Firefighters from three counties battled a blaze at a Long View business Wednesday afternoon.

Reports say the fire broke out at HSM Solutions Foam and Wood Fabrication – initially beginning as a dustbin fire on the roof of the business around Noon.

The fire was reportedly extinguished just before 2:30 with some 40 firefighters on scene.

Several Catawba County fire departments fought the blaze, with assistance from Caldwell County, and Icard Fire and Rescue from Burke County.

No reported injuries, and no word on the cause of the fire.

The Catawba County Fire Marshal’s office is investigating.

A domestic dispute leads to charges for a couple of Marion residents.

Reports with the McDowell Sheriff’s Office say 40-year-old David Alan Watts was charged with assault on a female, while 34-year-old Amanda Nicole Smith was charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

Deputies responded to a reported domestic between the two, when officers discovered Smith had hit Watts with her truck, and Watts had also assaulted Smith.

According to reports, deputies searched Watts before his entry into the jail, and located a Bible he had stolen from the magistrate’s office.

Watts was wanted in Tennessee also for multiple felony charges.

State health officials confirm at least 25 people in WNC have now tested positive for Legionnaires disease, and one infected person has died.

An investigation is currently underway to determine where these patients came in contact with the dangerous bacteria.

So far, the common denominator appears that those infected attended the Mountain State Fair in Fletcher.

Health officials report 15 confirmed cases in Buncombe County, including one fatality; Haywood and Transylvania counties each reported two cases, and Henderson County reported six cases.

Reports further state there have been 22 hospitalizations from the outbreak, with the patients ranging in age from 37 to 90; with more than half males.

The Centers for Disease Control says sources of infection can be anything that takes water and turns it into water droplets, like steam from a hot tub or mist from a cooling tower – both of which were at the Fletcher fair.

State fire officials worry the upcoming fall fire season could be similar to the one experienced in 2016 when tens of thousands of acres burned in the Southeast.

From late October through November 2016, wildfires burned more than 55-thousand acres in WNC.

That’s also when 14 people died in fires raging in Gatlinburg.

NC Forestry officials say the recent hot dry weather places our region in a potentially high risk area for fire; especially during dry windy days.

Officials are saying conditions will certainly worsen as the leaves come down, and there is no rainfall.

Fire officials report no burning bans are in place yet, but they discourage residents from burning until there is some rain.

They stress though if an individual chooses to burn, have a phone nearby in case the fire gets out of hand.

Local, state, and federal officials are working to monitor drought and potential fire conditions.

A Catawba County pair has been arrested for heroin and meth possession following a traffic stop.

A news release from the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office says 27-year-old Kenny Tran of Conover and 31-year-old Amy Lee Edwards of Hickory were both detained after officers discovered heroin and meth inside their vehicle.

Reports say Tran and Edwards were each charged with several felony drug offenses.

Both were each issued 25-thousand dollar secured bonds.

Cleveland County investigators report a Shelby man has made two attempts to have his father killed.

Published reports say 25-year-old Daniel Dean Maness was arrested Sunday after he allegedly tried to hire two different people to carry out the crime.

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office first learned of the plot after Maness reportedly tried to hire the first person on September 10^th.

Reports say investigators informed Maness’ father of the potential threat.

Maness was arrested over the weekend after officers say he contacted a second person to assist him in the plot.

Previous reports indicate the situation began between father and son last April when Maness allegedly stabbed his father with a screwdriver.

He was charged then with misdemeanor assault and jailed for 60 days according to court records.

Maness is currently charged with two counts of solicitation of first-degree murder.

He is being held under a 500-thousand dollar bond.

The case remains under investigation.

The Marion Fire Department will soon experience an increase in the number of paid firefighters – thanks to grant monies from FEMA SAFER.

SAFER is an acronym for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response and is funding created to provide assistance directly to fire departments to help them increase or maintain trained front line firefighters for their particular communities.

The SAFER grant will provide more than 504-thousand dollars in federal funding to Marion Fire that will go toward hiring five additional paid firefighters to add to the department’s current roster of seven paid firefighters.

Marion fire officials say the funding will allow three firefighters per shift for 24 hour coverage once they’re hired.

The fire department reports it will accept applications over the next few months for the new positions.

Visit Marion – NC – dot org for additional information.

The Buncombe and Henderson County Health Departments along with the state department of Health and Human Services are investigating multiple cases of Legionnaires Disease reported in individuals who attended the Mountain State Fair in Fletcher  September 6^th through the 15^th.

Health officials suggest that anyone who attended the fair and has symptoms of pneumonia, like cough, fever, or shortness of breath should see a doctor right away.

Legionnaires disease is a serious illness but can be effectively treated with antibiotics.

A person can develop the illness when they breathe in mist or accidentally swallow water into the lungs that contains Legionella bacteria.

People at highest risk include those 50 years or older, current or former smokers, and those with a chronic lung disease or a weakened immune system.

For additional information or to report possible cases of Legionnaires, contact your local health department.

A Marion man has been sentenced to at least six years in prison after being charged regarding a missing woman’s body being found at a Rutherford County construction site last June.

46-year-old Norris Lewis Westall of Quail Ridge Drive pleaded guilty to intent to conceal unnatural death by destroying or disposing human remains.

Previous reports state 24-year-old Brooke Tollie of Marion was reported missing May 13^th.

After an extensive investigation by McDowell authorities, Tollie’s remains were uncovered at a construction site in the Golden Valley community of Bostic June 5^th.

Reports from McDowell detectives say Westall and Tollie were friends and that Tollie had been at the Westall residence when she died.

It was alleged that Westall took Tollie’s body to the construction site and buried her.

Reports further state at the time of Westall’s arrest in June, preliminary autopsy reports showed no traumatic injury to Tollie’s body.

The exact cause of death has not been determined; however, toxicology results remain pending.

An inmate at the Cleveland County detention center committed suicide over the weekend.

According to reports, while conducting routine inmate checks officials discovered 35-year-old Clint Daniel Fort hanging in his cell just before 12:30 Saturday afternoon.

Detention officials began CPR until EMS arrived and transported Fort to Atrium Health Cleveland; however, he was pronounced deceased about 45 minutes later.

Fort was from nearby Blacksburg and had been held at the Cleveland detention facility since September 17^th on charges of order for arrest for failure to appear for possession of heroin.

The SBI will be assisting Cleveland County officials in an investigation.

A tractor trailer hauling aluminum overturned while traveling down Old Fort mountain Friday morning.

Around 7:30, emergency personnel responded to the single vehicle crash near the 68 mile marker.

State Highway Patrol reports say 36-year-old Toddrick Stevenson of Statesboro Georgia was driving east on I-40 when the rig veered off the roadway and overturned.

The investigating trooper say excessive speed played a factor in the crash.

Stevenson was treated on scene by McDowell EMS but did not require transport.

Charges are currently pending.

Old Fort Fire and McDowell Rescue also assisted on the scene.

Two people were injured in a crash Sunday on the Blue Ridge Parkway also inside McDowell County.

The mishap involving a motorcycle reportedly occurred near Orchard Road in Spruce Pine around 2:15 yesterday afternoon.

Authorities say two people were thrown over an embankment, and one with serious injuries was airlifted to Mission Hospital Asheville.

The other person was taken to Mission also by ambulance.

Caldwell County Sheriff's detectives are looking for a missing camper. A 1978 24 foot Wilderness Camper was stolen from the Globe Road/Upton Place intersection. If you have any information about who stolen the camper or where the camper is located, please call Detective Morgan at 759-1554.

A Silver Alert has been issued for a missing Statesville man. 80-year-old Leroy Turner was last seen at 213 Spring Field Road. Turner is described as a black man, 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 180 pounds with black and gray hair. He may be driving 2017 burgandy Ford Expedition with NC tag FJS-5177. Anyone with information should call Statesville Police at 704-878-3406.

A Valdese man is charged with two felony methamphetamine offenses. On August 29th, State Probation and Parole officers were conducting a routine search of 35-year-old Jonathan Wayne Willis, Jr. currently on probation, at a Hauss Ridge residence. According to a press release from the Burke County Sheriff's Office, after Willis began to resist, Valdese Police officers and Burke detectives responded to assist. A search of Willis reportedly located 73 grams of meth. He was taken to the Burke/Catawba District Confinement Facility under a $75,000 secured bond with a court appearance scheduled for September 25th.

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McDowell County deputies are seeking the public’s help in locating $37,000 worth of property, stolen from a Marion residence, and the person or persons responsible. The report to the Sheriff’s Office on August 26^th, stated that someone entered a Vein Mountain home and garage sometime between August 2^nd and 25^th and took property, including a 1979 Ford Mustang with drag racing tires and a roll cage inside the car. Also taken were thousands of dollars’ worth of hand and power tools, audio equipment, furniture, scrap metal and an extensive collection of vinyl albums. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Ballew at 652-2237.

Burke County deputies responded early Sunday morning to a reported shooting on Hilltop Avenue. Deputies determined that an argument had occurred between 61-year-old Samuel Lee Harrison and his son, 39-year-old Jeremy Lee Harrison, who were both living at the residence. Jeremy Harrison was located in a bedroom with a gunshot wound to his lower right leg. An investigation found five bullet holes in the wall and a .22 caliber rifle propped up against a tree behind the residence. Jeremy Harrison was taken to the hospital by EMS and Samuel Harrison was arrested on three felony charges. Bond was set at $100,000 secured with a court appearance scheduled for today.

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A third person, wanted in connection with a death investigation, was located Saturday morning by Burke County deputies. 20-year-old Tristian Claude Eugene Shoup of Granite Falls,was  found asleep in a car at 2908 Green Grove,off Shady Grove Road, Connelly Springs. He was wanted in connection with the death of 19-year-old Dylan Thomas Deaton, who was located on the side of Weaver Lane, Rhodhiss, Thursday afternoon. The investigation developed leads which led to warrants being issued and served on 20-year-old Matthew Dylan Buckles of Connelly Springs, and 28-year-old Ryleigh Elizabeth Waldrop of Valdese. Bond on Shoup and Waldrop was at set $1 million each with Buckles bond at $750,000. The SBI assisted the Burke County Sheriff's Office in the investigation.

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McDowell County Sheriff’s Office investigators need the public’s help in locating a stolen four-wheeler. A yellow 1998 Honda FourTrax Foreman ES was reported stolen, August 30^th, from property on Biggerstaff Loop in Nebo, sometime between 8 p.m. August 24^th and 2:30 p.m. August 30^th. Anyone with information is asked to call Lieutenant Andy Manis at 652-2237.

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One lane of North Green Street is closed this week from Fleming Place to Catawba Street. The northbound land of North Green will be closed so crews can install new sidewalks in the area, weather permitting. The southbound lane, heading into Downtown Morganton, will remain open. Local traffic to homes and businesses in the area will be permitted.

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Hickory City crews will be performing signal work at the intersection of Lenoir Rhyne Blvd SE and I-40 eastbound, starting around 11 p.m. Thursday and continuing through the night. Traffic on Lenoir Rhyne Blvd SE will be narrowed to one lane in each direction, and left turns from the I-40 eastbound off ramp will not be permitted. Delays should be expected, but work should be completed by 7 a.m. Friday.

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NCDOT begins replacing a 56-year-old bridge in Rutherford County today. Pilgram Road will be closed to through traffic while crews replace the bridge over Webb’s Creek. DOT officials expect the road between Ellenboro and Forest City to reopen in September 2020.

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Plans are announced for a mixed-use development in Downtown Hickory. City Council approved Tuesday, a $19 million upscale six-story complex, being constructed by One North Center,LLC. This multi-family dwelling will offer ground-level commercial space for retail, restaurant and business tenants along with secure underground parking.The development will be located at the intersection of Main Avenue Northwest and North Center Street.

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The State Highway Patrol will hold a graduation ceremony for the 148th Basic Patrol School Saturday morning at 10, at Colonial Baptist Church on Tryon Road in Cary. Among the graduates are McDowell County resident Garrett Metcalf, who will be assigned to the Burke Station and Bryson Bowman of Caldwell County, assigned to the Gaston Station. The graduates completed 27 weeks of training.

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Enrollment at Western Carolina has hit a record, with more than 12,000 students this fall. This marks the eighth time out of the past nine years that the number of students at WCU has risen. The increase, in part, is due to growth in distance education and graduate student populations and a surge of returning undergraduates.

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An investigation continues into a fatal two-vehicle crash involving a motorcycle. Just after 10:30 Tuesday morning, Asheville Police responded to 511 Smokey Park Highway, where the wreck occurred involving a Yamaha motorcyle and a Toyota Scion. 47-year-old Jimmy Robert Jensen of Mars Hill, the motorcyle operator, died at Mission Hospital. An initial investigation indicates that Jensen was traveling west on the highway when he struck the Scion. Anyone with information is asked to call 252-1110 or CrimeStoppers at 255-5050.

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Work on a bridge replacement in Alexander County can begin as early as mid-September. NCDOT recently awarded a $560,000 contract to R.E.Burns and Sons of Statesville to replace a bridge on Herman Road. Bridge work should wrap up by September 2020, with vegetation and landscaping work to continue into March 2021. Both approaches to the bridge washed out during heavy storms in early June.

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