Snow Heading Into WNC Over Weekend

(Asheville, NC) -- Snow is continuing to threaten western North Carolina which could result in a significant storm this weekend. The entire mountain region is under a winter storm watch. The National Weather Service is calling for heavy snow to begin falling late Saturday and into Sunday. Accumulations range anywhere from an inch for over a foot for higher elevations, but the system is still in flux.

Former Asheville Police Officer Sues City

(Asheville, NC) -- The city of Asheville is facing a lawsuit from a former police officer. Anthony Sorangelo was initially accused of assaulting a man during an attempted arrest in February 2020, but a judge later dismissed the case. WLOS-TV reports Sorangelo filed a legal battle against the city and police department, claiming his constitutional rights were violated. He was originally barred from testifying in future court proceedings.

Asheville City Schools Close Due To Staff Shortages

(Asheville, NC) -- Students in Asheville City Schools will learn at home today. District officials were forced to shut down school buildings after an increased number of staff absences amid surging COVID cases. Asheville Primary School was already scheduled to be closed. Students have off Monday and Tuesday as part of the normal schedule.

Another Suspect Arrested in Asheville Gun Thefts

(Asheville, NC) -- Another suspect is being charged in an Asheville gun theft investigation. The arrest of a 33-year-old man marks the fourth person to be accused after nearly three-dozen guns were stolen from Carolina Guns and Gear last week. Investigators say three-people were initially arrested in the case earlier this week. Only half-a-dozen guns have been recovered so far.

Federal Investigators Seek Info In BRP Homicide

(Watauga County, NC) -- Federal investigators are investigating a homicide along the Blue Ridge Parkway. A Rhode Island man was found dead close to mile marker 290 in Blowing rock last October. The FBI says the man may have traveled into the state in a Chevrolet Equinox SUV with a Florida plate. Two others were reportedly with him at the time of his disappearance.

COVID Cluster Reported At Buncombe Jail

(Buncombe County, NC) -- COVID cases are running quickly through the Buncombe County Detention Center. WLOS-TV reports close to three-dozen detainees and over a dozen officers tested positive this week. Symptoms remain nonexistent or mild in most of the cases.

Charlotte Murder Suspect Found In Massachusetts

(Charlotte, NC) -- A suspect is facing charges in a deadly double shooting in Charlotte. Officers found one man injured and another shot to death inside a truck around North Graham Street and Oneida Road in early December. The CMPD announced yesterday that the suspect was arrested in Massachusetts and is awaiting extradition.

Winter Weather Still Threatening Charlotte

(Charlotte, NC) -- Winter weather is still on its way to the Queen City. The metro area is under a winter storm watch ahead of potentially dangerous weather this weekend. The National Weather Service says snow could start affecting Charlotte late Saturday and continue into Sunday. A mixture of several inches of snow and ice is being predicted for now.

Company Expanding In Lancaster County

(Lancaster County, SC) -- A manufacturing plant is planning to expand in Lancaster County. Chief Buildings announced this week it would invest over 20-million-dollars at a 100-thousand-square-foot building on Quality Drive. More than 100 jobs are expected to be added. The company specializes in manufacturing metal building solutions.

Charlotte Woman Found Dead In Tennessee

(Sevier County, TN) -- A Charlotte woman is dead and a man injured in a Tennessee shooting. Officers found the woman inside a Sevierville rental cabin on Monday. The man was rushed to the hospital after allegedly jumping from the third floor of the cabin. There's no word if investigators are looking for any suspects.

COVID Hospitalizations Reach High In NC

(Charlotte, NC) -- A record number of patients are being treated in North Carolina hospitals for COVID. Health and Human Services reported yesterday the number has grown to nearly 43-hundred. The positivity rate is over 30-percent. There have been close to three-thousand cases per 100-thousand residents in Mecklenburg County over the last two-weeks.

Request Made For Larger Teacher Bonuses

(Charlotte, NC) -- There's a push for higher retention bonuses for CMS teachers. NBC Charlotte says a public education group has sent a letter to district officials this week to request more COVID funds for higher pay. The school board initially approved bonuses of 25-hundred-dollars for full-time employees last month.

Ice And Frozen Precipitation Expected When Winter Storm Arrives In North Carolina

(Raleigh, NC) -- Residents and businesses across central North Carolina are being told to brace for ice and frozen precipitation more so than snow later this weekend. A winter storm system currently moving from the northwest toward the mid-Atlantic region, is expected to arrive in North Carolina early Sunday morning, bringing with it the possibility of one-to-two inches of snow or sleet. Forecasters are warning that the ice accumulating on tree branches could cause power outages throughout the day on Sunday.

Benjamin Crump Joins Crowd In Demanding More Transparency In Fatal Police Shooting Investigation

(Fayetteville, NC) -- Dozens of people gathered at a church in Fayetteville Thursday night to remember the life of Jason Walker, the 37-year old Black man killed in an officer-involved shooting last weekend. Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump joined family members to denounce the shooting and to call for more transparency in the investigation. It was the fifth night in a row that demonstrations have been held over the fatal shooting. Meanwhile the Cumberland County Sheriff's Deputy who shot Walker, has been placed on administrative leave.

State Judge Gives OK For Police Bodycam Video Of Shooting To Be Released

(Cumberland County, NC) -- A North Carolina judge has ruled that the police bodycam video of Walker's fatal shooting can be released. In a statement released Thursday, Judge James Amos said that footage from the bodycam videos of the three Fayetteville police officers who responded to the shooting can be made public. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is leading the probe. The City of Fayetteville has also requested that the U.S. Justice Department also get involved.

New COVID-19 Cases In North Carolina Set Another Record On Thursday

(Raleigh, NC) -- Figures released by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Thursday, showed there were 44-thousand-833 new cases of the coronavirus, the largest single-day total on record. The state's test positive rate was down to 30-point-seven-percent. There were also over 42-hundred people being treated at hospitals for COVID related illnesses. And, there were 87-additional deaths. Over 90-percent of the new cases were caused by the Omicron variant.

Crews Continue Treating NC Roads With Brine An Anticipation Of Winter Storm

(Raleigh, NC) -- Road crews from the North Carolina Department of Transportation have already started to apply salt brine on state roadways in anticipation of a wintry mix on Sunday. A DOT spokesperson said targeted areas will include interstates, as well as surface roads and highways. The Department also plans to spread about 160-thousand gallons of brine on approximately 36-hundred miles of roads across Wake, Durham, Franklin, Person, Granville and Warren counties.