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.