CATAWBA RIVER-SEWAGE SPILL

850K gallons of raw sewage spills into Catawba River

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Charlotte Water says nearly 850,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into the Catawba River near Old Dowd Road on Friday. News outlets report that the spill happened Friday near Old Dowd Road. It was the largest spill of untreated wastewater in Charlotte in more than a year. Charlotte Water spokesman Cam Coley says the spill happened as a construction crew worked near the Paw Creek Lift Station. The spill was downstream from Mountain Island Lake, the source of Charlotte’s drinking water and Coley says he doesn’t expect the spill to affect drinking water. A no-swim advisory was issued for Paw Creek Cove on Lake Wylie.

ZOO STAFFING

Hiring issues impact NC Zoo, with some exhibits closed

ASHEBORO, N.C. (AP) — At the same time the North Carolina Zoo is seeing a huge increase in visitors compared with last year, it’s struggling to find staff to keep all of its exhibits open.  Diane Villa is director of communications and marketing for the zoo in Asheboro zoo. She tells The Courier-Tribune the zoo is having trouble finding applicants “like just about every other business out there.” The newspaper reports most attractions are open, but certain features like an obstacle course and feeding activities have remained closed. Many of the jobs at the zoo are part time, temporary and pay about $10 to $12 per hour.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

North Carolina jobless rate falls for ninth straight month

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s unemployment rate has fallen for the ninth consecutive month. The state Commerce Department reports the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.6% in June, compared to 4.8% in May. It’s a streak of declining rates going back to October.  Data released by the agency show more people entered North Carolina’s labor force and were hired in June compared to the month before. Figures in May had signaled a decline in the number of people actively seeking work. The unemployment rate sits well below levels at the height of COVID-19 commerce restrictions last year, when the jobless rate soared to 13.5%.

BEAR KILLING

Official: N.C. man cited for killing bear in neighbor’s yard

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A western North Carolina man is facing charges after wildlife authorities said he used a 12-gauge shotgun with buckshot to fatally shoot a bear on his neighbor’s property. The Citizen-Times reports the incident occurred midday last week in a neighborhood in Buncombe County, northeast of Asheville. Officials with the N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission said a man reported that his neighbor shot the bear from across the street. Given that the bear was not aggressive, was not attacking anyone and was on another person’s property, officers told the newspaper there was no reason for the shooting in the confines of a neighborhood.

FOUR SHOT

Police in North Carolina investigate shooting that injured 4

BURLINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Police are investigating after four people were shot in a central North Carolina city. Burlington Police said they responded around 2 a.m. to a call about a shooting. According to a news release, an investigation revealed “an altercation” inside a building preceded the shooting. Officers found four victims with injuries not considered life-threatening. Police said no information about a possible suspect had been provided so far. The victims were not immediately identified.

LIQUOR SHORTAGE

North Carolina’s largest city running short on liquor

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Restaurants and bars in North Carolina’s largest city are scrambling to find popular brands of alcohol that have been depleted by issues with the supply chain ranging from materials to worker shortages. The Charlotte Observer reports that during a recent meeting of the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, chairman Zander Guy Jr. began by addressing the statewide liquor shortage. Commission spokesman Jeff Strickland says there have been strains on the global supply chain throughout the coronavirus pandemic, and that businesses reopening in the recent months have created additional demand. Bars in North Carolina were allowed to reopen in February.

AP-NC-STREET RACING-BOY KILLED

Man charged with murder after street-racing crash kills boy

BESSEMER CITY, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina man with a long criminal record has been charged with murder and other counts after police say he was involved in a street-racing crash that killed a 6-year-old boy last month. The Charlotte Observer reports Donnie Ray Cobb was charged late Thursday with second-degree murder, reckless driving, speed competition, driving while impaired and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. A judge denied the 46-year-old Cleveland County man’s request for a bond reduction Friday. The crash outside of Bessemer City June 26 killed Liam Lagunas of Moore.

FRAUD SCHEME-WOMAN ARRESTED

Woman accused of posing as military member as part of scam

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Law enforcement in North Carolina have arrested a woman who they they say posed as a member of the military and scammed a person out of more than $7,000. The Pitt County Sheriff’s Office received a report that a resident met a woman on an online dating site who said she needed money to ship her belongings home from overseas. Investigators determined the woman was using a fake name and identified her as a 63-year-old woman from Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Multiple charges were filed against the suspect, and she was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond.