Student Arrested In Hendersonville School Shooting

(Hendersonville, NC) -- A middle schooler is accused of shooting a fellow student in Hendersonville yesterday. Investigators say a 12-year-old boy opened fired inside the gym at Hendersonville Middle School, injuring a 12-year-old girl in the leg. Officers arrested the juvenile and charged him with felony assault. There were around three dozen other students in the gym at the time of the shooting, but luckily no one else was hurt.

Election Results Certified In NC

(Raleigh, NC) -- The statewide certification of votes is complete in nearly all races. Yesterday's canvas in North Carolina confirmed President Trump defeated Joe Biden for 15 electoral votes, while the wins for Governor Roy Cooper and Senator Thom Tillis were also validated. Turnout was just over 75-percent. The North Carolina Supreme Court chief justice race was not certified due to the ongoing recount.

Suspect Arrested In Asheville Stabbing

(Asheville, NC) -- An Asheville man is charged with attempted murder in a Monday stabbing. The APD says the suspect attacked the victim after an argument on Patton Avenue in the downtown area Monday afternoon. WLOS-TV says the victim is in stable condition after being treated for severe neck injuries.

Asheville Considered A Top Retiring Place

(Asheville, NC) -- A new study is calling Asheville one of the country's best places to retire. The city landed at number-seven on Money-dot-com's list for 2020. The writers credited Asheville for its low cost of living, access to outdoor opportunities and new restaurants.

McDowell County Sheriff Offers New App

(McDowell County, NC) -- The sheriff's office in McDowell County is encouraging the public to download its new app. Sheriff Ricky Buchanan said yesterday it's a great quick reference to items like gun permits, local alerts and tip submissions. All you have to do is search for McDowell Sheriff N-C in your app store.

Mecklenburg County Lockdown Unlikely

(Mecklenburg County, NC) -- A lockdown in Mecklenburg County over health concerns appears unlikely. Commission chairman George Dunlap told the Charlotte Observer this week that he wouldn't sign an order based on what he knows now. His biggest concern is citizens relaxing protective measures as word on new vaccines spreads. Mecklenburg County reported a new single-day record of more than 530 cases over the weekend.

CMS Board Gives Superintendent Power To Close A School

(Charlotte, NC) -- CMS is giving its superintendent the power to shift a school to remote learning. The school board voted yesterday to allow Earnest Winston to make a quick decision, as long as several metrics are met to temporarily close a school. Criteria includes low staffing and on a recommendation from the health department. Winston's authority will run until the end of the school year.

Over 100 Sickened After Eating Sushi In Concord

(Concord, NC) -- Tainted sushi is leading to dozens of more illnesses in the Charlotte area. Cabarrus County health officials first reported an uptick last week in cases linked to AFC sushi provided at two Harris Teeter stores in Concord. Anyone who purchased the products between November 13th and 19th at the George Liles Parkway and Concord Parkway North locations is urged to toss them out. Yesterday, it was revealed that nearly 130 people have now fallen ill.

Hospitalizations Reach High Again

(Raleigh, NC) -- The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations won't stop increasing in North Carolina. There's been a steady climb over the past few weeks, which have set records along the way. Public health officials reported a record 17-hundred-24 hospitalized patients yesterday. That's a jump of over 100 from Monday's record mark.

Salisbury City Manager Tests Positive For COVID-19

(Salisbury, NC) -- Salisbury's city manager is under quarantine with COVID-19. City officials confirmed this week that recent test results came back positive for W. Lane Bailey. He previously informed staff last week that he would be in isolation after his potential exposure to the virus. Employees have been reminded to wear face masks and socially distance.

Health Officials Concerned About Hospital Bed Availability Amid Skyrocketing COVID-19 Metrics

(Raleigh, NC) -- With a number of hospitals across the state already at maximum capacity, health officials are expressing alarm over the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations reaching record levels two days in a row. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported Tuesday that 17-hundred-24 people were in the hospital, an increase of 77 over Monday's total. Also, hospitals were reporting nearly half of all ICU beds are being used, and 62-percent of all in-patient beds are currently occupied.

Cooper Issues New COVID-19 Orders Aimed At Retailers Ahead Of Black Friday

(Raleigh, NC) -- Ahead of 'Black Friday' shopping in North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper Tuesday issued a new executive order requiring retailers to mandate that both their employees and customers wear face masks. Cooper's order also requires retail businesses with more than 15-thousand square feet of interior space to designate an employee to make sure everyone in the building is wearing a face covering. The order goes into effect tonight.

Most Votes Casts In General Election In North Carolina Now Certified

(Raleigh, NC) -- Most of the votes that were cast in the November 3rd general election have now been certified. That's from the North Carolina Board of Elections Tuesday, which reported more than five-and-a-half-million votes were cast, representing about 75-percent of all eligible voters. One race that remains undetermined is for Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Those ballots were ordered recounted at the request of Democratic incumbent Justice Cherry Beasley, who was first shown to have lost her re-election bid to Republican challenger Paul Newby by about 400 votes.

Clorox Moving One Of Its Divisions To Durham To Better Respond To Pandemic

(Durham, NC) -- The Clorox Company has announced plans to expand its operations into North Carolina. Governor Roy Cooper announced Tuesday that Clorox will spend seven-point-five-million dollars to relocate its Better Health Vitamins, Minerals and Supplement Business Division to Durham. Company officials say the move will create about 158 new jobs with annual salaries of more than 123-thousand dollars.

Returning College Students Will Have To Test Negative Before Being Allowed Back On Campus

(Durham County, NC) -- Before being allowed to return to campuses for the 2021 winter term, many North Carolina colleges and universities will require students to show medical proof that they are COVID-19 free. The announcement made after a UNC Board of Governor's meeting last week, which said schools within its multi-campus system will require students to undergo re-entry testing and produce a negative result before being allowed to return for the spring semester.

Winston-Salem Issues Emergency Mask Declaration

(Winston-Salem, NC) -- Winston-Salem is issuing an emergency declaration following Governor Roy Cooper's latest COVID-19 restrictions. The governor issued an executive order this week that extends Phase 3 capacity limits and strengthens the existing statewide mask requirements. Starting this afternoon at 5 p.m., everyone needs to wear a mask when they're around someone who does not live in their household. Repeat offenders in Winston-Salem could face a Class 2 misdemeanor, 60 days in jail or a one-thousand-dollar fine.

State Board Of Elections Certifies Results

(Raleigh, NC) -- The North Carolina Board of Elections is certifying the results of the November presidential election. Board members announced yesterday that President Donald Trump had been awarded the state's 15 electoral votes. His Democratic challenger, President-elect Joe Biden, fell short in North Carolina by one-point-three percentage points. The statewide race for Supreme Court Chief Justice has not yet been certified.

Sen. Tillis Urges Dept. Of Defense To COVID Test Members

(Washington, DC) -- Senators Thomas Tillis of North Carolina and Joni Ernst of Iowa are urging the Department of Defense to conduct widespread COVID testing of its members. They wrote a letter to the department last week, asking it to use rapid antigen testing on military members, their families, civilian employees and contractors. Senators Tillis and Ernst said it would help ensure military readiness.

AAA: Travel Down Ten Percent

(Washington, DC) -- Thanksgiving travel is down ten-percent due to the coronavirus pandemic. Triple-A expects as many as 50-million Americans to travel over the holiday, but the auto club says that number could be even lower. The forecasted ten-percent drop in travel is the largest since the height of the Great Recession in 2008. Gas prices will be cheaper for those who decide to hit the road. More than one-million travelers are expected on North Carolina highways this week.

First News on 570 with Mark Starling

About First News on 570 with Mark Starling