Commissioners also hear updates on Helene recovery, a planned elementary school and county building repairs. McDowell County has temporarily suspended some evening and Saturday transit service because of a shortage of trained drivers, county commissioners learned during their October meeting at the Historic Carson House. Brandon Gaddy, who recently moved into a leadership role with the county’s transit operation after working in social services, said employee turnover has lef

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

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,

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

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