Veteran reporter for WSOC-TV covering 7 counties in the N.C. mountains and foothills. Father of 2, Auburn grad and Panthers fan who loves to golf, run and hike.
Asheville- I’m over at TC Roberson High where they just held a moment of silence for Riley Howell. He is one of the UNCC students shot and killed yesterday. He attended the TC Roberson. Prayers for his family.
Breaking Watauga County- a body has been found near a popular overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Sheriff deputies are confirming a male was discovered dead near the Thunder Hill overlook near Blowing Rock. Park Rangers, the SBI and sheriff deputies are investigating.
Breaking Watauga County- just got this from the FBI-“The body discovered along the Blue Ridge Parkway on Saturday is part of an ongoing investigation. At this time, there is no evidence to connect or any reason to believe it is related to the search for fugitive Brian Laundrie."
Breaking Watauga Co- sheriff deputies are now confirming to channel 9 that this is a death investigation. This is a photo of the Thunder Hill Overlook near where the body was found. This photo is from last fall.
Waynesville- people are lining the street in downtown Waynesville to show their respect for Riley Howell. Many of the folks here are calling the UNCC student a hero for trying to stop the gunman. Prayers for his family this midday.
Hickory- the Sheetz gas stations are letting folks fill up for 1.77 a gallon for July 4th. This is video along McDonald Parkway. I’m told it’s happening at all the Sheetz in the area until midnight.
Police in Hickory helping a mother of two young children after someone broke into her home and stole the presents from under the Christmas tree. The story tonight on eyewitness news at five.
Morganton-Burke County Sheriff deputies, Morganton Public Safety and the Highway Patrol are over at Carolinas Healtcare System Blue Ridge. They are Saluting our Healthcare Workers by lining the entrance to the hospital. Good Stuff!
Catawba County- Hollywood is coming to downtown Newton where they’re filming scenes for the movie “The Evolution of Nate Gibson”. Part of the filming is happening inside H&W Drug Co across from the historic 1924 Courthouse. Watch channel 9 news.
Hickory- great story out of Catawba county where Fred T Foard football players are having a car wash fundraiser for a football player at East Burke High who loss nearly everything in a recent house fire. Good stuff…go Tigers!!
Watauga Co- the National Park Investigative Services Branch is overseeing the death investigation along the Blue Ridge Parkway. They say the body was found at the Yadkin Valley Overlook north of Blowing Rock. No cause of death yet. I just took this video along the BRP.
Breaking Iredell- state troopers have just seized the car they believe passed a stopped school bus and nearly hit two children. Their mother says guardian angels were watching over her children. The story today on channel 9 eyewitness news at five and six.
Taylorsville- Samaritan’s Purse has brought in 11-campers for families devastated by flash flooding nearly two weeks ago at the Hiddenite Family campground. The relief organization says the travel trailers are permanent gifts to the survivors. The story today on eyewitness news
Burke Co- six campers flooded north of Morganton are being replaced. Camping World heard about the devastation and donated the campers to the flooding victims. Good stuff
Just spoke with 8-year old Fore Putnam. He wrote a letter to President Trump asking for help for his father who needs a kidney. Coming up tonight on eyewitness news the President’s response.
Morganton-Firefighters from across Burke County were over at Carolinas Healtcare System Blue Ridge this morning during shift change. They were Saluting our Healthcare Workers by lining the entrance to the hospital. Good Stuff!
Breaking North Myrtle Beach- widespread damage to an apartment complex near the inter coastal waterway after a tornado touched down. Video of that twister today on eyewitness news.
Watauga Co- also seeing flooding now over at the Boone Mall where several drivers can’t get to their cars. Watch channel 9 for updates as more rain is on the way for the mountains this afternoon.
Boone- snow is coming down harder now over on the campus of App State where I’m talking with students about the Arctic blast on the way for the Carolinas. The story tonight on channel 9.
A five year old girl in Alexander county is being recognized for alerting her family to a fire that later destroyed their home. She told me she learned what to do at school.
Catawba Co-sheriff deputies and police search a home in Catawba where they seized quantities of cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms and marijuana. Deputies say they also found twenty firearms and a converted Glock model 19 rifle with a fifty round drum magazine resembling a nerf gun
Burke County Rescue Squad went into a 30-foot sinkhole to save a dog in the Pisgah National Forest. Hear from the rescuer who went down in the hole to get the dog today on eyewitness news at noon and 6pm. Video courtesy Burke Rescue Squad, which is a non profit.
Caldwell County- Just took this video over at South Caldwell High School where students placed more than 2900 flags near the entrance of the school. Each flag represents one of the people who died on 9-11. The story today on eyewitness news at noon and five.
Breaking Catawba- just got this video of a man who broke into a business to steal money and set it on fire near Sherrills Ford. It didn’t quite go as planned. The story today on eyewitness news at noon and five.
Greensboro- Samaritans Purse just loaded an emergency field hospital on to a DC-8. It lifts off for Poland tomorrow morning and will be set up in Ukraine. It includes an operating room and ICU. The story today on channel 9 eyewitness news at 530.
Breaking Watauga- family members have confirmed 33-year old Josue Calderon from Rhode Island was the man found dead along the Blueridge Parkway. Law enforcement says he was stabbed. What those family members told me about the case tonight on eyewitness news at 530.
Burke County- the Sons of Confederate Veterans are getting ready to put up a 20 by 30 flag near Hildebran. The flag cost 700-dollars and will replace a smaller one here. What local leaders think about it flying over the interstate tonight on eyewitness news.
Burke Co- Boggs Materials Inc. out of Monroe saw the story on channel 9 about the neighborhood west of Hickory not getting mail because of potholes. The company sent a small crew called “ The Patch Pack of the Carolinas” free of charge to fix some of the holes. Good stuff!!
Newton- Lineberger’s Cattle Company Steakhouse and Saloon along Highway 150 in Sherrill’s Ford donated 15 prime rib loins, salads and potatoes to the Corner Table Soup Kitchen. The story today on eyewitness news at 6pm.
Hickory- just took this video of the arches that came crashing down last night along Hickory City Walk. They weighed 40-tons and cost Hickory 750-thousand dollars. Live coverage throughout the day on channel 9 eyewitness news.
Breaking Hickory- flash flooding at the Highway 321 and Interstate 40 interchange. Watch Action 64 at ten and channel 9 at eleven for the latest on flooding in our area.
Boone- kind of cool I just spotted five deer on the campus of Appalachian State University. I’ll be live in a few minutes from this same spot. Maybe they’ll come back.
Burke County- Sons of Confederate Veterans have put up a 20 by 30 flag on Interstate 40 near Hildebran in protest of Silent Sam being taken down at UNC. The group spent 6000 dollars to raise the flag on a 75-foot pole. Their hope is to place one in every county in NC.
Breaking Wilkes Co- a search is a underway right now in a pond north of Wilkesboro in connection with the disappearance of 15-month old Evelyn Boswell. Firefighters from Catawba county are assisting with that search. Watch channel 9 for updates on this developing story
Breaking Boone- sheriff Hagaman just spoke with us confirming the second deputy has died. They also found the suspect’s mother and stepfather deceased. Police had been to the home over the weekend. The latest on the investigation today at noon, 5pm and 6pm.
Ashe Co-A procession of American Emergency Vehicles(part of REV Ambulance Group)is making its way to New York from North Carolina as part of an 81 vehicle emergency order from the fire department to help in the battle against Covid-19. Photo courtesy James Reed. Good stuff!
Burke County- after the rain stopped this afternoon I took a quick hike with family out to the High Shoals waterfall at South Mountains State Park. Good times!
Wilkes County- two tractor trailers from Samaritan’s Purse loaded with supplies are heading to Tennessee to help with disaster relief. The story tonight on eyewitness news at 530.
My dog stared at me while I ate my burger cooked on the grill tonight. At least, she didn’t drool on the furniture. Thanks to the Catawba Humane Society for such a good patient friend.
Breaking Watauga- law enforcement sources tell us the man found dead off the Blueridge Parkways appears to have been stabbed. We just got the 9-1-1 call from the scene over the weekend. The latest on the investigation today on eyewitness news at 530.
Burke County- I’m over at the Outreach Center in Morganton where some families arrived last night to get in line for food waiting more than 12-hours. Several families say they can’t afford the prices at the stores right now. The story today on eyewitness news at noon and 530pm
Catawba- the old Bunker Hill Covered Bridge has reopened to the public. It was first built back in 1895 to cross Lyles Creek but was closed for much of the last year because of flood damage.
Hickory- the kitten has now taken over the dog’s bed. This is getting out of hand. Thanks to Catawba County Animal Control for adopting out this little guy.
For the first time in two years, Catawba Valley Medical Center has no covid-19 patients.
The hospital had as many as 91-patients last September and saw numbers skyrocket in January with more than 80-hospitalizations because of the omicron variant.