The Golden Leaf Foundation has awarded a 400-thousand dollar grant to the City of Hickory for its economic development project with Isotopen Technologies at the Trivium Center.

Grant funds will be used to construct a public access road in the center’s business park that will serve the site for the new production facility.

Isotopen announced last December their plans to occupy the business park with plans to invest 17-million dollars and create 137 new jobs.

The new facility will manufacture advanced radio-pharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer.

The 270-acre Trivium Center is a business park located between Robinwood Road and Startown Road in Hickory – developed jointly by the City of Hickory, Catawba County, and the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation.

The Golden Leaf Foundation works to increase economic opportunity in NC’s rural and tobacco-dependent communities through leadership in grant development, innovation, and stewardship.

Following a traffic stop, a Nebo man now faces several drug charges.

25-year-old Rodney Lee Clontz of Tatertown Loop is charged by the McDowell Sheriff’s Office with possession of meth, possession with intent to sell and deliver meth, and maintaining a vehicle to keep a controlled substance.

Clontz was originally stopped on Greenlee Road for multiple traffic violations.

A search of his vehicle turned up 1-point-43 grams of meth.

North Carolina had its deadliest period of this year’s flu season last week according to state health officials.

Week ending Saturday February 9^th, reports say there were 16 people statewide who died from a flu-related illness.

That brings the total number of deaths for the season throughout NC to 52.

US health officials report though the flu vaccine is doing a relatively good job this season – protecting about half the people who received the shot.

Preliminary figures suggest the vaccine is 47-percent effective in preventing flu illness severe enough to send someone to the doctor’s office.

A report states health officials are generally pleased if a flu vaccine works in 40 to 60 percent of those vaccinated.

According to the Center for Disease Control, flu is widespread in 47 states; however officials don’t know if flu season has peaked yet.

The center also reports seeing evidence that a more severe flu virus is spreading to more states.