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Exclusive: McGuire inspection reveals safety violations

Valve maintenance and radiation-area access failures follow earlier problems reported by WCAB News. NRC rated the latest violations as having very low safety significance. An inadequate maintenance procedure left a containment isolation valve unable to fully close at Duke Energy’s McGuire Nuclear Station, while a separate inspection found a radiation-area door lock fell apart when employees tested it, according to a federal report reviewed by WCAB News. The Nuclear Regulatory

Annie Dance

4 hours ago3 min read

Latest News

Kathy Ann Thomason

Kathy Ann Thomason, age 67, of Granite Falls, NC, passed away Friday, October 9, 2026, at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center while being surrounded by her loving family.

2 min read

Fact Check: Election workers may have to write on your ballot

Election workers write on ballots for different reasons as required by law. This does not impact whether your ballot will be counted, the State Board of Elections (NCSBE) said in a statement. NCSBE said they are "again responding to social media posts that state that if an election worker writes on a voter’s ballot, it will invalidate it and the voter should request a new ballot." "This is false. These posts have been circulating for several years and have resurfaced recentl

2 min read

Swannanoa man charged with sex offense

Court records show $125,000 bond posted after initial detention without bond A Swannanoa man charged with a felony sex offense in McDowell County posted a $125,000 secured bond Oct. 2 after initially being held without bond, according to court records. Zachary Groben Lebbon, 29, was arrested Oct. 1 on a charge of second-degree forcible sex offense following an investigation by Detective Kyle Gibson, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office said. The investigation began Sept. 27,

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Local News

Fact Check: Election workers may have to write on your ballot

Election workers write on ballots for different reasons as required by law. This does not impact whether your ballot will be counted, the State Board of Elections (NCSBE) said in a statement. NCSBE said they are "again responding to social media posts that state that if an election worker writes on a voter’s ballot, it will invalidate it and the voter should request a new ballot." "This is false. These posts have been circulating for several years and have resurfaced recentl

2 min read

Swannanoa man charged with sex offense

Court records show $125,000 bond posted after initial detention without bond A Swannanoa man charged with a felony sex offense in McDowell County posted a $125,000 secured bond Oct. 2 after initially being held without bond, according to court records. Zachary Groben Lebbon, 29, was arrested Oct. 1 on a charge of second-degree forcible sex offense following an investigation by Detective Kyle Gibson, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office said. The investigation began Sept. 27,

1 min read

Exclusive: McGuire inspection reveals safety violations

Valve maintenance and radiation-area access failures follow earlier problems reported by WCAB News. NRC rated the latest violations as having very low safety significance. An inadequate maintenance procedure left a containment isolation valve unable to fully close at Duke Energy’s McGuire Nuclear Station, while a separate inspection found a radiation-area door lock fell apart when employees tested it, according to a federal report reviewed by WCAB News. The Nuclear Regulatory

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Regional News

Exclusive: McGuire inspection reveals safety violations

Valve maintenance and radiation-area access failures follow earlier problems reported by WCAB News. NRC rated the latest violations as having very low safety significance. An inadequate maintenance procedure left a containment isolation valve unable to fully close at Duke Energy’s McGuire Nuclear Station, while a separate inspection found a radiation-area door lock fell apart when employees tested it, according to a federal report reviewed by WCAB News. The Nuclear Regulatory

3 min read

NC child support changes take effect Jan. 1

Updated guidelines affect how courts calculate payments, but existing orders will not change automatically. North Carolina’s updated child support guidelines take effect Jan. 1, 2027, changing how courts calculate payments based on parents’ incomes and the cost of raising children. For families already paying or receiving support, the new guidelines do not automatically change an existing court order. A change requires court action. The Conference of Chief District Court Judg

2 min read

Hiddenite man charged in grandmother’s death

Sheriff’s Office says Jeffrey Michael Minton told detention officers he had killed his grandmother; deputies found Shirleen Prichard, 78, dead at her home. A Hiddenite man was charged with first-degree murder Oct. 13 after authorities said he walked into the Alexander County Detention Center and told officers he had killed his grandmother. Jeffrey Michael Minton, 34, voluntarily made the statement to officers on duty in the detention center lobby, according to a statement fro

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Business News

NC fuel tax pause offers relief for drivers

Stein signs law suspending the 41-cent-per-gallon tax through Nov. 30, with additional relief for farmers Rutherford County drivers could save $6.15 on a 15-gallon fill-up under a temporary suspension of North Carolina’s motor fuel excise tax, provided the full tax reduction reaches the pump. Gov. Josh Stein signed House Bill 3, the Relief at the Pump Act, on Oct. 9 in Fairview. The suspension began Oct. 10 and runs through Nov. 30, covering gasoline, diesel and alternative f

2 min read

Hilltop festival draws families, sparks discussion

Rutherfordton’s Oct. 3 event featured downtown activities, police vehicles and community groups Families and visitors filled downtown Rutherfordton for the Hilltop Fall Festival on Oct. 3, with entertainment, vendors and children’s activities drawing praise alongside questions about town spending and festival offerings. The Saturday event featured a magic show, a car show, and a pet costume contest hosted by Heart of the Foothills Animal Rescue, according to the town’s MyRuth

2 min read

Rutherford Regional reaches 100 robotic-assisted surgeries after $2.2M investment

Rutherford Regional Health System has completed its 100th robotic-assisted surgery, reaching the milestone roughly four months after introducing technology designed to help surgeons perform operations through small incisions. The hospital announced the milestone on Sept. 29 and said Dr. Andrew Demeusy performed the 100th procedure. Its general surgery program uses the da Vinci surgical system for hernia repair, gallbladder removal, colorectal surgery, and other operations. Ru

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Obituaries

Kathy Ann Thomason

Kathy Ann Thomason, age 67, of Granite Falls, NC, passed away Friday, October 9, 2026, at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center while being surrounded by her loving family.

2 min read