Hickory City Council met Tuesday night in regular session and passed several routine items including a 17-item consent agenda. Mayor Wright spoke about a recent trip he and other Alderman and city staff had traveling to Washington, DC to lobby for a "Tiger" Grant last night. While Hickory officials were successful in getting a Tiger Grant for Hickory, Mayor Wright talked about other North Carolina cities that had received Tiger Grants, including Charlotte and Wilson. A departmental report detailed the City of Hickory receiving a Brownfields Area-wide Planning Grant to allow for development in the area of US 70 between US 321 and South Center Street. The planning staff will hold workshops on August 23rd thru 25th with the local community to plan sites in these areas and surrounding neighborhoods.

Lenoir Police updated the investigation Wednesday, into the Officer Involved Shooting that killed 32-year-old Carl Marcus Nivins of Lenoir Tuesday morning at WalMart on Blowing Rock Boulevard. Investigation into this incident has determined that the firearm used by Nivins, a .38 caliber Taurus revolver, was reported stolen from Burke County August 13th. According to Lenoir Police, Officers involved in this incident remain on paid administrative leave, per department policy. A Critical Incident Stress Debriefing for all involved personnel has been scheduled for this week. It is anticipated that all employees will return to unrestricted duty soon thereafter. Two other people at the scene Tuesday were arrested on unrelated charges, 24-year-old Natasha Rae Stanley of Morganton and 32-year-old Jose Alberto Flores of Rhodhiss. No additional charges have been filed against Stanley or Flores, although more are expected in the coming days.

A Newton man was sentenced to serve at least 5 years in prison after pleading no contest to drug trafficking charges during Burke County Superior Court. 36-year-old Shane Eddie Greer was given an active prison sentence of 5 to 7 years after entering a plea of no contest. Greer's charges include trafficking in opiates by possession and by transportation. Reports with long View Police say the department received a tip in the spring of last year that Greer would be selling illegal drugs at an Eastern Burke County business. A traffic stop of Greer's vehicle near the business revealed Hydrocodone that Greer repoeredly admitted were his and that he planned to sell them. Officers also discovered text messages on his phone related to drug sales. In addition, Greer was issued a mandatory $50,000 fine.

Catawba County Public Health has been recognized by the N.C.Department of Labor as a Public Sector Site for the second time in a row. Catawba County Public Health is the third health in the state to be recognized as a Public Sector Star site. To date, there are four Star sites in Catawba County and 151 across North Carolina. State Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry attended a ceremony on August 15th to present employees of Catawba County Public Health with a certificate of recognition for being awarded the safety recognition. Catawba County Public Health promotes and protects the health of all Catawba County residents through preventative services, innovative partnerships, and community health improvement initiaitives. For more information visit www.catawbacountync.gov/phealth.