A Hickory woman was struck and killed Wednesday morning attempting to cross the street. 72-year-old Vione Mae Miller was attempting to cross the road when she was hit in the 400 block of Hwy 70 SW. Miller sustained critical injuries due to the collision and was transported to Frye Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced deceased. The Hickory Police Department's Traffic Safety Unit is investigating the collision and remains ongoing.

A Newton man facing a second-degree murder charge in the traffic death of a Caldwell County pastor made a first appearance, Wednesday, in Catawba County District Court. 31-year-old Zachariah Arthur Carl, was charged with second-degree murder and 4 other offenses by the State Highway Patrol, following the crash the killed 43-year-old Michael Howard Vanderburg on Tuesday on Highway 70 near Conover. Preliminary investigation by the Highway Patrol showed that Carl ran a red light and struck the minivan, killing Vanderburg. Several members of the Vanderburg family in the minivan were taken to the hospital. The investigation is continuing.

A Conover man was given an active prison sentence of at least 5 years for pleading guilty to trafficking meth on Tuesday, during Catawba County Superior Court. 31-year-old Alexis Joel Adorno Diaz was sentenced by the Honorable Timothy S. Kincaid, Superior Court Judge from Catawba County. Diaz was also assessed a mandatory $50,000 fine.

More than 600 jobs are coming to Rutherford County. A Taiwan-based maker of high-performance sports apparel - Everest Textile will establish a 610 job manufacturing facility in Forest City. Everett currently has facilities not only in Taiwan, but China and Thailand. Its Rutherford County plant will be its first outside Asia. The company will reportedly $18.5 million dollars over 5 years at their new site. A job development investment grant approved by the state's economic investment committee is helping facilitate the arrival of Everest.