Archive - Mar 8, 2011 - News Article
The woman accused in the hit-and-run death of a Lenoir man was sentenced to probation Tuesday after pleading guilty to three misdemeanor charges.
Tiffany Jade Vassello, 23, received five years supervised probation for consolidated charges of misdemeanor hit and run and misdemeanor careless and reckless driving. She was also charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle.
The charges are Class 1 misdemeanors. If Vassello doesn't violate her probation, she won't receive jail time.
Court dates are piling up for Elisa Baker, whose felony charges were continued Tuesday in superior court.
Baker, who is charged in the death of her 10-year-old stepdaughter Zahra, was scheduled to appear in court for bigamy and obstruction of justice charges that surfaced after the investigation in Zahra's murder.
Those cases were continued, adding more dates on the court docket for Baker and her court-appointed attorney Scott Reilly. Baker is confined in Catawba County jail under a $307,700 bond, and she didn't appear in court Tuesday.
Prayers are lifted high this week for Catawba County residents infected with HIV and AIDS.
This week is the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of HIV and AIDS, and three area churches, as well as ALFA, are reaching out to residents infected and affected by the disease.
"(The goal) is to inspire those who are affected and infected by HIV," said Michelle Mathis, health and wellness minister at Exodus Missionary Outreach Church. "Life doesn't end with a positive diagnosis."
A group of Hickory women are Knit Wits, and they don't care who knows it.
The women, who are in their 90s, live at Pinecrest Retirement Community in Hickory, where they knit lap blankets, head coverings and baby caps to donate to area hospitals and other organizations.
"I feel like we're doing something for somebody that needs something special," said Romalda Aman, 95.
