Archive
October 27th, 2010
David Canup thought he was going to die when he saw it -- the funnel cloud that ripped through his street in Claremont.
Canup, 60, lives on Catawba Street, which suffered significant damage Tuesday evening after two apparent tornadoes passed through the city.
"I thought it was the train coming through the front yard," Canup said of the storm's deafening roar. "I saw the tornado ... and I shut the door as quick as I could."
Police found a prosthetic leg that could belong to missing 10-year-old Zahra Baker.
Investigators located the leg Tuesday afternoon during their search of Christie Road in Caldwell County.
Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins announced the recovery Wednesday afternoon during a press conference.
Adkins said investigators will use serial numbers printed on the prosthesis to confirm if the leg belonged to Zahra, who lost her lower left leg after suffering bone cancer.
CommScope Inc. has agreed to be bought out by asset manager Carlyle Group for $3.9 billion, two days after announcing it was in takeover talks.
The company, one of the world's top infrastructure suppliers to wireless carriers, is being acquired for $31.50 a share, a 36 premium over its closing price before it announced it was in negotiations.
It's the same price CommScope gave Monday when it confirmed it was in talks with the Carlyle group. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2011.
The Maiden Blue Devils had a tall and tough task Tuesday facing talented Salisbury. They came up short.
“I feel like we were just beaten by a better team,” Maiden coach Jon Huffman said. “Our kids played well, and I am proud of the effort they showed out there, but Salisbury is just very, very good. Our kids knew that coming in.”
The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg issued a tornado warning Wednesday for southern Catawba County.
The tornado warning is in effect until 5:45 p.m. The warning also includes northern Cleveland, northwest Gaston and Lincoln counties.
Claremont Police are searching for a vehicle involved in a hit and run.
About 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, a black Isuzu vehicle hit the side of another vehicle at Box Car Grille in Claremont and fled the scene.
Claremont Police Chief Gerald Tolbert said no one was injured. Police are searching the black vehicle involved in the accident, but do not have a license place number. The vehicle should have heavy front-end damage.
Anyone with information is asked to call Claremont Police at (828) 459-9295.
October 26th
Severe storms in Catawba County on Tuesday night forced some area schools to close Wednesday or open on a delay.
Claremont Elementary School is closed Wednesday due to storm damage.
Bunker Hill and Foard feeder districts will operate on a two-hour delay.
All other schools in the Catawba County Schools system are on a normal schedule.
The National Weather Service canceled a third tornado warning at 10:49 p.m. Tuesday for eastern Catawba County.
The tornado warning was in effect until 11:15 p.m. Tuesday. The National Weather Service said the severe thunderstorm warning was effect until 10:45 p.m. Tuesday was capable of producing tornadoes.
A barn on Wilson Road completely burned down within minutes Tuesday night.
At about 10:20 p.m., a woman called emergency responders and reported a barn engulfed in flames at 4204 Wilson Road in Vale. When emergency personnel arrived on the scene, the barn was "almost to the ground."
Wilson Road is off of Banoak Road in Vale, which reportedly had power lines down in the roadway as emergency workers rushed to the barn fire.
The National Weather Service issued another tornado warning at 9 p.m. for Catawba County.
A tornado was reported at 9:12 p.m. in Cooksville, which is about 13 miles southwest of Hickory. The storm is moving northeast at 35 mph.
Officials reported at 9:48 p.m. that a portion of East P Street in Newton will be closed for the night by authority of Newton Police Department due to storm damage.
