Friday's News Stories

Headline:  Postal Worker Pleads Guilty

Teaser: “A decade of undelivered mail leads to a former NC postal worker facing up to 5 years in prison”

Story:

A former NC mail carrier faces up to five years in prison after federal authorities found enough undelivered mail on his property to fill two full-sized dump trucks.

53 year old Gary Wayne Collins of Forest City appeared before a US magistrate this week and pleaded guilty to detaining and delaying US mail in Cleveland and Rutherford counties.  According to court records, the Postal Service used a backhoe to remove two dump truck loads of mail from an outbuilding at Collins’ residence.  The mail had sustained extensive weather damage and had to be destroyed.  Collins admitted in court that for approximately ten years he had been bringing the mail to his residence that he had not delivered.  He pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully destroying, detaining and delaying US mail -a charge that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a 250-thousand dollar fine.  Collins was released following the hearing; while his sentencing date is pending.

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Headline: Two of “Burke’s Most Wanted” Arrested in Michigan Teaser: “Two who had been on Burke County’s Most Wanted for six weeks were apprehended on Wednesday” Story: Two who had been on Burke County’s Most Wanted for six weeks were apprehended on Wednesday. Officers located Jamie Gray and Callie Sloan in a motel in Macomb County, Michigan. When officers attempted to get inside, Gray and Sloan would not answer the door resulting in a short standoff. After approximately four hours officers made entry into the motel room where they found Sloan. During a search of the room, officers found Gray in the attic of the adjacent room. Gray and Sloan were arrested without incident and are being held in Macomb County awaiting extradition to Burke County.

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Headline: Newton Man convicted of 2nd Degree Murder will Spend 38 Years in Prison

Teaser: “A Newton Man will spend at least 38 years in Prison following a guilty conviction in a 2014 stabbing death in Sherrills Ford”

Story:

Kevin Jamal Haqq, 38 of Newton, will spend 38 years in prison after a Catawba County jury found him guilty of second-degree murder on Wednesday.

Haqq was found guilty of the 2014 stabbing death of 20-year-old Jason William Margarita of Sherrills Ford at a Balls Creek residence.

Following the jury’s verdict, the Honorable Daniel A. Kuehnert, Superior Court Judge from Burke County, gave Haqq an active prison term of 38-46 years.

After closing remarks by prosecutor Sean McGinnis and Defense Attorney Ken Darty, the jury deliberated for about 3 hours before rendering the verdict.  Chris Branch led the investigation for the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. McGinnis and Chad Smith prosecuted the case for the District Attorney’s Office. _____________________________

Headline: New Restaurant To Open in Morganton

Teaser: “Morganton’s culinary landscape will grow again on Monday when a new restaurant opens in Union Square”

Story:

A locally owned, locally sourced restaurant will soon be serving up a selection of fresh, local ingredients.  The Chubby Goat Cafe is set to open on Monday in Union Square near City Hall in Morganton.  The Restaurant will be open Monday through Friday for breakfast and lunch from 8am to 3pm and offer of variety of foods including  coffee, tea, coffee drinks, smoothies, Panini, salads, wraps, soups, desserts and gourmet hot dogs.  The Chubby Goat Cafe is located at 109-A White Street in Morganton.
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Headline: Local Hospital’s Revise Visitation Policy due to Flu Teaser: “Local hospitals restrict access for visitors due to a growing number of flu cases in Burke and surrounding areas” Story: To keep patients – and visitors – safe from the flu, Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge is restricting hospital access for visitors 12 and under at the Morganton and Valdese hospitals, effective at 7 a.m. today. Tighter restrictions are in place at Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge long-term care facilities – Grace Heights and College Pines Health and Rehabilitation Centers. Visitation is restricted to immediate family only and no children under age 18. Visitors are asked to clean hands before and after visiting and to wear a mask while in the facility. Masks and hand sanitizers are available inside the front entrances. The restrictions are a result of the growing prevalence of flu cases in Burke, Caldwell and McDowell counties. Fever, headaches/body aches/pain, cough or sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, chills, fatigue, nausea, are just a few Flu Symptoms. To reduce the odds of getting the flu, Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge recommends frequent hand washing with soap or use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, not touching eyes, nose or mouth with hands, and getting a flu shot.