A 4-month-old girl from Alexander County, reported missing earlier, was found safe in West Virginia Thursday.

Circumstances surrounding her disappearance involve the infant’s father 48-year-old Carl Lee Dotson of Taylorsville who failed to appear in court Tuesday on assault charges.

Reports say when officers arrived at his home to take him into custody, Dotson, his girlfriend Brandi Risden and their infant daughter were all missing.

Documents indicate there is a domestic violence protection order filed by Risden against Dotson.

Authorities say Risden was allegedly expected to testify against Dotson in court.

Officials say the child was dropped off in West Virginia with family members.

Dotson and Risden were last known to be in a burgundy ’95 Dodge pickup with NC tag FAN-3221.

Those having information concerning the case are urged to contact the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office.

Catawba County has confirmed their first case of rabies this year.

Catawba County Animal Services received a call from a Maiden resident Tuesday whose dog attacked a raccoon in his yard.

The raccoon was sent to the state public health lab in Raleigh.

Catawba officials received word back on Thursday that the raccoon tested positive for rabies.

Animal Services further advised the citizen to provide a rabies booster for the dog, and to keep the canine under observation for 45 days as required by law.

Officials remind pet owners that rabies is present in the local wild animal population, and is therefore a threat to pets and humans year-round.

The best way to protect your pets from rabies is to have them properly vaccinated for rabies.

The Town of Catawba is the first and only municipality in Catawba County to participate in the 2019 Urban Archery Program.

Town leaders approved the ordinance that allows property owners within town limits to bow hunt deer during a special season on their property, or another property with written consent from the owner.

All state wildlife resource commission hunting rules and regulations apply, along with  bag limits.

The program is reportedly primarily used to reduce deer-related collisions.

DOT reports there were 162 animal versus vehicle collisions in Catawba County in 2016.

The urban season usually occurs in January and February each year, and the 2019 dates are January 12^th through February 17^th.

For information about Catawba’s Urban Archery ordinance, call 241-2215.

Emergency department data shows opioid overdoses in NC are rising faster than in the rest of the Southeast.

North Carolina is identified as one of ten states with significant overdose increases- at a rate more than double that of the Southeast as a whole.

ER visits for overdoses in NC rose sharply in the second and third quarters of 2017 compared to the two previous quarters.

In response to the epidemic, some NC counties – including Burke and Catawba – have joined a federal lawsuit against the producers and distributors of opioids.

State health officials report one third of the state’s 100 counties had more opioid prescriptions than people in 2016.

More than 63-thousand Americans died of drug overdoses in 2016- a 21-percent increase from 2015.

The CDC says heroin and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are driving the increases.

A Valdese man is charged with trafficking methamphetamine along with multiple failing to appear counts. Hickory Police Tuesday reported charges on 42-year-old Davy Leonard Goodman.

He is charged with failing to appear on two counts of trafficking meth, along with 1 count each of possession with intent to manufacture sell or deliver meth, possession of controlled substance in prison/jail premises and being an habitual felon.

Bond was set $3,120,000 with a court appearance scheduled today.

A Marion woman faces breaking, entering and larceny charges.

The McDowell County Sheriff's Office reported charges Wednesday of breaking, entering and larceny, breaking and entering a motor vehicle, amd larceny after breaking and entering on 30-year-old Nisha Lucille Hollifield.

Hollifield and another person, 32-year-old Adam Lee Harding of Marion were previously charged with stealing a truck from the property of Jerry Webb of Marion. The Sheriff's Office reports that after further investigation, Hollifield, who is acquainted with the victim, broke into Webb's house and stole the key to the truck

A neighbor has been taken into custody for the murder of a Morganton man. On Tuesday, Morganton Public Safety reported the arrest of Darius Heasley King, who was charged with one count of murder.

Investigators found bloody clothes and a knife in a dumpster near the Valdese Avenue apartment where Hubert Roland Hunter, Jr. was found deceased Sunday night. King was known to have disagreements with the victim, according to a news release from City of Morganton Public Information.

An additional search warrant at King's residence, which is across the hall from Hunter's, revealed evidence of the crime.

King was placed in the Burke Catawba Detention Facility under no bond with a first court appearance scheduled for today.

A Statesville man, who had active warrants, is taken into custody in Burke County.

Investigators last week received a report that 29-year-old Michael Terrell Borders was at an address on Nobby Lail Road in Connelly Springs. Federal and local agencies located Borders at that address where he was taken into custody.

Borders, who had warrants for three felony charges, was placed in the Burke Catawba District Confinement Facility under a $120,000 secured bond.

The U.S.Marshals Office assisted the Burke County Sheriff's Office in the case.

On Sunday at 6:48 pm, Morganton Public Safety Officers responded to 607 Valdese Ave Apt. B-307 in reference to a deceased person.  When officers arrived they found a black male deceased inside the residence.  The deceased was identified as fifty-seven-year old, Hubert Roland Hunter Jr.

Hunter was found deceased inside his residence and evidence suggests he was the victim of a homicide.  Investigators have searched the victim’s apartment and interviewed multiple residents within the complex. Morganton Public Safety and the State Bureau of Investigation continue to investigate all leads. 

Anyone having information regarding the death of Hubert Roland Hunter Jr. is asked to contact Morganton Public Safety at 437-1211 or call Crime Stoppers at 437-3333.

Authorities continue to investigate a Morganton homicide.

Morganton Public Safety Officers responded Sunday night to 607 Valdese Avenue Apt B-307 in reference to a deceased person. Officers found 57-year-old Hubert Roland Hunter,Jr. deceased inside the residence. Evidence suggests that Hunter was the victim of a homicide.

Investigators searched the apartment and interviewed multiple residents in the complex. Public Safety and the SBI continue to investigate all leads.

Anyone having information concerning the death of Hubert Roland Hunter,Jr. is asked to contact Morganton Public Safety at 437-1211 or Crime Stoppers at 437-3333.

A Silver Alert has been issued for a missing teenager from McDowell County.

17-year-old Sydney Harper is believed to suffer from dementia or some other cognitive issue.

Reports from the NC Department of Public Safety say Harper was last seen traveling west on East Court Street in Marion in a blue sedan.

Harper is 5-foot-five, weighs around 150 pounds, has blond medium length hair, and brown eyes.

Officials say she was last seen wearing a pink shirt and blue jeans.

Marion Police asks anyone with information about her whereabouts, to call authorities at 652-3231.

A month-long investigation into drug distribution from a Lenoir residence has resulted in an arrest.

Last week, investigators with the Lenoir Police Department Narcotics unit along with the Caldwell County ICE Unit executed a search warrant at 405 Connelly Springs Road in Lenoir.

The search netted over 1-point5 pounds of high grade marijuana with a street value of 64-hundred-dollars; plus more than 59-hundred-dollars in currency.

18-year-old Jared Anthony Stinson of Lenoir was arrested and charged with felony possession of marijuana, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, and maintaining a dwelling to keep a controlled substance.

Stinson was jailed under a 9-thousand-dollar secured bond.

Anyone having information about the incident is urged to call Lenoir Police at 757-2100 or Lenoir/Caldwell Crimestoppers at 758-8300.

The Old Colony Players’ Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Edyth Potter Pruitt as the new General Manager for its annual stage and outdoor theatre productions.

A news release states Pruitt has served on several non-profit boards and had successful theatre experience as a teacher, stage manager, and director.

Old Colony players is a community theater company with stage productions in the old Rock School in Valdese and the outdoor drama ‘From This Day Forward’ which retells the Waldensian struggle for religious freedom and their arrival in Burke County to found the town of Valdese.

Two people were seriously injured Friday morning as the result of a motor vehicle crash in Caldwell County.

Lenoir Police responded just before 7:30 to the 300 block of Creekway Drive. A preliminary investigation revealed that a pickup truck was traveling north, when vehicle crossed three travel lanes into opposite lanes of travel and first collided with an SUV and then struck a van.

The driver of the SUV, 67-year-old Rachel Greer of Lenoir, and a passenger in the van, 87-year-old Velvie Smith of Lenoir, were flown to a Charlotte hospital and listed in critical condition. A 6-year-old passenger in the pickup truck was taken to a Winston-Salem hospital and her condition was identified as stable. The driver of the truck, 22-year-old Luke Calhoun of Valdese was treated at Caldwell UNC Healthcare and released.

Lenoir Police charged Calhoun with Driving While Impaired, Driving While License Revoked and a Lane Control Violation.

The investigation is continuing and additional charges are pending.

Anyone with additional information about the case should call Lenoir Police at 757-2100 or Crimestoppers at 758-8300.

A convicted felon is charged in McDowell County with possession of a firearm by a felon.

42-year-old Jerry Laquint Logan of Marion was charged by the McDowell County Sheriff's Office after an early morning vehicle stop March 4th on Highway 221 North. According to the Sheriff's Office, Logan's vehicle was operating erratically.

A search of the vehicle turned up a handgun. Logan was convicted in 1999 in Buncombe County on three cocaine charges.

A Newton man will serve 18 to 26 years in prison after being convicted Wednesday during Catawba County Superior. 52-year-old Rory Calvin Hinson was convicted for involuntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury for a traffic crash that claimed the life of a 26-year-old woman and left another victim with serious injuries.

Hinson also pleaded guilty to multiple counts of habitual larceny, felony larceny, and admitted his status as a habitual felon.

He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of just over $59,800 as a civil judgement, to victims associated with the crimes.

After receiving information about meth distribution near a school, Burke Sheriff Investigators arrest seven people in Drexel. With the assistance of Burke County SWAT, a search warrant was executed Wednesday at 104 Hollar Street.

Investigators located a large quantity of methamphetamines, along with numerous items of drug paraphernalia and US Currency.

Three people arrested were from Drexel, with one each from Connelly Springs and Valdese and the other two were from out of the area.

All individuals were placed in the Burke-Catawba District Confinement Facility with each placed under a $500,000 total secured bond.

The Sheriff's Office was assisted by Police Departments from Drexel, Morganton, Longview and Newton along with the Drexel Fire Department, Burke County EMS, and the NC Department of Revenue.

A Burke County Grand Jury Indictment was issued March 5th on Peggy Hayden Belcher in connection with a December 14th fatal vehicle accident.

Belcher was served with the charge March 8th by the Lenoir Police Department.

According to Morganton Department of Public Safety, Belcher has a Burke Court Superior Court appearance scheduled for April 8th.

A Marion mother and son are charged in a drug conspiracy. The McDowell County Sheriff's Office reported two charges on 62-year-old Doris Ann Cochran and one charge on 34-year-old Kevin Christopher Lail.

Lail, who was in the McDowell County Jail on February 14th, received a card in the mail with strips that are used in the treatment of opiod dependence, but are considered an illegal controlled substance.

Cochran was reportedly buying the drugs and furnishing them to Lail, who was selling them to inmates.

At Tuesday night's Hickory City Council meeting, Charlotte Williams officially took her oath of office and was sworn in as the new Ward 2 Alderwoman.

Williams fills the Ward 2 seat that became vacant with the passing of Councilman Vernon Tarlton in January.

Williams now serves as the inaugural Associate Dean of Engaged and Global Learning at Lenoir-Rhyne and is also the Program Coordinator for the Human and Community Service major.

Drug charges are filed are on two people after a search of a Morganton residence.

The Burke County Sheriff's Office and Department of Public Safety Probation Officers executed the search warrant Friday, at a St.Mary's Church Road address. 49-year-old Michael Brenton Leonard and 46-year-old Karen Lackey Ray were each charged with felony maintain dwelling - vehicle or place for controlled substance. Leonard was also charged with violating a release order pertaining to an unrelated charge for assault on a female.

Both Ray and Leonard were transported to the Burke-Catawba District Confinement Facility and were scheduled to appear in court today.

Warrants have been issued for a man related to a shooting Saturday afternoon in Morganton.

Deputies with the Burke County Sheriff's Office were dispatched just after 3:45 to 2714 Dogwood Street in reference to a shooting that had just occurred. Burke EMS also responded and treated the victim for minor injuries sustained from the gunshot wound.

The investigation is ongoing and warrants related to the shooting have been issued for 34-year-old Christopher Davis Coffey. He has outstanding orders for arrest from Caldwell County at the time of the incident unrelated to this case for felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and 3 failure to appear counts.

The Caldwell County Sheriff's Office assisted the Burke County Sheriff's Office and EMS in the case.

A Hickory man is charged with felony weapon possession after a warrantless home search.

Investigators with the Burke County Sheriff's Office and Department of Public Safety Probation conducted the search Friday, at 1463 Goat Farm Street. 60-year-old Harold Timothy Miller was taken into custody and also charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia amd probation violation.

His bond was set at $30,000 secured and a court appearance was scheduled for today.

A Foothills Corectional Officer was assaulted Saturday night, by an inmate with a homemade weapon. The correctional officer suffered multiple wounds and was transported to an outside medical facility for treatment.The North Carolina Department of Public Safety

reported late Sunday morning that the officers condition was stable.

Local law enforcement is investigating. The inmate will be charged with the assault.

In another case involving an inmate, 41-year-old Thomas Walker, who was reported missing Thursday night from Gaston Correctional facility, turned himself to prison authorities Friday night.

Walker, who was scheduled for release in June, was moved to a higher custody facility and will charges for his escape.

The January Unemployment rate for the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton area was 4.2%, Asheville's rate was 3.7.

Area county rates include:

Alexander 3.7

Avery 4.7

Burke 4.3

Caldwell 4.5

Catawba 4.1

Lincoln 4.1

McDowell 4.1

Buncombe County had the lowest umemployment rate in January at 3.6%, while Hyde County had the highest unemployment rate at 14.6%, according to figures released Friday by the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

McDowell authorities are warning citizens about an online scam. A McDowell man reported to the Sheriff's Office that he ws contacted by Advance America to file an online personal loan.

The scammers told told him his credit was too low and advised him to get a money gram from Walmart and send it to them to cover the insurance on his loan. Advance America is a legitimate loan company, but says they aren't making the calls.

For questions or concerns call the McDowell County Sheriff's Office at 652-2235.

11 pounds of marijuana are seized in Alexander County, two people are arrested from a narcotics investigation. On Friday, the Alexander County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division made the arrests after a search warrant was served at the residence of 24-year-old Jose Martires Canales, Jr. Also arrested was 22-year-old Kaslyn Elizabeth Wallace. The search warrant came after a package was intercepted at the Taylorsville Post Office that had been shipped from California.  A Sheriff's Office K-9 alerted to the odor of narcotics on the package. A controlled delivery was conducted with assistance from Taylorsville Police and the Postal Inspection Service. Canales, Jr was confined under a $30,000 secured bond and charged with Trafficking Marijuana. Wallace was charged with Possession of Meth and Possession of Marijuana and bond was set at $2,500. The ongoing investigation lasted several months, according to the Alexander County Sheriff's Office.

The Burke County Sheriff's Office received information about possible improprieties with an officer on the Burke County Narcotics Task Force regarding improper use of drug funds. According to a news release from the Sheriff's Office, an internal investigation was initiated and when issues were discovered the SBI assumed the investigation last Friday and former Burke County Task Force Lt. Jody Price was terminated. The SBI's criminal investigation is continuing and those findings will be turned over to the District Attorney's Office when their investigation is completed.

A Hudson man now faces a prison term following a rape conviction. Domingo martinwz pleaded guilty during Caldwell County Superior Court and was sentenced to an active prison term of up to 21 years. Caldwell detectives reported Hernandez was observed in a compromising position with an 11-year-old female, who later told authorities Hernandez had raped her.

A tip leads to a McDowell suspect wanted for multiple sex crimes. The McDowell County Sheriff's Office reported this morning that Nathaniel Harley Roland, 25, was located and taken into custody at the Edelweiss Drive home of one of his relatives. It is alleged that Roland had inappropriate sexual contact with a 15-year-old female. He was charged with statutory rape of a child, taking indecent liberties with a child, and statutory sex offense with a child.

Caldwell County has joined the growing list of governments suing opiod distributors and manufacturers. The County cited some 42 deaths from opiod overdoses in 2015 through 2016. Burke County announced their intentions to join the suit in January. Several other counties and municipalities are also looking at the possibility of joining the law suit.

The City of Hickory's Historic Preservation Commission has been awarded a state grant to expand the Oakwood National Register Historic District. The grant comes after the Historic Preservation Commission completed a citywide architectural survey of historic properties and additional portions of the Oakwood neighborhood were identified as being eligible for designation on the National Register of Historic Places. Oakwood residents will receive a letter from the City of Hickory with additional information. A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 22nd at 5:30pm in City Council Chambers.

The City of Hickory reportedly could soon follow other cities and counties across the state by pursuing legal action against opiod manufacturers and distributors. Hickory City Council meets today at which time the Hickory City Attorney has told reporters that he will recommend the council adopt a resolution declaring the opiod problem a public nuisance and to approve an attorney agreement for possible litigation. The agreement will empower a law firm to pursue all civil remedies against those in the chain of distribution of prescription opiates responsible for the opiod epidemic plaguing Hickory. Council members reportedly met with several attorneys from the McHugh Fuller Law Group during their last closed session meeting. The agreement and potential lawsuit will not cost taxpayers; while any compensation would come from the settlement, with the law firm receiving 25-per cent of the amount.

A Marion is charged with firing a weapon during an argument. John Henry McMurray, 70, was charged by McDowell County Sheriff's officers with assault with a deadly weapon. Reports sy Mcmurray had become involved in an altercation between his daughter and son-in-law on Greasy Creek Road when he pulled out a 9-milimeter handgun and fired it. The bullet went into a wall. There were no injuries.

A mobile home blaze prompted response by St.Stephens firefighters in Catawba County Monday morning. Fire officials report the blaze began underneath the home when insulation caught fire. The home suffered some smoke and heat damage. Fire reports say a neighbor went inside the home to assist the homeowner in escaping the fire. The neighbor reportedly sustained minor burns on his arms and was treated on scene by Catawba EMS. The fire remains under investigation.

More than 69,000 people have signed a petition requesting a national holiday in honor of the late Reverend Billy Graham. The petition was created about a week ago and signatures are still being sought. The petition will be sent to President Trump who attended Graham's funeral in Charlotte on Friday. The petition will also be sent to Senators Jerry Tillman, Thom Tillis, and Richard Burr.

A Morganton man faces Trafficking and Possession charges. On Tuesday, Morganton Public Safety officers attempted to locate Diamond Lipscomb at his State Road residence to serve an outstanding warrant for Trafficking Cocaine. When officers approached Lipscomb a short foot pursuit occurred. Lipscomb was taken into custody and found in possession of a Schedule II substance. Lipscomb was released on a $170,000 secured bond.
Another Morganton man is charged with stealing a truck with tools valued at over $55,000. On Sunday, William Hoyle of Hoyle Construction reported his business had been broken into and had items stolen a Ford Superduty truck. On Tuesday, Hoyle was traveling Hwy 18 North when he spotted his stolen truck traveling in the opposite direction. Authorities recovered the stolen vehicle and Larry Shane Lackey faces multiple charges and was confined under a $65,000 secured bond.