SBI Completes Investigation Of Leaked Body Cam Footage
(Asheville, NC) -- The SBI is wrapping up an investigation into the leak of an Asheville police officer's body cam footage. The video showed former officer Chris Hickman beating Johnnie Rush, who was accused of jaywalking in August 2017. Hickman resigned and pleaded guilty to assault this summer, around a year-and-a-half after the footage was released to the media. A state prosecutor told the Citizen-Times yesterday that no criminal charges will be filed over the leak.
Cooper Signs Bill To Close Loopholes In Sexual Assault Cases
(Raleigh, NC) -- A bill to close loopholes in sexual assault cases in North Carolina is now law. Governor Roy Cooper signed off on the measure yesterday, which will allow a person to be prosecuted if someone revokes consent during sex. The new law also permits adults to sue an individual who abused them as a child. Attorney General Josh Stein says kids will additionally be better protected from sexual predators online.
Watchdog Group Gives Mission Hospital "C" Grade
(Asheville, NC) -- A nonprofit watchdog group is giving Mission Hospital a lower rating this year for patient safety. The Leapfrog Group rated the Asheville hospital with a grade of "C" in its fall 2019 study. Mission was found to perform below average in having enough qualified nurses and safe medication administration. LeapFrog rated the hospital with an A as recently as spring 2018.
Planning Commission Gives Okay For Downtown Asheville Development
(Asheville, NC) -- Asheville's Planning and Zoning Commission is giving the go-ahead for a large housing development in downtown. A Wilmington-based developer has plans to build close to 500 apartments, a parking deck and business space between Ashland and Cox avenues. That also includes nearly 50 affordable housing units. WLOS-TV is reporting some citizens voiced concern at last night's zoning meeting over the number of trees being cut down and the small amount of affordable housing. The final say now goes before the city council.
Waynesville Coffee Shop Named Nation's Fourth-Best
(Waynesville, NC) -- A western North Carolina coffee shop is being called one of the best in the U.S. Food and Wine Magazine just listed Orchard Coffee in Waynesville as the fourth-best overall. A writer for the magazine says he spent over two years traveling the country to learn as much as he could about American coffee culture. He called Orchard Coffee one of the finest small town coffee shops in America.
Old Hendersonville Mill Named Historic Landmark
(Hendersonville, NC) -- An old building in Hendersonville is gaining national status. City officials say the Grey Mill Hosiery building was declared a national historic landmark, joining three others in Hendersonville. The century-old building was turned into apartments this year.
CMPD Investigates Ballantyne Homicide
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is investigating a homicide in Ballantyne. Officers say they found a man dead from significant trauma inside a home on Paperbark Circle in the MapleCrest neighborhood. They're now searching for a person of interest investigators consider a friend of the victim, who was identified as 45-year-old Alvin Fletcher. Neighbors told NBC Charlotte that the area is usually very safe.
Teen Climate Activist Joining Charlotte Strike Today
(Charlotte, NC) -- A teen climate activist from Sweden is joining a strike in Charlotte today. Sixteen-year-old Greta Thunberg will be protesting inaction on climate change with other area youth at noon outside the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. Several hundred Charlotte students attended a similar protest in September. Thunberg gained international attention last year when she started climate strikes outside the Swedish parliament.
Microsoft, Charlotte Sign Smart City Initiative
(Charlotte, NC) -- Microsoft is making a move to turn Charlotte into a smart city. WSOC-TV says the city and the tech company inked a three-year agreement this week to help create a workforce and innovation hub in the Queen City. Microsoft plans to focus on several pilot programs, including smart transit systems and public wi-fi. City Manager Marcus Jones says it will make the quality of life better for residents.
Fans Give Kemba Standing Ovation In Return To Charlotte
(Charlotte, NC) -- Charlotte fans are still showing a lot of love for former Hornet Kemba Walker. The crowd at Spectrum Center gave Walker a standing ovation while a tribute to the three-time All-Star played at last night's Hornets-Celtics game. It was Walker's first return to the Queen City since he signed with Boston this summer. He scored 14 points as the Celtics defeated Charlotte 108-87.
Plans For Former Belmont Textile Mill Moving Forward
(Belmont, NC) -- Redevelopment plans for an old textile mill in Belmont continue to move forward. The Gaston Gazette is reporting the city approved a conditional zoning designation at the site of the 117-year-old Chronicle Mill. The owners are looking to build 240 upscale apartments with retail and office space included. Deed restrictions must still be removed for the project to proceed fully.
Freeze Watch Starts Tonight
(Charlotte, NC) -- Temperatures are plummeting across the Charlotte area tonight. The National Weather Service has already issued a freeze watch from midnight until 9 Saturday morning. Residents are urged to protect outdoor water pipes and bring plants inside as temps drop to around 30-degrees. The wind will make this afternoon's high in the upper 40s much cooler.
Raleigh Woman Leads Police On High-Speed Chase With Kids In Car
(Raleigh, NC) -- A Raleigh woman is facing multiple charges after leading police on a high-speed chase with three young kids in the car. The scene unfolded in the parking lot of Wolf Village Apartments Wednesday night when Jnaja [[ jah-NAY-ja ]] Porter allegedly stole an N.C. State student's SUV at gunpoint. Police say the woman reached triple-digit speeds and even blew through stop-signs before she ditched the SUV near I-440 West and Forks Road. She was found nearby and arrested. No one was hurt.
Elizabeth Warren Campaigns In Raleigh
(Raleigh, NC) -- Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren is rallying voters in Raleigh. Over 35-hundred people showed up to her event last night at Broughton High School, according to campaign officials. Warren's call for "big structural change" got the most reaction from the crowd, with people cheering and stomping their feet. The town hall was Warren's first campaign event in the city.
House Impeachment Hearings Get Underway Next Week
(Washington, DC) -- Public hearings in the House impeachment probe get underway next week. North Carolina Republican Mark Meadows told reporters at the Capitol it's "actually getting easier to defend the President" as more transcripts of depositions are released. House Democrats are probing President Trump's attempts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden. Meadows and Ohio Republican Congressman Jim Jordan repeatedly stressed that Trump did nothing wrong.
I-440 Ramp To Shut-Down For Two Years
(Raleigh, NC) -- A popular ramp along I-440 in Raleigh will shut-down for two years. Transportation crews will close the eastbound Wade Avenue ramp along the outer belt-line starting Monday night for improvements. The Department of Transportation says close to two-thousand vehicles use that ramp every day.
New Report Grades Triangle Hospitals
(Raleigh, NC) -- A new watchdog report is grading hospitals in the Triangle on their safety. It was released yesterday by the Leapfrog Group and rates hospitals based on infections, surgical errors, safety issues and preventative measures. WakeMed hospitals in Raleigh and Cary both received "C" grades. UNC Hospital, Rex Hospital, and Duke Raleigh, Regional and University hospitals received an "A."
HPU Student Accused Of School Threat Bonds Out
(High Point, NC) -- A High Point University student accused of planning a school shooting is out of jail. Nineteen-year-old Paul Steber of Boston was released from High Point Jail yesterday after posting a 250-thousand-dollar cash bond. He was arrested back in August on one count of communicating a threat of mass violence and two counts of weapons on campus. Police say Steber admitted he plotted a shooting and came to North Carolina where, he says, it would be easier to get a gun.
Person Critical After Shooting In Greensboro
(Greensboro, NC) -- One person is fighting for their life after a shooting in Greensboro. A barrage of gunfire rang out just before noon yesterday near North Carolina A&T, in the area of Huffman and Boyd streets. The victim was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Police are looking for a newer-model silver Nissan Altima with temporary tags in connection with the crime. Anyone with information is urged to call Greensboro PD.
Alamance Co. High School Teacher Facing Indecent Liberty Charges
(Graham, NC) -- A high school teacher in Alamance County is accused of having inappropriate relationships with some of his students. Fifty-eight-year-old Kenneth Lockner of Western Alamance High School was taken into custody on three felony counts of indecent liberties with a student. The sheriff's office started investigating reports of inappropriate relationships on Wednesday, and on Thursday, they say more students came forward. Lockner is scheduled to appear in court today.
Inmate Dies At High Point Detention Center
(High Point, NC) -- A 37-year-old inmate is dead after collapsing at the High Point Detention Center. Thirty-seven-year-old Catrice Ingram was being assessed by medical staff Wednesday night when she collapsed. She was rushed to a nearby hospital where she died about an hour later. Deputies say she appears to have suffered from a medical condition. Ingram had been in custody since late October on charges of habitual larceny.
New Report Grades Triad Hospitals
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- A new watchdog report is grading hospitals in the Triad on their safety. It was released yesterday by the Leapfrog Group and rates hospitals based on infections, surgical errors, safety issues and preventative measures. Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem and Northern Regional Hospital in Mount Airy received "C" grades. Novant Health Medical Park and Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem received "A" grades. So did Wake Forest Baptist Health High Point, Novant Health Thomasville and Wesley Long Community Hospital in Greensboro.