News (1324)
A fatal shooting is being investigated by the Hickory Police Department.
According to a news release, this morning (Saturday, June 17) at approximately 2:01 a.m. Hickory Police responded to a report of shots fired at Frankie’s Pizza/Alessio’s Lounge on North Center Street. Upon arrival, officers located one victim suffering from a gunshot wound in the parking lot who was transported to Frye Regional Medical Center by Catawba County EMS.
The victim had been a patron of Alessio’s Lounge prior to the shooting taking place outside of the business. There is no known connection at this time between the victim and suspect, but this incident does not appear to be a random act of violence.
The victim, 37-year-old Shamar Rashad Wilson of Hickory was pronounced deceased after arriving to and being treated at Frye Regional Medical Center.
The Hickory Police Department is continuing this investigation and asks anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact Inv. D. Bailey at 828-261-2687 or dbaileyt@hickorync.gov.
Conover Woman Accused of Stealing from Hickory Chair
Written by Ralph Mangum
49-year-old Machelle Barger Slape of 27th Street N.E. in Conover was arrested by Hickory Police at about 12:40 yesterday afternoon (June 15) on one felony count of larceny by servant or other employee.
Officers initially responded on June 9 to a report of larceny by employee at Hickory Chair, 37 9th Street Place S.E. in Hickory. A warrant for Slape’s arrest on that date.
She was taken into custody without incident at Frye Regional Medical Center’s South Campus on 3rd Avenue N.W. Slape was jailed in the Catawba Co. Detention Facility under a $1,500 secured bond. She has since been released. An appearance in District Court was set for today in Newton.
Hickory Woman Served Indictment in Connection to 2013 Fraud Case
Written by Ralph Mangum
38-year-old Martha Lidia Rodriguez of 20th Avenue Drive N.E. in Hickory was by Hickory Police shortly before noon yesterday (June 15). Rodriguez was served a true bill of indictment on one felony count of obtaining property by false pretense.
She was arrested in connection to a June 2013 fraud case at St. Luke’s Methodist Church. The initial warrant for her arrest was issued in January of last year.
Rodriguez was taken into custody without incident at the intersection of Highway 321 South and Highway 10 in Newton. She was processed and released under a $10,000 unsecured bond. An appearance in Superior Court was scheduled today in Newton.
Felony Drug Charges Filed Against Woman Arrested In Lincoln County
Written by Rob Eastwood
35-year-old Pamela Dawn Mayer was arrested this morning (June 16) by authorities in Lincoln County. She was charged with felony counts of sell and deliver schedule II controlled substance, and possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver schedule II controlled substance. In addition Mayer is charged with misdemeanor counts of failure to comply and failure to appear. The arrest was made just after midnight in the area of NC 27 and Highway 73 in Iron Station. Mayer was placed in jail under $95,000 secured bond. A court appearance was scheduled for today.
31-year-old Brian Keith Bentley of SW Central Drive in Lenoir was arrested Thursday (June 15) by Hudson Police Officers. He's charged with possession of methamphetamine. Bentley was jailed in the Caldwell County Detention Center under $10,000 secured bond. A Superior Court appearance is scheduled for July 24.
Lenoir Man Jailed Under 250K Bond On Fugitive Warrant
Written by Rob Eastwood
63-year-old Thomas Leon Archer of Millers Creek Road in Lenoir was arrested Thursday (June 15) by Lenoir Police Officers. He's charged on a felony fugitive warrant from New York. Following the arrest, Archer was locked up in the Caldwell County Detention Center under $250,000 secured bond. He was scheduled to make a District Court appearance on Thursday (June 15).
Woman Charged With Felony Drug Offenses Following Search Of Home
Written by Rob Eastwood
24-year-old Shamarra Unique Morris of Triplett Road in Mooresville was arrested by Iredell County Sheriff's Officers. She's charged with felony counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and maintaining a vehicle, dwelling, or place to sell marijuana.
The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office was assisting officers with North Carolina Probation and Parole in an effor to locate a person wanted on outstanding warrants when they went to 2183 Triplett Road in Mooresville. While speaking with Shamarra Unique Morrison, deputies noticed a very strong odor of marijuana in the residence. Narcotics investigators were called to the scene to assist in the investigation. Located inside the residence was approximately 634 grams of high grade marijuana with the street value of 12,700.00 dollars, several vacuum pack bags, and other items of paraphernalia.
Morrison was arrested and taken to the Iredell County Detention Center where she was placed under $1000 secured bond. A District Court appearance was scheduled for today (June 16).
Catawba Co. Commissioners To Hold Public Hearing Monday On Rezoning For Solar Farm
Written by Rob Eastwood
The Catawba County Board of Commissioners meets in regular session Monday night (June 19).
Commissioners have two public hearings on Monday's agenda. The first public hearing is for the consideration of a rezoning request for property in the Sherrills Ford Small Area Planning District. The applicant wishes to rezone approximately 41 acres of a 477 acre tract from R-40 Residential to R-80-CD Conditional District specifically for a solar farm. The property is located at 7138 Hudson Chapel Road. To date, eight solar farms exist within Catawba County's unincorporated area.
The second public hearing is scheduled to hear comments and consider text amendments to the Unified Development Text Amendments, Division 7 Sign Regulations. During the Manager's Report, a presentation will be made regarding the Park 1764 Resolution Interlocal Agreement and Bylaws. On Monday's Consent Agenda, there are two items, a budget amendment and an appropriation for healthcare costs.
Monday's Catawba County Board of Commissioners meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Robert E. Hibbitts Meeting Room at the 1924 Courthouse, 30 North College Avenue in Newton.
Morganton Residents Charged With Felony Drug Offenses Following Search
Written by Rob Eastwood
52-year-old Carolyn Snyder Leonard and 54-year-old Ricky Chris Reep, both of the same Conley Road, Morganton, address, were both arrested Wednesday (June 14) by Burke County Sheriff's Officers. They're each charged with felony counts of trafficking methamphetamine, possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver schedule II controlled substance, and maintaining a dwelling, vehicle, or place for controlled substances.
On Wednesday Investigators with the Burke County Narcotics Task Force conducted a search at 1169 Conley Road in Morganton. Officers found 46 grams of methamphetamine, two firearms and $500 cash. Following the search, Carolyn Snyder Leonard and Ricky Chris Reep were taken into custody.
Both suspects were confined at the Burke-Catawba District Confinement Facility. Bond for each Leonoard and Reep was set at $100,000 secured. They were both scheduled to make first court appearances in Morganton today (June 16), they're also scheduled to appear in District Court July 5.
Pulbic Meeting Held to Gather Input on Morganton’s Parks & Recreation Master Plan
Written by Ralph Mangum
About 70 people came out to the Mountain View Recreation Center in Morganton on June 8 to hear an update and to provide input on the City of Morganton’s Parks & Recreation Master Plan. The plan will impact the City’s parks and recreation programs for the next 20 years.
The consultants - Toole Design Group and The Landplan Group South – were hired by the city earlier this year. The group started gathering research for the plan in April and will continue the research phase through July 4.
During the June 8 meeting, LandPlanSouth Project Manager Rick McMackin shared the group’s progress, to date. The consultants have held multiple meetings with the public, stakeholders, the master plan steering committee and city staff. They have visited all city parks and facilities and completed a park inventory and they created a public input survey. The public has turned in more than 340 completed surveys so far. The survey will be available online through July 4 at http://bit.ly/morgantonrecsurvey.
McMackin said his team collected more than 100 of those surveys during a “greenway intercept” held on June 3 on the Catawba River Greenway. Among those participating was a family of five from Hickory who carted their bikes from Hickory to Morganton to ride the greenway.
The consultants will hold another intercept on Tuesday, July 4, during the Independence Day Celebration at Catawba Meadows Park (the final day of the Red, White & Bluegrass Festival).
The group will hold its next public meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 3, at the Collett Street Recreation Center. They will present their findings and make preliminary recommendations at that time. The group plans to present a final report and Master Plan to the City Council in September or October of this year.
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Conover Woman Arrested in Hickory on Larceny Charges
Written by Ralph Mangum
37-year-old Latissa Decona Price of Lyle Haven Drive N.W. in Conover was arrested by Hickory Police at about 7:45 last night on one felony count of larceny by anti-inventory device and one misdemeanor count of larceny.
Price was taken into custody without incident at Dick’s Sporting Goods on Catawba Valley Boulevard in Hickory. She was placed in the Catawba Co. Detention Facility under a $3,600 secured bond. Appearances in District Court were scheduled today and on August 29 in Newton.
17-year-old Taylon Nolan Williams of Wesley Drive in Morganton was arrested by McDowell County Sheriff's Officers. He's charged with two counts of first-degree statutory rape.
Williams is accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with a female acquaintance when she was 11 and he was 15 and 16. The suspect used to live in Marion. The McDowell Sheriff's Office says the crimes occurred multiple times in 2015 and 2016. The victim told family members, who reported the incidents to the Sheriff’s Office.
Williams was jailed under $100,000 bond. He was scheduled to appear in District Court Wednesday (June 14).
Habitual Felon Charge Filed Against Man Arrested In Burke County
Written by Rob Eastwood
27-year-old Az Thor was arrested Wednesday (June 14) by Burke County Sheriff's Officers. He's charged as an habitual felon. Following the arrest, Thor was placed in jail in Morganton under $25,000 secured bond. A court appearance is scheduled for July 31.
Five Suspects Charged In Lincoln County Drug Investigation
Written by Rob Eastwood
Five suspects are charged in connection to an investigation into the sale of drugs in Lincoln County. Four of the alleged offenders have been arrested by Lincoln County Sheriff's Officers, one was still being sought.
28-year-old Rusty Dewayne Johnson of Plateau Road in Vale, was charged with two felony counts each of Sell and Deliver Schedule II Controlled Substance and Possession With Intent to Sell and Deliver Schedule II Controlled Substance. 40-year-old Michael Shawn Yoder, also of Plateau Road in Vale, was charged with one felony count each of Sell and Deliver Schedule II Controlled Substance, Possession With Intent to Sell and Deliver Schedule II Controlled Substance, and Maintaining a Dwelling for Controlled Substances.
22-year-old Morgan Gabrielle Ellis of Grandview Lane in Lincolnton was charged with one felony count each of Sell and Deliver Schedule II Controlled Substance and Possession With Intent to Sell and Deliver Schedule II Controlled Substance. 43-year-old Christopher Lee Hayes of Plateau Road in Vale was charged with one felony count each of Possession of Methamphetamine and Maintaining a Vehicle for Controlled Substances.
32-year-old Jarvis Leonard Miller of Woodstream Drive in Maiden has been charged with one felony count each of Sell and Deliver Schedule I Controlled Substance and Possession With Intent to Sell and Deliver Schedule I Controlled Substance. Miller had not yet been located to be served with the outstanding warrant.
The arrests were made on Wednesday (June 14) and during the early morning hours today (June 15). The arrests come after the conclusion of several investigations targeting methamphetamine and heroin sales. According to detectives, the individuals sold various amounts of methamphetamine and heroin to undercover detectives. Detectives used undercover and surveillance techniques to purchase the drugs over a three to four month period earlier this year.
Detectives say they conducted the arrests in the evening and early morning hours to catch the suspects off guard and when they least expected it. The operation is the continuation of ongoing investigations targeting methamphetamine and heroin. Johnson received a $50,000 secured bond. Yoder's bond was set at $25,000 secured. Morgan received a $40,000 secured bond. Hayes bond was set at $47,000 secured. He was already in jail on an unrelated drug charge. All of the suspects were scheduled to appear in court today.
