A Connelly Springs man is reportedly charged with arson in connection with a residential fire Friday that displaced three people.

Published reports say 31-year-old Donald William Eden of 6612 Cara Drive has been charged with second-degree arson and burning of personal property.

The blaze destroyed the mobile home also located on Cara Drive.

Fire investigators report witnesses observed Eden in the area whenever the fire was reported, and that he had been beating a car with a baseball bat.

Reports say the car was also burned separate from the structure fire.

The Red Cross is assisting those individuals displaced by the fire.

Multiple county fire departments were called to the incident, along with Burke EMS and the Burke Fire Marshal’s Office.

Reports indicate Eden’s bond was set at 35-thousand dollars secured.

A shooting in McDowell County Thursday afternoon leaves a Nebo man dead, and the assailant still at large.

McDowell authorities are asking for the public’s help in piecing together the events of the fatal shooting.

Reports say deputies were called to 12187 Montford Cove Road around 1:30 Thursday afternoon, where they found 39-year-old James Robert Eller dead inside a vehicle with a gunshot wound to his torso.

No arrests have yet been made, but an investigation continues.

Anyone who may have picked up a person on Montford Cove Road between 1 and 3 pm Thursday or anyone having information regarding the incident should call the McDowell Sheriff’s Office at 652-2237.

A former Caldwell County teacher pleaded guilty to misdemeanor sex charges on Friday according to published reports.

Justin Biggs was formerly a teacher and softball coach at William Lenoir Middle School before being arrested.

Reports say Biggs is accused of inappropriately touching five middle school female students while on campus.

Following last week’s guilty plea, felony charges of taking indecent liberties with a child were dismissed.

Biggs reportedly resigned just days after his arrest in 2017.

A Marion man gets hit with drug charges as he was approaching a traffic checkpoint in McDowell County.

Reports say 50-year-old Charles Edward Davis, Junior of Carson Elliott Drive was observed coming toward the traffic stop on Tate Street by officers who recognized him.

The deputy observed an open bottle of liquor inside Davis’ vehicle, as well as drug paraphernalia.

A further investigation turned up 4-point-5 grams of meth.

Davis was then charged with possession of meth and drug paraphernalia, possession of an open container of alcohol, and driving while license revoked.

To help address the current emergency blood shortage, all donors who give blood or platelets with the American Red Cross through August 29^th will receive a 5-dollar Amazon gift card in the mail.

Currently, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of most blood types available, and less than a two-day supply of Type O blood.

The need for blood is constant.

In the US every two seconds blood is needed to help accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for cancer.

A blood donation takes about an hour from start to finish, but the actual donation itself only takes about 8 to 10 minutes; yet only 3 out of 100 people in the nation donate.

Upcoming donation opportunities to be held –

Friday August 2^nd in Marion at the Marion Moose Lodge on Bill Cook Drive from 3:30 till 8 pm and

Monday August 12^th in Nebo at the Nebo United Methodist Church on Nebo School Road from Noon till 5 PM.

Or you can schedule an appointment to give by activating Amazon’s Alexa Red Cross Blood Skill by saying ‘Alexa find a blood drive’, or by calling 1-800-red-cross.