Photo by Jon Mayhew/The Carolina Scoop

INCIDENT REPORT
September 16 2008

2008-06791
Assault on Child Under 12
Assigned: Detective Etters
Location:
Victim: Juvenile
Assault
Date Reported: September 8, 2008
District B


2008-06959
Sell Malt Beverage to Under 21, Aid/Abet Less 21 Yrs.
Assigned: File Only (Sgt. Dombrowski)
Location: 3812 Maiden Hwy
Victim: State of N.C.
Clerk sold beer to a person under 21
Date Reported: September 13, 2008
District C

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STABBING VICTIM CHARGED WITH FILING FALSE REPORT


By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- A Cedar Street man who claimed to be a stabbing victim has been charged with filing a false report.

According to investigating officer Billy Burgin, Robert Wayne Mason came to the police department Sunday morning and told officers he was stabbed by his girlfriend the night before.

Burgin said he thought something wasn't right.

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Lincoln County Animal Services Closes Down Rescue Facility in Denver

All Animals Have Been Placed in Foster Care


Staff Reports

DENVER -– Lincoln County Animals Services placed all animals seized from a residence on Petite Lane in foster care with approved area rescue groups.

Animal Services Director Jack Kerley said most of the animals were placed in small groups at foster facilities in Lincoln and Mecklenburg Counties. Lincoln County will continue to provide food and medical services and be sure the animals are cared for until the case comes to trial.

Animal Services is in the process of closing down the old R-Anell Homes facilities where the 393 animals seized from 3453 Petite Lane on August 26th have been kept. Jack Kerley said it would take about a week to remove equipment

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NCAA College Football Rankings
September 14, 2008

FIREFIGHTERS BATTLE SUSPICIOUS STRUCTURE FIRE
One Firefighter Taken to Hospital

By Jon Mayhew



CROUSE -- Three fire departments were called out around 10:30 a.m.. Sunday to a structure fire at a residence in the 1000 block of Swing Trail, which is off Rose Hill Road and Highway 150. Crouse firefighters were assisted by Lincolnton and South Fork firefighters in battling the blaze.

According to South Fork fire chief Rick Ellis, firefighters encountered heavy smoke and fire once responding to the residence.

"The fire was in the middle of the residence," said Ellis. One firefighter had to be taken to

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STATIONS, PUBLIC ARE SETTLING DOWN RE: PANIC

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- Friday looked like a scecne out of a movie about the end of the world, with the "gas panic" of 2008. Saturday and Sunday, however, were a different story.



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APPLE FESTIVAL HAS PLENTY OF AGRICULTURE


There will be plenty to see at the Lincoln County Festival coming up this Saturday, September 20. The event will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in downtown Lincolnton.
Naturally, the apple crop is the reason for the celebration. While the number of growers has declined over the years, there will be lots of apples for sale. One grower will be located on East Main Street while all the rest are west of the courthouse.

There’s a lot more agriculture at the festival than just apples.
There will be a great farmers market area in front of the county library three blocks west of the

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CRIME OF THE WEEK
On Saturday, September 6th at 1:26 a.m., a black male, slender build, and 5 feet-10 inches tall used a rock in an attempt to gain entry into the Denver Corner Store at 436 North Highway 16, Denver,NC.  The suspect was driving a large four door late model pickup truck, white in color.  The vehicle left traveling south on Highway 16. 

If anyone has information about this or any other criminal activity, call Crime Stoppers at 704-736-8909.  If your information leads to an arrest, you will remain anonymous and you could receive a reward of up to $1,000.

Traffic Safety Tip for September

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Enforcement Safety Team would like to offer the following safe driving tip to the motoring public.  It is a law that not too many people are familiar with when stopped by a law enforcement officer.  It’s called the “Move Over Law” and was designed with the safety of EMS, Fire and Rescue, and Law Enforcement in mind when they respond to incidents on major highways such as New Highway 16, U S 321, I-85 and other highways. 
 
 These highways are four lane roads with a high volume of traffic and high speeds.  When you see an emergency vehicle with its lights flashing while parked on the side of the road, motorists need to slow down and move over to the opposite lane from where the emergency vehicle is parked.  It traffic is too heavy to move over, slow down from the posted speed limit to a reasonable and prudent speed until passing the emergency vehicle. 
Failure to comply with the law could lead to a traffic stop and leave you facing a fine of $250 dollars and court costs of $120.  The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles will also impose 3 points on your driver’s license.  Your insurance company will pick up this conviction and may increase your insurance premium.   Please be aware, and
“MOVE OVER”.  IT’S THE LAW!!

POLICE INVESTIGATING OVERNIGHT STABBING


By Jon Mayhew


LINCOLNTON – A Lincolnton man walked into the police department and reported he was stabbed overnight.

The unidentified victim, who lives on Cedar Street, had been taken to the hospital this morning with non life-threatening injuries according to Sgt. Johnny Caudle.

“He was stabbed in the upper thigh last night,” said Caudle. “It was reported to us this morning.”

Officer Billy Burgin is investigating the incident.

SEVERAL LINCOLN REPORTS OF PRICE GOUGING

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON – There were minor accidents Friday afternoon across East Main Street in Lincolnton, as people made gassing up their cars a destination. That was in advance of Hurricane Ike making landfall around 3:10am Saturday according to the National Weather Service. There were also at least two fistfights reported at the Raceway in front of Food Lion, which quickly ran out of gas Friday afternoon.

Saturday, residents’ thoughts are turning to the question of price gouging and which stations look guilty. One station reportedly raised gas prices more than $1 in less than 5 hours Friday.

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Lincoln County Agencies are working together to put an Alert on their Web Page to let residents know about the current Fueling Status in Lincoln County and the Fueling Locations that have Fuel and which ones are out of Fuel.

This will be available at 3:00 p.m. and can be found at the County’s web page, www.lincolncounty.org or www.lincalert.org. This Alert will also give information concerning the reporting of Price Gouging and North Carolina’s General Statues that describe what Price Gouging is. Businesses may update their Fuel Status by calling 704-736-8660 and leaving a message, also any Business not listed may leave their information and we will get them listed. We will continue to update this Alert as the Fueling Situation caused by Hurricane Ike continues to evolve.

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WRECK SENDS ONE TO THE HOSPITAL

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON – Authorities were called to East Main Street in front of the KFC restaurant to reports of an auto accident. Around 9:20 a.m. Saturday, Lincolnton Police rolled up on the accident and called for assistance from fire and Lincoln County EMS.

Authorities at the scene reported one person may have suffered a head injury. It’s the latest in a string of accidents since Friday afternoon, when people jammed Lincolnton roads looking to gas up vehicles due to hourly-increasing prices.

The Carolina Scoop has learned that one station may be under investigation by the state. The Country Market in Maiden has received several complaints of rising gas prices and misrepresenting gas prices by as much as 30 cents between the sign and the price on the pumps. As of Friday, the problem had not been corrected.

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SERIOUS WRECK CLOSES CLEVELAND COUNTY ROAD

By Jon Mayhew

CLEVELAND COUNTY – Authorities responded to a one car accident just before 1 p.m. where a van overturned and one person was ejected, becoming pinned under the vehicle. The accident happened in Lattimore on West Lee Street and, according to Cleveland County Communications, every available ambulance in the county has been dispatched to the scene.


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Lincoln County Courthouse

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners will meed on September 15, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.
in the Board of Commissioners' Room on the third floor of the James W. Warren Citizens Center
at 115 W. Main Street.

The citizens of Lincoln County are always encouraged to attend. The following is the agenda for this meeting

LINCOLN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

SEPTEMBER 15, 2008

6:30 PM Call to Order

6:31 PM Invocation – Rev. J.V. Allen, Boger City Wesleyan Church

6:32 PM Pledge of Allegiance

1. 6:33 PM Adoption of Agenda

2. 6:34 PM Consent Agenda

- Tax Requests for Refunds – More than $100

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BENCH TO BE ERECTED IN MEMORY OF VIRGINIA MCALISTER

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- Virginia Dellinger McAlister, the woman who was struck and killed in downtown Lincolnton several weeks ago, loved to walk on the Marcia Cloninger Rail Trail.


She loved walking the trail so much, in fact, the 78-year-old McAlister once suggested that a bench be placed in an area of the trail by her church, Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church.


Thursday night, Lincolnton City Council made the late McAlister's dream become a reality. They gave their OK to the McAlister and Biggerstaff families working with city staff to put a bench on the grassy area of the trail near the church.

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Local & NC
Statewide High School Football Scores

September 12, 2008

Click Here for the scores

THE CAROLINA SCOOP CELEBRATES RIBBON CUTTING, GRAND OPENING

Celebrates five months in "print" on Wednesday

Staff Reports

LINCOLNTON -- Two milestones were celebrated by staff of The Carolina Scoop this past week.

First, Lincoln County's fastest growing online newspaper celebrated five months in "print" on Wednesday, Sept. 10. Then, on Thursday, staff members of The Carolina Scoop, community leaders and members of the business community celebrated the grand opening/ribbon cutting at Melamoose Scoops and Java on East Main Street in Lincolnton.

"We're thrilled to be a part of this," said Lincolnton/Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce board chairman John Dancoff. "I click on the Web site every day. And like Sgt. Willie Vaughn said, The Carolina Scoop is faster than gossip and more reliable."

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Janine Henderson and Ken Kindley chat while attending The Carolina Scoop's Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting at Melamoose Scoops and Java Thursday

Photo by Elizabeth Mayhew/The Carolina Scoop

CITY COUNCIL TABLES HESED HOUSE REQUEST


Assistant fire chief Mitch Burgin and Hesed House of Hope's Cathy Davis
answered Lincolnton City Councilmen's questions regarding the new shelter.
Photo by Jon Mayhew/The Carolina Scoop


By Jon Mayhew

LINCLONTON -- Lincolnton city leaders Thursday night educated Hesed House of Hope officials in the importance of attending all meetings regarding Lincoln County's first homeless shelter.

The Carolina Scoop learned officials with the shelter missed the last planning board meeting, where they were looking for approval on a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) that would allow officials to start construction on a shelter. In fact, Hesed officials may have suffered a temporary setback as a result of missing the meeting.

Hesed board of directors chairperson Cathy Davis apologized to the Council for missing the recent meeting, which caused the planning board to continue the discussion on the CUP request at the next city planning board meeting. Hesed House of Hope wants to construct a 3,400 square foot shelter on 1.75 acres of property on the nlorth side of East Lincoln Street. The shelter can hold up to 35 residents.

"There's a lot of work here in progress," Davis said to the board. "We have a contractor who has approved one set of financial plans. There are a lot of volunteer forces that are ready to go to work."

Concerns were raised over the fact that garbage trucks and fire trucks couldn't turn around in the road the shelter is on. It's 24 feet of paved surface with 50 feet of right of way on each side.

According to Lincolnton's assistant fire chief Mitch Burgin, fire trucks wouldn't be able to access the site.

"Our trucks are bigger than garbage trucks, and if a garbage truck can't get down that road, we sure can't," said Burgin.

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GAS LINES FORMING AT LINCOLNTON STATIONS

Cars lined up on East Main St.


By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- The Carolina Scoop has learned that gas distributors in the greater Charlotte area are charging stations as much as 85 cents per gallon for gas they deliver to stations. And the costs are already being passed on to motorists.

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VAUGHN NAMED OFFICER OF THE MONTH
Exclusive Video of Award Presentation


By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- Lincolnton Police Sgt. Willie Vaughn was named The Carolina Scoop and Fatz Cafe's Officer of the Month on Wednesday.

Vaughn received a certificate and a Fatz Cafe gift certificate in the amout of $25.

The Carolina Scoop's general manager Elizabeth Mayhew said choosing Vaughn for this month's award was easy.

"It seems like he's everywhere," said Mayhew. "Not only does he hand out warrants, he backs his fellow officers up. He's everywhere. There isn't a place in Lincolnton that you can go where you don't run into Willie."

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Two Charlotte Residents Have Been Charged With A July Home Break-in

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DENVER -- Lincoln County Sheriff's detectives have charged two people with breaking into a home on Lake Norman and stealing more than $50,000 worth of items.

The break-in occurred at a lakeside residence on Norman Estates Drive in Denver on July 24th. Stolen in the break-in were computers, cameras, weapons and jewelry valued at $51,000.

Detective Mark Stamey says officers got a break in the case when fingerprints taken from a basement window were matched to Christian Allen Schiller, 19, of Remount Road in Charlotte by Gaston County Police. Schiller was arrested

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Photo by Scott Foster/The Carolina Scoop

Alexis Firefighters attended the 9/11 commeration in Stanley on Sunday.