Assistant Teacher Arrested on Sexual Assault Charges
An assistant teacher and assitant football coach is now facing sexual assault charges in Transylvania County involving a student. 25 year old Harell Mitchell III of Rosman, has been charged with felony second-degree forcible rape and felony indecent liberties with a student at Brevard High School. WLOS-TV is reportnig Transylvania County Schools confirmed by email that Mitchell is no longer employed by the district and confirmed the Transylvania County Sheriff's Office has an open investigation.
Community Block Grant To Help Haywood Flooding Victims
(Haywood County, NC) -- A community block grant is expected to help those still displaced after flooding in western North Carolina. The remnants of Tropical Storm Fred caused damage especially in Haywood County close to a year-and-a-half ago. County commissioners are eyeing a seven-million-dollar grant for infrastructure improvements. The community action agency, Mountain Projects, has two-dozen lots available for those who continue to be affected.
Affordable Parking Space Still Available In Asheville
(Asheville, NC) -- Some reduced-rate parking spots are still available in downtown Asheville. The city recently opened up 150 spots as part of a program to cut back on the monthly cost for those workers who earn less than 80-percent of the area's median income. WLOS-TV reports 135 of those spots are filled, but there are still 15 open to applicants. The pass will cost 40-dollars-monthly.
Western North Carolina In Snow Drought
(Asheville, NC) -- Snow totals are down in western North Carolina. Several areas around the region are seeing numbers decline, including Beech Mountain. Since December 1st, Beech has gotten five-inches below the normal of around 16 for this time of the season. Asheville has seen hardly any snow, falling four-inches below the average.
Domestic Violence In Buncombe County Up
(Buncombe County, NC) -- Domestic violence calls are up in Buncombe County. That's from a latest report issued to commissioners this week. There were three fatalities involving domestic violence in 2021, and that number was even greater last year. A review team is recommending stricter firearms policies.
Funding Assists With Early Childhood Education
(Asheville, NC) -- A good chunk of funding could go a long way for early childhood education in Henderson County. The Dogwood Health Trust is providing one-million-dollars to the Children and Family Resources Center. That money will specifically increase worker pay and help recruit substitute teachers. Henderson and several surrounding counties will benefit.
Mountain Bikers Helping Restore Pisgah Trail
(Transylvania County, NC) -- Mountain bikers are putting in a big effort to improve a trial in the Pisgah National Forest. WLOS-TV reports the Pisgah Southern Off Road Bike Association raised 300-thousand-dollars this past year to rebuild Butter Gap Trail. The pathway has eroded due to weather, but can become sustainable arrest.
Warehousing Facility Approved By Charlotte City Council
(Charlotte, NC) -- A large warehousing facility is in the works for west Mecklenburg County. Charlotte's city council signed off on rezoning for 146-acres last night. The project includes the construction of warehouses, office space and distribution centers. The council approved rezoning despite concerns from neighbors about their quality of life and property values.
House Catches Fire, Deputy Injured In Cleveland County
(Cleveland County, NC) -- A man is accused of setting his home on fire during a bizarre series of events in Cleveland County. He allegedly set his home on fire after deputies responded to serve a domestic protective order. The deputies tased the man when they felt threatened by a dog he brought outside. The dog then attacked one of the deputies as the flames continued to spread inside the home. The man is now being treated for injuries and will face multiple charges.
Lancaster School Leaders Discussing Panic Buttons For Safety
(Lancaster County, SC) -- Lancaster County school officials are continuing to study ways to enhance safety. WSOC-TV reports some policy changes were put in place over the summer, but more is being considered. This includes installing panic buttons in classrooms. Communication system upgrades are being discussed as well.
One Injured In Charlotte Walmart Shooting
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is investigating a Walmart parking lot shooting. One person was hurt last night at the Wilkson Boulevard location on west Charlotte. Medic said injuries appeared to be life-threatening at the scene. There's no word on whether or not a suspect has been arrested.
Charlotte Council Approves Drive-Thru Only Location For Chick-fil-A
(Charlotte, NC) -- A unique change is planned for a Charlotte Chick-fil-A. The city council gave approval this week for a drive-thru only restaurant at its Cotswold location on Randolph Road. Councilman Tariq Bokhari says someone in the private sector is trying to make improvements with their own money. The current restaurant will need to be demolished before a new structure is built.
Lions' Offensive Coordinator Out Of Running For Panthers' Head Coach Position
(Charlotte, NC) -- Another potential coach for the Panthers is out of the running. Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson removed his name from the search yesterday when he announced his intention to keep his current job. At least four people have been interviewed to be the new head coach for Carolina, while a handful of candidates are still expected to talk with the team.
Daycare Center In Wendell Set On Fire By Someone Who Threw A Molotov Cocktail
(Wendell, NC) -- The Wake County Fire Marshall's Office is investigating a suspected arson attack on a daycare center in Wendell. It happened Tuesday night at the ABC Land child care center on Raymond Road, the same facility that was ordered investigated last week, after one of its employees was accused of child sexual abuse. Although the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, law enforcement officers were called in after a 'Molotov Cocktail' was discovered outside the building. There were no reports of injuries.
Fire At A Wake County Apartment Complex Leaves 14-Residents Displaced
(Wake County, NC) -- At least 14-people were displaced from their homes following a fire at an apartment complex in Wake County last night. Multiple fire crews responded to a call of a blaze on North Peachtree Lane shortly after 7:pm. They arrived to find four units of the complex already engulfed in flames. All of the occupants inside were able to escape unharmed. A preliminary investigation has determined that the fire was caused by improper disposal of smoking materials.
Electric Power Plant Substation In Randolph County Riddled With Bullets On Tuesday
(Randolph County, NC) -- Authorities in Randolph County are investigating a reported gunfire attack on a power plant substation. The facility's owner, Energy United, said the incident occurred early Tuesday morning along Post Road in the town of Thomasville. Nearby residents reported hearing several gunshots around 3:am. So-far, there have been no reports of outages as a result of the attack. This comes weeks after two substations were shot up in nearby Moore County, causing around 40-thousand customers to be without service.
Water Officials In Raleigh Say Discolored Water Remains Safe To Drink
(Raleigh, NC) -- Water officials in Raleigh are assuring residents that the water remains safe to drink, despite numerous reports of discoloration on Tuesday. The complaints came from residents living in the area of Advent Terry Road and Western Boulevard. The City says the brown tint in the water was the result of a harmless iron residue that came from recent work to repair broken water mains. The water was cleared after the pipes were flushed on Tuesday.
Two National Personal Finance Publications Rank North Carolina Among Best In The Nation For Starting New Businesses
(Raleigh, NC) -- A new WalletHub survey ranks North Carolina as the 11th best state in the country to start a new business. The study was based on an analysis of 27 metrics in the categories of job growth, economic growth and the growth rate of working age people. A similar survey done by Motley Fool, gave North Carolina a number one ranking.
Both NC State And Carolina Came Away With Conference Victories Last Night
(Triangle Area, NC) -- In Triangle Area men's basketball action last night, NC State extended their winning streak to four with a 78-66 win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The Wolfpack was led by Terquavion Smith who had 25-points and Jarkel Joiner who added another 19. In Chapel Hill Armando Bacot scored 20-points and hauled down 16-rebounds to lead the Tar Heels to a 72-64 victory over Boston College.
African-American Trailblazer Dies in Winston-Salem at 98
(Winston-Salem, NC) - The second African American woman attorney in North Carolina, who was also the first Black woman to serve in the state's general assembly, has died. The family of Annie Brown Kennedy says she died of natural causes at her home Tuesday at the age of 98. She was also known as a prominent attorney in Winston-Salem for many years. As a lawmaker, her son says Kennedy worked for passage of paid family leave and successfully prevented other legislators from shutting down the nursing program at Winston-Salem State University. Her funeral plans haven't been announced yet.
W-S Radio Station Towers Destroyed by Vandals, FBI May Investigate
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- Winston-Salem Police may be bringing in the FBI to look into extreme vandalism of three radio transmission towers. The towers operated by Truth Broadcasting Company were sabotaged and destroyed over the past month at a site on Robinhood Road. Stu Epperson, president of the company that owns the towers says the vandalism knocked coverage off the air for two stations, W-S-J-S AM and FM. The FBI might be brought in because it's a major federal crime to destroy FCC-licensed towers.
Police Looking for Car Thief who Shot Owner, Dragged Him Along
(Alamance County, NC) -- Police in Graham are looking for a man who stole a Dodge Charger Tuesday and shot its owner in the process. A news release says the victim told police a man had taken his car at the KC Kwiki Mart on Providence Road. He says he tried to stop the thief but was dragged along in the parking lot until the car hit another vehicle. At some point, the thief shot the car owner. The 2015 Charger is white and has a South Carolina Plate. The victim is expected to recover.
Health Care System Efforts Increasing Life Expectancy
(Greensboro, NC) -- The Cone Health Care system has launched a project to improve life expectancy in the Triad area. Officials there say data gathered from Alamance, Guilford and Rockingham Counties show wide gaps in the different kinds of health care available to residents in those areas. The Cone Center for Health Equity is trying to coordinate programs to address shortfalls in housing, education, food, and access to broadband which they say all contribute to getting better preventative health care. Results of their community health assessment are available online.
Lt. Governor Speaks at State Right to Life Rally
(Raleigh, NC) -- North Carolina's Lieutenant Governor continues to reinforce his opposition to abortion. Greensboro native Mark Robinson was the keynote speaker at North Carolina Right to Life's 25th annual Rally and March for Life on Saturday. The highest-ranking elected Republican in the state spoke about how his current views were influenced by the fact that he and his wife obtained an abortion in 1989 before they were married. Robinson also talked about the possibly that he might one day be governor -- he's thought to be a presumptive candidate for 2024.