Swain Schools Open Normally After Threat
(Swain County, NC) -- Additional security is on-hand today at Swain County schools. The district investigated a threatening social media post targeted at Swain Middle School on Sunday. Law enforcement officers started to locate the origin of the threat. Everything will go on as scheduled today, but security is being increased as a precaution for the time being.
Tribal Councilmember Arrested After Alleged Road Rage
(Cherokee, NC) -- A Cherokee Tribal Councilmember is facing criminal charges connected to road rage. WLOS-TV reports Bo Crowe is accused of forcing someone out of their car on the Qualla Boundary Friday night. He was arrested for assault and aggravated reckless endangerment. Crowe is in his fifth term, serving the Wolftown and Big Y communities.
Mission Health Clinic Opens In Rutherford County
(Rutherford County, NC) -- A Mission Health practice is open for the first time in Rutherford County. Mission Health Center-Rutherford opened in Forest City on Friday. It joins 150 other Mission clinics in North Carolina. Care for minor illnesses, injuries and wellness appointments are being offered.
Deck The Trees Raises Over 60-Thousand Doctors
(Black Mountain, NC) -- Another successful Black Mountain holiday fundraiser is in the books. Decorated trees were set up at the Monte Vista Hotel and other town businesses. More than 60-thousand-dollars in donations were collected as a way for people to vote for their favorite tree. The Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Fuel Fund uses the money to help families with heating costs.
Asheville Police Website Attracting Recruits
(Asheville, NC) -- The Asheville Police Department is looking to fill staff gaps with the help of its website. Chief David Zack says the agency Epic Recruitment has done a fantastic job on the department's website letting people know they're hiring. The content was viewed 700-thousand times within the first three-months the changes were made.
Code Purple In Effect
(Asheville, NC) -- A Code Purple is in effect today and tomorrow in Asheville. Homeless shelters expand space and loosen requirements for those who need a safe space as the temperatures threatens to fall below freezing. The Asheville Buncombe County Christian Ministry offers its Veterans Restoration Quarters for single men. The transformation village will be available for single women and women with children.
CATS Drivers Vote For Strike
(Charlotte, NC) -- Bus operators for the Charlotte Area Transit System are taking measures to strike, if they feel it's necessary. Drivers voted Saturday to strike after several failed contract negotiations. The decision doesn't necessarily mean that a strike will end up happening. Negotiations for the new contract are likely to continue.
Off-Duty Chesterfield Deputy Fired After DUI
(Chesterfield County, SC) -- A Chesterfield County deputy is accused of drunk driving. He was arrested near the Jefferson area during a routine traffic stop on Friday. The sheriff's office says he's since been fired. The deputy was off-duty at the time he was pulled over.
COVID Cases Rise In Mecklenburg, Cabarrus
(Charlotte, NC) -- COVID numbers are growing in the Charlotte area. Cabarrus County has moved into the high level category of transmission for cases, which are the most they've been since September. More than 37-hundred cases were reported in Mecklenburg County between December 2nd and 15th. Mecklenburg also has a high transmission level.
Fire Damages Old Salisbury School Building
(Salisbury, NC) -- The cause of a fire is being investigated in Salisbury. Flames tore through the old Rowan-Salisbury Schools Administration Building on North Long Street Saturday night. There's no word from crews yet about whether or not anyone was injured.
Balloons Released Ahead Of Shanquella Robinson's Birthday
(Charlotte, NC) -- Family and friends of Shanquella Robinson are still looking for answers. The Charlotte native died a few months ago in Mexico in what's now considered a homicide. Today would have been her birthday. A group gathered at Beattie's Ford Memorial Gardens in Huntersville to released balloons in Robinson's honor yesterday.
Truck Hits Overpass And Catches Fire On I-95 Over The Weekend; Driver Still In Critical Condition
(Harnett County, NC) -- The driver of a tractor-trailer truck remains hospitalized in critical condition, after suffering burns in a fiery crash on I-95 southbound in Harnett County over the weekend. It happened around 3:45 pm Saturday, when the large vehicle struck an overpass near Pope Road and burst into flames. State Troopers say he was trapped in the cab for a shot time but managed to escape alive. One other motorist received minor injuries after swerving his Camaro to avoid the crash. The major wreckage and fire forced the section of I-95 to be closed for nearly five hours.
Busy Section Of Western Boulevard Near I-440 To Remain Closed Until Wednesday
(Raleigh, NC) -- A section of Western Boulevard near the I-440 Beltline will have to remain closed until Wednesday. That, from Raleigh transportation officials, who said the heavily traveled stretch of roadway was damaged after a water main broke last week and flooded the area. Crews were able to repair the pipes by Friday, but efforts to replace concrete and asphalt along Blue Ridge and Cheney Roads have taken longer than originally anticipated.
Lawmakers Return To The State Capitol To Begin Regular Session On Wednesday
(Raleigh, NC) -- The North Carolina General Assembly is set to reconvene on Wednesday for the start of the 2023 legislative session. Some of the items expected to receive early attention will include Medicaid expansion, increasing the supply of workers to fill an abundance of available jobs, medical marijuana and new state laws governing access to abortion. The regular legislative session runs through July 28th.
Four New North Carolina Representatives Sworn In Hours After Kevin McCarthy Elected As Speaker
(Washington, DC) -- After Kevin McCarthy was sworn in as Speaker of the House, several newly elected members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation were immediately sworn in over the weekend. They included Wiley Nickel of District 13, Don Davis of District 1, Valerie Foushee of District 4 and Chuck Edwards of District 11. All were sworn at private ceremonies during the early hours of Saturday morning at the U.S. Capitol.
Wendell Commission To Debate Social District At Its Regular Meeting Today
(Wendell, NC) -- Leaders in the town of Wendell will once again take up the issue of creating a new Social District when it meets today. The Wendell Board of Commissioners will hear the second reading of a proposed ordinance that would allow customers to carry opening containers of alcohol while patronizing several bars and restaurants within the district. The Social District would operate from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Sundays.
Panthers Finish The Season With A 10-7 Win Over The Saints
(Charlotte, NC) -- The Carolina Panthers closed out the final game of the 2022-23 season Sunday, with a 10-7 victory over the New Orleans Saints. A 42-yard field goal by Eddy Pineiro with time expired helped to seal the win at the Super Dome. The Panthers finished the season 7-10 overall and leaves questions about the future of interim coach Steve Wilkes, who took over from Matt Rhule after he was fired back in October.
Police Release Homicide Statistics for 2022
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- Winston-Salem and Forsyth County have released their homicide statistics for 2022. In both jurisdictions, the victims consisted of 28 men and five women. They say 27 people died by gunfire. Others were stabbed. Also, two died of insulin overdoses and one was burned to death. Police say the statistics represent a 25 percent decrease to the number of homicides that happened in 2021.
Missing Young Man Found Dead in His Car
(Greensboro, NC) -- A missing High Point 20-year-old has been found dead in a crashed car in Greensboro. Police say Nicholas Snead had been missing since two days before Christmas when he had face-timed his mother from a Walmart. This past Friday, a car was found was upside down and halfway submerged in a creek off Wendover Avenue. Investigators say Snead has been identified as the person inside. His death is being investigated as a traffic fatality, although officials don't yet know what caused the crash.
N.C. Supreme Court To Hear Death-Row Inmate's Claim
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- The N.C. Supreme Court will soon hear a case concerning a death row inmate. The panel is expected to hear the claim next month of Russell Tucker, who is scheduled to die for the 1996 first-degree murder of Maurice Travone Williams, who was a security guard at a Kmart store. Tucker's attorneys say that Forsyth County prosecutors used a training document to make up non-racial reasons to remove potential Black jurors in his original trial.
Leadership Forum to Address Mental Health
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- A panel discussion and forum to talk about what some say is a mental health crises in the community is happening this week. It's sponsored by Winston-Salem State University. Planners say the number of drug overdose deaths and suicide rates have reached record levels and are signs that mental health in the community is not improving. The Leadership Winston-Salem event is set for January 12 at 7:30 a.m at WSSU's Anderson Center.
Wake Forest Beats Louisville on Historic Day for U of L
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- The men's basketball team at Wake Forest has held off a Louisville to earn an 80-72 win Saturday in Louisville. Wake scored 43 points in the first half and 37 in the second. The team's record so far this year is 11 and five, and three and two in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It was Louisville's fifth straight loss. During halftime, U of L honored it's 1983 Final Four team for its 40th anniversary.