A Lenoir man is charged in connection with a shooting. Caldwell deputies responded just before 8pm Wednesday to a parking lot at 1219 Hwy 268 on the report of a shooting. One victim was found with a single, non-life threatening gun shot wound. Reportedly, the victim was treated and released at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. According to a press release from the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office, no further information about the victim is going to be released. Officers arrested Steven Wayne Smith, 29, and charged him with one count of Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious. Smith was also served with an outstanding warrant for Domestic Criminal Trespass, with bond set st $250,000.

A Hickory business was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday. Hickory Police responded to the reported armed robbery at Boost Mobile on Springs Road NE. The store's clerk stated the suspect entered the store, displayed a handgun, and demanded money - later leaving the business on foot. A press release describes the suspect as a black male, 20 to 30 years old, 5'8' tall with facial hair. Reports also state the suspect has an apparent disability to his right leg causing his right foot to turn out at an angle as he walks. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call Hickory Police at 828-328-5551.

An EF2 tornado was confimed in Burke, Catawba, Caldwell and Alexander. The National Weather Weather at Greenville-Spartanburg reported Thursday that Monday's tornado had an estimated maximum wind speed of 125 mph. The tornado, which occurred from about 4:35-5pm, touched down near Hickory Regional Airport, then staddled the Catawba/Caldwell County line, While weakening to EF1, the tornado widened to almost 3/4 mile, then straddled the Alexander/Caldwell County Line, before finally weakening and lifting just south of the Alexander/Wilkes County line.

Caldwell County Public Information reports that as of Thursday night, 658 homes are currently identified as damaged, with 49 homes sustaining major damage and 5 homes destroyed. These numbers will rise as Assessment Teams will be back out surveying damage today.

Rick Beasley has been hired as the Interim Hickory City Manager. Beasley has years of city mnagement experience, including Conover and Lenoir. He also served as Deputy Athletics at ASU and for the past two years Beasely was the Senior Associared Athletics for Development at Georgia State. Former Assistant City Manager Andrea Surratt resigned for a City Manager's job in Montana.