Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Three people turned themselves in to police Thursday on murder charges connected to a botched home invasion in Morganton last week, authorities said.
Elgin Anthony Melson, 23, and Alicia Camille Goode, 29, both of Morganton, turned themselves into the Cincinnati Police Department in Ohio, said Morganton Public Safety's Capt. William Devinney.
Joshua Aaron Crisp, 16, surrendered Thursday to investigators at Morganton Public Safety, Devinney said.
Just before midnight Aug. 24, at least two men broke into Pedro Arnol Ramirez' and Manual Vargas' Jones Street home while the pair was inside, authorities said. Ramirez and Vargas struggled with the invaders, who were armed with a pistol and a rifle.
Ramirez was killed, and Vargas was taken to Grace Hospital, where he was treated for nonlife-threatening gunshot wounds.
Crisp's father, Rodney Crisp, was charged Wednesday with accessory after murder, police said.
Another Morganton teen, 18-year-old Kenneth Raynard Conley, was charged with murder Tuesday in Ramirez's death.
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8/30/07
Morganton enacts water restrictions
Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
The city of Morganton announced mandatory water restrictions Thursday, joining a growing number of communities that are adopting restrictions to conserve water during the current drought and extreme heat.
Morganton's list of restrictions includes limiting lawn watering to Tuesdays and Saturdays for odd-numbered addresses and Thursdays and Sundays for even-numbered addresses, no residential washing of vehicles and no washing of the outsides of buildings, sidewalks and streets.
The restrictions will become effective Sept. 4.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
The city of Morganton announced mandatory water restrictions Thursday, joining a growing number of communities that are adopting restrictions to conserve water during the current drought and extreme heat.
Morganton's list of restrictions includes limiting lawn watering to Tuesdays and Saturdays for odd-numbered addresses and Thursdays and Sundays for even-numbered addresses, no residential washing of vehicles and no washing of the outsides of buildings, sidewalks and streets.
The restrictions will become effective Sept. 4.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.b
8/29/07
1 injured, 1 charged in Caldwell shooting
Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007
By Marcie Young
Staff Writer
A 23-year-old Catawba County man, who was in serious condition after being shot in the chest Tuesday, was recovering Wednesday at Carolinas Medical Center, hospital officials said.
Chad Dorian Teague was shot in the chest shortly after 5:30 p.m. Tuesday during an argument with Michael Scott Jordan, 23, according to a release from the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office.
Jordan was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury with intent to kill, according to the Sheriff's Office. He was being held Wednesday night at the Caldwell County jail on a $100,000 bond.
Teague was taken to Grace Hospital in Morganton before being flown to Carolinas Medical Center, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Authorities did not say why the men were arguing or what led to the shooting. Jordan and Teague lived at the same addresses in a trailer community in southwestern Caldwell County, authorities said.
Teague's father, 59-year-old Jeffery Scott Teague, was also charged with interfering with the investigation. He was treated for injuries he received during an altercation and was taken to Caldwell County Memorial Hospital.
The Sheriff's Office did not say how Jeffrey Teague interfered with their investigation or how he was injured.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Staff Writer
A 23-year-old Catawba County man, who was in serious condition after being shot in the chest Tuesday, was recovering Wednesday at Carolinas Medical Center, hospital officials said.
Chad Dorian Teague was shot in the chest shortly after 5:30 p.m. Tuesday during an argument with Michael Scott Jordan, 23, according to a release from the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office.
Jordan was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury with intent to kill, according to the Sheriff's Office. He was being held Wednesday night at the Caldwell County jail on a $100,000 bond.
Teague was taken to Grace Hospital in Morganton before being flown to Carolinas Medical Center, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Authorities did not say why the men were arguing or what led to the shooting. Jordan and Teague lived at the same addresses in a trailer community in southwestern Caldwell County, authorities said.
Teague's father, 59-year-old Jeffery Scott Teague, was also charged with interfering with the investigation. He was treated for injuries he received during an altercation and was taken to Caldwell County Memorial Hospital.
The Sheriff's Office did not say how Jeffrey Teague interfered with their investigation or how he was injured.
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Inmate escapes from Burke facility
Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Burke County authorities Tuesday were looking for a Department of Corrections inmate who, while working at a Morgnaton developmental care center Tuesday, stole the keys to a car and fled.
The inmate at Western Youth Institute, a detention facility in Morganton, was working with housekeeping staff at about 11 a.m. Tuesday at the J. Iverson Developmental Center, said center director Arthur Robarge.
He stole the keys to a 1998 maroon or red, four-door Ford Contour and escaped, authorities said.
Robarge said a member of housekeeping staff left her keys on a cart, and the inmate took them while she wasn't looking.
Inmates serving time for nonviolent crimes, Robarge said, regularly work at the developmental facility to help with laundry, cleaning and other tasks.
Authorities were looking for William Hicks, 18, who was serving a sentence for possession of stolen goods and is from Buncombe County.
Hicks is about 5 feet, 7 inches, weighs about 120 pounds and has brown hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing a green Department of Corrections jumpsuit.
Anyone with information should call the N.C. Department of Corrections 828-438-6037.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Burke County authorities Tuesday were looking for a Department of Corrections inmate who, while working at a Morgnaton developmental care center Tuesday, stole the keys to a car and fled.
The inmate at Western Youth Institute, a detention facility in Morganton, was working with housekeeping staff at about 11 a.m. Tuesday at the J. Iverson Developmental Center, said center director Arthur Robarge.
He stole the keys to a 1998 maroon or red, four-door Ford Contour and escaped, authorities said.
Robarge said a member of housekeeping staff left her keys on a cart, and the inmate took them while she wasn't looking.
Inmates serving time for nonviolent crimes, Robarge said, regularly work at the developmental facility to help with laundry, cleaning and other tasks.
Authorities were looking for William Hicks, 18, who was serving a sentence for possession of stolen goods and is from Buncombe County.
Hicks is about 5 feet, 7 inches, weighs about 120 pounds and has brown hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing a green Department of Corrections jumpsuit.
Anyone with information should call the N.C. Department of Corrections 828-438-6037.
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8/28/07
1 charged, 3 sought in man's death
Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Morganton man was charged with murder Tuesday in connection with a botched home invasion Friday that left one man dead, authorities said.
Kenneth Raynard Conley, 18, was being held without bond at the Burke County jail in the death of Pedro Arnol Ramirez.
The Morganton Department of Public Safety has warrants charging three others -- Joshua Aaron Crisp, 16, Alicia Camille Goode, 29, and Elgin Anthony Melson, 23 -- with murder in Ramirez's death, authorities said.
Just before midnight Friday, at least two men broke into Ramirez' and Manual Vargas' Jones Street home while the pair was inside, authorities said. Ramirez and Vargas struggled with the invaders, who were armed with a pistol and a rifle.
Ramirez was killed, and Vargas was taken to Grace Hospital, where he was treated for nonlife-threatening gunshot wounds.
Anyone with information should call the Morganton Department of Public Safety at 828-437-1211 .
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Morganton man was charged with murder Tuesday in connection with a botched home invasion Friday that left one man dead, authorities said.
Kenneth Raynard Conley, 18, was being held without bond at the Burke County jail in the death of Pedro Arnol Ramirez.
The Morganton Department of Public Safety has warrants charging three others -- Joshua Aaron Crisp, 16, Alicia Camille Goode, 29, and Elgin Anthony Melson, 23 -- with murder in Ramirez's death, authorities said.
Just before midnight Friday, at least two men broke into Ramirez' and Manual Vargas' Jones Street home while the pair was inside, authorities said. Ramirez and Vargas struggled with the invaders, who were armed with a pistol and a rifle.
Ramirez was killed, and Vargas was taken to Grace Hospital, where he was treated for nonlife-threatening gunshot wounds.
Anyone with information should call the Morganton Department of Public Safety at 828-437-1211 .
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Clients report credit-fix swindle
Company accused of charging upfront fees, doing nothing
Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
The Better Business Bureau warned consumers Monday that it had received complaints that a Hickory-based grant-writing and credit-repair company was taking customers' money without providing any services.
The company, Accucredit Inc., guaranteed customers that it would fix bad and poor credit ratings if they paid fees of up to $1,000 in advance, said Janet Hart, a spokeswoman for the Southern Piedmont BBB.
Accucredit has also done business as Grant Writing Plus Inc., promising customers thousands of dollars in governmental grants in exchange for initial fees as high as $4,000, Hart said.
Accucredit's Web site was not working Monday morning, and the company's phone had been disconnected.
The complaints allege that the company took thousands of dollars from consumers and has not provided them with improved credit ratings or grant money.
In both cases, Hart said, the company guaranteed a full refund if a grant wasn't received or credit wasn't improved. But the company did not pay any refunds, she said.
Last month, Attorney General Roy Cooper also ordered Accucredit and Grant Writing Plus to stop charging upfront fees, said Department of Justice spokeswoman Noelle Talley.
Cooper's office, Talley said, has received 28 complaints this year from Accucredit and Grant Writing Plus customers who have lost a total of $73,000.
Federal law prohibits companies from charging fees in advance for fixing bad credit, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Hart said the BBB has received 19 complaints about the company, owned and operated by Ken Yang and Pao Yang, during the past three years.
The Yangs, she said, have also been linked to two other credit service companies, National Credit Solutions and Carolina Credit Repair of Hickory.
Though most of the complaints are from the Southeast, Hart said, the bureau has also received complaints from customers in Utah, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Oklahoma.
Some customers, like Jessica McFarling of Huntersville, paid thousands of dollars in hopes of starting small businesses. McFarling, 38, and her husband were planning to open a freight trucking business, and Accucredit guaranteed them $199,000 in government grants, she said.
They signed a contract with the company, saying they would pay $9,000 in monthly payments of $750, which was automatically taken from the couple's checking account, McFarling said.
"We never got any money, we just paid them money," she said. "It sounded so legitimate when they were talking about getting governmental money and grants."
They had paid $3,000 when her husband decided to check out the company on the Better Business Bureau's Web site and noticed numerous complaints.
McFarling immediately closed the checking account, she said, and plans to sue the company to recoup the money they lost.
"I live in a two-bedroom apartment," she said. "I can't afford to lose $3,000."
Protect Yourself
The federal Credit Repair Organizations Act helps protect consumers from companies that promise to fix bad credit in exchange for upfront fees. North Carolina and South Carolina have also incorporated laws saying how much companies can charge after services have been
completed.
TO CHECK OUT A COMPANY, CONTACT:
• N.C. Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, 877-5-NO-SCAM
• South Carolina Department Of Consumer Affairs, 803-734-4200
• Better Business Bureau, http://www.bbb.org/.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
The Better Business Bureau warned consumers Monday that it had received complaints that a Hickory-based grant-writing and credit-repair company was taking customers' money without providing any services.
The company, Accucredit Inc., guaranteed customers that it would fix bad and poor credit ratings if they paid fees of up to $1,000 in advance, said Janet Hart, a spokeswoman for the Southern Piedmont BBB.
Accucredit has also done business as Grant Writing Plus Inc., promising customers thousands of dollars in governmental grants in exchange for initial fees as high as $4,000, Hart said.
Accucredit's Web site was not working Monday morning, and the company's phone had been disconnected.
The complaints allege that the company took thousands of dollars from consumers and has not provided them with improved credit ratings or grant money.
In both cases, Hart said, the company guaranteed a full refund if a grant wasn't received or credit wasn't improved. But the company did not pay any refunds, she said.
Last month, Attorney General Roy Cooper also ordered Accucredit and Grant Writing Plus to stop charging upfront fees, said Department of Justice spokeswoman Noelle Talley.
Cooper's office, Talley said, has received 28 complaints this year from Accucredit and Grant Writing Plus customers who have lost a total of $73,000.
Federal law prohibits companies from charging fees in advance for fixing bad credit, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Hart said the BBB has received 19 complaints about the company, owned and operated by Ken Yang and Pao Yang, during the past three years.
The Yangs, she said, have also been linked to two other credit service companies, National Credit Solutions and Carolina Credit Repair of Hickory.
Though most of the complaints are from the Southeast, Hart said, the bureau has also received complaints from customers in Utah, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Oklahoma.
Some customers, like Jessica McFarling of Huntersville, paid thousands of dollars in hopes of starting small businesses. McFarling, 38, and her husband were planning to open a freight trucking business, and Accucredit guaranteed them $199,000 in government grants, she said.
They signed a contract with the company, saying they would pay $9,000 in monthly payments of $750, which was automatically taken from the couple's checking account, McFarling said.
"We never got any money, we just paid them money," she said. "It sounded so legitimate when they were talking about getting governmental money and grants."
They had paid $3,000 when her husband decided to check out the company on the Better Business Bureau's Web site and noticed numerous complaints.
McFarling immediately closed the checking account, she said, and plans to sue the company to recoup the money they lost.
"I live in a two-bedroom apartment," she said. "I can't afford to lose $3,000."
Protect Yourself
The federal Credit Repair Organizations Act helps protect consumers from companies that promise to fix bad credit in exchange for upfront fees. North Carolina and South Carolina have also incorporated laws saying how much companies can charge after services have been
completed.
TO CHECK OUT A COMPANY, CONTACT:
• N.C. Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, 877-5-NO-SCAM
• South Carolina Department Of Consumer Affairs, 803-734-4200
• Better Business Bureau, http://www.bbb.org/.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Hickory officer who shot man is on leave
Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
An officer who shot a man during a confrontation on Friday is on administrative leave until the Hickory Police Department and the State Bureau of Investigation complete their review of the shooting.
Domestic violence investigator Dustin Nowatka, who has been with the Hickory police since 1998, was involved in a Friday morning shootout with Christopher George "Charles" Smith, 37 of Catawba County. At least one bullet struck Smith, who later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Smith's body was taken to Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem for an autopsy.
At about 8 a.m. Friday, Smith's wife, 31-year-old Catherine Smith, was found lying in the middle of 19th Street S.E., a dead-end road in an industrial area of the city. Police believe her husband gunned her down as she headed to work.
Catherine Smith had an active domestic violence protection order against her husband, documents show.
Two hours later, after a crime spree that included a kidnapping and carjacking, Charles Smith led officers on a chase through downtown Hickory that ended at the 19th Street S.E. business where Catherine Smith worked.
He ran into the building, encountered several employees and fired at least one shot inside the business. Three Hickory officers followed Smith and ordered him to drop his weapon, police said. He turned toward them with his gun, and Nowatka fired, striking Smith.
Hickory Police Department policy is to place officers on leave when they are involved in a shooting.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
An officer who shot a man during a confrontation on Friday is on administrative leave until the Hickory Police Department and the State Bureau of Investigation complete their review of the shooting.
Domestic violence investigator Dustin Nowatka, who has been with the Hickory police since 1998, was involved in a Friday morning shootout with Christopher George "Charles" Smith, 37 of Catawba County. At least one bullet struck Smith, who later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Smith's body was taken to Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem for an autopsy.
At about 8 a.m. Friday, Smith's wife, 31-year-old Catherine Smith, was found lying in the middle of 19th Street S.E., a dead-end road in an industrial area of the city. Police believe her husband gunned her down as she headed to work.
Catherine Smith had an active domestic violence protection order against her husband, documents show.
Two hours later, after a crime spree that included a kidnapping and carjacking, Charles Smith led officers on a chase through downtown Hickory that ended at the 19th Street S.E. business where Catherine Smith worked.
He ran into the building, encountered several employees and fired at least one shot inside the business. Three Hickory officers followed Smith and ordered him to drop his weapon, police said. He turned toward them with his gun, and Nowatka fired, striking Smith.
Hickory Police Department policy is to place officers on leave when they are involved in a shooting.
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8/27/07
Man jailed for beating woman with hammer
Monday, Aug. 27, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Lenoir man has been jailed since the weekend after he beat a woman with a hammer, authorities said.
Marvin Clarence Chester Jr., 35, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and second-degree kidnapping, according to a release from the Lenoir Police Department.
Shortly before 11 p.m. Friday, Lenoir police responded to a domestic dispute on Columbus Street, authorities said. Officers heard screams coming from inside the home, according to the release.
When they went inside, police said, officers found Chester hitting 42-year-old Connie Jean Laws with a claw hammer. She was treated for injuries at Caldwell Memorial Hospital. Her condition was not available Monday afternoon.
Chester was also charged on warrant for assault on a female and attempted larceny. He was being held at the Caldwell County jail Monday on no bond.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Lenoir man has been jailed since the weekend after he beat a woman with a hammer, authorities said.
Marvin Clarence Chester Jr., 35, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and second-degree kidnapping, according to a release from the Lenoir Police Department.
Shortly before 11 p.m. Friday, Lenoir police responded to a domestic dispute on Columbus Street, authorities said. Officers heard screams coming from inside the home, according to the release.
When they went inside, police said, officers found Chester hitting 42-year-old Connie Jean Laws with a claw hammer. She was treated for injuries at Caldwell Memorial Hospital. Her condition was not available Monday afternoon.
Chester was also charged on warrant for assault on a female and attempted larceny. He was being held at the Caldwell County jail Monday on no bond.
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8/26/07
Inmates move into new jail
Old building to be refurbished for women, juveniles
Sunday, Aug. 26, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Inmates in Catawba County moved into the new jail last week, and now the Sheriff's Office is hoping a makeover of the old facility will help save the county thousands of dollars.
Deputies last week moved about 170 inmates from the outdated, cramped, 27-year-old jail into the newly built facility it adjoins - a 98,000-square-foot detention center with 176 beds, a trusty dormitory, video visitation booths, a fully equipped kitchen and a medical center.
As inmates and guards begin adjusting to the new jail, Sheriff David Huffman has brought in a cleaning crew to scour the cells and hallways of the old jail.
The idea, he said, is to refurbish the entire building and turn it into a facility where the county can house only its female and juvenile inmates.
"Juveniles stay all over the state - in Mecklenburg, Buncombe County, and some have gone all the way to Wilmington," he said. "And any time a juvenile from Catawba County is housed outside our county, we're charged."
Not having to transport the younger inmates, Huffman said, could translate into about $90,000 in savings for the county.
According to state law, juveniles are required to be out of sight and sound of adult inmates, which has kept Catawba County from being able to house inmates younger than 16, Huffman said.
Making renovations to the old jail, he said, could make it possible to keep younger inmates in the county and cut out costs of having to pay another county to house the juveniles.
Huffman said he has about $250,000 available for the renovations. He hopes that will cover the work, though state requirements could push the cost higher.
The combined budget for both facilities is about $4.6 million.
Huffman said the old jail is big enough to hold about 14 juvenile inmates separately from the adult female inmates.
Currently, female inmates are being held in one section of the old jail while other areas of the facility are pressure-washed and repainted and repairs are made to security doors, tables and cells, Huffman said.
When that's done, the females will be moved into the refurbished area while renovations are made to the rest of the old jail.
"Everything is steel and concrete," Huffman said, "and we want to make it more comfortable for them."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Sunday, Aug. 26, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Inmates in Catawba County moved into the new jail last week, and now the Sheriff's Office is hoping a makeover of the old facility will help save the county thousands of dollars.
Deputies last week moved about 170 inmates from the outdated, cramped, 27-year-old jail into the newly built facility it adjoins - a 98,000-square-foot detention center with 176 beds, a trusty dormitory, video visitation booths, a fully equipped kitchen and a medical center.
As inmates and guards begin adjusting to the new jail, Sheriff David Huffman has brought in a cleaning crew to scour the cells and hallways of the old jail.
The idea, he said, is to refurbish the entire building and turn it into a facility where the county can house only its female and juvenile inmates.
"Juveniles stay all over the state - in Mecklenburg, Buncombe County, and some have gone all the way to Wilmington," he said. "And any time a juvenile from Catawba County is housed outside our county, we're charged."
Not having to transport the younger inmates, Huffman said, could translate into about $90,000 in savings for the county.
According to state law, juveniles are required to be out of sight and sound of adult inmates, which has kept Catawba County from being able to house inmates younger than 16, Huffman said.
Making renovations to the old jail, he said, could make it possible to keep younger inmates in the county and cut out costs of having to pay another county to house the juveniles.
Huffman said he has about $250,000 available for the renovations. He hopes that will cover the work, though state requirements could push the cost higher.
The combined budget for both facilities is about $4.6 million.
Huffman said the old jail is big enough to hold about 14 juvenile inmates separately from the adult female inmates.
Currently, female inmates are being held in one section of the old jail while other areas of the facility are pressure-washed and repainted and repairs are made to security doors, tables and cells, Huffman said.
When that's done, the females will be moved into the refurbished area while renovations are made to the rest of the old jail.
"Everything is steel and concrete," Huffman said, "and we want to make it more comfortable for them."
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8/25/07
Man who fell off boat Monday found drowned in Lake Norman
Friday, Aug. 25, 2006
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A three-day search for a man who fell off a boat into Lake Norman's murky waters ended Thursday afternoon in Catawba County.
Authorities, aided by search dogs and sonar equipment, found the body of the unidentified male around 4 p.m., said Chief Keith Bost of the Sherrills Ford Fire Department.
The body, he said, has been flown to Chapel Hill for identification.
The man disappeared Monday evening after falling off a boat near Spinnaker Bay Drive, south of Terrell.
The boat's driver, Robert William Ray Grooms, has been charged with boating while impaired.
The confirmed drowning marks the ninth death on the lake this year.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A three-day search for a man who fell off a boat into Lake Norman's murky waters ended Thursday afternoon in Catawba County.
Authorities, aided by search dogs and sonar equipment, found the body of the unidentified male around 4 p.m., said Chief Keith Bost of the Sherrills Ford Fire Department.
The body, he said, has been flown to Chapel Hill for identification.
The man disappeared Monday evening after falling off a boat near Spinnaker Bay Drive, south of Terrell.
The boat's driver, Robert William Ray Grooms, has been charged with boating while impaired.
The confirmed drowning marks the ninth death on the lake this year.
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Man kills wife, self during violent spree
He also kidnapped stepmom, took a car and led police on chase
Saturday, Aug. 25, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY - A man with a history of violence fatally shot his wife and killed himself Friday after a rampage that included a kidnapping, carjacking and chase.
Christopher George Smith, 37, shot himself in the head about 10 a.m. during a shootout with Hickory police inside Summit Door and Hardware, a business on 19th Street S.E. Police said at least one of the officer's bullets hit Smith before he died.
Two hours earlier, his wife, Catherine Stearns Smith, 31, was found shot in the head and lying in the street near the business, where she worked. She was taken to Catawba Valley Medical Center, where she died Friday afternoon, said Hickory police Lt. Hank Guess.
She was a mother of two boys, ages 2 and 6, and loved playing with her children at the family's Lake Hickory vacation cottage, said her brother-in-law Mike McGhinnis.
Friday's shootout ended a violent morning that began about 6:30 a.m., when Christopher Smith kidnapped his stepmother, Roena Setzer Smith, and forced her to drive to him around Hickory, Guess said.
One stop, he said, was at McGhinnis' house on 32nd Avenue N.W., where Smith broke into the home and locked his stepmother in the basement. Authorities believe Smith had gone to the home to look for McGhinnis, who co-owns Summit Door and Hardware and had banned Smith from coming onto the business' property.
Smith's stepmother escaped from the basement briefly before Smith caught her and forced her to drive to the business on 19th Street S.E., where he waited for his wife to come to work, Guess said.
When Catherine Smith arrived, her husband shot her, abandoned her bleeding body in the middle of the dead-end road and fled alone in her van. Another employee found Catherine Smith at 8:07 a.m. and called the authorities, Guess said.
Nearly two hours passed before police heard anything more about Christopher Smith.
Then, at 9:50 a.m., police in Long View, a small city adjacent to Hickory, received a report that a man had carjacked a 1990 Mercedes sports car from German Auto Service on U.S. 70, Guess said.
Bryan Sigmon, a 21-year-old mechanic at the shop, had just finished working on the Mercedes and was backing it out of the garage, he said, when a man slammed his hand against the open window and held a revolver to his face.
"He said, 'Get out of the car, I'm taking it,'" Sigmon recalled.
Sigmon said the man hopped in and sped onto northbound U.S. 70.
Police spotted the Mercedes, driven by Smith, at Seventh Avenue and Eighth Street S.W. in Hickory and chased it through the city. At one point, police said, Smith fired several shots at pursuing officers.
The chase ended at Summit Door and Hardware, where Smith ran into the building and encountered several employees. Smith fired at least one shot in the business, Guess said, but no one else was injured.
Three Hickory officers followed Smith into the building and ordered him to drop his weapon, police said. He turned toward them with his gun, and a Hickory officer fired, striking Smith.
After being shot, Smith went into another room, where he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Guess said.
The couple was estranged, Guess said, and Catherine Smith had taken out a domestic violence protection order in April against her husband, whose criminal record included convictions for robbery with a dangerous weapon and escape from a state prison.
Catherine Smith, a Newton-Conover High School graduate who would have celebrated her 32nd birthday Thursday, was a strong-willed and independent woman who would do anything for her family, McGhinnis said.
But it was her children, he said, that mattered to her the most.
"She spent a lot of time with her boys," he said. "That's what she loved doing."
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Saturday, Aug. 25, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY - A man with a history of violence fatally shot his wife and killed himself Friday after a rampage that included a kidnapping, carjacking and chase.
Christopher George Smith, 37, shot himself in the head about 10 a.m. during a shootout with Hickory police inside Summit Door and Hardware, a business on 19th Street S.E. Police said at least one of the officer's bullets hit Smith before he died.
Two hours earlier, his wife, Catherine Stearns Smith, 31, was found shot in the head and lying in the street near the business, where she worked. She was taken to Catawba Valley Medical Center, where she died Friday afternoon, said Hickory police Lt. Hank Guess.
She was a mother of two boys, ages 2 and 6, and loved playing with her children at the family's Lake Hickory vacation cottage, said her brother-in-law Mike McGhinnis.
Friday's shootout ended a violent morning that began about 6:30 a.m., when Christopher Smith kidnapped his stepmother, Roena Setzer Smith, and forced her to drive to him around Hickory, Guess said.
One stop, he said, was at McGhinnis' house on 32nd Avenue N.W., where Smith broke into the home and locked his stepmother in the basement. Authorities believe Smith had gone to the home to look for McGhinnis, who co-owns Summit Door and Hardware and had banned Smith from coming onto the business' property.
Smith's stepmother escaped from the basement briefly before Smith caught her and forced her to drive to the business on 19th Street S.E., where he waited for his wife to come to work, Guess said.
When Catherine Smith arrived, her husband shot her, abandoned her bleeding body in the middle of the dead-end road and fled alone in her van. Another employee found Catherine Smith at 8:07 a.m. and called the authorities, Guess said.
Nearly two hours passed before police heard anything more about Christopher Smith.
Then, at 9:50 a.m., police in Long View, a small city adjacent to Hickory, received a report that a man had carjacked a 1990 Mercedes sports car from German Auto Service on U.S. 70, Guess said.
Bryan Sigmon, a 21-year-old mechanic at the shop, had just finished working on the Mercedes and was backing it out of the garage, he said, when a man slammed his hand against the open window and held a revolver to his face.
"He said, 'Get out of the car, I'm taking it,'" Sigmon recalled.
Sigmon said the man hopped in and sped onto northbound U.S. 70.
Police spotted the Mercedes, driven by Smith, at Seventh Avenue and Eighth Street S.W. in Hickory and chased it through the city. At one point, police said, Smith fired several shots at pursuing officers.
The chase ended at Summit Door and Hardware, where Smith ran into the building and encountered several employees. Smith fired at least one shot in the business, Guess said, but no one else was injured.
Three Hickory officers followed Smith into the building and ordered him to drop his weapon, police said. He turned toward them with his gun, and a Hickory officer fired, striking Smith.
After being shot, Smith went into another room, where he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Guess said.
The couple was estranged, Guess said, and Catherine Smith had taken out a domestic violence protection order in April against her husband, whose criminal record included convictions for robbery with a dangerous weapon and escape from a state prison.
Catherine Smith, a Newton-Conover High School graduate who would have celebrated her 32nd birthday Thursday, was a strong-willed and independent woman who would do anything for her family, McGhinnis said.
But it was her children, he said, that mattered to her the most.
"She spent a lot of time with her boys," he said. "That's what she loved doing."
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8/24/07
17-year-old dies hours after crash on Grace Chapel Road
Friday, Aug. 24, 2007
Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
GRANITE FALLS - A Granite Falls teenager riding in a car that slammed into a tree Wednesday afternoon died a few hours later at a Tennessee hospital, authorities said.
Brittnay Chester, 17, was sitting in the front seat of a car driven by her boyfriend, 18-year-old Kenneth Tramble, when the car veered off Grace Chapel Road shortly before 12:45 p.m. and slammed into two trees.
She was taken by helicopter to Johnson City Medical Center, where she died at 4:31 p.m., said Trooper Myron Davis of the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Tramble and his 13-year-old brother, Seth, who was sitting in the back seat, were taken to Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory. Kenneth Tramble was released from the hospital Thursday, and Seth Tramble was in stable condition Thursday afternoon.
Authorities were still investigating, but they did not think excessive speed or alcohol contributed to the crash. Kenneth Tramble was charged with careless and reckless driving.
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Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
GRANITE FALLS - A Granite Falls teenager riding in a car that slammed into a tree Wednesday afternoon died a few hours later at a Tennessee hospital, authorities said.
Brittnay Chester, 17, was sitting in the front seat of a car driven by her boyfriend, 18-year-old Kenneth Tramble, when the car veered off Grace Chapel Road shortly before 12:45 p.m. and slammed into two trees.
She was taken by helicopter to Johnson City Medical Center, where she died at 4:31 p.m., said Trooper Myron Davis of the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Tramble and his 13-year-old brother, Seth, who was sitting in the back seat, were taken to Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory. Kenneth Tramble was released from the hospital Thursday, and Seth Tramble was in stable condition Thursday afternoon.
Authorities were still investigating, but they did not think excessive speed or alcohol contributed to the crash. Kenneth Tramble was charged with careless and reckless driving.
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8/23/07
3 teens hurt when their car veers off road, hits trees
Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
GRANITE FALLS - Three Granite Falls teenagers had to be cut from a mangled car Wednesday afternoon after their car slammed into two trees, authorities said.
Kenneth Tramble, 18, was driving a 1990 maroon Dodge Sprint east on Grace Chapel Road, near the intersection of Looper Road, shortly before 12:45 p.m. when the car veered off the road and hit the trees, said Trooper Myron Davis of the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Brittnay Chester, 17, who was sitting in the front, was seriously injured and taken by helicopter to Johnson City Medical Center in Tennessee. Tramble's 13-year-old brother, Seth, was sitting in the back seat, Davis said.
The Tramble boys were taken to Frye Regional Medical Center. Davis said all three teenagers were wearing seat belts. Their conditions were not available Wednesday evening.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
GRANITE FALLS - Three Granite Falls teenagers had to be cut from a mangled car Wednesday afternoon after their car slammed into two trees, authorities said.
Kenneth Tramble, 18, was driving a 1990 maroon Dodge Sprint east on Grace Chapel Road, near the intersection of Looper Road, shortly before 12:45 p.m. when the car veered off the road and hit the trees, said Trooper Myron Davis of the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Brittnay Chester, 17, who was sitting in the front, was seriously injured and taken by helicopter to Johnson City Medical Center in Tennessee. Tramble's 13-year-old brother, Seth, was sitting in the back seat, Davis said.
The Tramble boys were taken to Frye Regional Medical Center. Davis said all three teenagers were wearing seat belts. Their conditions were not available Wednesday evening.
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Woman ejected as her vehicle flipped following collision
Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
CAJAH MOUNTAIN - A Granite Falls woman has died after being thrown from her sport utility vehicle Wednesday, authorities said.
Robin Gray Davis, 46, was traveling north on Connelly Springs Road at 10:45 a.m. when the back left side of her Toyota 4Runner was hit by a northbound Jeep trying to turn on to Cajah Mountain Road, said Trooper Keith Dills of the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Davis' car spun and skidded sideways before flipping, Dills said. Davis, who did not appear to be wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the car window or sunroof, he said.
The 2004 Jeep was driven by 59-year-old Annette Beam Dudley. Dudley was not injured in the crash, he said.
The Highway Patrol's investigation will be given to the District Attorney's Office, which will decide whether to file charges, Dills said.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
CAJAH MOUNTAIN - A Granite Falls woman has died after being thrown from her sport utility vehicle Wednesday, authorities said.
Robin Gray Davis, 46, was traveling north on Connelly Springs Road at 10:45 a.m. when the back left side of her Toyota 4Runner was hit by a northbound Jeep trying to turn on to Cajah Mountain Road, said Trooper Keith Dills of the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Davis' car spun and skidded sideways before flipping, Dills said. Davis, who did not appear to be wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the car window or sunroof, he said.
The 2004 Jeep was driven by 59-year-old Annette Beam Dudley. Dudley was not injured in the crash, he said.
The Highway Patrol's investigation will be given to the District Attorney's Office, which will decide whether to file charges, Dills said.
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L-R series features McCourt, 7 others
`Angela's Ashes' author headlines lineup for the 19th annual writers' event at the Hickory college
Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Frank McCourt, author of "Angela's Ashes," the autobiographical story of a boy struggling to overcome his family's poverty in Ireland, headlines the Lenoir-Rhyne College's Visiting Writers Series, which begins its 19th season next month.
McCourt will speak at 8 p.m. Nov. 1 at P.E. Monroe Auditorium.
The series brings eight premier authors to Hickory and gives the community a chance to talk with the writers about their prose, craft and inspiration.
The season, which runs Sept. 13 through April 12, showcases an impressive lineup of literary prize winners, including journalist and former CNN chairman, Walter Isaacson; and children's author Jon Scieszka.
Scieszka will be in town April 12 for The Little Read, communitywide reading program for elementary school children and their families.
Thomas Rain Crowe, an environmentalist and air-quality activist, opens the series Sept. 13.
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Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Frank McCourt, author of "Angela's Ashes," the autobiographical story of a boy struggling to overcome his family's poverty in Ireland, headlines the Lenoir-Rhyne College's Visiting Writers Series, which begins its 19th season next month.
McCourt will speak at 8 p.m. Nov. 1 at P.E. Monroe Auditorium.
The series brings eight premier authors to Hickory and gives the community a chance to talk with the writers about their prose, craft and inspiration.
The season, which runs Sept. 13 through April 12, showcases an impressive lineup of literary prize winners, including journalist and former CNN chairman, Walter Isaacson; and children's author Jon Scieszka.
Scieszka will be in town April 12 for The Little Read, communitywide reading program for elementary school children and their families.
Thomas Rain Crowe, an environmentalist and air-quality activist, opens the series Sept. 13.
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8/22/07
Catawba County Dole meets with sheriffs to talk of illegal immigration
Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
NEWTON - U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., met with sheriffs from Catawba, Burke, Caldwell and Alexander counties Tuesday to talk about how to identify illegal immigrants committing crimes in the Western Piedmont.
Dole is working with N.C. law enforcement agencies to establish the 287(g) federal program in their areas, which would allow the sheriff's offices to determine status of illegal immigrants and process those charged with crimes.
Catawba, Burke, Caldwell and Alexander counties, the sheriffs said, often see the same immigrants breaking laws across county lines but must travel to Charlotte to determine whether they are in the country legally.
"They simply don't have the money (to do this alone)," Dole said. "They have had many frustrating problems because they just haven't had the tools."
Money from the federal program, Dole said, would allow the four counties share a database housed in Catawba County.
"It's a lot easier for me to drive to Catawba or Caldwell or Burke than to Charlotte to have someone verified," said Alexander County Sheriff Hayden Bentley.
The Tuesday morning meeting kicked off nearly two weeks of conferences between Dole and 40 sheriffs from across the state about identifying illegal immigrants breaking the law.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
NEWTON - U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., met with sheriffs from Catawba, Burke, Caldwell and Alexander counties Tuesday to talk about how to identify illegal immigrants committing crimes in the Western Piedmont.
Dole is working with N.C. law enforcement agencies to establish the 287(g) federal program in their areas, which would allow the sheriff's offices to determine status of illegal immigrants and process those charged with crimes.
Catawba, Burke, Caldwell and Alexander counties, the sheriffs said, often see the same immigrants breaking laws across county lines but must travel to Charlotte to determine whether they are in the country legally.
"They simply don't have the money (to do this alone)," Dole said. "They have had many frustrating problems because they just haven't had the tools."
Money from the federal program, Dole said, would allow the four counties share a database housed in Catawba County.
"It's a lot easier for me to drive to Catawba or Caldwell or Burke than to Charlotte to have someone verified," said Alexander County Sheriff Hayden Bentley.
The Tuesday morning meeting kicked off nearly two weeks of conferences between Dole and 40 sheriffs from across the state about identifying illegal immigrants breaking the law.
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8/19/07
Protestors address McHenry
Group calls attention to cost of Iraq war
Sunday, Aug. 19, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY - About a dozen opponents of the war in Iraq gathered outside U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry's office Thursday to tell the congressman how much money the conflict is costing the 10th District.
Members of MoveOn.org, a national political action group, released the results of a report that breaks down the war's cost by state, city and congressional district.
And taxpayers in McHenry's district, which includes eight western counties and parts of Iredell, Gaston and Rutherford counties, are paying about $900 million to fund the conflict, said Linda Osbon, a Hickory-based spokesperson for the group.
That's enough money to provide health care for 413,991 children, 19,154 elementary school teachers or 195,101 college scholarships, Osbon said.
"When you talk about the lives lost, it doesn't register," Osbon said. "But if you talk about money, for some reason people listen."
The study, done by the National Priorities Project, used IRS and census data to break down war spending. According to the report, the war is costing N.C. taxpayers more than $12 billion.
McHenry was in Gaston County when the protesters gathered outside his office and did not return a call for comment.
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Sunday, Aug. 19, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY - About a dozen opponents of the war in Iraq gathered outside U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry's office Thursday to tell the congressman how much money the conflict is costing the 10th District.
Members of MoveOn.org, a national political action group, released the results of a report that breaks down the war's cost by state, city and congressional district.
And taxpayers in McHenry's district, which includes eight western counties and parts of Iredell, Gaston and Rutherford counties, are paying about $900 million to fund the conflict, said Linda Osbon, a Hickory-based spokesperson for the group.
That's enough money to provide health care for 413,991 children, 19,154 elementary school teachers or 195,101 college scholarships, Osbon said.
"When you talk about the lives lost, it doesn't register," Osbon said. "But if you talk about money, for some reason people listen."
The study, done by the National Priorities Project, used IRS and census data to break down war spending. According to the report, the war is costing N.C. taxpayers more than $12 billion.
McHenry was in Gaston County when the protesters gathered outside his office and did not return a call for comment.
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8/17/07
Hickory man slashed during robbery attempt
Friday, Aug. 17, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Hickory man walking through a southeast neighborhood early Thursday morning was slashed with a box cutter during an attempted robbery, police said.
Byron Jeffrey Bost, 20, was walking on Ninth Avenue about 12:15 a.m. Thursday when a man driving a red, two-door car pulled up next to him, according to a Hickory Police Department report.
Bost told police that the man climbed out of the car and asked, "Do you have anything for me?" Bost told authorities that he did not know the man.
He said the man then sliced his left arm and side. Bost was taken to Frye Regional Medical Center, where each slash was sealed with 30 staples, police said.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Hickory man walking through a southeast neighborhood early Thursday morning was slashed with a box cutter during an attempted robbery, police said.
Byron Jeffrey Bost, 20, was walking on Ninth Avenue about 12:15 a.m. Thursday when a man driving a red, two-door car pulled up next to him, according to a Hickory Police Department report.
Bost told police that the man climbed out of the car and asked, "Do you have anything for me?" Bost told authorities that he did not know the man.
He said the man then sliced his left arm and side. Bost was taken to Frye Regional Medical Center, where each slash was sealed with 30 staples, police said.
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Teens surrender to face murder charges
Friday, Aug. 17, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY - Two Lincolnton teenagers wanted in last week's fatal shooting of an 18-year-old Newton man turned themselves in at the Catawba County Sheriff's Office on Thursday.
Grady Tyshone Wilson, 17, and 16-year-old Zir-alyn Phelps walked into the Sheriff's Office shortly after 4 p.m. They were flanked by their attorneys, who told them not to talk to the media.
Wilson, Phelps and three men have been charged with murder in the Aug. 9 shooting death of 18-year-old Zachary Thomas Walker of Newton. Ralph Jerome Mack, 21; Brandon Duncan, 20; and his brother, Joshua Duncan, 18, were charged last week.
Walker was visiting friends at a home off River Road in Mountain View about 12:45 a.m. Aug. 9 when a group of men came into the house, said Maj. Coy Reid of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office. Walker was shot several times in the chest.
Sheriff's Capt. Roy Brown said there were at least 10 people at the home, including the five men charged, when the shots were fired. Nobody else was injured.
Brown said it appears that the men planned to rob the home and were looking for money and drugs.
Though authorities think Mack and Walker were acquaintances, Brown said the shooting appeared to be no more than a robbery attempt.
The five men were being held without bond Thursday evening at the Catawba County jail.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY - Two Lincolnton teenagers wanted in last week's fatal shooting of an 18-year-old Newton man turned themselves in at the Catawba County Sheriff's Office on Thursday.
Grady Tyshone Wilson, 17, and 16-year-old Zir-alyn Phelps walked into the Sheriff's Office shortly after 4 p.m. They were flanked by their attorneys, who told them not to talk to the media.
Wilson, Phelps and three men have been charged with murder in the Aug. 9 shooting death of 18-year-old Zachary Thomas Walker of Newton. Ralph Jerome Mack, 21; Brandon Duncan, 20; and his brother, Joshua Duncan, 18, were charged last week.
Walker was visiting friends at a home off River Road in Mountain View about 12:45 a.m. Aug. 9 when a group of men came into the house, said Maj. Coy Reid of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office. Walker was shot several times in the chest.
Sheriff's Capt. Roy Brown said there were at least 10 people at the home, including the five men charged, when the shots were fired. Nobody else was injured.
Brown said it appears that the men planned to rob the home and were looking for money and drugs.
Though authorities think Mack and Walker were acquaintances, Brown said the shooting appeared to be no more than a robbery attempt.
The five men were being held without bond Thursday evening at the Catawba County jail.
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8/16/07
Solution sought for wait
Sitting with psychiatric patients ties up deputies
Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Law enforcement and mental health officials in Burke County are working together to reduce the amount of time officers spend waiting with psychiatric patients in need of a bed at Broughton Hospital or another facility.
But there's no easy solution.
Mental health workers are often forced to turn patients away when hospitals are overcrowded, and local law enforcement is responsible for waiting with involuntary patients - those required by a magistrate to go through a psychiatric evaluation - until space opens up.
"We have to sit with them, whether it's three days, four days or five days," McDevitt said. "Basically, we're stuck."
The first weekend in July, Burke County deputies sat with two mental health patients for nearly 100 hours in a hospital emergency room, waiting for space to open at Broughton, John Umstead Hospital in Butner, Dorothea Dix Hospital in Raleigh or at Frye Regional Medical Center's South Campus in Hickory.
The following weekend, McDevitt said, five deputies were pulled off patrol while they picked up involuntarily committed mental health patients and waited for open beds.
"It's a real manpower issue," he said. "We haven't had a disaster happen because of it, but if we have two or three deputies tied up on commitments, we'll have a lot of calls waiting."
For every hour deputies wait with patients, often sitting inside an exam room at Grace Hospital or Valdese Hospital, the less time officers have to respond to other calls in the county, McDevitt said.
Often, when one psychiatric hospital is overcrowded, all state facilities are also at capacity, extending the wait for an open bed, said Laura White of the N.C. Division of Mental Health.
In January, the state implemented a policy that caps the number of patients psychiatric hospitals can accept at any given time, White said. Now, she said, hospitals cannot exceed a capacity of 110 percent.
Before then, state hospitals were regularly taking in 20 to 50 percent more patients over capacity, she said, with Broughton routinely housing about 20 percent more.
Broughton's adult capacity caps at 140 beds, said Jon Berry, chief of support services at the hospital.
That's part of the reason why officers are sitting longer and more often with patients, said John Hardy, director of Mental Health Services Catawba, which also serves Burke.
Now, mental health officials and Burke County commissioners are trying to find a way to keep deputies on the streets and find other ways - beyond the Sheriff's Office budget - to pay for the time they spend with waiting patients.
The next meeting, which will include representatives from Grace and Valdese hospitals, mental health providers, commissioners and law enforcement, is scheduled for Aug. 30, Hardy said.
Possible solutions could include using money appropriated by the state, creating a general fund and using off-duty officers, rather than those working a Sheriff's Office shift, he said.
The real resolution, however, depends on staffing at hospitals and how many patients need to be committed, Hardy said.
"The squeaky issue at the moment is that we have law enforcement tied up," he said. "Well, there's also the issue that we don't have people available in the right places to help out patients."
Often, Hardy said, beds are open at Grace Hospital's psychiatric unit, but the facility doesn't have enough doctors to handle extra patients. But the priority, he said, is to keep patients and staff safe and not overextend each hospital's capability.
"If you have a supply and demand problem, you have to alter that one side or the other," he said. "Everyone is scrambling."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Law enforcement and mental health officials in Burke County are working together to reduce the amount of time officers spend waiting with psychiatric patients in need of a bed at Broughton Hospital or another facility.
But there's no easy solution.
Mental health workers are often forced to turn patients away when hospitals are overcrowded, and local law enforcement is responsible for waiting with involuntary patients - those required by a magistrate to go through a psychiatric evaluation - until space opens up.
"We have to sit with them, whether it's three days, four days or five days," McDevitt said. "Basically, we're stuck."
The first weekend in July, Burke County deputies sat with two mental health patients for nearly 100 hours in a hospital emergency room, waiting for space to open at Broughton, John Umstead Hospital in Butner, Dorothea Dix Hospital in Raleigh or at Frye Regional Medical Center's South Campus in Hickory.
The following weekend, McDevitt said, five deputies were pulled off patrol while they picked up involuntarily committed mental health patients and waited for open beds.
"It's a real manpower issue," he said. "We haven't had a disaster happen because of it, but if we have two or three deputies tied up on commitments, we'll have a lot of calls waiting."
For every hour deputies wait with patients, often sitting inside an exam room at Grace Hospital or Valdese Hospital, the less time officers have to respond to other calls in the county, McDevitt said.
Often, when one psychiatric hospital is overcrowded, all state facilities are also at capacity, extending the wait for an open bed, said Laura White of the N.C. Division of Mental Health.
In January, the state implemented a policy that caps the number of patients psychiatric hospitals can accept at any given time, White said. Now, she said, hospitals cannot exceed a capacity of 110 percent.
Before then, state hospitals were regularly taking in 20 to 50 percent more patients over capacity, she said, with Broughton routinely housing about 20 percent more.
Broughton's adult capacity caps at 140 beds, said Jon Berry, chief of support services at the hospital.
That's part of the reason why officers are sitting longer and more often with patients, said John Hardy, director of Mental Health Services Catawba, which also serves Burke.
Now, mental health officials and Burke County commissioners are trying to find a way to keep deputies on the streets and find other ways - beyond the Sheriff's Office budget - to pay for the time they spend with waiting patients.
The next meeting, which will include representatives from Grace and Valdese hospitals, mental health providers, commissioners and law enforcement, is scheduled for Aug. 30, Hardy said.
Possible solutions could include using money appropriated by the state, creating a general fund and using off-duty officers, rather than those working a Sheriff's Office shift, he said.
The real resolution, however, depends on staffing at hospitals and how many patients need to be committed, Hardy said.
"The squeaky issue at the moment is that we have law enforcement tied up," he said. "Well, there's also the issue that we don't have people available in the right places to help out patients."
Often, Hardy said, beds are open at Grace Hospital's psychiatric unit, but the facility doesn't have enough doctors to handle extra patients. But the priority, he said, is to keep patients and staff safe and not overextend each hospital's capability.
"If you have a supply and demand problem, you have to alter that one side or the other," he said. "Everyone is scrambling."
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8/15/07
Man wounded in leg by shots fired into home as he slept
Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Long View man was shot twice in the leg early Tuesday when bullets were fired into the mobile home where he was staying, police said.
Johnny Ray Roland, 22, was sleeping in a mobile home off Fourth Avenue in Long View about 1 a.m. Tuesday when bullets hit the trailer, said Lt. Rick Coffey of the Long View Police Department.
Police believe the shots were fired from a passing car.
Two bullets struck Roland's leg, Coffey said, and he was taken to Frye Regional Medical Center.
He was in stable condition later Tuesday.
Another man living in the home was not injured.
Coffey said police do not have a suspect or a description of the vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to call the Long View Police Department at 828-327-2343.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Long View man was shot twice in the leg early Tuesday when bullets were fired into the mobile home where he was staying, police said.
Johnny Ray Roland, 22, was sleeping in a mobile home off Fourth Avenue in Long View about 1 a.m. Tuesday when bullets hit the trailer, said Lt. Rick Coffey of the Long View Police Department.
Police believe the shots were fired from a passing car.
Two bullets struck Roland's leg, Coffey said, and he was taken to Frye Regional Medical Center.
He was in stable condition later Tuesday.
Another man living in the home was not injured.
Coffey said police do not have a suspect or a description of the vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to call the Long View Police Department at 828-327-2343.
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8/14/07
Woman reports abduction, sexual assault by attacker in car
Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY - A woman walking through a southwest Hickory neighborhood Monday was kidnapped and sexually assaulted, authorities said.
The Hickory woman was walking along Fifth Street S.W., just off of U.S. 70, about 8 a.m. when a car pulled up next to her, police said.
A man stepped out of the car, grabbed the woman from behind and wrestled her into his vehicle, police said. She was sexually assaulted behind a building a few blocks from where she was abducted, police said.
She was found naked by employees of a nearby business. Her clothes were found on a street a few blocks away, police said.
The woman was treated at Frye Regional Medical Center. Police would not provide a description of the man or of the vehicle.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Hickory Police Department at 828-324-2060.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
HICKORY - A woman walking through a southwest Hickory neighborhood Monday was kidnapped and sexually assaulted, authorities said.
The Hickory woman was walking along Fifth Street S.W., just off of U.S. 70, about 8 a.m. when a car pulled up next to her, police said.
A man stepped out of the car, grabbed the woman from behind and wrestled her into his vehicle, police said. She was sexually assaulted behind a building a few blocks from where she was abducted, police said.
She was found naked by employees of a nearby business. Her clothes were found on a street a few blocks away, police said.
The woman was treated at Frye Regional Medical Center. Police would not provide a description of the man or of the vehicle.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Hickory Police Department at 828-324-2060.
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Teen is 4th person charged in shooting death at house
Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A fourth person was charged with murder Monday in last week's shooting death of a Newton teenager, authorities said.
Authorities Monday had a warraent for Grady Tyshone Wilson, 17, of Lincolnton. He is a suspect in the shooting death of Zachary Thomas Walker, 18.
Walker was visiting friends at a home off River Road in Mountain View around 12:45 a.m. Thursday when a group of men came into the house, said Maj. Coy Reid of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office.
Walker was shot several times in the chest and died at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory.
Ralph Jerome Mack, 21, Brandon Duncan, 20, and his brother, Joshua Duncan, 18, were charged with murder Friday.
They were being held without bond Monday, Reid said. Sheriff's Capt. Roy Brown said Mack and Walker were acquaintances, but the shooting "appeared to be no more than a robbery attempt."
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A fourth person was charged with murder Monday in last week's shooting death of a Newton teenager, authorities said.
Authorities Monday had a warraent for Grady Tyshone Wilson, 17, of Lincolnton. He is a suspect in the shooting death of Zachary Thomas Walker, 18.
Walker was visiting friends at a home off River Road in Mountain View around 12:45 a.m. Thursday when a group of men came into the house, said Maj. Coy Reid of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office.
Walker was shot several times in the chest and died at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory.
Ralph Jerome Mack, 21, Brandon Duncan, 20, and his brother, Joshua Duncan, 18, were charged with murder Friday.
They were being held without bond Monday, Reid said. Sheriff's Capt. Roy Brown said Mack and Walker were acquaintances, but the shooting "appeared to be no more than a robbery attempt."
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Woman appears in court on charge in boyfriend's shooting
Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Burke County woman accused of shooting her boyfriend early Sunday made her first court appearance Monday.
Tara Danielle McGaha, 34, was being held at the Burke-Catawba Detention Facility Monday evening with bond set at $50,000, authorities said.
About 6:30 a.m. Sunday, McGaha's boyfriend, William Christopher Goins of Granite Falls, was shot in the leg with a .22-caliber rifle, according to the Burke County Sheriff's Office. Goins told deputies that he and McGaha were arguing at her home on Nuckolls Drive in Morganton.
McGaha was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Burke County woman accused of shooting her boyfriend early Sunday made her first court appearance Monday.
Tara Danielle McGaha, 34, was being held at the Burke-Catawba Detention Facility Monday evening with bond set at $50,000, authorities said.
About 6:30 a.m. Sunday, McGaha's boyfriend, William Christopher Goins of Granite Falls, was shot in the leg with a .22-caliber rifle, according to the Burke County Sheriff's Office. Goins told deputies that he and McGaha were arguing at her home on Nuckolls Drive in Morganton.
McGaha was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
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8/12/07
Battle brewing in Morganton race
Mayor, seeking 10th term, faces tough opponent
Former president of community college build support; Cohen tout his experience, connections
Sunday, Aug. 12, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MORGANTON - Mel Cohen has a fight on his hands.
It's the first time in his 22-year tenure as Morganton mayor that Cohen is facing a formidable opponent with a name almost as recognizable as his own.
Jim Richardson, who led Western Piedmont Community College as president for 25 years, filed last month to run against Cohen, and has been steadily building a platform for change in leadership.
Two decades, he said, is too long for any politician to be in office.
"Someone should never make a career of being mayor," Richardson said. "Leadership gets stagnant after too long."
But Cohen, who was first elected when Ronald Reagan was president, said his experience, connections and knowledge of the city could never be considered a negative.
"There's no difference between (how long you lead) a community college or a city," he said. "I've led Morganton into the new century, making it a better place to live and work, and continue to do so."
Cohen, who is seeking his 10th term, has run unopposed four times, and when he has faced challengers, they haven't posed much of a threat. The election is Oct. 9.
In the last election, Cohen secured his ninth term by defeating former Burke County commissioner Tom McCurry, 920 to 293 votes. In 1999, when he faced McCurry and Burke County attorney Dan Kuehnert, Cohen won with 72 percent of the vote.
McCurry, who has challenged Cohen in every mayoral election since 1997 and hasn't secured much more than 30 percent, has also filed for the seat this year. He couldn't be reached for comment last week.
Now, Cohen, who graduated from UNC Chapel Hill, is facing a challenger who, for 25 years, led the community college and established relationships with educators, students, local and state politicians, county planners and numerous boards.
Richardson, a Wilkes County native, moved to Morganton with a resume stocked with accolades for his leadership and education. He graduated from Appalachian State University, where he played basketball on scholarship, and he received a master's degree from East Tennessee University and a doctorate from Duke University.
That, he said, combined with his experience at Western Piedmont, elevates him as a candidate.
"Education has been my salvation, and I want everyone to have an opportunity at a better life," he said.
If elected, Richardson said, he'd like to establish programs that would give the city's youth more options to get involved with the community.
Richardson supporters say he works well with everyone he meets and respects opinions that don't mirror his own. That, said Roy McGalliard, a longtime friend and former Western Piedmont instructor, sets him apart.
"I've worked for him in a subordinate position, and I've never felt at any time that I had to sequester my opinion in order to please the boss," McGalliard said. " He's flexible and listens to people in the know."
Though Cohen and Richardson have said they want to keep the race clean, it has already started to get a little heated as the candidates began talking about economic development and bolstering downtown.
Cohen's focus on Morganton, Richardson said, seems to hinge upon concerts and festivals in the city center, an 8-by-10-block grid lined with leafy trees, stores and offices.
"Entertainment is good on Friday night," he said, "but we need to reach out more than just a few blocks around the courthouse square."
But that argument, Cohen said, is an attack on the entire city.
"We have never concentrated on only downtown, but it is the front porch of our community," Cohen said. "If your downtown is not bright and beautiful and clean, your community is not looking toward its future."
In the late 1970s, Morganton's city center was known for its boarded-up storefronts and vagrants. Looking to restart the city's heart, Cohen, a Morganton native, began working in 1982 to bring new business to the streets surrounding the Old Burke County Courthouse.
Then, in 1997, Cohen and the City Council appointed an advisory committee to come up with a detailed, long-term plan for boosting business downtown and adopted a master plan for the entire city that laid out goals - from recreation and restaurants to housing and industry - through 2015.
He orchestrated the recruitment of restaurants, shops, condos and apartments to the city center, he said, and brought the Catawba River Greenway, the sports complex and new industry to the city.
Those achievements, said Yianni Dimarhos, a restaurant owner whom Cohen recruited to Morganton a decade ago, clearly show Cohen is a capable mayor who is continually adapting and thinking of ways to make the city better.
"He takes care of his city very well and has been doing it for 22 years," Dimarhos said. "Why get rid of something that has proven to be the best?"
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
Former president of community college build support; Cohen tout his experience, connections
Sunday, Aug. 12, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MORGANTON - Mel Cohen has a fight on his hands.
It's the first time in his 22-year tenure as Morganton mayor that Cohen is facing a formidable opponent with a name almost as recognizable as his own.
Jim Richardson, who led Western Piedmont Community College as president for 25 years, filed last month to run against Cohen, and has been steadily building a platform for change in leadership.
Two decades, he said, is too long for any politician to be in office.
"Someone should never make a career of being mayor," Richardson said. "Leadership gets stagnant after too long."
But Cohen, who was first elected when Ronald Reagan was president, said his experience, connections and knowledge of the city could never be considered a negative.
"There's no difference between (how long you lead) a community college or a city," he said. "I've led Morganton into the new century, making it a better place to live and work, and continue to do so."
Cohen, who is seeking his 10th term, has run unopposed four times, and when he has faced challengers, they haven't posed much of a threat. The election is Oct. 9.
In the last election, Cohen secured his ninth term by defeating former Burke County commissioner Tom McCurry, 920 to 293 votes. In 1999, when he faced McCurry and Burke County attorney Dan Kuehnert, Cohen won with 72 percent of the vote.
McCurry, who has challenged Cohen in every mayoral election since 1997 and hasn't secured much more than 30 percent, has also filed for the seat this year. He couldn't be reached for comment last week.
Now, Cohen, who graduated from UNC Chapel Hill, is facing a challenger who, for 25 years, led the community college and established relationships with educators, students, local and state politicians, county planners and numerous boards.
Richardson, a Wilkes County native, moved to Morganton with a resume stocked with accolades for his leadership and education. He graduated from Appalachian State University, where he played basketball on scholarship, and he received a master's degree from East Tennessee University and a doctorate from Duke University.
That, he said, combined with his experience at Western Piedmont, elevates him as a candidate.
"Education has been my salvation, and I want everyone to have an opportunity at a better life," he said.
If elected, Richardson said, he'd like to establish programs that would give the city's youth more options to get involved with the community.
Richardson supporters say he works well with everyone he meets and respects opinions that don't mirror his own. That, said Roy McGalliard, a longtime friend and former Western Piedmont instructor, sets him apart.
"I've worked for him in a subordinate position, and I've never felt at any time that I had to sequester my opinion in order to please the boss," McGalliard said. " He's flexible and listens to people in the know."
Though Cohen and Richardson have said they want to keep the race clean, it has already started to get a little heated as the candidates began talking about economic development and bolstering downtown.
Cohen's focus on Morganton, Richardson said, seems to hinge upon concerts and festivals in the city center, an 8-by-10-block grid lined with leafy trees, stores and offices.
"Entertainment is good on Friday night," he said, "but we need to reach out more than just a few blocks around the courthouse square."
But that argument, Cohen said, is an attack on the entire city.
"We have never concentrated on only downtown, but it is the front porch of our community," Cohen said. "If your downtown is not bright and beautiful and clean, your community is not looking toward its future."
In the late 1970s, Morganton's city center was known for its boarded-up storefronts and vagrants. Looking to restart the city's heart, Cohen, a Morganton native, began working in 1982 to bring new business to the streets surrounding the Old Burke County Courthouse.
Then, in 1997, Cohen and the City Council appointed an advisory committee to come up with a detailed, long-term plan for boosting business downtown and adopted a master plan for the entire city that laid out goals - from recreation and restaurants to housing and industry - through 2015.
He orchestrated the recruitment of restaurants, shops, condos and apartments to the city center, he said, and brought the Catawba River Greenway, the sports complex and new industry to the city.
Those achievements, said Yianni Dimarhos, a restaurant owner whom Cohen recruited to Morganton a decade ago, clearly show Cohen is a capable mayor who is continually adapting and thinking of ways to make the city better.
"He takes care of his city very well and has been doing it for 22 years," Dimarhos said. "Why get rid of something that has proven to be the best?"
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8/10/07
Teenager shot to death during visit to friend's home
Friday, Aug. 10, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A teenager was shot and killed early Thursday morning while visiting with several friends at a Newton home, authorities said.
Witnesses told authorities that Zackary Thomas Walker, 18, of Newton was at a friend's home off River Road about 12:45 a.m. Thursday when a group of men came into the house and fired a handgun at him, said Maj. Coy Reid of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office.
Reid would not say how many times Walker was shot or where the fatal bullet struck.
Walker was taken to Frye Regional Medical Center, where he died. Nobody else was injured.
Investigators do not know whether Walker knew any of the men.
Anyone with information should call 828-464-5241.
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By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A teenager was shot and killed early Thursday morning while visiting with several friends at a Newton home, authorities said.
Witnesses told authorities that Zackary Thomas Walker, 18, of Newton was at a friend's home off River Road about 12:45 a.m. Thursday when a group of men came into the house and fired a handgun at him, said Maj. Coy Reid of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office.
Reid would not say how many times Walker was shot or where the fatal bullet struck.
Walker was taken to Frye Regional Medical Center, where he died. Nobody else was injured.
Investigators do not know whether Walker knew any of the men.
Anyone with information should call 828-464-5241.
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8/9/07
Transit Systems to Merge
Unifour residents will see changes by July '08
Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Catawba Valley officials this week approved a plan consolidating the region's public transportation into one larger system that would cater to residents throughout the Unifour.
Beginning July 1, 2008, Alexander, Burke, Catawba and Caldwell counties and Hickory, Newton and Conover will combine their transit systems to create the Western Piedmont Regional Transportation Authority, said John Tippett, planning director for Western Piedmont Council of Governments.
Current systems will remain in place until next summer, allowing officials to establish representatives from each county and hire a transit director, Tippett said.
The new plan will allow elderly and disabled residents to more easily travel through counties using one network of buses and vans, Tippett said. Planners also hope buses will eventually make regular trips between Hickory and other Unifour cities and will be available to all residents.
Combined, public transit systems in the Unifour make more than 257,000 annual trips.
Piedmont Wagon, the region's only full-fledged public transit system, operates exclusively in Catawba County, running buses in Hickory, Newton and Conover and vans for the elderly and disabled in the rural parts of the county.
Burke, Caldwell and Alexander counties run only the vans for the elderly and disabled and people in rural areas. No public buses or vans run in the county seats of Morganton, Lenoir and Taylorsville.
Services in each of the counties will initially stay the same, Tippett said, but over time could include routes between Hickory and downtown Morganton, Lenoir and Taylorsville.
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Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
Catawba Valley officials this week approved a plan consolidating the region's public transportation into one larger system that would cater to residents throughout the Unifour.
Beginning July 1, 2008, Alexander, Burke, Catawba and Caldwell counties and Hickory, Newton and Conover will combine their transit systems to create the Western Piedmont Regional Transportation Authority, said John Tippett, planning director for Western Piedmont Council of Governments.
Current systems will remain in place until next summer, allowing officials to establish representatives from each county and hire a transit director, Tippett said.
The new plan will allow elderly and disabled residents to more easily travel through counties using one network of buses and vans, Tippett said. Planners also hope buses will eventually make regular trips between Hickory and other Unifour cities and will be available to all residents.
Combined, public transit systems in the Unifour make more than 257,000 annual trips.
Piedmont Wagon, the region's only full-fledged public transit system, operates exclusively in Catawba County, running buses in Hickory, Newton and Conover and vans for the elderly and disabled in the rural parts of the county.
Burke, Caldwell and Alexander counties run only the vans for the elderly and disabled and people in rural areas. No public buses or vans run in the county seats of Morganton, Lenoir and Taylorsville.
Services in each of the counties will initially stay the same, Tippett said, but over time could include routes between Hickory and downtown Morganton, Lenoir and Taylorsville.
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Home schooling seminar Saturday
Conference focuses on teaching techniques, home learning laws
Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
More children across the state are getting their formal education at home, and, in response, a group of parents have organized a conference to help others better their teaching techniques and understand home school laws.
Last year, nearly 69,000 students in North Carolina were taught at home, up by more than 17,000 since 2002. In Catawba County, nearly 1,100 students attend home schools, according to the state's Division of Non-Public Education.
The inaugural Love to Learn Conference brings an array of topics, including vaccination regulations, home school laws, concurrent college credit and ideas to make education more exciting, said event co-planner Teri Kuiper.
Planners expect about 200 parents and students from across the state at the event Saturday at Catawba Valley Community College, Kuiper said.
Kuiper said the sessions will give information to new and long-time home school parents.
"We want people to feel connected and empowered," said Kuiper, who began home-schooling her three children in 2000.
Want to Go?
Register for the conference 8-8:45 a.m. Saturday at Catawba Valley Community College's Multipurpose Complex, 2250 U.S. 70 S.E., Hickory. The programs will be 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. A toddler play area and a craft room will be available for children.
Tickets are $40 for families of any size; $20 for adults; $15 for children. Details: www.lovetolearnconference.com.
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Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
More children across the state are getting their formal education at home, and, in response, a group of parents have organized a conference to help others better their teaching techniques and understand home school laws.
Last year, nearly 69,000 students in North Carolina were taught at home, up by more than 17,000 since 2002. In Catawba County, nearly 1,100 students attend home schools, according to the state's Division of Non-Public Education.
The inaugural Love to Learn Conference brings an array of topics, including vaccination regulations, home school laws, concurrent college credit and ideas to make education more exciting, said event co-planner Teri Kuiper.
Planners expect about 200 parents and students from across the state at the event Saturday at Catawba Valley Community College, Kuiper said.
Kuiper said the sessions will give information to new and long-time home school parents.
"We want people to feel connected and empowered," said Kuiper, who began home-schooling her three children in 2000.
Want to Go?
Register for the conference 8-8:45 a.m. Saturday at Catawba Valley Community College's Multipurpose Complex, 2250 U.S. 70 S.E., Hickory. The programs will be 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. A toddler play area and a craft room will be available for children.
Tickets are $40 for families of any size; $20 for adults; $15 for children. Details: www.lovetolearnconference.com.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
8/7/07
Man pinned against guardrail after trucks crash in parking lot
Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2007
By Marcie Young and Greg Lacour
Charlotte Observer Staff Writers
A man was pinned against a guardrail early Monday morning when a tractor-trailer in the parking lot of a food distribution company struck the cab of another truck, police said.
Douglas Lynnes, a truck driver from Grand Forks, N.D., was taken by helicopter to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, where he was treated for "some serious lower-body injuries," said Lt. Bobby Grace of the Hickory Police Department.
Lynnes, 38, is expected to recover. The accident happened at about 5:50 a.m. in the parking lot of Institution Food House, on 12th Street Drive N.W. off U.S. 321.
Early on weekday mornings, the lot is filled with more than 100 trucks set to deliver and pick up food orders, Grace said.
The truck that collided with the cab "was in the process of being dispatched," Grace said, and Lynnes was standing behind the cab.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young and Greg Lacour
Charlotte Observer Staff Writers
A man was pinned against a guardrail early Monday morning when a tractor-trailer in the parking lot of a food distribution company struck the cab of another truck, police said.
Douglas Lynnes, a truck driver from Grand Forks, N.D., was taken by helicopter to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, where he was treated for "some serious lower-body injuries," said Lt. Bobby Grace of the Hickory Police Department.
Lynnes, 38, is expected to recover. The accident happened at about 5:50 a.m. in the parking lot of Institution Food House, on 12th Street Drive N.W. off U.S. 321.
Early on weekday mornings, the lot is filled with more than 100 trucks set to deliver and pick up food orders, Grace said.
The truck that collided with the cab "was in the process of being dispatched," Grace said, and Lynnes was standing behind the cab.
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Motorcyclist killed in collision with oncoming vehicle
Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Cleveland County motorcyclist was killed Sunday morning when his bike ran into an oncoming vehicle north of Morganton, according to the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Jerry Glenn Watkins, 46, of Shelby was driving his motorcycle northbound on N.C. 181 about 12 miles outside of Morganton at about 10:20 a.m. His motorcycle crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a vehicle headed south.
One person in the other vehicle was injured in the crash. Alcohol was not a factor in the collision, authorities said.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Cleveland County motorcyclist was killed Sunday morning when his bike ran into an oncoming vehicle north of Morganton, according to the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Jerry Glenn Watkins, 46, of Shelby was driving his motorcycle northbound on N.C. 181 about 12 miles outside of Morganton at about 10:20 a.m. His motorcycle crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a vehicle headed south.
One person in the other vehicle was injured in the crash. Alcohol was not a factor in the collision, authorities said.
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8/5/07
Bridge Reports spark worry in Burke County
Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MORGANTON - The impact of the bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis last week hit home in Burke County, prompting leaders to think about better maintaining their bridges.
Burke County, according to AAA of the Carolinas, has the highest percentage of substandard bridges in the state.
"This is alarming," said state Sen. Jim Jacumin, who represents Burke and Caldwell. "At one time, we were known for our good roads, and now we're known for our bad roads and bridges."
In Burke, 23 of the county's 181 bridges are deficient, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation. A structurally deficient bridge isn't necessarily unsafe but is characterized as having deteriorating conditions and requiring frequent maintenance.
Statewide, 2,186 of 12,596 bridges are structurally deficient.
While DOT reports focus on structurally deficient bridges, the automobile association looks at a broader set of standards. It produces a report each year to highlight the need for more funding, said Tom Crosby, a spokesman for AAA.
"Obsolete might mean that the bridge is fine, but the amount of traffic that goes over it is more than it was designed for," he said. "It can be good structurally but doesn't meet the traffic needs."
The association's most recent survey, released in February, is based on DOT data and reported that 30.6 percent of the state's bridges - including pipes and culverts that bear traffic - are in poor shape or not big enough to adequately handle traffic.
The percentage of substandard bridges is above average in two Unifour counties: Burke, with 45.1 percent, and Caldwell, with 36.9 percent. Caldwell ranks 22nd among the 100 N.C. counties in the AAA report; Alexander, with 28.2 percent, ranks 55th, and Catawba, with 26 percent, ranks 70th.
But the automobile association reported that the percentage of bridges deemed substandard in the Catawba Valley has been getting better in recent years.
Since 2001, Alexander, Catawba and Caldwell counties have steadily decreased their number of substandard bridges.
Even Burke, which has ranked among the worst in the state for the past six years, has gotten marginally better. In 2006, 47 percent of the county's bridges were deemed deficient by the association, and 45.3 percent were substandard in 2005 and 2004.
The organization stresses, though, that no state bridge is in imminent danger of collapsing or poses a threat to motorists.
"We don't want people to get freaked out and say, `Oh my God, the bridge is going to collapse,'" said Jayne Cannon, a spokesperson for AAA of the Carolinas. "It's so rare but I do hope that (what happened in Minneapolis) is a wake-up call."
Most of the bridges in the Unifour carry only a few thousand cars per week, though some carry a few thousand a day, and DOT maintenance crews regularly check bridges to make sure they're safe to drive across.
In January, transportation engineers closed and repaired the U.S. 127 bridge over the Catawba River - ranked the most substandard span in Catawba County by AAA - after crews discovered cracks in the span.
While none of Burke's bridges rank among the very worst in the state, local leaders said they had no idea so many bridges were in need of repair.
Jacumin, who learned of Burke's ranking on Thursday, said he plans on drafting a letter to transportation officials to highlight problems with bridges.
"What happened up North brings it home for all of us," he said, "and I am certainly going to remind them all of that."
Subpar Bridges in the Unifour
AAA deemed nearly 5,500 bridges and culverts functionally obsolete and structurally deficient using Department of Transportation data. This is what the group found in the Unifour.
Burke County
The 51-year-old westbound bridge of U.S. 64 and N.C. 18 crosses the Catawba River and was ranked worst in the county. About 154,000 vehicles pass over it each week.
The N.C. 181 bridge that spans the Catawba River was ranked the county's second-worst bridge. It is 51 years old and carries about 22,000 vehicles each day.
Caldwell County
The U.S. 321 bridge that crosses Dudley Shoals Road was ranked the county's worst bridge. It was built in 1953, and about 122,500 vehicles pass over it every week.
Alexander County
The 65-year-old N.C. 127 bridge crosses Duck Creek, and at No. 1659 on the statewide list, was ranked the county's worst. About 4,500 vehicles cross the bridge daily.
Catawba County
The N.C. 127 bridge that spans the Catawba River into Alexander County was ranked as Catawba County's worst. It was built in 1986 and carries about 140,000 vehicles each week.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
MORGANTON - The impact of the bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis last week hit home in Burke County, prompting leaders to think about better maintaining their bridges.
Burke County, according to AAA of the Carolinas, has the highest percentage of substandard bridges in the state.
"This is alarming," said state Sen. Jim Jacumin, who represents Burke and Caldwell. "At one time, we were known for our good roads, and now we're known for our bad roads and bridges."
In Burke, 23 of the county's 181 bridges are deficient, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation. A structurally deficient bridge isn't necessarily unsafe but is characterized as having deteriorating conditions and requiring frequent maintenance.
Statewide, 2,186 of 12,596 bridges are structurally deficient.
While DOT reports focus on structurally deficient bridges, the automobile association looks at a broader set of standards. It produces a report each year to highlight the need for more funding, said Tom Crosby, a spokesman for AAA.
"Obsolete might mean that the bridge is fine, but the amount of traffic that goes over it is more than it was designed for," he said. "It can be good structurally but doesn't meet the traffic needs."
The association's most recent survey, released in February, is based on DOT data and reported that 30.6 percent of the state's bridges - including pipes and culverts that bear traffic - are in poor shape or not big enough to adequately handle traffic.
The percentage of substandard bridges is above average in two Unifour counties: Burke, with 45.1 percent, and Caldwell, with 36.9 percent. Caldwell ranks 22nd among the 100 N.C. counties in the AAA report; Alexander, with 28.2 percent, ranks 55th, and Catawba, with 26 percent, ranks 70th.
But the automobile association reported that the percentage of bridges deemed substandard in the Catawba Valley has been getting better in recent years.
Since 2001, Alexander, Catawba and Caldwell counties have steadily decreased their number of substandard bridges.
Even Burke, which has ranked among the worst in the state for the past six years, has gotten marginally better. In 2006, 47 percent of the county's bridges were deemed deficient by the association, and 45.3 percent were substandard in 2005 and 2004.
The organization stresses, though, that no state bridge is in imminent danger of collapsing or poses a threat to motorists.
"We don't want people to get freaked out and say, `Oh my God, the bridge is going to collapse,'" said Jayne Cannon, a spokesperson for AAA of the Carolinas. "It's so rare but I do hope that (what happened in Minneapolis) is a wake-up call."
Most of the bridges in the Unifour carry only a few thousand cars per week, though some carry a few thousand a day, and DOT maintenance crews regularly check bridges to make sure they're safe to drive across.
In January, transportation engineers closed and repaired the U.S. 127 bridge over the Catawba River - ranked the most substandard span in Catawba County by AAA - after crews discovered cracks in the span.
While none of Burke's bridges rank among the very worst in the state, local leaders said they had no idea so many bridges were in need of repair.
Jacumin, who learned of Burke's ranking on Thursday, said he plans on drafting a letter to transportation officials to highlight problems with bridges.
"What happened up North brings it home for all of us," he said, "and I am certainly going to remind them all of that."
Subpar Bridges in the Unifour
AAA deemed nearly 5,500 bridges and culverts functionally obsolete and structurally deficient using Department of Transportation data. This is what the group found in the Unifour.
Burke County
The 51-year-old westbound bridge of U.S. 64 and N.C. 18 crosses the Catawba River and was ranked worst in the county. About 154,000 vehicles pass over it each week.
The N.C. 181 bridge that spans the Catawba River was ranked the county's second-worst bridge. It is 51 years old and carries about 22,000 vehicles each day.
Caldwell County
The U.S. 321 bridge that crosses Dudley Shoals Road was ranked the county's worst bridge. It was built in 1953, and about 122,500 vehicles pass over it every week.
Alexander County
The 65-year-old N.C. 127 bridge crosses Duck Creek, and at No. 1659 on the statewide list, was ranked the county's worst. About 4,500 vehicles cross the bridge daily.
Catawba County
The N.C. 127 bridge that spans the Catawba River into Alexander County was ranked as Catawba County's worst. It was built in 1986 and carries about 140,000 vehicles each week.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
8/2/07
Lifting the burden of Medicaid
Counties benefit from new plans
State's new approach to medicaid expenses could put more money in county coffers
Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007
By Hannah Mitchell and Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writers
County leaders in the Catawba Valley are pleased about a new state budget that removes a big part of their spending burden but say they haven't determined the full effect of the changes.
State lawmakers adopted the $20.7 billion budget this week, agreeing in it to gradually take on counties' Medicaid expenses.
Medicaid costs take a big bite of their income, and the expense has risen steeply in recent years. Counties in the region have pushed state lawmakers to either relieve them of the Medicaid burden or give them additional revenue sources.
The new state budget does both, though county leaders say the five-year process laid out in the spending plan is so confusing that they're still not certain how it will affect them.
The state will begin taking on the counties' share of Medicaid costs this year, taking the full load in 2009.
But over a five-year period, it will also:
Take away part of the counties' share of sales tax receipts.
Change the formula by which one other local sales tax is distributed. Some county leaders think that would generate more money, while others are unsure.
Take away part of counties' school capital money this year.
Allow counties to hold referendums either on an additional quarter-cent local sales tax or a .4 percent land-transfer tax.
The plan guarantees that each county would gain a minimum of $500,000 annually, before levying any additional voter-approved taxes.
"I think they made this so complicated that people have a tough time understanding it," said Catawba County Manager Tom Lundy.
Alexander County
The county's Medicaid expenses take an equivalent of 8 cents on its 53.5-cent property tax rate, said County Manager Rick French.
Removing that burden is "a very positive impact," he said. But, he added, "It's confusing. There are lots of pieces and parts to this puzzle."
State figures indicate that Alexander would have a $500,000 annual net gain from the legislature's plan.
French attended a meeting in Raleigh on Wednesday to get more information about the changes.
Burke County
With the new legislation, Burke would get $500,000 more this fiscal year, according to state figures, and by the end of the five-year change would gain nearly $1 million annually.
The county plans to put the money into its savings, said county Finance Administrator Paul Ijames.
"It certainly relieves the burden of having to pay Medicaid," Ijames said. "It's a little less than what we were looking for, but it's a start."
Burke budgeted about $5.3 million for Medicaid expenses this year, or about 8.7 cents on the county's 52-cent property tax rate.
Caldwell County
The county budgeted about $4.4 million for Medicaid expenses this year, said county Finance Administrator Sam Yearick. Medicaid expenses, he said, require about 10 cents on the county's 65.9-cent property tax rate.
The legislature's plan, according to state figures, would give Caldwell County a $500,000 net gain this year. By the end of the five-year change, it would gain nearly $1 million annually.
County manager Jack Horton said he has been talking to county officials this week about the new legislation and is not sure if the savings could lead to a lower property tax rate, which commissioners raised this year by 12 cents.
"It's good that the state has taken over Medicaid," he said, "but that doesn't mean we're going to be rolling in extra money this year."
Catawba County
Based on state figures, Catawba would gain $500,000 this fiscal year after all the state's giving and taking. By the end of the five-year change, it would gain $1.4 million annually, or the equivalent of a penny on its property tax rate.
County leaders want to know more about the plan, and they emphasized that although it sounds positive, they don't consider it a windfall.
"It looks like all five years will be positive for us," County Manager Tom Lundy said. "The question is how positive. This is all predicated on assumptions right now, and estimates."
This year, Catawba has a $7.5 million Medicaid budget, or the equivalent of five cents on its 53.5-cent property tax rate.
The savings could lead to a drop in the tax rate, which commissioners raised this year by 9 percent. Lundy said commissioners likely won't decide on that - or the referendum option - until next year, when the county more fully understands its new financial position.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
State's new approach to medicaid expenses could put more money in county coffers
Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007
By Hannah Mitchell and Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writers
County leaders in the Catawba Valley are pleased about a new state budget that removes a big part of their spending burden but say they haven't determined the full effect of the changes.
State lawmakers adopted the $20.7 billion budget this week, agreeing in it to gradually take on counties' Medicaid expenses.
Medicaid costs take a big bite of their income, and the expense has risen steeply in recent years. Counties in the region have pushed state lawmakers to either relieve them of the Medicaid burden or give them additional revenue sources.
The new state budget does both, though county leaders say the five-year process laid out in the spending plan is so confusing that they're still not certain how it will affect them.
The state will begin taking on the counties' share of Medicaid costs this year, taking the full load in 2009.
But over a five-year period, it will also:
Take away part of the counties' share of sales tax receipts.
Change the formula by which one other local sales tax is distributed. Some county leaders think that would generate more money, while others are unsure.
Take away part of counties' school capital money this year.
Allow counties to hold referendums either on an additional quarter-cent local sales tax or a .4 percent land-transfer tax.
The plan guarantees that each county would gain a minimum of $500,000 annually, before levying any additional voter-approved taxes.
"I think they made this so complicated that people have a tough time understanding it," said Catawba County Manager Tom Lundy.
Alexander County
The county's Medicaid expenses take an equivalent of 8 cents on its 53.5-cent property tax rate, said County Manager Rick French.
Removing that burden is "a very positive impact," he said. But, he added, "It's confusing. There are lots of pieces and parts to this puzzle."
State figures indicate that Alexander would have a $500,000 annual net gain from the legislature's plan.
French attended a meeting in Raleigh on Wednesday to get more information about the changes.
Burke County
With the new legislation, Burke would get $500,000 more this fiscal year, according to state figures, and by the end of the five-year change would gain nearly $1 million annually.
The county plans to put the money into its savings, said county Finance Administrator Paul Ijames.
"It certainly relieves the burden of having to pay Medicaid," Ijames said. "It's a little less than what we were looking for, but it's a start."
Burke budgeted about $5.3 million for Medicaid expenses this year, or about 8.7 cents on the county's 52-cent property tax rate.
Caldwell County
The county budgeted about $4.4 million for Medicaid expenses this year, said county Finance Administrator Sam Yearick. Medicaid expenses, he said, require about 10 cents on the county's 65.9-cent property tax rate.
The legislature's plan, according to state figures, would give Caldwell County a $500,000 net gain this year. By the end of the five-year change, it would gain nearly $1 million annually.
County manager Jack Horton said he has been talking to county officials this week about the new legislation and is not sure if the savings could lead to a lower property tax rate, which commissioners raised this year by 12 cents.
"It's good that the state has taken over Medicaid," he said, "but that doesn't mean we're going to be rolling in extra money this year."
Catawba County
Based on state figures, Catawba would gain $500,000 this fiscal year after all the state's giving and taking. By the end of the five-year change, it would gain $1.4 million annually, or the equivalent of a penny on its property tax rate.
County leaders want to know more about the plan, and they emphasized that although it sounds positive, they don't consider it a windfall.
"It looks like all five years will be positive for us," County Manager Tom Lundy said. "The question is how positive. This is all predicated on assumptions right now, and estimates."
This year, Catawba has a $7.5 million Medicaid budget, or the equivalent of five cents on its 53.5-cent property tax rate.
The savings could lead to a drop in the tax rate, which commissioners raised this year by 9 percent. Lundy said commissioners likely won't decide on that - or the referendum option - until next year, when the county more fully understands its new financial position.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
8/1/07
Granite Falls man dies after his motorcycle collides with truck
Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Granite Falls motorcyclist died Tuesday after he tried to pass a cargo truck and slammed into an oncoming pickup, authorities said.
Scottie Roosevelt Bristol, 35, was riding his 1984 Honda sport bike east on Deal Mill Road shortly after 10:20 a.m. Tuesday when he tried to pass a large truck, said Trooper Cory Hughes of the Highway Patrol.
Bristol was in a passing zone, Hughes said, but didn't see the N.C. Department of Transportation pickup headed toward him. The westbound truck, driven by 42-year-old Kenneth Cannon of Granite Falls, swerved off the right-hand side of the road but still collided with Bristol, Hughes said.
Bristol, who was wearing a helmet, died in the ambulance as it headed for Frye Regional Medical Center, Hughes said. Cannon was not seriously injured.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer
A Granite Falls motorcyclist died Tuesday after he tried to pass a cargo truck and slammed into an oncoming pickup, authorities said.
Scottie Roosevelt Bristol, 35, was riding his 1984 Honda sport bike east on Deal Mill Road shortly after 10:20 a.m. Tuesday when he tried to pass a large truck, said Trooper Cory Hughes of the Highway Patrol.
Bristol was in a passing zone, Hughes said, but didn't see the N.C. Department of Transportation pickup headed toward him. The westbound truck, driven by 42-year-old Kenneth Cannon of Granite Falls, swerved off the right-hand side of the road but still collided with Bristol, Hughes said.
Bristol, who was wearing a helmet, died in the ambulance as it headed for Frye Regional Medical Center, Hughes said. Cannon was not seriously injured.
All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.
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