Haywood County Returning To Classroom

(Haywood County, NC) -- Another western North Carolina school district appears to be heading back to class. The Haywood County board of education approved a plan yesterday to transition into in-person instruction at the end of this month. The superintendent says close to 75-percent of recent survey respondents were in favor of a type of blend featuring virtual and face-to-face learning. Buncombe and Henderson counties are also moving back into classroom learning later this month.

New COVID-19 Cases Trending Down In Buncombe County

(Asheville, NC) -- New COVID-19 cases appear to be slowing in Buncombe County. There have been nearly 140 cases reported over the last week, which is a seven-week low. Health Director Stacie Saunders says about twice as many cases were being reported at a peak in July. The weeklong report also showed no new COVID-19-related deaths in Buncombe.

Asheville Caretaker Charged With Rape

(Asheville, NC) -- An Asheville caretaker is facing rape charges. Investigators say a man with a physical disability was sexually assaulted at a home on Livingston Street just over a year ago. Officers were able to charge the 37-year old suspect in July after a combined investigation with social services and the state's public health officials. The woman turned herself in for second-degree forcible rape and kidnapping charges yesterday.

Human Remains At Campsite ID'd As Illinois Man

(Swain County, NC) -- A 43-year-old man from Illinois is identified as the camper who died in the Great Smoky Mountains on Friday. Hikers came across a campsite in the Hazel Creek area of North Carolina, where a bear was scavenging human remains. Park rangers and medical staff are still assessing the man's exact cause of death. The bear was euthanized.

APD Investigates Three Shooting Calls In One Day

(Asheville, NC) -- Asheville police are responding to an increasing number of shots-fired calls. Officers are investigating three unrelated calls on Sunday, which resulted in no injuries. The department told WLOS-TV there have been more than 420 gun discharges reported in the city since the beginning of the year.

WNC Nature Center Re-opening Next Month

(Asheville, NC) -- The Western North Carolina Nature Center in Asheville is re-opening for the first time in half-a-year. The center's director told WLOS-TV they'll be asking visitors to wear a face mask per state guidelines when doors open again on October 5th. A pre-opening members only week starts on September 28th.

Thousands Voting Absentee In Mecklenburg County

(Charlotte, NC) -- Thousands of Mecklenburg County voters have already cast their ballots for the general election. More than 100-thousand absentee ballots have been requested locally so far, adding to the 700-thousand statewide. Meck's election director told NBC Charlotte yesterday that four-thousand ballots have already been submitted, with many choosing to use the in-person drop-off method. Voters can take advantage of that method each weekday at the board of elections office.

Victim Dies In Robbery

(Charlotte, NC) -- A robbery appears to be the motive in another Charlotte homicide. Officers say one man was shot to death on Sandburg Avenue in northeast Charlotte yesterday. The initial call was for an armed robbery. No information was released on potential suspects.

CMPD Looking For August Murder Suspect

(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is on the lookout for a murder suspect. Officers say a 22-year-old man was shot to death at a strip mall on South Tryon Street at the beginning of August. The main suspect was identified yesterday as 20-year-old Jamie Graham, Junior. He's wanted for murder and robbery.

Homicide Investigated In Pineville

(Pineville, NC) -- A homicide is being investigated in Pineville. WBTV says officers were at the scene in the parking lot of the Countryside Shopping Center last night, but little else is known. A man was injured in a shooting in front of a Mint Hill business yesterday as well. Investigators say they believe he was targeted.

Missing Man Found In Quarry

(Kings Mountain, NC) -- The search for a missing man is over in Kings Mountain. Crews found the body of Melvin Lenord in the Martin Marietta quarry near I-85 yesterday after searching for several days. He initially disappeared Thursday when he allegedly led Shelby police on a chase into Kings Mountain. He jumped from the car and ran away.

Hurricane Could Bring Heavy Rain To Charlotte

(Charlotte, NC) -- Hurricane Sally could bring heavy rainfall to the Queen City. The storm intensified into a category two hurricane yesterday, with landfall now expected along the Gulf Coast late tonight into early Wednesday. The National Weather Service is calling for the hurricane to turn back eastward into Georgia and the Carolinas. Current predictions call for the rain to hit Charlotte on Friday.

Auto Of Missing Raleigh Man Discovered In Danville, Virginia

(Raleigh, NC) -- The search continues for a Raleigh man who was last seen Saturday after he went to Cameron Village to negotiate the sale of his car with someone he reportedly met on Craigslist. According to his friends, 39-year-old William Anderson Banks was last seen in the parking lot in front of the old K&W Cafeteria. On Monday, police investigators announced that Banks' 2011 Range Rover had been found in Danville, Virginia. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Raleigh police.

Tillis And Cunningham Lock Horns In First Of Three Senatorial Debates

(Raleigh, NC) -- Thousands of North Carolinians tuned in to watch the first of three scheduled televised debates between incumbent Republican Senator Tom Tillis and his Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham Monday night. Both men traded barbs over a number of issues including systemic racism, calls to defund the police and whether either candidate would get inoculated if a COVID-19 vaccine is approved before the election. The latest poll conducted by the group 'RealClearPolitics' gives Cunningham a slight four-point lead over Tillis leading into the election.

COVID-19 Downward Trend Viewed As Positive Sign In NC

(Raleigh, NC) -- State health officials are viewing the latest coronavirus data showing a downward trend in new cases as a positive sign. Figures released Monday reported only 845 new cases, the second lowest single-day total during the month of September. The Department also reported the state's positivity rate is now lower than the targeted goal of five-percent. As of Monday, there were also 894 patients being treated at hospitals across the state.

Wake County Gun Permit Lines Get Longer Amid COVID-19 Outbreak

(Wake County, NC) -- The process of issuing gun permits got even slower in Wake County Monday as the Sheriff's Office reported two more staff members had tested positive for COVID-19. The announcement came as 10 other employees were also ordered to self quarantine over the weekend after an infected person was diagnosed last week. According to Sheriff Gerald Baker, a total of three workers have now tested positive for the virus.

At Least Five Injured By Gunfire Monday Night In Durham

(Durham, NC) -- Durham police are investigating three separate shooting incidents Monday night that resulted in at least five people being injured. The first happened around 6 p.m. along the 1000-block of Fairview Street in which three people were wounded, one of them critically. The second occurred less than three hours later near Hardee Street and Creek Road. Police say a man and woman were injured there. And, a third shooting was reported around 10:30 p.m. along the 1100-block of Delano Street. Police did not release information about injuries in that incident.

Murder Charges Filed Against Juvenile In Deadly Crash

(Winston-Salem, NC) -- The juvenile accused of causing a deadly crash in Winston-Salem last month is charged with murder. The scene unfolded on August 18th on southbound Patterson Avenue. Forsyth County sheriff's deputies tried to stop a vehicle for driving erratically before the driver lost control and hit a utility pole. The driver and two adult passengers were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, but a third passenger, who was also a juvenile, was killed. The driver was arrested last Friday on suspicion of second-degree murder and taken to a juvenile detention center.

Greensboro Bar Owner Accused Of Selling Alcohol Illegally

(Guilford Co., NC) -- A Greensboro bar owner, who lost his license after a deadly shooting last month, is now accused of selling alcohol illegally. Ambiance Events Center on Teague Street was the scene of a deadly shooting over Labor Day weekend. The owner, Lawrence Chandler, was charged and forced to surrender his ABC permits. The Alcohol Law Enforcement team got word last Friday that the business was openly selling alcohol and operating at full capacity, and over 100 liters of booze was confiscated. A slew of new charges were filed against Chandler, who's due to appear in District Court in November.

Two Killed, Four Hurt In High-Point Crash

(High Point, NC) -- Two people are dead and four others are hurt after a car crash in High Point. It happened Sunday night at Johnson Street and Oakview Road. Police say a vehicle traveling up to 100 miles-per-hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone hit another vehicle that was turning left, sending it into a utility pole. Eighteen-year-olds Joshua Norris and Nehemiah Pratt were killed. Four people in the car that caused the crash were hurt, two of them seriously. An investigation is ongoing.

Greensboro Renaming SCAT

(Greensboro, NC) -- The Greensboro Transit Authority is renaming its Specialized Community Area Transportation service. The authority announced plans yesterday to rebrand SCAT in order to align it with the "decades of evolving service" and customers in the Gate City. The public is invited to take part in the first two rounds of input. Suggestions can be submitted online at Ride-GTA-dot-com.

Kernersville Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Child Over Four Years

(Davidson Co., NC) -- A Kernersville man is accused of sexually assaulting a child over the course of four years. Thirty-nine-year-old Joshua Haralson was arrested this past Friday on multiple counts of statutory sex offense and taking indecent liberties with a child. Davidson County sheriff's officials say the abuse started when the victim was only eleven-years old. They say she found the courage to come forward about the abuse this past July. Haralson is being held on a 500-thousand-dollar bond.

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