Published reports say the murder trial of a former Lenoir school bus driver is set to begin next week in Caldwell County.

Nancy Austin is accused of killing 20-year-old Dylan Short December 26^th 2013.

Channel 9 reports Austin stated she was acting in self-defense and that Short had came to her home and assaulted her and her daughter.

Short was reportedly her daughter’s boyfriend and father to Austin’s grandson.

Reports say Austin and her daughter repeatedly told Short to leave but he would not, and he allegedly continued to threaten the two women.

Short allegedly proceeded to assault Austin’s daughter prompting the fatal shooting.

The shooting reportedly took place 15 months after Short’s girlfriend had filed a restraining order against him following an alleged assault that occurred while she was pregnant.

Austin is a former school bus driver at Lower Creek Elementary.

 A female employee of a McDowell Therapeutic academy for boys faces sex charges.

32-year-old Tiffany Lynn Forscutt of North McDowell Avenue in Marion is charged with statutory rape and statutory sex offense and sex act by a governmental or private institutional employee.

Authorities allege she had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 14-year-old male at the facility.

The NC Senate today unanimously passed the Second Chance Act – the passage will expand opportunities for individuals to have certain non-violent misdemeanor and felony convictions expunged from their criminal records after their sentences have been completed.

The bill; sponsored by Senators Warren Daniel of Burke, Danny Britt of Robeson County, and Floyd McKissick of Durham allows those who have been convicted of misdemeanors or Class H and I felonies while 16 or 17 years old to petition the court to have their convictions expunged.

The bill also allows persons to petition the court to have multiple non-violent misdemeanors or felonies expunged.

Current law says there is a lifetime limit of one expunction.

Motor vehicle violations, including DWIs are not eligible though for expunctions under any portion of the law.