Archive - Feb 2012
February 9th
Counterfeit bills are circulating through Catawba County, and authorities say high school students are to blame for some of the fake cash.
Police say watermarks, serial numbers and security threads are among ways to determine the authenticity of a piece of money.
Do you think you can spot a fake bill just by looking at it?
Vote now in the latest reader poll at observernewsonline.com.
For more on the rash of counterfeiting, visit http://observernewsonline.com/content/fake-bills-real-problem.
Police say they expect a Conover man to file charges against a city council member's husband who allegedly hit him in the head during a council meeting this week.
Coy Lee Hester, of Morningside Drive in Conover, told police Kenneth Rowe Herman hit him in the head early during the Monday city council meeting. Herman is city council member Jan Herman's husband.
Conover failed to approve amendments this week that would have banned new churches, funeral homes, non-profits and other non-commercial businesses from locating in its central downtown district.
Conover City Council members voted 3-3 on the proposed amendment changes.
The proposed text amendments to the cityâs Zoning Ordinance would have tweaked the permitted uses in Conoverâs B-3 Central Business District.
More than 25 area dentists are providing free oral health care for children in need this month.
Health officials anticipate that more than 300 children will receive free restorative and preventative dental health services in February as part of the national initiative âGive Kids A Smile.â
The free cleanings, sealants and dental exams started in Catawba County in 1994, said Cindy Walker Sigmon, public health dental hygienist for the N.C. Oral Health Section that serves Catawba County.
Heather Jo Heavner, 30, of Newton, died Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012, at her residence. The Heavner family has entrusted the funeral arrangements to Drum Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Conover.
Fake money is causing a real problem throughout Catawba County.
Counterfeit $10 and $20 bills are appearing in nearly all of the countyâs municipalities, and some of the funny money is being traced back to high school students.
How do you identify counterfeit bills? More details in the Thursday edition of The O-N-E.
Catawba County is home to 240 of the stateâs sex offenders, and mobile device users can pinpoint exactly where those people live thanks to a new application.
By
Associated Press Writer Aaron Beard
CHAPEL HILL â Harrison Barnes shook off his nagging ankle injury and a series of undersized defenders to help No. 5 North Carolina take charge in the second half. He just couldn't finish off No. 10 Duke.
Barnes scored 19 of his 25 points after halftime for the Tar Heels in their 85-84 loss Wednesday night. Barnes, who sprained his left ankle against Wake Forest last week, missed all four of his shots in the first half but went 8-for-12 in the final 20 minutes.
February 8th
The two-time defending South Atlantic League champion Lenoir-Rhyne softball team opened its season in style Wednesday, taking both games of a doubleheader against Belmont Abbey.
âWeâll take the wins,â said L-R coach Shena Hollar. âI donât think they were pretty. We played at their pace. It was a very slow game. We like to get in, get out and get on. We didnât do that. This is something to work on. For the opener, weâll take two âWâs.ââ
In game one, sophomore Haily Jarman connected on a grand slam home run to put the Lady Bears (2-0) ahead.
The Maiden, Fred T. Foard and St. Stephens football teams are three of eight programs that will receive wins after Hickory High School used an ineligible football player during the 2011 season.
The result leaves the Red Tornadoes winless in 2011 at 0-13. Their record before the forfeits was 8-4-1, including a postseason appearance.
Hickory vacated its 47-20 victory at Maiden on Sept. 2, along with the Red Tornadoesâ wins against conference schools St. Stephens (49-14) and Fred T. Foard (31-6).
After hosting first- and second-round matches in the dual team state playoffs Tuesday, the Newton-Conover and Fred T. Foard wrestling teams will hit the road for their third- and fourth-round match-ups today.
The Red Devils (40-2), who topped Ashe County in the first round and Chase in the second round, take on T.W. Andrews (14-4) in round three.Â
If successful, Newton-Conover will face the winner of host Wheatmore (23-9) and Piedmont (35-0), a team that has knocked the Red Devils out of the dual team playoffs each of the last two seasons.
