Vaccine Sweepstakes Coming Up Tomorrow

(Raleigh, NC) -- North Carolina adults who are at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19 have a chance to win one-million-dollars tomorrow. The state's first of four sweepstakes drawings will be held. A drawing will also take place to provide a scholarship for a child between 12-to-17-years of age. Governor Roy Cooper announced the sweepstakes earlier this month as a way to encourage vaccinations.

Senate Produces Budget With State Employee Raises

(Raleigh, NC) -- The North Carolina Senate is proposing pay raises for state employees and tax cuts in its new spending plan. Lawmakers revealed the first draft of the state budget yesterday, which proposes three-percent pay bumps for most state employees. The personal income tax rate would also drop as part of the plan. Governor Roy Cooper said the state must not invest in tax breaks for corporations and people making more than 200-thousand-dollars-a-year.

Asheville Council Voting On Budget

(Buncombe County, NC) -- The Asheville City Council is formally deciding on pay bumps for firefighters tonight. The city's new fiscal year budget is being voted on in the council's meeting. Included in the spending plan is a minimum wage rise for firefighters up to 15-dollars-an-hour. A property tax increase of two-cents is also being considered.

One Dead In Graham County High-Speed Chase

(Graham County, NC) -- The SBI is investigating a deadly high-speed chase in Graham County. The sheriff says a driver sped away from an attempted traffic stop in Robbinsville at speeds of 100-miles-an-hour on Sunday. The chase ended at a dead end on Anderson Creek Road. A Tennessee man who led the deputies on the chase died, but it's unclear what caused the death.

Haywood County Sets Aside Broadband Money

(Haywood County, NC) -- American Rescue Plan funding is being used to bring high-speed internet to rural parts of Haywood County. WLOS-TV says county commissioners voted yesterday to set aside a quarter-of-a-million-dollars for broadband access. The commission's chair says the internet access issue was made worse during the pandemic. Around six-million-dollars in federal relief funding has been sent to Haywood County so far.

Dozens File Complaints Over Hendersonville Apartments

(Hendersonville, NC) -- Dozens of people are against a large apartment development planned for Hendersonville. A developer is seeking to build over 260 apartments on 21-acres off North Carolina Highway 191. The Citizen-Times reports nearly 100 complaints were filed against the project as of last week. Issues included negative impacts on wildlife and the environment, as well as increased traffic.

Charlotte Council Passes 2040 Plan

(Charlotte, NC) -- The city of Charlotte now has a roadmap for the next two decades. The city council barely passed its 2040 comprehensive plan last night. A controversial policy that allows duplexes and triplexes into areas zoned for single-family homes was kept in the plan. The public will get a chance to look at the final copy within the next month.

Large Reward Offered In Attempted Murder

(Charlotte, NC) -- A large reward is being offered in a Charlotte attempted murder case. It was last Friday when a Duke Energy line technician was shot while working a job on The Plaza near East Sugar Creek Road. The CMPD reports there may be two suspects in the case. A reward of up to 50-thousand-dollars is being offered thanks to a private donation.

Couple In York County Murder Charged Again

(York County, SC) -- Two suspects linked to multiple murders are facing new charges in York County. Deputies revealed yesterday that Tyler Terry and Adrienne Simpson were arrested for an attempted murder that happened in mid-May, just before a high-speed chase involving the pair in Chester County. Terry and Simpson were later connected to five deaths in South Carolina and Missouri.

Woman Shot In Lincoln County Road Rage

(Lincoln County, NC) -- Lincoln County deputies are investigating a suspected road rage shooting. The sheriff's office says a woman was shot in the face on Highway 321 late Sunday morning. A Hickory man was arrested at the scene near the Lincoln-Gaston County line. He was charged with felony assault. There's no word on the woman's condition.

Public Speaks On Gaston County Mascot

(Gaston County, NC) -- The potential name change for a high school mascot is being discussed in Gaston County. WBTV reports most of 20 people who spoke at last night's board of education meeting want to get rid of the Red Raiders mascot for South Point High School due to its divisive nature. The Native American imagery has been used to represent South Point for more than 70-years. One supporter of keeping the mascot called the opponents "cancel-culture people."

Most Of North Carolina Under A Level 1 Risk Of Severe Weather Developing

(Raleigh, NC) -- Parts of central and eastern North Carolina have been placed under a Level 1 risk of severe weather developing today. A cold front moving into the state from the north is expected to bring with it, the possibility of damaging winds, heavy rain and the potential for flooding. The National Weather Service is predicting the strongest of the storms will occur late this afternoon and into the evening.

Moral Monday Demonstrators Gathered At Halifax Mall In Raleigh To Call For A Livable Wage

(Raleigh, NC) -- Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Raleigh at the Halifax Mall yesterday for the re-start of Moral Monday. Yesterday's event was the official kick off of a year long nationwide campaign called the National Poor Peoples and Low Wage Workers Assembly. The group is calling on state governments to help put an end to the injustice of poverty in America. Organizers say they plan to stage a mass march on Washington in June of 2022.

President Biden To Visit Raleigh On Thursday To Talk About Vaccines

(Raleigh, NC) -- President Joe Biden is still on tap to visit the state of North Carolina on Thursday. According to the White House, the President will tour a number of sites in Raleigh, highlighting the ease of getting vaccinated and motivating more people to get their shots. Biden and other administration officials are touring multiple cities this week, in a final push toward the goal of having 70-percent of the adult population in the U.S. at least partially vaccinated by July 4th. At last report, only 55-percent of North Carolinians had been vaccinated.

Common Cause Calling For DeJoy To Be Investigated

(Raleigh, NC) -- The non-partisan watchdog group Common Cause is calling on the North Carolina Board of Elections to investigate U.S. Post Master General Louis DeJoy. The group claims DeJoy has engaged in a pattern of suspicious campaign fundraising tactics over the past several years. A Washington Post article alleges DeJoy pressured employees at his business into making political donations. The employees were later reimbursed with bonuses.

Two North Carolina A&T State Students Headed To Olympics

(Greensboro, NC) -- Two runners from North Carolina A&T State are going to the Olympics. Randolph Ross and Trevor Stewart are headed to Tokyo this summer. Ross finished third in the 400 meter of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials. Stewart finished just behind Ross. The Tokyo Olympic games are set to open July 23rd and run through August 8th.

Guilford Co. Teachers, Staff To Receive Pay Raise

(Guilford Co., NC) -- Guilford County teachers and faculty are getting a pay raise. The budget presented by Guilford County Manager Michael Halford included a three-point-five-million-dollar increase, which allowed county commissioners to increase teacher pay without raising taxes. School nutrition workers, custodians and support staff will also see their pay go up.

Triad School Districts Hiring

(Guilford Co., NC) -- School districts throughout the Piedmont Triad are hiring. There are close to 16-hundred positions available, including nearly 700 in Guilford County. They range from support staff to teachers and assistant principals. There are also positions available in Randolph County, Alamance-Burlington, Winston-Salem/Forsyth, and Thomasville schools.

NC Current COVID-19 Vaccine Stats

(Raleigh, NC) -- The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is releasing its latest COVID-19 vaccination statistics. Roughly 55 percent of adults in the state have received at least one dose, and 52 percent are fully vaccinated. The report comes ahead of President Joe Biden's visit to Raleigh on Thursday. The president's goal is to have 70 percent of adults partially vaccinated by July 4th.

Two Piedmont Triad Men Win Lottery

(Undated) -- Two men from the Piedmont Triad are lottery winners. Lee Kirby of Wilkesboro won a million dollars on his "50x the Cash" ticket. He purchased it at the Village Market on Sparta Road and claimed his winnings on Friday. Mario Garcia of Thomasville also won a million dollars. He bought his "Jumbo Bucks" ticket at the Cross Road Curb Market on Blair Street. Both men chose the lump sum amount of 600-thousand dollars, which turned out to be about 425-grand after taxes.