A former teacher’s assistant in McDowell County has been charged with assault on an individual with a disability.

44-year-old Anjanette Rebekah Myers was previously suspended from her duties at West Marion Elementary School pending further investigation into the alleged incident.

As Myers has been officially charged by the McDowell Sheriff’s Office, according to a news release from McDowell County schools, she has been terminated.

Myers is reportedly accused of striking a handicapped 9-year-old student in the head.

School officials learned of the incident and notified the Sheriff’s Office for further investigation.

A drug trafficker is behind bars after a week on the run.

Reports from the McDowell Sheriff’s Office say 45-year-old Steven Lynn Milam of Marion turned himself in to authorities last Thursday.

He has been charged with trafficking meth, possession of meth, possession with intent to sell and deliver meth, and maintaining a dwelling to keep a controlled substance.

Investigating possible drug activity on February 14th, local and state officials raided Milam’s residence.

Reports say they discovered 400 grams of meth and 18 grams of marijuana; but were unable to locate the suspect at that time.

Sunday night’s high winds blew away Grandfather Mountain’s previous wind speed record set earlier this month.

Park officials report that around midnight, the park’s weather recording station at the Mile High Swinging Bridge registered a 3-second gust of 124 miles per hour; beating the previous record of 121-point-3 miles per hour recorded on February 13^th.

Part of western NC’s higher elevations was under a high wind warning at the time.

Gas prices continue to creep higher and higher across the Carolinas as they hit their fourth straight week of increase.

NC’s 2-dollars-30-cent average is up 12 cents on the week and 13 cents on the month; although officials say current prices are still 9-centgs cheaper than this time last year.

SC’s 2-dollars-15-cent average is 11 cents higher than last week and 14 cents higher than last month; yet remains 10 cents cheaper than last year.

Officials say pump prices will most likely fluctuate over the next couple of weeks and continue an upward trend as refineries start maintenance and begin the switch to the more expensive summer blend of gasoline.

A Hickory man is sentenced to prison following conviction for habitual driving while impaired.

34-year-old Henry Pham will serve up to seven years – his sentence enhanced by his habitual felon status.

Pham has prior convictions for motor vehicle larceny in 2002, felony hit and run in 2009, and habitual impaired driving in 2015 – all charges imposed in Catawba County.

Court records show Pham had two prior DWI convictions in 2011 and in 2012.

The driving-while-impaired offenses were investigated by the NC Highway Patrol.

A traffic stop on Interstate 40 in Iredell County leads to the arrest of two men on drug trafficking charges.

54-year-old Carlos Edward Williams Junior of Mocksville and 73-year-old David Eugene McCord of Mt. Pleasant were stopped for traffic violations Wednesday morning.

A search of the car turned up over 16 ounces of meth; reportedly having a street value of 186-thousand dollars.

Both men were charged with felony trafficking meth, and trafficking meth by transport.

Williams was also charged with misdemeanor giving false information to an officer, and driving while license revoked.

Both were placed in the Iredell Detention Center under 300-thousand dollar secured bonds each.

Catawba County authorities have charged a woman in connection with an early morning shooting that occurred last Friday.

Published reports say 55-year-old Karan Lynn Holmes-Stills is charged with one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, and one felony count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

Stills allegedly shot her boyfriend Terry Joe Anderson in Vale at a home on Rhoney Farm Road just before 3 am Friday.

Anderson was reportedly transported to Catawba Valley Medial Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Stills was issued an 18-thousand dollar bond.

A passenger inside a vehicle stopped for an expired tag gets arrested on drug charges.

40-year-old Ronnie Michael Sealey of Nebo is charged by McDowell officers with possession of meth and possession with intent to sell and deliver meth.

A search of his person turned up 13 grams of methamphetamine.

A teenager reported missing from Mitchell County may be hiding out in McDowell County.

16-year-old Anthony Harkey left his residence in Mitchell and McDowell County authorities are on the lookout for the teen.

Anyone with information about Harkey’s whereabouts should call the McDowell Sheriff’s Office at 652-2235 or Mitchell County at 668-3982.

The Burke County Board of Realtors has released a housing study that shows a broad range of need for housing across various price points – noting a substantial need for homes priced between 175-thousand and 299-thousand dollars.

The study was funded by a 12-thousand-500 dollar grant awarded to the Burke Board of Realtors through the National Association of Realtors, after the need for such an assessment was identified in 2017.

Local board members state they realized there was a significant housing shortage because of daily struggles to find enough homes, and appropriate homes to fill the demand.

According to the assessment, moderate income housing is especially needed to support growth required to sustain and grow the county’s workforce.

The study also indicates over 27-hundred new housing units will be needed for single and multi-family owners over the next 4 years.

 A two vehicle crash on Sanford Drive in Morganton Friday morning killed a driver, and injured two others.

The collision occurred near the Tate Street intersection around 8:15, as reports say one vehicle crossed the center line on Sanford.

Morganton Public Safety continues to investigate, while reports say a SUV and a Burke County Public Schools truck were involved.

The driver of the SUV, 29-year-old Anndrel Royal died in the crash, while a passenger also in the SUV and the driver of the truck, Jeffrey Cook were injured.

Both were transported by Burke EMS to Carolinas Healthcare Blue Ridge in Morganton.

Hickory Police make an arrest in connection with a stabbing that occurred last week at a fast-food restaurant.

45-year-old Richard Lenoir Church the Third is charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.

Police were called to McDonald’s on Fairgrove Church Road Monday evening where they discovered a 46-year-old female suffering from non-life threatening stab wounds.

Reports say the victim was transported to Frye Regional for treatment.

Warrants were issued at that time for Church’s arrest.

Church is being held in the Catawba County Detention Facility without bond.

The Golden Leaf Foundation has awarded a 400-thousand dollar grant to the City of Hickory for its economic development project with Isotopen Technologies at the Trivium Center.

Grant funds will be used to construct a public access road in the center’s business park that will serve the site for the new production facility.

Isotopen announced last December their plans to occupy the business park with plans to invest 17-million dollars and create 137 new jobs.

The new facility will manufacture advanced radio-pharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer.

The 270-acre Trivium Center is a business park located between Robinwood Road and Startown Road in Hickory – developed jointly by the City of Hickory, Catawba County, and the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation.

The Golden Leaf Foundation works to increase economic opportunity in NC’s rural and tobacco-dependent communities through leadership in grant development, innovation, and stewardship.

Following a traffic stop, a Nebo man now faces several drug charges.

25-year-old Rodney Lee Clontz of Tatertown Loop is charged by the McDowell Sheriff’s Office with possession of meth, possession with intent to sell and deliver meth, and maintaining a vehicle to keep a controlled substance.

Clontz was originally stopped on Greenlee Road for multiple traffic violations.

A search of his vehicle turned up 1-point-43 grams of meth.

North Carolina had its deadliest period of this year’s flu season last week according to state health officials.

Week ending Saturday February 9^th, reports say there were 16 people statewide who died from a flu-related illness.

That brings the total number of deaths for the season throughout NC to 52.

US health officials report though the flu vaccine is doing a relatively good job this season – protecting about half the people who received the shot.

Preliminary figures suggest the vaccine is 47-percent effective in preventing flu illness severe enough to send someone to the doctor’s office.

A report states health officials are generally pleased if a flu vaccine works in 40 to 60 percent of those vaccinated.

According to the Center for Disease Control, flu is widespread in 47 states; however officials don’t know if flu season has peaked yet.

The center also reports seeing evidence that a more severe flu virus is spreading to more states.

A hiker from Charlotte was rescued this weekend after going missing in Blowing Rock Saturday.

67-year-old Frank Senady was located unharmed by searchers in a rugged area near the China Creek Trail Sunday afternoon.

Officials report the extremely treacherous trail begins in Blowing Rock in the Pisgah National Forest and descends several hundred feet in elevation ending on John’s River Road in Burke County.

Numerous emergency personnel and searchers from Boone, Blowing Rock, Caldwell Emergency Management, Collettsville, Granite Falls, Linville Rescue, US Parks, and NC Wildlife assisted in the rescue.

A fugitive wanted in McDowell County for theft has been captured in Burke County due to a Crimestoppers tip.

30-year-old Candace Nicole Wing of Fleming Avenue Marion was arrested by Burke County deputies after they received information that she was staying on Jenkins Road.

Wing was a fugitive from McDowell wanted for breaking and entering, and larceny after breaking and entering.

She allegedly broke into a Nebo residence in early January and removed household items valuing 76-hundred dollars.

No arrest yet in an apparent double murder over the weekend in Alexander County.

Authorities report the incident happened on Mount Wesley Church Road in the Stony Point area.

Two men were reportedly shot and found in two different areas of the home.

The victims are identified as 38-year-old Chad Lee Kennedy and 57-year-old Mark Jefferson Furey.

Local deputies state they have responded to the same home in the past for domestic situations.

Investigators reportedly have leads but have not made any arrests.

Anyone with information should contact Crimestoppers in Alexander County at 632-8555.

The state’s Department of Health and Human Services has received a five-year 10-million dollar federal grant to improve the health and well-being of adults and children who have challenging mental health issues, and live in high-need communities.

The grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will provide an integrated approach to primary and behavioral health care to improve the overall wellness of adults with serious mental illness, children with serious emotional disturbance, and adults and children with substance use disorders.

The funds will serve an estimated 21-hundred-50 individuals, half of those in the western region of the state.

A drug conviction and his admission as a habitual felon results in a prison sentence for a Hickory man.

41-year-old Angelo Lamar Jackson will serve six to eight years following a conviction for possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine – his sentence handed down in Catawba County Superior Court Wednesday.

A report shows uncover officers with Hickory Police made a purchase of cocaine from Jackson at a local motel.

After obtaining a search warrant, officers discovered cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and currency in the motel room.

Jackson had prior drug convictions in Catawba County in 2005, 2008, and 2017 which added to the length of his sentence.

A Conover man will be behind bars for up to nine years following a conviction for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.

Catawba County deputies were called to a residence last March, where they found a female lying on the floor – beaten and bruised.

46-year-old Shannon O’Neal Hamlett told lawmen someone else had assaulted the female subject; who required being air-lifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.

Reports say when she began to recover from the head trauma she had suffered, she identified Hamlett as her assailant.

He later admitted to investigators that he struck her repeatedly with his hands and kicked her which led to the severity of her injuries.

A man driving a vehicle with a fictitious plate led McDowell officers on a chase Wednesday.

Officers attempted to stop the vehicle on Burma Road East in Marion when the driver reportedly sped up; taking lawmen on several roadways before pulling over.

50-year-old Michael David Brown of Cascade Drive Marion was taken into custody and charged with fleeing to elude arrest, speeding, and driving while license revoked.

Brown was also served with 13 outstanding warrants on charges of breaking and entering, larceny, driving while impaired and traffic violations – as well as multiple probation violations.

Marion Police assisted in the arrest.

Flu activity is rising in NC with six flu-associated deaths reported during the week ending February 2^nd.

That brings the total number of flu-related deaths this season to 35; although this may not represent all flu associated deaths in the state in that many go undiagnosed or unreported.

Health officials say it’s not too late to get vaccinated to protect yourself and others; although vaccination early in the season is preferred.

And if you suspect you have the flu, contact your doctor right away to see if you should need treatment with a prescription antiviral drug.

Early treatment can help prevent flu infections from becoming more serious.

A Nebo man sustains a gunshot wound after allegedly assaulting his disabled grandmother.

Reports with the McDowell Sheriff’s Office say 26-year-old Corey Lee Beck is charged with assault on an individual with disabilities after dragging his grandmother 69-year-old Shirley Beck outside her home still in her wheelchair assaulting her.

During the commotion, Shirley’s son-in-law Scott Gentry, who lives nearby, came over and shot Corey in the leg.

Shirley sustained wounds to her hands, arms, and neck and was transported to Mission Hospital McDowell for treatment.

Corey was taken to CHS  in Morganton for his leg wound.

Gentry has not been charged.

The investigation continues.

A Burke County man pleads guilty Monday in Burke County Superior Court to the 2017 stabbing death of his neighbor.

Gerald Buff stabbed Jimmy Causby to death in October 2017 thinking Causby had stolen a welder from him.

The judge sentenced Buff to 14 to 18 years in prison; along with payment of Causby’s funeral costs of more than $9,700.

A man attempted suicide by hanging today while incarcerated at the Lincoln County detention center.

A news release from Lincoln County states the cellmate of the 57-year-old man was awakened by someone thrashing around.

He then discovered the man with part of a bedsheet tied around his neck and the other end to the bars of the cell.

The cellmate immediately summoned help; while Lincoln County EMS responded to assist and took the patient to Atrium Health Lincoln.

Reports say he was further transported to Atrium Health in Charlotte.

The inmate had reportedly been jailed since January 11^th on a charge of felony possession of a firearm.