Archive - Dec 2011
December 30th
Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that Infinisource Holdings Inc., a nationally known benefits administrator focused on small to mid-market firms, will move its headquarters and start a new division in Charlotte. The company plans to create 162 jobs over the next five years with a $500,000 capital investment in Mecklenburg County. The project was made possible in part by a Job Development Investment Grant.
Hickory High captured championship crowns in the 25th Annual Catawba Valley Classic last night. See complete details about all the tournament action in The O-N-Eâs print and online editions. See the game blog here: www.observernewsonline.com/content/catawba-valley-classic-championship-b....
Catawba County and north Carolina residents will see new laws take effect Monday. Getting cold medication gets more challenging. Teens must start logging driving time. Find out more details in Fridayâs O-N-E.
The new year also brings more pain at the gas pump.
Mitt Romney announced the support of North Carolina U.S. Sen. Richard Burr on Thursday night.
âI am honored to have Senator Burrâs support,â said Romney. âSenator Burr has been a consistent conservative who is committed to lowering taxes, abolishing unnecessary regulations, and restoring our nationâs fiscal health. With his help, I look forward to bringing my message of a âSimpler, Smaller, and Smarterâ federal government to voters in North Carolina and across the nation.â
December 29th
Tempers flared and aggression boiled over in a physical rubber match between Newton-Conover and Hickory for the Catawba Valley Classic girls title on Thursday.
When the dust settled, the Red Tornadoes hoisted their record 16th Classic banner, ending the Red Devilsâ chance at a repeat.
The gameâs final score mirrored that of a contest between the two schoolâs football programs.
Newton-Conover and Hickory combined to make 17-of-74 field goal attempts â a staggering 22 percent for the game.
Fred T. Foard earned its highest finish in recent memory at the Catawba Valley Classic, knocking off its second in-county rival in two days.
The Tigers scored 31 points in the second half against Newton-Conover, including 13 from Jordan Turner and eight points each from Tyler Dickens and Bryce Falgout, to overcome a slow start to the game and pick up the fifth-place boys trophy at the Classic, 48-41.
Girls basketball players wearing the No. 21 battled Thursday for a chance to guide their team to a fifth-place finish on the girls side of the Catawba Valley Classic.
In the end, it was Fred T. Foardâs No. 21, Brooke Robinson, scoring a game-high 26 points to lift the Lady Tigers to a consolation final win, 52-42.
âOverall, Iâm proud of the way we responded, especially after our first round loss,â said Foard coach Bradley Mangum. âI think weâve grown up the past days, particularly with some things. Weâve just got to continue to get better, and go to South Caldwell on Tuesday.â
Area pharmacists will begin electronically monitoring pseudoephedrine-like purchases next week in an effort to curtail methamphetamine production statewide.
As part of a new state law tabbed âStop Methamphetamine Labs,â pharmacists in Catawba County and across the state will begin logging pseudoephedrine and other sales of products used to make meth.
Lawmakers formed the law this summer to increase the regulation of pseudoephedrine products to curtail meth production and reduce costs to local governments for meth-lab cleanup costs. It was signed into law June 23.
William “Pete” Earl Turner, 71, of Newton, died Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011, at his residence. Burke Mortuary in Maiden is serving the Turner family.
Oswald "Ozzie" William Charles Jr., 68, of Conover, died Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011, at Palliative CareCenter and Hospice of Catawba Valley. The Charles family has entrusted funeral arrangements to Drum Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Conover.
At least four people plan to run for two open Catawba County Board of Commissioners seats in the 2012 election.
Filing for 2012 election races begins at noon Feb. 13 and continues through Feb. 29. However, Catawba County elections officials said candidates are currently allowed to file reports declaring their intention to organize an election campaign.
Two people â Steve Graves, of Hickory, and incumbent commissioner Barbara Beatty, of Newton â have already filed 2012 campaign organization reports at the Catawba County Board of Elections.
Area residents and businesses can expect gas prices to increase â again.
State officials announced last week that the gasoline tax will increase by almost 4 cents a gallon, starting Sunday.
The increase is the second this year alone, forcing local businesses like Yellow Cab Company to tighten a budgetary belt already squeezed.
âIt puts a hurting on all of us,â said Yellow Cab General Manager Ron Stephens. âAll itâs doing is making the rich man richer and poor man poorer.â
