Human Services reported another decrease yesterday down to under 47-hundred cases. The total of cases in a single day was above 44-thousand less than a month ago. The positivity rate on tests is still above 23-percent.
Hornets Seek End To Losing Streak
(Charlotte, NC) -- The Hornets are looking to put an end to a five-game losing streak tonight. Charlotte will host Chicago at the Spectrum Center tonight, where the team has also lost four-in-a-row at home. The Bulls defeated the Hornets in their only match-up this season in late November. Charlotte has fallen to ninth in the Eastern Conference standings, but remains well in reach of a guaranteed playoff spot.
Johnston And Cumberland County Schools Adopt New Optional Mask Policies
(Johnston County, NC) -- Two Triangle area school districts have decided to make mask wearing optional. During separate meetings on Tuesday, the Johnston and Cumberland County boards of education voted to revise their mandatory mask policies and implement new optional safety protocols. Those who voted to relax the rules pointed to decreasing numbers of COVID-19 cases in schools across the state. Cumberland County's new optional policy is set to take effect on February 16th, Johnston County on February 21st.
City Of Raleigh Will Keep Its Mandatory Mask Requirement For Now
(Raleigh, NC) -- At a virtual meeting between Raleigh Mayor Mary Ann Baldwin and Wake County health officials Tuesday, Baldwin said "We're not there yet". The mayor referring to the question of whether the city's mask mandate should be relaxed. She said recent key metrics showing case transmission in Raleigh at 1-thousand-05 per 100-thousand residents is still too high. Baldwin said the issue would be revisited in two weeks.
Kidnapping In Vance County Ends With Three Wounded In Shootout With Georgia Police
(Vance County, NC) -- A kidnapping in Vance County ended Tuesday in neighboring Georgia with several people being shot and wounded. It all started Monday night in Henderson when the suspect, identified as 32-year old Robert Brodie Junior, forced his way into a home and kidnapped a woman at gunpoint. Police were able to track Brodie's car to a hotel parking lot in Banks County Georgia Tuesday, where he engaged in a gun battle with law enforcement officers. During the exchange, Banks was shot multiple times, along with the kidnap victim and a sheriff's deputy. All were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. No word on their conditions.
State Court To Hire Outside Expert To Help North Carolina Lawmakers Draw New Congressional District Maps
(Raleigh, NC) -- A three judge panel of the North Carolina Superior Court, has announced plans to hire an independent re-mapping expert to help lawmakers re-draw Congressional district maps. This, after the state Supreme Court last week, ordered the General Assembly to develop a new set of district lines by February 18th. The High Court ruled that the current maps had been unconstitutionally drawn by Republicans, to ensure more GOP victories in future elections.
North Carolina State School Board Member Resigns Over New Social Studies Standards
(Raleigh, NC) -- A member of the North Carolina Board of Education has resigned saying he believes the state school system is moving in the wrong direction. Board member Todd Chasteen citing recently adopted K-12 social studies standards, as an example of what he described as a shift away from learning to political activism. The new standards encourage teachers to discuss racism, discrimination and the perspectives of marginalized groups.
UNC Men's Basketball Team Bounces Back To Defeat Clemson
(Clemson, SC) -- Following a crushing defeat at the hands of Duke Saturday night, the UNC men's basketball team held on to narrowly defeat Clemson by just one basket Tuesday night 79-77 at Littlejohn Coliseum. Brady Manek made the game winning layup with -point-1 seconds left to seal the victory. Armando Bacot had 24-points and 10-rebounds for his 18th double double of the season. North Carolina hosts Florida State on Saturday.
Investigators Looking Into Fatal Crash On Highway 52
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- One person is dead after a traffic crash Tuesday afternoon in Winston-Salem. It happened on U.S. Highway 52 just north of Hanes Mill Road a little after 12:30 and involved two semi-trucks. William Gorham, who was 49, was pronounced dead at the scene. Scene investigators say Gorham was operating a 2017 Freightliner truck when the vehicle rear-ended a 2018 Freightliner. A police spokeswoman says Hamlet Bolivar Rodriguez, the driver of the truck that was rear-ended, was not injured. The roadway was reopened about four hours after the collision.
City Council Applauds Firefighters In Winston Weaver Company Fertilizer Fire
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- The Winston-Salem City Council is recognizing Fire Chief Trey Mayo and the city's firefighters for what's being called their "textbook handling" of the Winston Weaver Company fertilizer fire last week. Authorities drove through nearby neighborhoods and knocked on doors pleading with residents to leave their homes. Council members say their work avoided what could have been an historic disaster. The fire chief says there was more chemical at the site than was present at a deadly Texas fertilizer plant blast that killed 15 people eight years ago.
Fertilizer Plant To Distribute $100K To Those Affected By Fire
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- The Winston Weaver Company, site of the January 31st fertilizer plant fire, has designated two local groups to receive and distribute most of the 100-thousand-dollars that the company said it would donate to help people affected by the blaze that destroyed the company's plant on North Cherry Street. The company said Love Out Loud, a group of churches partnering with local community organizations, would get 50-thousand-dollars and that the Second Harvest Food Bank would get 25-thousand. Company officials said they would hold on to the remaining 25-thousand for now, so that additional needs can be met later on. The company will be reimbursing people for hotel stays during the period when they had to be evacuated. Residents will need to provide proof of their hotel receipt and where they live in order to get reimbursed.
Man Charged With Murder After Assault Victim Dies
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- A Winston-Salem man has been charged with murder after police said he punched a 73-year-old man in the head, who died two days later. Thirty-year-old Antwan Lamont Perry allegedly punched James Christopher King last Thursday, causing him to fall and hit his head on a concrete driveway. Perry reportedly ran away from the scene afterward. King died at the hospital two days later from his head wound. Perry has been charged with felony murder. He is being held in the Forsyth County Jail with no bond allowed. King's death is the city's fourth homicide this year.
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board Says Masks Will Stay Put
(Greensboro, NC) -- Students and staff in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools District will be required to wear masks indoors for at least another month. The school board of education voted Tuesday to approve the mask mandate, which has been in place since the start of the school year. Several people asked the school board to rescind the mandate during the public comments portion of the meeting. The state requires local school boards to vote on masking in schools each month. The next vote will be in March.