LINCOLN
WOMAN CITED FOR
POSTING SIGNS ABOUT CAT City
ordinance: illegal to post signs on
utility poles
By
Jon Mayhew
LINCOLNTON
-- It's certainly not the
"Stray Cat Strut."
A
Lincolnton woman is given a criminal
summons after she admits to Lincolnton
Police she posted flyers regarding her
missing cat and a neighbor who has a
homemade cat trap in the front yard of
the neighbor's residence.
Lt.
Randy Willis responded to 913 S. Aspen
Street Saturday afternoon, where the
resident said he was having a problem
with stray cats in his yard.
The
unidentified resident said he had
captured the neighbor's cat in a homemade
trap. The neighbors -- Angela Johnson and
Diana Rosenbaum -- went on the victim's
LINCOLNTON
-- It's a program that gets young people
who are interested in careers in law
enforcement exposure to different facets
of the field. Now, more than 15 people
have joined the Lincoln County Sheriff's
Office Explorer Post.
Officials say they're ecstatic in the
response and would like to see even more
participation among teens.
Lead advisor Detective Lt. Hal Kluttz
re-established the post for youth between
the ages of 14 and 20 years old back in
April and its grown since that time.
LINCOLN COUNTY -- With
people hitting the road to go to
Grandma's house Tuesday and Wednesday,
authorities in Lincoln County want
drivers to know they are watching for
unsafe and unrestarined drivers.
And if a recent checkpoint is any
indication, those type of drivers will be
easily found.
Local and state law enforcement officers
conducted the checkpoint Saturday night
at
LINCOLN
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
DECEMBER 23, 2008
INCIDENT REPORT
Photo by Jon Mayhew/The Carolina Scoop Publisher's
Note: Crimestoppers of Lincolnton/Lincoln
County will pay a reward of up to $1,000
for an anonymous tip that leads to an
arrest in any crime. Call the tipline at
704-736-8909.
2008-09375 Assault
Assigned: File Only (Jamison)
Location: NLHS
Victim: David Johnson
Suspect pushed victim
Date Reported: December 18, 2008
District B
A
Med Center Air crew from Carolinas
Medical Center Charlotte prepares to fly
a 34-year-old woman to the hospital after
she suffered serious injuries in a Friday
accident on Gastonia Highway.
Photo by Adam Diaz/TCS
SOUTH
FORK -- A woman is airlifted
from the scene of a one-car accident
Friday, while her husband is charged with
drunk driving and other traffic offenses.
South
Fork firefighters, Lincoln Rescue and
Medic, Lincoln County Sheriff's deputies
and investigators with the North Carolina
Highway Patrol were dispatched to the
2500 block of Gastonia Highway around
4:30 p.m. Friday.
Witness
Brian Jackson said he was traveling
behind a Chevy S10 pickup truck
Members
of Lincoln County Rescue took time away
from saving lives to participate in the
Lincolnton Christmas Parade earlier this
month
LINCOLN
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
DECEMBER 22, 2008
INCIDENT REPORT
Photo by Jon Mayhew/The Carolina Scoop Publisher's
Note: Crimestoppers of Lincolnton/Lincoln
County will pay a reward of up to $1,000
for an anonymous tip that leads to an
arrest in any crime. Call the tipline at
704-736-8909.
2008-09387 Simple Assault
Assigned: Investigator Becker
Location: 4079 Angel Ln.
Victim: Kaitlen Helms
Suspect struck victim
Date Reported: December 18, 2008
District C
DENVER
– Detectives with the
Lincoln County Sheriff's Office are
asking for the public's help in
identifying a suspect in the theft of
$12,000 and the safe the money was in
from Holy Spirit Catholic Church on
Highway 16 in eastern Lincoln County.
Detective
Darrell Hutchens said a Sister at the
church encountered an individual inside
the church around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday,
Dec.14. The man was wandering the halls
Members
of First United Methodist Church in
Lincolnton decided to toot their own
horns Sunday night....all for Christmas!
More than 50 people gathered on the front
steps of the church on East Main Street
to listen to Christmas carols. Photo by Jon Mayhew/TCS.
FORMER
MAYOR IN CAR ACCIDENT
By
Jon Mayhew
LINCOLNTON
-- Parts of Lincolnton were
plunged in darkness Friday afternoon for
several hours, after a one-car accident
took out a utility pole in front of the
Lincoln County Schools' school bus garage
on North Aspen Street.
And The
Carolina Scoop has learned former
Lincolnton mayor Bobby Huitt was the
person involved in the accident.
CAR
EXPLODES AFTER DRIVER HITS GAS PUMP Four
year old boy in car; both uninjured in
accident
Yellow
tape surrounds the place where a $25,000
gas pump once stood. Photo by Adam Diaz/TCS
By
Jon Mayhew
LINCOLNTON
-- An Iron Station woman is
arrested and charged with child abuse and
driving while impaired after she plowed
her car into a gas pump.
The
incident happened around 1:45 a.m. Friday
at the Little Market Basket at 1404 East
Main Street.
Sources
at the scene said a witness driving down
East Main Street saw the accidentand
pulled Daffney Crystal Nicholson, 24, of
Iron Station, and her four-year-old son
out of Nicholson's 1988 Volkswagen Jetta
after the car caught fire.
POLICE
LOOKING FOR MISSING PERSON 45
year-old man last seen at his
Grandmother's house
By
Jon Mayhew
LINCOLNTON
-- Authorities said over the
weekend the father of 45-year-old William
James Bryant filed a missing person's
report at the Lincolnton Police
Department.
According
to Sgt. Johnny Caudle's report, Bryant --
who goes by James -- was last seen at his
Grandmother's residence at 306 Green
Street.
"Arrested
Developments"
THE OFFICIAL LINCOLNTON POLICE BLOTTER
Lincolnton
Police Lt. Randy "Colonel"
Willis.
Photo by Jon Mayhew/TCS
December
22, 2008
Dec. 20
@ 7:20am -- Damage to Property: 2108
Country Club Road (Lincolnton Country
Club). Officer Jimmy Barlowe said someone
did burnouts on the second hole.
Dec. 20
@ 1:38pm -- Disturbance, trespassing: 913
S. Aspen Street. Lt. Randy Willis said
people were arguing over property and
cats.
Dec. 20
@ 3pm -- Vehicle accident: Lincoln Center
Shopping Center parking lot. Sgt. Johnny
Caudle said there was a traffic accident
in the parking lot.
William
Reynolds is charged with assault and
battery against a 19-year-old man. Photo Contributed/TCS
LINCOLTNON
-- A 19-year-old assault victim
told police he was drinking alcohol
before a fight involving a 43-year-old
man.
Lincoltnon
Police officer Richard Taylor was called
to the victim's residence at 323 Bonview
Avenue in reference to an assault, where
he spoke to the victim.
Ronald
Kennedy told Taylor the suspect --
identified in a police report as William
Reynolds of 507 West
By: Kevin Starr
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service
I recently received Tom Brown’s
“Apple Search” newsletter. Tom
is an avid hunter of heirloom apple
varieties from Clemmons, NC. He had a
great display of old varieties at the last two Lincoln County
Apple Festivals. At the 2008 event, he
had about 60 varieties on display. Tom
has a website, www.applesearch.org where
you can find lots of information about
his work. He has posted pictures of
apples he has found recently. These old
varieties often have interesting names
like ‘Snuff, ‘Ten Ounce’,
and ‘Stump the World’. He also
sells trees of some of the heirlooms.
I generally try to steer homeowners
toward planting crops like blueberries
and muscadine grapes instead of apple and
peach trees because tree fruits have a
lot more pest problems. However, if you
decide to plant an apple tree or two, why
not grow something different that you
can’t find locally? While growing
such trees is just a hobby for most of
us, it’s important that Tom Brown
and others are keeping these varieties
available because of the genetic
diversity they provide as well as the
link to our agricultural heritage.
Another gentleman who is passionate about
heirloom varieties is Ron Joyner. He and
his wife, Suzanne, operate Big Horse
Creek Farm in Ashe County. They custom
graft and sell a
The
Carolina Scoop Exclusive MORE
DETAILS EMERGING IN SHOOTING
By
Jon Mayhew
LINCOLNTON
-- A Lincolnton Police
Department incident report is shedding
more details on a shooting that happened
Wednesday night on Magnolia Street.
Anthony
Robinson, 22, was shot four times
according to the report, where Sgt.
Spencer Summers had talked to the
emergency room doctor about Robinson's
injuries.
LINCOLN
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
DECEMBER 19, 2008
INCIDENT REPORT
Photo by Jon Mayhew/The Carolina Scoop Publisher's
Note: Crimestoppers of Lincolnton/Lincoln
County will pay a reward of up to $1,000
for an anonymous tip that leads to an
arrest in any crime. Call the tipline at
704-736-8909.
2008-09350 Disorderedly Conduct
Assigned: File Only (Milton)
Location: 206 N Little Egypt Rd.
Victim: State of N.C.
Suspect brought toy gun on property of
school
Date Reported: December 17, 2008
DENVER
-- Lincoln County Sheriff's detectives
are investigating the theft of copper
items from a construction site in eastern
Lincoln County. They are asking for the
public's help in solving the latest
copper theft.
Deputies were dispatched to a Balsam
Ridge Road site around 7:30 am Wednesday
after employees with Denver Construction
Company found a window broken and the
garage door on the back of the building
open.
Employees said the building was secure
when the last worker left the job site
Tuesday around 6:30 p.m.
Stolen in the break-in were 254 feet of
various sizes of copper tubing, and
elbows
LINCOLNTON
-- It won't be a good Christmas
for one Walmart employee, who admitted to
authorities she stole money because she
wanted to have a good Christmas.
Around 7
p.m. Wednesday, officer Mike Reep
responded to Walmart at 401 N. Generals
Boulevard to reports of larceny by
employee.
He was
told by management that Brittney
Lingerfelt, 19, Riverview Road
LINCOLNTON
-- A 14-year-old girl, on her
way home from school, is approached by a
stranger. Now, authorities are
investigating the case as an attempted
kidnapping.
The
incident happened on Deaton Avenue around
4:30 p.m. Thursday, as the little girl
was
LINCOLNTON
-- A 20-year-old woman told
Police that an acquaintence sexually
assaulted her in her own home and
authorities have made an arrest in the
case.
The
victim told officer Dwayne McAlister that
the man -- identified as 36-year-old
Armando Diaz
There are
many things in our society that puzzle
all of us fror time to time. One
thing that puzzles me is why in the 21st
century do people with disabilities still
have to contend with so many obstacles to
do ordinary things.
When we go to the local
grocery store or department store, the
doors open for us automatically,
welcoming us with open arms to come spend
our hard earned money.
Why is it when we go to
the doctor's office or the dentist, the
doors are so heavy a healthy person even
struggles to open them sometimes.
My nearly 82 year old
mother suffers with Parkinson's
disease. Something I've noticed
about her is the older she gets, the more
she needs my help and the
Investigation
Continuing; Arrest Expected LINCOLNTON
MAN SHOT
By
Jon Mayhew
Lincolnton
Police responded to a residence on Gaston
Street around 10 p.m. Wednesday night.
Photo by Adam Diaz/TCS
LINCOLNTON
-- Authorities are investigating
a shooting Wednesday night that sent a
22-year-old man to the hospital.
Just
after 10 p.m., Lincolnton Police officers
responded to 1021 Gaston Street, where
they found Anthony Robinson shot at least
three times. He was rushed to Carolinas
Medical Center Lincoln with gunshot
wounds to the face and neck.
Officials
with medic said Robinson was transported
to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte
with life-threatening injuries.
Investigators
had put crime scene tape around
Robinson's
Brandi
Houser, arrested last week on drug and
weapons charges, became a crime victim
after release from jail Monday. Photo
Contributed/TCS
By
Jon Mayhew
LINCOLNTON
-- A suspect in a firearm and
drug crime is released from jail after
posting bond Monday and returns to her
residence, becoming a crime victim.
Lincolnton
Police officer Dave Mocanu was called to
Brandi Houser's residence at 212 Turner
Street around 12:15pm Wednesday. Houser,
28, had been arrested a week ago on
charges of possessing a stolen firearm
and four heroin balloons.
Lincolnton Police
Department's newest Sergeant, checks
paperwork before going out on the road. Photo
by Jon Mayhew/TCS
By
Jon Mayhew
LINCOLNTON
-- He's been a guard for the
Department of Corrections in Burke
County. He's also worked for both the
Burke County Sheriff's Office and the
Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.
For the
last two years, Spencer Summers has been
a recognizable face on the police beat in
Lincolnton, patrolling with an
easy-going, friendly and professional
style.
"He's
got the patience and a good
attitude," said Summers' supervisor,
Lt. Dwite Shehan. "He steps up when
he needs to. He's a good officer."
Shehan
adds he's glad that Summers made
Sergeant. Summers' first official shift
as Shehan's Sergeant was Friday, Dec. 12.
VALE
-- Wednesday afternoon,
authorities learned a second dog died
after being shot during a Monday night
vandalism spree, where a trio of Vale
residents drove around west Lincoln,
shooting up cars and mailboxes.
Now, the
trio -- identified as Johnny Ray Cook,
Clinton Barnes and Hunter White -- may
face additional charges of cruelty to
animals.
The
incidents began around 8 p.m. Monday,
when the Lincoln County Communications
Center began getting calls about
mailboxes and vehicles being shot
At the Lincolnton
Toastmasters club meeting this week,
awards were given to Brewster Strope,
Carolyn Agosta, and Jeana Deese for Best
TableTopics Speaker, Best Speaker, and
Best Evaluator, respectively.
The agenda of helping people become
better public speakers continues, but for
the next two weeks, the meeting place
will change and the club will meet at the
Faith Building of Emmanuel Lutheran
Church, 7 pm on Monday nights.
THREE ARRESTED AFTER VANDALISM SPREE Johnny
Ray Cook (left), Clinton Andrew Barnes
(center) and Hunter Ward White (right)
all face vandalism and cruelty to animal
charges. Photos
Contributed/TCS
By
Jon Mayhew
VALE -- Three people are
in the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center
after county investigators say the trio
rode around western Lincoln County,
shooting mailboxes and vehicles Monday
night.
The incidents began around 8 p.m., when
the Lincoln County Communications Center
began getting calls about mailboxes and
vehicles being shot with a firearm.
The first report came from 6737 Lackey
Road where a Volkswagen and a Chevrolet
truck sustained about $1,000 worth of
damage from gunshots.
Even a family pet was shot,according to
investigators with the Lincoln County
Sheriff's Department. The owner -- at
1259 Bess Chapel Church Road --
LINCOLN
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
DECEMBER 17, 2008
INCIDENT REPORT
Photo by Jon Mayhew/The Carolina Scoop Publisher's
Note: Crimestoppers of Lincolnton/Lincoln
County will pay a reward of up to $1,000
for an anonymous tip that leads to an
arrest in any crime. Call the tipline at
704-736-8909.
2008-09314 Breaking & Entering,
Larceny
Assigned: Detective Paris
Location: 680 Park Circle
Victim: Wanda Hammer
Suspect entered residence and took 1 1954
Tryon High School Ring, 1 Gold
Women’s Wedding Band, various rings,
and 2 Pearl Necklaces
Date Reported: December 16, 2008
District B
MAN
ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES Suspect
claimed to be drug counselor
Tyson
Javon LaSalle is jailed on cocaine
charges at the Harven A. Crouse Detention
Center.
Photo Contributed/TCS
By
Jon Mayhew
LINCOLNTON
-- An anonymous tip leads
Lincolnton Police Department officers
straight to a drug suspect, who claims
he's a drug counselor.
Authorities
were called just before 2 p.m. about drug
activity going on at the Days Inn on
Clark Drive in Lincolnton.
The
tipster tells police that Tyson Javon
LaSalle, 29, Deer Creek Drive, and
another man were selling large amounts of
crack cocaine from a motel room there.
LaSalle was already out on bond on
several charges, including
LINCOLNTON
-- One prescription an emergency
room doctor wrote in Lincolnton Sunday
wasn't what was presented at a local
pharmacy; now, Lincolnton Police are
investigating a case of prescription
forgery.
According
to an incident report filed by Officer
David Mocanu, the incident happened
around 3:15 p.m. Sunday, as the officer
responded to the Walmart Pharmacy on
North Generals Boulevard.
LINCOLN
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
DECEMBER 16, 2008
INCIDENT REPORT
Photo by Jon Mayhew/The Carolina Scoop Publisher's
Note: Crimestoppers of Lincolnton/Lincoln
County will pay a reward of up to $1,000
for an anonymous tip that leads to an
arrest in any crime. Call the tipline at
704-736-8909.
2008-09083 Breaking & Entering,
Larceny
Assigned: Detective Powell
Location: 804 Cedar Grove Ch. Rd.
Victim: Kenneth Sigmon
Suspect took 1 Dewalt Drill, 1 Saber Saw,
1 Skill Saw, and 6 rings
Date Reported: December 06, 2008
District A
J.J.
Tindall, owner of Tindall's Professional
Photography on East Main Street in
Lincolnton, talks with a customer on the
phone. Photo by Jon
Mayhew/TCS
By
Jon Mayhew
For 15
years, J.J. Tindall saved lives as a
paramedic with Gaston County EMS, also
known as GEMS.
He
turned in his resignation one day to
pursue his dream to save something of a
different sort: to own his own
photography studio and save family
heirloom photographs.
Since
1998, Tindall and his wife, Brandy, have
owned and operated Tindall's Professional
Photography.
Investigators are
trying to determine the cause of a fire
at Southern Fiber Mill Sunday morning. Photo
by Adam Diaz/TCS
CROUSE
-- Two days after Southern Fiber
Mill's 40,000 square-foot warehouse
burned to the ground, the investigation
into what started the fire continues.
Lincoln
County Fire Marshal Mike Futrell said
Monday night his agency has stepped aside
in the investigation into the early
Sunday morning blaze.
"The
State Bureau of Investigation and the
Lincoln County Sheriff's Department are
investigating the cause," said
Futrell.
Three
firefighters were injured while battling
the blaze; one suffered a broken ankle,
while two others suffered minor injuries.
SUNDAY
A.M. FIRE DESTROYS MILL Investigation
continuing into Southern Fiber fire
By
Jon Mayhew
Video shot by Adam
Diaz/TCS
CROUSE
-- An overnight fire at Southern
Fiber on South Grove Street Extension
totally destroyed one of Lincoln County's
last functioning mills.
Firefighters
from eight departments spent hours
battling the blaze that happened in the
wee hours of Sunday morning. Crouse
firefighters were assisted by Lincolnton;
South Fork; Hughes Pond; North 321;
Union; Denver and Howards Creek in
battling the blaze.
LINCOLN
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
DECEMBER 15, 2008
INCIDENT REPORT
Photo by Jon Mayhew/The Carolina Scoop Publisher's
Note: Crimestoppers of Lincolnton/Lincoln
County will pay a reward of up to $1,000
for an anonymous tip that leads to an
arrest in any crime. Call the tipline at
704-736-8909.
2008-09228 Credit Card Fraud, Obtain
Property by False Pretense
Assigned: Officer Witherspoon
Location: 1349 Hardy Trl.
Victim: Gilma Mitchell
Suspect got charge card using
victim’s information
Date Reported: December 12, 2008
District B
By: Kevin Starr
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service
I want to make you aware of a book that
might be of interest to some serious home
gardeners. The book is
Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden by Lee
Reich. Reich is a former researcher with
the U.S.D.A. and Cornell University. He
is now a gardener, writer, lecturer, and
consultant on gardening. The book is
readily available on the internet and
I’m sure bookstores can order it if
they don’t have it in the store.
The author discusses some of the more
unusual fruiting plants we can grow in
the garden. One of my favorites is the
persimmon. This native is often
underappreciated because it bears a small
fruit and must be completely ripe before
it’s good to eat. But there’s
nothing quite like persimmon pudding. An
easier way to become a persimmon lover is
to try the Oriental persimmons which are
sometimes sold in the store as
“Sharon Fruit”. If you
Lincoln County Sheriff's
detectives are investigating two home
break-ins that occurred off Highway 150
East on Wednesday, December 10th.
The break-ins occurred in the 2700 block
of Lippard Creek Drive between 6:00pm and
9:25 pm.
LINCOLNTON
-- It was tense moments for
police and hospital personnel at
Carolinas Medical Center Lincoln Saturday
night.
Around
9:45pm, Lincolnton police Sgt. Willie
Vaughn was preparing to leave when he was
approached by a hospital security guard
in reference to a man with a gun.
Santa Claus sat on
Dianne Poovey's lap. Poovey, of Vale, was
one of 11 vendors at Woodmill Winery's
Christmas open house.
By
Jon Mayhew
VALE
-- The third annual Woodmill
Winery open house met and exceeded
organizers' expectations.
More
than 1,200 people visited Woodmill Winery
over the two-day open house that ran this
past Saturday and Sunday at Lincoln
County's premiere winery in Vale.
Winery
owner Larry Cagle said there were three
wines
SHELBY
-- Shelby police over the
weekend arrested a former Lincolnton
resident on felony charges from
Lincolnton Police.
According
to arrest records and warrants, J.W.
Smith Jr., 56, formerly of Carwash Drive,
Lincolnton, was arrested at the Best
Value Inn at 823 W. Dixon Blvd. in Shelby
after causing a disturbance at the hotel
and refusing to leave.
LINCOLNTON
-- An Iron Station woman is
arrested and charged with child abuse and
driving while impaired after she plowed
her car into a gas pump.
last two Lincoln County
Apple Festivals. At the 2008 event, he
had about 60 varieties on display. Tom
has a website, www.applesearch.org where
you can find lots of information about
his work. He has posted pictures of
apples he has found recently. These old
varieties often have interesting names
like ‘Snuff, ‘Ten Ounce’,
and ‘Stump the World’. He also
sells trees of some of the heirlooms.
There are
many things in our society that puzzle
all of us fror time to time. One
thing that puzzles me is why in the 21st
century do people with disabilities still
have to contend with so many obstacles to
do ordinary things.
