Dave Faherty

Two overnight shootings in Catawba County resulted in one person being hospitalized with a gunshot wound. The first shooting occurred at a home on 34th Avenue Place NE, followed by a second at 22nd Street Lane NE, where gunfire struck the residence eight times. The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office is investigating both incidents and has not confirmed a connection between them.

Cities in the Foothills, including Hickory, Morganton, and Lenoir, have closed splash pads due to drought conditions, frustrating families seeking relief from the heat. Water restrictions in Hickory, including Stage 2 low-inflow protocol, prohibit activities like car washing and pool filling, with residents asked to irrigate no more than twice a week.

Residents in Hildebran signed a petition opposing a new data center. Digi Power X purchased land in Cline Industrial Park near a Duke Energy substation and stated it is building infrastructure to meet global AI-compute demand. The town passed noise-level ordinances and a public discussion is scheduled on Eyewitness News.

Water was restored to over 100 homes in Burke County after a month-long outage caused by a failed community well pump during a lightning storm in May. Residents previously relied on a nearby creek for basic needs, and the Pine Mountain Property Association requested $1,000 from each resident to cover repair costs.

A deadly shooting occurred at Old Hickory Tannery on Locust Street in Newton on Wednesday afternoon, involving two workers. The victim has not been identified, and police have not confirmed whether a suspect is being sought.

An explosion in a Caldwell County car, caused by an aerosol can and a lit cigarette, hospitalized two people with burns. The incident occurred in Gamewell, resulting in significant vehicle damage and witnesses reporting feeling the blast.