The Catawba County Republican Party will hold primary debates for the offices of 25th District Attorney, Catawba County Sheriff and Clerk of Court of Catawba County on Tuesday, April 17th.  The event will be held, beginning at 6:30 p.m., in the Piedmont Center, 1375 Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard in Hickory.  The Catawba County Republican Party says those three offices were chosen because the primary winner of each race will be the winner of the office, as there will be no Democrat opponent on the November ballot.  The event is free and the public is invited to attend, although seating is limited..  The debates will be live streamed on the Catawba County GOP Facebook page at 6:25 p.m.  

Deputies in Catawba County arrested 100 people Wednesday in a roundup that began before dawn.  The Operation 100 Proof brought in individuals with collective felony charges that numbered 350.  Narcotics officers had been traveling throughout the county making drug buys of products like pain pills, heroin and methamphetamine.  Wednesday morning they rounded up the suspects and even confiscated more drugs from some suspects in the roundup.

The names of the three people killed in North Cove/Marion are 39 year old Kacey Case Haney of 182 Lonon Lane, 49 year old Christopher Scott Childres of 43E Oakwood Dr. Nebo, and 48 year old Jeffrey Dale Haney of 182 Lonon Lane.  Kacey Haney and Chris Childres were found dead inside the home.  Jeffrey Haney was found dead outside the home.  Police surmise Haney killed his estranged wife and Childres and then went outside, called 911 and killed himself.  He used a shotgun.  At one time, Mrs. Haney had had a restraining order against Jeffrey Haney, but it had expired.  Mrs. Haney had a son from a previous marriage, but he was not at home at the time of the shooting.

Catawba Valley Medical Center and Frye Regional Medical Center have been made aware and want to advise residents about a phone scam in the area.

According to the Alexander County Sheriff's Office, callers are posing as reps from the hospital. This is a case of Caller ID "spoofing," a high-tech manipulation of the Caller ID feature that allows the scammer to disguise their true identity by making the phone number appear to be that of the hospital. This scam has been targeting hospital patients nationwide.

The hospitals offer tips about this recent phone scam:

* If you have not been a patient at either hospital, or are not currently scheduled for a medical procedure, it is unlikely that you would be receiving a call from either hospital.

* If you are a CVMC or FRMC patient (or a patient at one of their physician practices) and uou are unsure as to why you would receive a call from them, ask for the caller’s name, hospital department and a direct number to call them back. You may call the Business Services Departments directly:

  * Catawba Valley Medical Center – 828-326-2477

  * Frye Regional Medical Center – 828-315-5540