Top Charlotte Area Local News Stories
Source: MedleyStory
Statesville rain has turned to flurry's. The main concern is the conditions of the roads.
Crews are on standby to put down sand mixtures on the bridges that will aid in clearing the roads. If the temperatures continue to drop below freezing, there may be icy spots along the roadways.
Published: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:58:34 -0500
What started off as a steady drizzle on Highway 321 developed into a winter weather mix with sleet, and now it has become all snow.
The snow is not sticking to the roads, but has covered the grassy areas.
There are no reports of weather-related accidents in Hickory or Lenoir.
Published: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:44:01 -0500
The North Carolina Department of Transportation said crews will be out Sunday evening in areas that are impacted by the winter weather.
They will use salt and sand to clear out any slick spots as temperatures drop Sunday night.
Statesville city crews also told us they will have extra crews out.
They plan is to focus their attention heavily on bridges.
Published: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:27:20 -0500
Police arrested the man they said caused a deadly accident in Huntersville.
Victor Moultry was charged with hit-and-run and property damage.
Police said he was speeding when his white Impala ran into a pickup truck on Statesville road Thursday.
Police said Paul Jones died from injuries he suffered in a crash on Thursday.
Investigators said Moultry was involved in a hit-and-run in Charlotte moments before the accident with Jones.
Published: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:06:45 -0500
Officers said there have been a lot of accidents in Watauga County along highway 321 because of the bad weather conditions.
They said none of the accidents have been fatal.
Wataugua County schools are closed Monday with an optional teacher work day.
Published: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:55:56 -0500
John Ahrens and Steve Udelson take you into the severe weather studio to discuss the rain and snow affecting the region.
Published: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:47:33 -0500
More pets died on Delta Air Lines than on any other carrier last year, according to data released by the federal government.
Out of 35 pets that died on airlines last year, 19 died on Delta flights. That's up from 16 the previous year.
Delta said it carries more pets than many other airlines, in part because of its broad route network. The number of pets that are injured or die on the airline is less than 0.2 percent of pets carried, Delta said.
Many carriers such as AirTran and Southwest don't carry pets as checked baggage in the cargo hold. Some pets also are transported in the cabin as carry-ons, but the deaths were all in the hold.
"The loss of any pet is unacceptable to us," Delta spokesman Anthony Black said. "We are working to improve the processes and procedures to ensure that every pet arrives safely at its destination."
One of Delta's latest changes came in December , when it stopped accepting snub-nosed dogs or cats as checked items. Delta already had banned American, English and French bulldogs from flying. That came after a sharp increase in the number of animals that ran into trouble on Delta flights, particularly bulldogs, which are susceptible to respiratory problems.
In most cases, pet deaths are not caused by mishandling but because the pets run into health issues in the cargo hold environment, Delta said. The Humane Society of the United States recommends not transporting pets by air "unless absolutely necessary" because of the risks.
Published: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 11:04:27 -0500
The Rowan County Animal Clinic suffered heavy damage in a fire early Sunday morning. Nine dogs have been confirmed dead.
According to fire officials, they were alerted to the fire around 1:30 a.m. and spent a few hours battling the blaze to bring it under control. Officials said the building could be a total loss.
Fire Investigator Deborah Horne described the shelter as a staple of the Rowan County community for several years.
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No people were injured in the fire, officials said.
Fire officials have not commented on what caused the fire.
SLIDESHOW: Animal shelter destroyed by fire
Published: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 08:40:56 -0500
A Lancaster County firefighter died after falling from a moving truck early Saturday morning.
William Blackmon was sitting on a tool box on the back of a pick-up truck when he fell. He later died at a local hospital.
Blackmon was a member of the Camp Creek Volunteer Fire Department.
Published: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 05:54:33 -0500
The victim in a serious accident in Huntersville died Saturday, officials said.
Police said Paul Jones died from injuries he suffered in a crash on Thursday. According to police, his truck was hit by a white Chevy Impala driven by Victor Moultry.
Investigators said Moultry was involved in a hit-and-run in Charlotte moments before the accident with Jones.
Police said the District Attorney would examine the case before charges were filed against Moultry.
Published: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 05:47:17 -0500
A man shot and killed an intruder who tried to rob him overnight in his own home, Salisbury police said.
According to police, 23-year-old Marlon Barber was shot around 10:30 p.m. Saturday in a house on North Lee Street.
Police said Barber walked into the house and demanded money from Jack Javis, the man living there, at gunpoint.
Javis put up a fight and managed to wrestle Barber’s gun away from him, police said.
Barber was shot in the chest and then ran to another room, where he died.
Investigators have not said if charges will be filed against Javis.
Published: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 05:40:36 -0500
Dental records confirm that the body South Carolina law enforcement officials found on Friday is 30-year-old Dara Lee Watson.
In a press conference with the Mt. Pleasant Police Dept. on Saturday, Coroner Rae Wooten confirmed Watson was killed by a single gunshot wound to the head.
At the Watson family's western apparel store in Boone, a steady stream of people stopped and stared into the glass windows, looking at pictures of Watson hanging inside.
“(I’m) thinking about the family and their loss and hope they get better,” said student Jordan Stiles.
Most people did not know about the developments at the press conference and they were visibly shaken after hearing the news.
“It’s closure in one sense, but, by the same token, it’s knowing your worst fears have come true,” said Boone resident Don Channell.
Watson had not been seen in 12 days. Police said Watson’s fiancé, David Hedrick, shot her in the head and then drove the body to the woods.
They said Hedrick buried her body 200 feet away, in a shallow grave.
Her burned-out SUV was discovered last week at the Francis Marion National Forest near Charleston, S.C.
Friday police found Watson’s body near the SUV.
Hedrick also tried to cover up the crime by sending text messages to co-workers with Watson’s cell phone before killing himself last week at their Mt. Pleasant home.
Watson’s mother and father were in Mt. Pleasant Saturday night with investigators.
“(They’re) just a good family, just good people, and (it’s) a tragedy what happened,” Channell said.
Channell often shopped at the Watsonatta Western World.
“They’re a family that has meant a lot to this community and a lot to the businesses here in Boone,” Channell said.
Many of Boone’s residents are planning to stop by the store and offer their support the day Watson’s parents return.
Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 22:22:16 -0500
The winner of the Democratic National Convention poster contest was announced Saturday. Charlotte resident, Steve Ward took the top spot with his ‘Urban Unity’ design.
Ward is a design teacher at York Technical College.
"I titled it 'Urban Unity,' so the coming together, so I really wanted to play on that, and have different elements, the colors, the contrast, everything coming together as a cohesive unit," Ward said.
Four of the finalists were from Charlotte.
The DNC asked artists to submit a design that best displayed their vision for the convention.
Ward will get to sell his poster during the months leading up to the convention in September, and will receive $1 for every piece sold.
There were more than 26,000 votes for the DNC backed contest. Hundreds of artists from across the world submitted entries.
See the four Charlotte finalist's here.
Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:09:57 -0500
Whitney Houston's funeral was Saturday morning at New Hope Baptist Church, where family, friends and celebrity confidants gathered to pay their respects.
The service was fittingly filled with music, scripture and some of the biggest names in the industry.
Billed as a "home going" for Houston, her farewell was held at the same Newark, N.J., church where the legendary entertainer learned to sing as a teenager.
Just 20 minutes into the program, Houston's ex-husband, Bobby Brown, walked out of the service. There have been rumors of tensions between he and the Houston family after the 48-year-old was found dead in a Beverly Hilton hotel bathtub.
Houston will be buried on Sunday in nearby Westfield, N.J., beside her father.
Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:47:13 -0500
North Carolina's Highway Patrol is looking for the person responsible for a hit-and-run accident in Pineville Friday night. The crash killed 14-year-old David Bell and injured several other young people, all under the age of 15.
"All I could do was call on God, because that is all I know to do," said Kendra Gregory, who is Bell's cousin.
Bell was a student at Chester Middle School. Family members said he was on his way back from a basketball game in the Charlotte area. His friends' mother drove him and several of her children to the Friday night game.
Around 11:50 p.m., they were headed west on Interstate 485 when a white passenger vehicle tried to pass them on the paved emergency shoulder. That car side-swiped the SUV, causing it to overturn.
Bell played basketball and football at Chester Middle School. His family described him as full of joy.
"He was just so happy," Gregory said.
They also said he was full of compassion.
"I can remember on Wednesday at my cousin's funeral, he hugged my sister and told me everything was going to be alright," she said.
Troopers said all three young people thrown from the SUV were 14 years old and not wearing seatbelts. Those who survived are expected to recover.
Troopers are asking people who see a white car with damage to its right side to call the Highway Patrol.
Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:23:21 -0500
Investigators confirmed Saturday that the body they discovered in Charleston Friday is Dara Watson.
The woman from Boone was reported missing last week.
Investigators said they believe Watson's fiance, David Hedrick, shot her in the head, then drove her body to the Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina.
They said Hedrick then buried her in a shallow grave and burned the SUV.
Police said Hedrick later killed himself.
More than 150 people gathered Friday night to pray for Watson's family outside of her parents clothing store in Boone.
Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:23:07 -0500
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for more than a dozen mountain counties in North Carolina that will last until 6 a.m. Monday.
Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Caldwell, Haywood, Madison, northern parts of Jackson, McDowell, Mitchell, Surry, Swain, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey counties are all under a winter storm warning. The warning is also in effect for the Burke and Caldwell mountains.
A winter weather advisory has been added for more than 30 counties, including Catawba, eastern parts of McDowell, Burke, Iredell and Rowan counties in the WSOC-TV viewing area. A 1-inch accumulation of snow is possible in those areas.
So far, snow has been reported in Boone. The NWS said in a special weather statement that heavy snow could occur in storm bands near the North Carolina/Virginia state line, but notable accumulation would be contained to areas above 3,000 feet. Below that zone, most areas will likely only see a light dusting on grassy areas, the NWS said.
SLIDESHOW: Snow, sleet coming down in Blowing Rock
For travelers, the hazard will be slush and ice forming on bridges and overpasses near the Blue Ridge mountains.
On Highway 321 heading into Blowing Rock, a dense fog is mixing with the snowfall and sleet to make driving conditions dangerous. At noon, there was not a lot of accumulation on the roads, but people visiting the area said they were looking to move back to lower ground before conditions worsened.
Salt trucks are covering Highway 321, trying to stay ahead of the storm.
The good news for those drivers and the residents of Ashe and Watauga counties, said Meteorologist Katie Virtue, was a break in the precipitation. The rain/snow mix has stopped falling, but there are more bands of rain and winter weather moving in.
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Forecast models show snow accumulation up to 8 inches with the heaviest snow along the eastern side of the Blue Ridge mountains.
According to the NWS, a band of rain moving east will gradually change over to sleet and then wet snow during the late morning hours Sunday. The snow is expected to last into Sunday evening before tapering off in the overnight hours, forecasters said.
The latest forecast from the NWS shows rain beginning to blossom across middle Tennessee. Forecasters said temperatures would be the primary determining factor in how much snow falls and pointed to temperatures in the 40s as well as dynamic cooling, making an accumulation forecast for most areas difficult.
Higher elevations could deal with slick, icy roads Sunday afternoon and evening, as well as spotty power outages due to downed trees and power lines.
Winds are expected to pick up through Sunday morning with gusts up to 25 mph.
To report a power outage or downed tree to Duke Energy, call 1-800-769-3766. To report an outage to Progress Energy, call 1-800-419-6356.
In the Charlotte metro area, rain moved in early Sunday morning and is expected to continue throughout the day. Some areas south of the Queen City could see as much as an inch of rain.
As temperatures fall Sunday night, some snowflakes could mix with the rain, but accumulation is not expected.
Department of Transportation officials said crews had not salted Charlotte's highways because the rain would likely wash it away before any snow started to fall around the city. However, crews are on standby, officials said.
Monday, the clouds will move out and abundant sunshine will push temperatures into the low 50s.
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Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:42:36 -0500
Meteorologist Katie Virtue said Charlotte conditions are expected to be very rainy and cold Saturday evening through Monday.
As rain develops overnight and temperatures continue to fall, be on the lookout for wet snowflakes developing Saturday night.
The highest terrain of the region could see eight inches of snow.
Towards the end of the storm, the snow will transition to sleet.
Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:37:46 -0500
FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital has temporarily discontinued inpatient care due to a bat infestation.
They will not reopen until the bat colony that has taken up residence in the walls of the hospital has been removed.
The decision to suspend inpatient care services follows a period of extensive efforts by Get Bats Out, a professional bat removal service.
“Our primary concern is for the safety and well-being of our patients, families, visitors, and employees,” said Gretchen Kelly, the public relations director for FirstHealth. “We are making every effort to accommodate all those affected by this event.”
The 14 patients expected to need inpatient care beyond Saturday morning were transported Friday evening by FirstHealth EMS staff to a hospital of their choice. FirstHealth administration and medical staff coordinated patient transfers with area hospitals.
The hospital emergency department will continue to provide services to patients who present themselves, but patients being transported by ambulances will be taken directly to another area hospital.
Staff contacted the Richmond County Health Department Friday to conduct a thorough inspection of the facility to determine if the facility posed a risk to staff and patient health.
The local health department staff teamed with hospital staff to thoroughly inspect all air handling units, intakes and returns, all rooftop areas, patient rooms, offices, common areas, laundry, food service, unused facility spaced, elevator shafts, stairwells, interior ceiling tiles and numerous other areas of the facility.
Health department staff consulted with the professional bat removal staff on site who also conducted an inspection of the facility.
The bat removal company explained their strategic plan to alleviate any and all bats and their harborages from the facility as well as their plan for refusal of access.
After conducting the inspection, it was determined that there was no evidence of bat guano within the interior of the facility.
With these findings, it is the determination of the Richmond County Health Department that FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital does not pose a risk to their staff or the patients they serve.
Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:06:03 -0500
The Flying biscuit where Danielle Watson was murdered held a daylong vigil on Saturday to honor her memory.
Police said she was killed by her co-worker, Mark Cox, during a robbery at the Flying Biscuit Cafe in Ballantyne.
Watson was two months pregnant.
The store has been donating all proceeds this month to a memorial fund in her honor.
In addition to the two murder charges, Mark Cox is also charged with robbery and larceny.
Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:01:31 -0500
BessemerCityNC.com
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