A Hickory man charged with murder made his first court appearance in Catawba County Thursday.

60-year-old Jerry Lewis Woods is charged with the stabbing death of 33-year-old Octavia Deanna Beatty.

A previous Hickory Police report shows the incident was a result of a domestic dispute.

A district court judge reportedly told Woods that the maximum punishment for the crime is the death penalty.

His next court date is January 17^th.

Woods is being held without bond.

 A suspicious vehicle call leads a McDowell deputy to make a drug arrest.

22-year-old Erica Noelle Braswell of Marion has been charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Officers were investigating a report of a suspicious vehicle parked near the Bethel Freewill Baptist Church cemetery.

A search of the car and its two occupants turned up 2 grams of meth and items of drug paraphernalia.

The total of flu-related deaths has reached 10 in NC for the 2018-19 season- that according to state health officials.

Reports say eight of the victims were ages 65 or older; while two were in the 25-49 age group.

The death rate is at the mid-range of the scale for this time frame compared with previous flu seasons.

Last year for the same time period, there were 15 flu deaths.

Besides the elderly, other vulnerable groups are children younger than 5, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing medical conditions.

The flu season officially began October 1^st and typically runs through March 31^st.

A Connelly Springs man is charged with numerous drug offenses following a search of his home by local and state authorities.

Burke County Detectives along with the NC Probation and Parole searched the residence of 45-year-old Russell Eugene Pitts of 7302 Nolden Creek Road.

There they found approximately 6 ounces of meth.

Pitts was charged with several drug offenses including trafficking in meth, and possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver meth.

He received a 150-thousand-dollar secured bond and was confined at the Burke Catawba District Confinement Facility.

At least one person has died in a two-vehicle collision in Catawba County Wednesday afternoon.

A commercial truck and a passenger car collided on US 321 Business near Newton.

Reports state a witness claims the car appeared to veer into the truck.

The car reportedly caught fire and those inside the truck attempted to extinguish the fire.

The portion of the roadway has been closed to allow Newton Police to investigate the accident.

After decades of business, the Sears store in Marion is closing.

The store’s owner says the closing of the store at the Lady Marian Plaza is not related to the closings of other Sears stores across the nation.

Previous reports show employees at 29 Sears and 11 Kmart stores around the US were told in early November their locations would close by February 2019.

An article in the McDowell News says the owner has worked for the Sears company for 50 years and operated the Marion store for 40 years; and he’s ready for retirement.

The approximately 98-hundred- square foot space at the shopping center will be available by the first of January.

Authorities in Caldwell and Catawba Counties have detained a Granite Falls woman for alleged package theft.

27-year-old Summer Lea Hatcher is charged with misdemeanor larceny in Caldwell and two counts of misdemeanor larceny in Catawba County according to reports.

Reports say Hatcher is linked to the theft of a package from a residence in Hickory December 4^th, where surveillance footage showed a woman getting out of a car with a red box.

The video showed her taking a package from the home and replacing it with the red box.

A news release states the woman in the video was driving a gray Ford Explorer.

Hatcher was issued a 1-thousand dollar bond in Catawba County, and a 500-dollar bond on the Caldwell County charge.

Authorities say additional charges against Hatcher are pending.

A White House news release says President Donald Trump has told 11^th District Congressman Mark Meadows that he’s needed in Congress – therefore he will not be named the nation’s next Chief of Staff.

Press Secretary Sarah Sanders says the president spoke Wednesday with Meadows.

Sanders reports Trump told him that he is needed in Congress so he can continue the great work he’s doing there.

Meadows was reportedly on an initial list of four people Trump was considering to replace John Kelly after his first choice Nick Ayers pulled himself out of the running.

Meadows’ allies initially suggested he wasn’t interested in the challenging role; however, he had issued a public statement Monday stating he was willing to serve.

The president’s decision is expected by the end of the month.

City alcohol regulators in Asheville say they’re preparing to sell marijuana should it become legal in NC.

The Asheville Alcohol Beverage Control board chairman told city council members this week that there’s a national trend of marijuana legalization and it’s the board’s job to anticipate changes.

Published reports say the ABC Chair told the council he expects his agency would oversee marijuana sales and distribution if the drug becomes legal.

The ABC spokesman also told council that the alcohol beverage control system had recently constructed a 3-million dollar warehouse to handle growing liquor sales, and that the warehouse was also built to hold marijuana products if needed.

Recreational marijuana sales are legal in several states; while medical marijuana is legal in nearly two dozen states.

Lenoir-Rhyne University held its fall Commencement Thursday at P.E.Monroe Auditorium in Hickory.

Almost 120 bachelor's and master's degrees were awarded at the 4 p.m. ceremony.

L-R currently offers 53 undergraduate and 30 graduate programs across three campus locations in Asheville, Hickory and Columbia.

A Marion man, already on probation, now faces drug charges.

35-year-old John Coye Banks Junior is charged with possession of meth.

A search of Banks’ residence conducted by McDowell Sheriff’s deputies and state probation officers turned up point-5 grams of methamphetamine.

A Hickory man has been arrested in connection with several vehicles being broken into.

57-year-old Ernest Cleveland Woods was taken into custody in Union Square Hickory after witnesses reportedly observed him breaking into autos parked on Main Avenue Southwest.

Hickory Police charged Woods with two felony counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle.

He was issued a 5-thousand-dollar secured bond.

Winter Storm Diego brought some impressive snow totals to WNC.

As of 10:41 p.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service reported the following totals.

Lenoir - 18 inches

Linville & Pineola  - 18 inches

Little Switzerland - 18 inches

Taylorsville - 17.5 inches

Old Fort & Spruce Pine  - 15.5 inches

Morganton & Valdese - 14 inches

Marion, Black Mountain & Hickory - 14 inches

Dysartville & Nebo - 13 inches

Spindale – 11 inches

Lawndale - 7.5 inches

Lincolnton - 4.8 inches

The totals are unofficial observations from spotter reports during the 14 hours before the posting.

How much? What will it be? and When will it start?

Questions surrounding the predicted weekend snowstorm for western NC that we’re all asking!

Area forecasters are currently saying it will be more of a snow sleet mixture for those of us living in the Catawba Valley region.

Precipitation is slated to begin after sunset Saturday, or possibly early Sunday morning lingering into Monday evening.

Differing opinions on ‘how much’ vary from 10 to 24 inches.

Heavy wet snow may mean widespread power outages.

Local electrical officials are checking supplies and equipment, and if needed are ready to call in crews from out-of-state.

Residents are urged to be prepared with an emergency kit on hand, with non-perishable foods.

Make sure cellphones are charged.

Other items to include in an emergency kit-

Water, blankets, a change of clothes, batteries, hygiene items, a battery-powered weather radio, medications, and pet supplies.

The Red Cross recommends people have an emergency kit in their home and one in their vehicle; and enough supplies to last for at least three days.

If weather conditions worsen, area county emergency managers will direct health officials and those with the Red Cross to open shelters.

A fire Thursday morning in the Oak Hill community of Burke destroyed a home and claimed the life of a pet.

Just before 10 firefighters rushed to the scene off Kinglet Drive, where reports say the home was fully engulfed by flames.

The homeowner wasn’t there at the time; however, a dog was killed in the fire.

The cause of the fire has not been determined pending an investigation.

Oak Hill, Lake James, and Glen Alpine fire departments worked the fire scene, with assistance from the Burke County Fire Marshal’s Office, and Burke EMS.

 McDowell County deputies are calling upon the public to help locate a suspect who allegedly stole property from a home while he was working there.

28-year-old Bryan Alan Kelly of Marion is wanted for larceny and larceny of a firearm.

A news release states Kelly was with a group of people doing construction work at a home on Overlook Drive in early and mid-November.

The homeowner noticed jewelry and money missing from her home.

An investigation by authorities led to Kelly.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts should call the McDowell Sheriff’s Office at 652-2237 or McDowell Crimestoppers at 65-CRIME.

With Crimestoppers, your identity remains anonymous, and you could receive a cash reward.

A arrest has made in a case where a shot was fired into a Morganton house on Saturday.

Kevin Ross told Public Safety officers that he heard a shot and found the bullet in the bedroom of his house. Witnesses saw a vehicle speed away from the area and told police they knew who the shooter was and knew the area where he was going.

Officers converged at 118 Lenoir Road and arrested Richard Hildago, who was wanted in Gaston County on an unrelated charge.

The shooting allegedly stemmed from a domestic dispute between Hildago and his ex-girlfriend on Rockyford Street.

No one was injured in the shooting incident and the investigation is continuing.

A Hickory man is charged with Soliciting a Child by Computer.

The Burke County Sheriff's Office charged 21-year-old Michael Elliot Chicelli. The arrest was the result of the Sheriff's Office being called to a residence on November 23rd. The parents stated that the suspect had been sending sexually explicit and sexually suggestive messages over a social message application.

Authorities are investigating the second bomb threat called in last week to a Morganton business.

Published reports say the threat was called in to Kmart on Bost Road Friday afternoon.

Morganton Public Safety reports the suspect’s estranged girlfriend works at Kmart, and officials believe the threat was in retaliation.

Officers reportedly searched the store, but did not locate anything suspicious.

Earlier last week, a threat was received at Burke Mission Station.

The building was evacuated by authorities, but nothing was located.

Anyone having information about Friday’s incident should call Morganton Public Safety at 437-1211.

A convicted felon faces additional charges following a recent arrest.

20-year-old Michael Ray Lewis Evans of Davis Park Lane Marion is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of marijuana.

As a convicted felon, Evans is subject to warrantless searches – a search of his residence by McDowell deputies and state probation officers located a rifle and 1-point-3 grams of marijuana.

The McDowell County Greenway has re-opened after cleanup and repairs are complete following the Hurricane Michael flooding event in October.

The city of Marion personnel along with contractors removed mud and debris, replaced eroding materials along the greenway, and made bridge and fencing repairs.

City and County officials continue to work with FEMA and the state to process reimbursement of damages related to the string of tropical systems that came through western NC in the last few months.

Officials with the City of Marion report 234-thousand dollars in known damages have been incurred inside the city as a result of the storms.

Some road damage remains to be assessed by the state.