Bomb Squad Detonated Dynamite In Barnardsville

(Barnardsville, NC) -- Dynamite is the culprit behind an explosion in Asheville area. WLOS-TV reports a bomb squad detonated the explosives on Sunday in the Barnardsville community. Someone called police after finding the dynamite while clearing out a barn the day before.

Haywood County Receiving Vaccination Grant

(Haywood County, NC) -- Haywood County is accepting a grant for COVID vaccination efforts. The 75-thousand-dollar-award from the state will help increase vaccine access and to support health department salaries. Yesterday's decision to accept the grant came despite some opposition from some of the public. One resident said he wants to see more government transparency.

Open Enrollment Begins For Asheville Schools

(Asheville, NC) -- Open enrollment is underway in the Asheville City Schools district. The process started yesterday and will last through March 13th. All applicants will be placed in their first choice of school if there is enough room, or go to a lottery otherwise. Choice will not be based on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Party Affiliation Could Be Added To Henderson School Board Races

(Hendersonville, NC) -- Party affiliation may soon be listed in Henderson County's school board races. Commissioners passed an initiative last night which would require candidates to identify with a party when running for a seat. The measure must pass through the General Assembly.

Lawmakers Authorize Asheville Nonprofit For Federal Funds

(Asheville, NC) -- An Asheville-based nonprofit organization will continue to receive federal funding for the next 15-years. The U.S. House and Senate approved a bill that authorizes support of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, which was signed into law last month. The organization serves 25 counties in the mountains and foothills.

Lotto Ticket Bought In WNC Is 2-Million-Dollar Winner

(Transylvania County, NC) -- A western North Carolina woman is a big lottery winner. She recently purchased a 20-dollar Premier Cash scratch-off ticket from a convenience store in Pisgah Forest that won two-million-dollars. Take-home winnings when choosing the lump sum ended up just over 850-thousand-dollars after taxes. She told the North Carolina Education Lottery that she wants to buy a new car, help out her church and perhaps start a business.

Charlotte Mayor Attending State Of Union Address

(Charlotte, NC) -- Charlotte's mayor is heading to the nation's capital. Congresswoman Alma Adams invited Vi Lyles as a guest to attend President Biden's State of the Union address tonight. The representative complimented Lyles for her Racial Equity Initiative, which addresses historic disparities in the community. The mayor says she feels honored and privileged to attend.

Three Suspects Wanted After Gunfire Reported At Mall

(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is looking for help in finding suspects in a north Charlotte mall shooting. A shot was fired Sunday afternoon inside Northlake Mall, which was evacuated and closed for the day as a result. No one was hurt. Investigators released surveillance footage yesterday in hopes of identifying three suspects.

Naming Rights Could Generate City Nearly 140-Million-Dollars

(Charlotte, NC) -- Sponsorships could generate a lot of money for Charlotte. WSOC-TV reports a consultant advised city officials this week that up to 137-million-dollars might be created if naming rights were sold at the new Charlotte Transportation Center. This would include a space for a Carolina Panthers' practice facility, if that project is approved. The dollar estimate is based on a span of 18-years beginning in 2028.

Control Burn Conducted In Mecklenburg County

(Mecklenburg County, NC) -- Smoke sees in northern Mecklenburg County yesterday was from a controlled burn. The prescribed fire lasted for a few hours at the Rural Hill Nature Preserve. Natural Resources officials conduct burns as a tool for land management.

Charlotte Gas Prices Still Edging Downward

(Charlotte, NC) -- Gas prices in the Charlotte area are continuing to go back down. Triple-A reports the average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded hit three-27 this morning. That's two-cents lower than Sunday and seven under a week ago.

Panthers Might Look To Former HC

(Charlotte, NC) -- The Panthers may be bringing their first-ever head coach back to Charlotte. The Athletic is reporting that Carolina could bring back Dom Capers in a defensive consultant role. Capers led the Panthers to a 30-and-34 record over four seasons at Carolina.

Public Asked To Help Identify Man Who Fired Multiple Shots During A Road Rage Incident In Durham

(Durham County, NC) -- Authorities in Durham County are asking the public for help in identifying a gunman in an apparent road rage shooting. It happened around 7 p.m. Sunday near Highway 70 and Pleasant Drive. Surveillance video shows a blue Mustang and a white Audi pulling into a gas station parking lot and two drivers getting into an argument. It also showed the driver of the Audio retrieving a gun and firing multiple shots, as the Mustang sped away. There were no injuries, but the car was riddled with bullets.

Military Reports Most Of The Debris Has Been Recovered From Downed Chinese Spy Balloon

(Brunswick County, NC) -- Military crews working off the South and North Carolina coastlines are reporting most of the debris from that downed Chinese spy balloon has been recovered. That from the North American Aerospace Defense Command which also reported yesterday that a team from the USS Carter Hall searched a debris field of about 15-hundred by 15-hundred meters. The military says ocean currents could still wash some of the remaining debris ashore in North Carolina.

Group Sets A Goal Of Having 2-Million NC Workers With Degrees By 2030

(Raleigh, NC) -- Thousands of North Carolina Business, educational and political officials tuned in for a virtual conference on educational attainment Monday. The event, organized by the group myFutureNC, was attended by Governor Roy Cooper and House and Senate leaders Phil Burger and Tim Moore. The group outlined a goal of having 2-million people with industry valued degrees in the North Carolina workforce by the year 2030. Currently, that number is around 1.55 million.

Turkish Americans In The Triangle Working To Help Victims Of Deadly Earthquake

(Cary, NC) -- Members of the American Turkish Association of North Carolina held an emergency meeting in Cary last night, to decide on the best ways to help victims of a devastating earthquake that struck the southern part of the region over the weekend. At last report, the death toll was more than 4-thousand and counting. The group is asking for donations of all kinds, including warm clothing, toiletries, non-perishable food items and money. For more information, go to (ata-nc.org).

FDA Approves Breast Cancer Drug Developed By Duke Researchers

(Durham, NC) -- A drug designed by Duke University to treat advanced stages of metastatic breast cancer, has been approved by the FDA. Researchers say the endocrine therapy treatment, which has been in development for more than 10-years, was finally approved on January 27th. While the drug is not a cure, it has been shown to slow the progression of the disease. It is also administered in the pill form.

Duke Suffers 22-Point Loss To Miami On The Road

(Coral Gables, FL) -- Duke's three game winning streak, including the "Battle of the Blues" victory over Carolina, came to an abrupt end last night with a crushing 81-59 loss to Miami. It happened on the road in Coral Gables, as the Hurricanes jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and never trailed. The defeat marked the third straight year that Duke has lost the next game after playing Carolina. The Blue Devils were also out-rebounded 38-31, with Kyle Filipowski pulling down only 9, along with just nine points and 2-assists. Derek Lively and Ryan Young had 11-points apiece. Jeremy Roach had 10.

Natural Gas Prices to Decrease This Month

(Greensboro, NC) -- Your natural gas bill could be going down this month. The N.C. Utilities Commission has approved a reduction in Piedmont Natural Gas rates that the company says will save the average customer 14-dollars per month. State officials say North Carolina customers experienced an 11-dollar monthly increase early last year.

Area Unemployment Rate Starts to Drop

(Raleigh, NC) -- State officials say unemployment rates in the Piedmont Triad have taken a significant drop over the past couple of months. Data released by the North Carolina Department of Commerce show all but one of the 14 counties in the Triad dropped in December by at least half of a percentage point. Stokes and Yadkin Counties showed the lowest rate in the Triad at three-point-four-percent. All other counties were at less than four percent.

Homicide Charges Brought Against Teen for Monday Murder

(Greensboro, NC) -- Greensboro police say they've taken a teen into custody for first-degree murder after a man was found dead Monday. Officers responded to a house on St. Croix Place to find that 21-year-old Quantell White had died from a gunshot wound. Police have charged 18-year-old Kaylee Turnipseed with first-degree murder in the case that's being investigated as a homicide. A news release issued Monday didn't give any more details of the shooting or the circumstances of why it happened.

Man Charged for Fatal Shooting at Southside Johnny's

(Greensboro, NC) -- A 26-year-old Winston-Salem man has been arrested for the fatal shooting of a man at a Greensboro bar in January. In addition to second-degree murder, Dasean Aaron Hunter is also charged with four counts of assault with a deadly weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The shootings happened January 29th at Southside Johnny's in Greensboro. One of the wounded, 36-year-old Cedric Cantrell Monroe later died of his injuries.

State Supreme Court to Re-Hear Cases on Voter ID and Electoral Maps

(Winston-Salem, NC) -- The state Supreme Court will re-hear two key cases that may impact elections in North Carolina. The Republican leaders of the state General Assembly had requested the action because they say the public wasn't satisfied with the supreme court's earlier decision -- made with a Democratic majority -- on whether the state's voter ID law was unconstitutional. That panel had also ruled that electoral maps drawn by Republican legislators were unconstitutional on the grounds of partisan gerrymandering. The court, which now has a Republican majority, scheduled arguments for both cases for the week of March 14th.

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