Archive - Jan 2012 - News Article
January 30th
A former Maiden High School band director pleaded guilty Monday to sex charges involving one of his former students.
Christopher Caldwell, who was a teacher and band director at Maiden from 2008-10, was sentenced to 24 months of community-based, supervised probation after pleading guilty to taking indecent liberties with a student nearly two years ago. Superior Court Judge James W. Morgan deemed Caldwell’s crime a “sexually violent offense” and ruled that he must register as a sex offender.
Caldwell must also pay a $1,000 fine, according to Morgan’s ruling.
Dinosaurs, volunteer training and Habitat housing opportunities await this week in the region.
The Catawba Science Center's new dinosaurs exhibit opened Saturday in Hickory.
Habitat for Humanity will hold a meeting Tuesday for citizens interested in housing assistance.
A local hospice center will train volunteers Saturday and Sunday.
For the details on those events and more, check out Catawba County's week ahead below. For additional information about area events, check out the Your News page daily in The O-N-E and activities listings every Thursday inside Outlook.
January 27th
Health officials say a common stomach virus is linked to at least 128 people who turned ill after eating at a Conover seafood restaurant this month.
Citizens reported to Catawba County Public Health (CCPH) that they experienced nausea, vomiting and diarrhea after eating at the Harbor Inn Seafood restaurant on Fairgrove Church Road on Jan. 13-14.
CCPH reported 18 Harbor Inn-related illnesses had been documented Jan. 20. The number of documented reports climbed to 40 on Tuesday. Health officials said Friday that 128 illness complaints have now been documented.
Military service separates Brad, Micah and Craig Penley.
It also bonds the brothers.
Brad and Micah graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, while Craig, a five-year veteran of the Army National Guard, will soon graduate from Appalachian State University (ASU) and receive an officer commission into the U.S. Army. All three are Fred T. Foard graduates whose parents, Rick and Kim, call Mountain View home.
You’ve heard of the bionic man. This is the bionic leg.
Catawba Valley Medical Center’s (CVMC) Rehabilitation Center recently started using state-of-the-art technology as a tool to help stroke patients regain confidence and make up deficits in the use of their lower limbs.
The center started widespread use of the Tibion Bionic Leg this year.
The leg, which attaches to the lower limb of a patient suffering from post-stroke weaknesses or deficits, uses sensory receptors and robotic motors to assist patients as they try to regain a more “normal” gait.
Some of Newton's oldest and youngest residents will soon have advanced warnings of oncoming severe weather.
Newton Police Department (NPD) recently received a $1,000 grant from Target Corp. to purchase weather alert radios. The department decided to apply for the grant after a tornado ripped through Claremont in October 2010 and strong storms hit the area in summer 2011, said NPD Capt. Tim Hayes.
"We think, given past situations and the tendency of severe weather in this area, that this will greatly benefit our citizens," Hayes said.
Catawba County moved one step closer Friday to operating an ABC store in the town of Taylorsville and securing a slight increase in alcohol-sales revenue.
The Catawba County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a motion for the county's ABC board to absorb and manage Taylorsville's only ABC store. The move now awaits approval by the Taylorsville Town Council, the Catawba County ABC Board and the state.
Dinosaurs, wedding planning and Habitat housing opportunities await this week in the region.
The Catawba Science Center's new dinosaurs exhibit opened Saturday in Hickory.
Wedding specialists will gather Sunday afternoon in Conover to help brides and grooms prepare for the big day.
Habitat for Humanity will hold a meeting Tuesday for citizens interested in housing assistance.
Does a good health score mean a clean restaurant? In the wake of an illness outbreak among a seafood restaurant’s patrons, some are residents have questions.
Vote in The O-N-E online reader poll and share your thoughts: www.observernewsonline.com/content/high-sanitation-ratings-clean-restaurant.
A Newton man serving a life sentence for raping a woman near Newton in 1990 will soon be back on the streets when he is paroled in 2014.
Meanwhile from today’s police reports, a pair of brothers, kidnapped, robbed and beat a man, but they couldn’t get away from police.
January 26th
Catawba County health officials say at least 40 citizens have reported recent illnesses related to eating at the Harbor Inn seafood restaurant on Fairgrove Church Road in Conover.
Harbor Inn's owner told The O-N-E this week there are no problems with his restaurant's food, its handling or storage.
