Disaster Declaration for Marion  

Governor Cooper on Friday signed a State Disaster Declaration for the

City of Marion, which experienced severe weather from the remnants of

Tropical Storm Zeta on October 29th. The declaration for state-funded

Public Assistance allows Marion to be reimbursed for costs of debris

removal, emergency protective measures and repairs to roads and bridges.

Governor Cooper Lifts Most COVID-19 Restrictions  

Governor Cooper on Friday lifted mass gathering and capacity limits both

indoors and outdoors, with the following exceptions:

Childcare, Schools, Prisons and Jails, Homeless Shelters, Public Transportation,

Camps, Hospitals, Doctor Offices, and Nursing and Long Term Care Facilities.

Masks are still highly recommended for large crowded indoor events.

Fifth Street NE Temporary Closing  

The City of Hickory, this week, will be closing the portion of Fifth Street NE

Stasovich Place to Tenth Avenue NE. The various sections of the road will

be closed for about two and a half months to enhance the crosswalks across

the area. Fifth Street NS will also go from three lanes to two lanes. Detour

signage will be in place.

Murphy’s Farms Apartments Groundbreaking  

Groundbreaking took place Friday for Murphy’s Farms Apartments in

Morganton, set in open in Mid-2022. The project is located off Enola Road

near Broughton Hospital, the School of Science and Math, and Western

Piedmont Community College. 

Insurance Fraud Charge on Hickory Woman  

State Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced on Friday the

arrest of a Hickory resident on insurance fraud, a felony. Special agents

with the Criminal Investigations Division accuse 62-year-old Sharon Frye

Hart of falsely telling Erie Insurance that her 2020 Ford Mustang was stolen

from Hibriten Mountain Road in an attempt to obtain payment on an auto

insurance claim. According to the arrest warrant, Hart had given someone

else permission to use her car. After being arrested last week, Hart was

released on a written promise to appear in court.

Former East Lincoln Student Charged With Communicating Threats 

A former East Lincoln High student is charged with communicating threats.

18-year-old Amon Douglas Stevens reportedly told Lincoln and Hickory

detectives that he made posts on social media depicting death threats

observed by the initial reports made to officers. A day later, last Thursday,

an additional charge of communicating a threat of mass violence at a place

of religious worship was served on Stevens. He is accused of threatening to

kill people attending a memorial service at a Denver church to honor an East

Lincoln High senior who recently died. Bond on Stevens was set at $20,000.

Maiden Police and Hickory Police assisted the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office

in the case.