An altercation with a police officer and a two-year-old break in lands a Lenoir man in prison. Matthew Charles Minton, 27, will be serving up to seven years in prison for assaulting a police last April, and for a 2015 break-in. Reports say Minton broke into a vehicle in October 2015 and fled into a wooded area when confronted by the car's owner. He was then apprehended by Lenoir Police following a foot chase; but then failed to appear at his trial. Then in April, Minton was pulled over for a burned-out headlight. Minto reportedly gave the officer a false name and fled the scene on foot. When the officer caught up with the suspect, Minton attempted to strangle the officer and pulled at his service weapon. The officer was forced to deploy his taser to detain Minton. Minton pleaded guilty to breaking and entering a motor vehicle, failure to appear, assault on a law enforcement officer, inflicting serious injury, and admitting his status as a habitual felon.

A Maiden man was sentenced to serve at least 11 years in prison after he was found guilty by a Catawba County Jury, Tuesday, of possession of a firearm by a felon and carrying a concealed weapon. Kenneth Wayne Ryckeley, 38, also admitted his status as a habitual felon, which enhanced the prison, which is 11 to years. Ryckeley had prior felony convictions for felony larceny in Lincoln County ( January 2006), obtaining property by false pretense in Gaston County (April 2009) and possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine in Iredell County (August 2013).

Duke Energy has restored power to 313,000 North and South Carolina residents after the remnants of Hurricane Irma moved through the Carolinas earlier this week. Duke Energy expects power to be restored to the additional 57,000 people without power, by 11pm tomorrow, if not sooner. Also, the U.S.Forest Service has reopened most recreation areas and roads on the National Forests in North Carolina.