News (1285)
Catawba County Schools Hires New Superintendent
Written by Ralph Mangum
The Catawba County Schools Board of Education has hired Dr. Matthew Stover as the new Superintendent for Catawba County Schools (CCS). Dr. Stover will take office on November 1. He was chosen from a field of 24 candidates.
Dr. Stover’s career in public education has spanned more than 15 years in North Carolina. He currently serves as Associate Superintendent of the Lincoln County Schools, a role he has filled since 2013. Prior to his current position, Dr. Stover served as the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for Lincoln County Schools from 2011-2013. He also served as an assistant principal (2003-2007) and principal (2007-2011) in Lincoln County. He began his career in public education as a high school teacher and coach in Cleveland County.
Dr. Stover has a bachelor’s degree in social studies education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana, Pennsylvania. He also attended Gardner-Webb University where he obtained a master’s degree in school administration in 2003 and a doctorate in educational leadership in 2009.
Dr. Stover and his wife, Melia, have two sons.
Felony Burglary, Break-in Charges Filed Against Lenoir Man
Written by Rob Eastwood
22-year-old Lexxus Rakieth Harper of Cameo Lane in Lenoir was arrested Tuesday (September 13) by Caldwell County Sheriff's Officers. He's charged with felony counts of first degree burglary and larceny after breaking and entering. Harper was locked up in the Caldwell County Detention Center under $3,000 secured bond. A District Court appearance is scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday, September 15).
"Caldwell Is Hiring" To Be Held Thursday In Lenoir
Written by Rob Eastwood
The 13th Caldwell is Hiring will feature 49 companies offering a total of more than 1,800 jobs. The event will be held Thursday (September 15) from 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon at the J.E. Broyhill Civic Center in Lenoir.
Companies attending include Labor Connections, Caldwell UNC Health Care, Bemis, Hickory Springs, Fiserv, Leviton, Bernhardt Furniture, Lee Industries, Catawba Valley Staffing, Bayada, Sealed Air, Convergys, and many more. Several of the companies attending currently have 50 or more jobs available.
For more information on tomorrow's Caldwell is Hiring event go to www.caldwelledc.org.
Missing Man Returns Home, Runaway Teenager Sought
Written by Rob Eastwood
Lincoln County Sheriff’s detectives located a missing 66-year-old man who disappeared on Sunday (September 11). Charles Michael Shepard was found in Gaston County and is in good condition.
Detectives are currently looking for a juvenile who ran away from DSS custody on September 4. DSS workers say 14-year-old Tipton Lamar Jones was last seen with his biological father, Travis Jones who lives on Highway 27 West.
The juvenile, who is also known as T.J., is five feet- three inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information about Tipton Lamar (T. J.) Jones whereabouts is asked to contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 704-732-9050, the Lincoln County Communications Center at 704-735-8202 or Lincolnton/Lincoln County Crime Stoppers at 704-736-8909.
Claremont Man Charged With Statutory Rape
Written by Rob Eastwood
30-year-old Thomas Adam Strider of Boggs Road in Claremont was arrested Tuesday (September 13) by Catawba County Sheriff's Officers. He's charged with statutory rape of a child. Following the arrest, Strider was locked up in the Catawba County Detention Facility under $100,000 bond. A District Court appearance was scheduled for today (Wednesday, September 14).
NC Attorney General Offers Security Tips For Those Purchasing Smartphones
Written by Rob Eastwood
As technology enthusiasts line up to get the latest smartphones, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper reminds consumers to take precautions to keep personal information stored on mobile phones secure.
In a news release issued by the North Carolina Department of Justice, Cooper offers tips to protect personal information on smartphones:
Keep your smartphone locked. Set a passcode, pin or pattern on your home screen so if someone finds your phone they can’t access your applications or private information. Then set your phone to lock automatically after a certain period of idle time.
Be cautious when downloading apps. Only download apps from trusted sources and make sure to check the ratings. Apps from untrusted sources may contain malware which can steal your personal information and install viruses onto your phone. Be sure to read the fine print to find out what access the app will have, such as access to photos and contacts.
Use wireless wisely. Connecting to Wi-Fi hotspots can cut down on your data usage but it’s important to make sure the network is secure. If you are using a Wi-Fi network at a restaurant or library, ask an employee the name of the wireless network instead of guessing. Criminals will use a legitimate sounding name like “coffeeshop-guest” to lure unsuspecting users to a wireless network they have set up to steal your personal information. Don’t conduct sensitive business or banking transactions via public Wi-Fi.
Don’t save passwords. Logout of websites and apps when you are done. Be cautious about allowing apps to save your username and password, especially banking sites or sites where your credit or debit card information may be stored.
Turn off GPS function. Geolocation software pinpoints your exact location using your phone’s GPS latitude and longitude data. Many apps use this software to allow you to check in at a location or tag your whereabouts in pictures. While you may want to enable GPS for mapping or weather apps, use privacy settings to turn it off for photos and social media. Criminals may troll social networking sites and can use information about your location to target you.
Turn on tracking. If included in your phone, enable the tracking feature that lets you find your phone’s location if it is lost or stolen. Most tracking features also allow you to wipe, or permanently delete, sensitive information from your phone remotely.
Back up your smartphone. Your smartphone contains a lot of data—photos, messages, documents, contacts—that you’ll want to be able to retrieve if anything happens to your phone. Options for backing up your data vary depending on your phone’s operating system and your mobile service provider. Research your storage options and then set up a way to save important smartphone data to the cloud or another device.
Wipe data before you part with your old phone. Since your smartphone has personal information stored on it, be sure to permanently erase pictures, contacts and other information. Wipe the internal memory so there is no trace of any personal information remaining. It’s also a good idea to restore the phone to the original default settings so your information doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.
Three Suspects Charged With Cooking Meth At Caldwell County Residence
Written by Rob Eastwood
Three suspects have been charged with manufacturing meth at a Cadlwell County home. Officers responded to a residence on Barlowe Place in Lenoir after receiving complaints about meth being cooked at the home.
27-year-old Joshua Lewis Hall of Stillwater Road in Boomer, 29-year-old Amanda Jean Tillman of NW Vance Street in Lenoir, and 29-year-old Joseph Earnest Berry IV of 2924 Barlowe Place in Lenoir were all arrested by Caldwell County Sheriff’s Ice Unit Officers and charged with one count felonious manufacturing methamphetamine. Two additional suspects were interviewed and were not charged. When they arrived at the scene, Officers saw what they believed was a “shake and bake” type lab located behind the residence in plain view.
The Sheriff’s Office Ice Unit and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Clandestine Laboratory Team responded to the scene to assist in the investigation. After receiving a search warrant, officers searched the premise and located a “one pot” type meth lab and materials consistent with cooking methamphetamine. The lab and its components were seized and disposed of by the SBI Clandestine Laboratory Team.
All three suspects were locked up in the Caldwell County Detention Center under $50,000 secured bond apiece. They were all scheduled to make first court appearances Tuesday (September 13).
Man Wanted For Killing Shelby Police Officer Captured In Rhode Island
Written by Rob Eastwood
The man wanted for killing a Shelby Police Officer was arrested in Providence, Rhode Island. 23-year-old Irving Lucien Fenner Jr. of Grover, North Carolina, was arrested early this morning. He is in custody in Rhode Island.
According to broadcast reports out of Providence, Rhode Island State Police say that officers believed the man wanted for shooting and killing 38-year-old Tim Brackeent was on Oxford Street in Providence. State Police Colonel Steven O’Donnell said officers used tear gas to get into the building in Providence. The suspect’s half-sister, Jolisa Peeler, was also reportedly taken into custody at the home.
Peeler is reportedly charged with felony accessory after the fact of first-degree murder. In addition to Peeler, others have been arrested for aiding Fenner. Ashley Hamrick was arrested in North Carolina and charged with felony harboring an escapee. Additional suspects arrested for allegedly aiding Fenner are Deitra Morris and Casey Fenner.
At about 12:20 a.m. Saturday, Officer Brackeen was shot in the line of duty in the area of Parkview Street while searching for a subject who was wanted on outstanding warrants. Officer Brackeen had been with the Shelby Police Department since July of 2004. At the time of the shooting, he was assigned as a K-9 Officer. Officer Brackeen was married and had one daughter.
Open House & Ribbon Cutting at Hickory Eatery Thursday
Written by Ralph Mangum
A ribbon cutting & open house will be held this Thursday (September 15) to celebrate Café Rule's grand opening in Hickory.
The public is invited to the ribbon cutting at 5 p.m. Thursday. Representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and elected officials will be on hand to offer congratulatory remarks.
From 5:00 p.m. until 9 p.m., open house tours of the new renovations and the innovative Chef’s Table & Chef’s Patio will be available.
Café Rule is located at 242 11th Ave NE in Hickory (the former Yousef 242). For more information, call Chrissy Schramm at 828-324-2005 or email chrissy@caferule.com.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating a 66-year-old man who walked away from his residence on Sunday (September 11).
Charles Michael Shepard was last seen leaving the 2200 block of Fulton Trail off Owl’s Den Road in Lincolnton. He walked into a wooded area alone and has not been seen since that time.
Mr. Shepard is described as 66 years old, five feet – five inches tall and weighing 120 pounds. He has white hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black Duck Dynasty shirt, blue jeans, a tan hat and black shoes.
Anyone with information on Shepard’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 704-732-9050, the Lincoln County Communications Center at 704-735-8202 or the Lincolnton/Lincoln County Crime Stoppers at 704-736-8909.
More...
Hickory Man Arrested for Felony Probation Violation
Written by Ralph Mangum
32-year-old Marcus Dale Thomas of 12th Avenue S.E. in Hickory was arrested by Hickory Police shortly after 10 a.m. yesterday (September 12) for a felony probation violation. Thomas is on probation as the result of a July 2014 conviction in Catawba County for possession of a schedule II controlled substance.
He was taken into custody without incident at Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen on Highway 70 S.E. Following his arrest, Thomas was jailed in the Catawba Co. Detention Facility under a $10,000 secured bond. He has since been released. An appearance in Superior Court was set for September 19 in Newton.
47-year-old Marc Henkel Cline of Rocky Fork Road in Newton was arrested by Hickory Police at 4:10 yesterday afternoon (September 12) one felony count each of possession of a stolen motor vehicle, larceny of a motor vehicle, larceny of a firearm, carrying a concealed gun, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Cline was taken into custody without incident at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory. He was placed in the Catawba Co. Detention Facility where he is being held without bond. A first appearance in District Court was set for today.
39-year-old Rebecca Ann Fulbright of Heavner Road in Vale was arrested by Hickory Police at about 9:35 last night (September 12) on one felony count of possession of a schedule II controlled substance and misdemeanor counts of simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
She was arrested after Officers responded to reports of a suspicious 1999 Jeep Cherokee in the parking lot at White Tire Center on Highway 70 S.W. Officers located the vehicle and conducted a search, leading to the discovery of two baggies containing a total of 0.5 grams of methamphetamine. Fulbright was the vehicle’s only occupant.
She was taken into custody without incident and placed in the Catawba Co. Detention Facility under a $4,200 secured bond. She has since been released. A first appearance in District Court was set for today in Newton.
Multiple Drug Charges Filed Following Search Of Lenoir Home
Written by Rob Eastwood
29-year-old Christopher Lee Mincer of Spruce Street in Lenoir was arrested today (Tuesday, September 13) by Lenoir Police Officers. He's charged with felony counts of possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver schedule II controlled substance, and maintaining a dwelling for controlled substance.
This morning, officers from the Lenoir Police Department’s Narcotics Unit, with the assistance of the Special Response Team, served a search warrant at 422 Spruce Street. During the search of the residence, detectives located 4.6 grams of crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and $370 in US currency. According to North Carolina State Guidelines, the seized drugs were valued at $920.00. The search was the result of a three month long investigation that was prompted by citizen complaints.
Following the arrest, bond for Mincer was set at $50,000 secured. He's scheduled to appear in District Court Thursday (September 15). Additional charges may be forthcoming.
