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BBB Warns about door-to-door selling season

BBB Warns about door-to-door selling season

Summer is the high season for door-to-door sales of everything from magazines to meat, alarm monitoring services to driveway repaving. Representatives will soon be ringing doorbells and peddling products in neighborhoods throughout the Southern Piedmont. While many of these companies are reputable, a few are not.

The BBB has tips for how you can shop at your front door without being scammed.

Out of all of the products sold door-to-door, magazine sales generate the most BBB complaints. “Some of these companies are legitimate,” said BBB President Tom Bartholomy, “but other companies have generated so many complaints that the BBB has labeled door-to-door magazine sales as a ‘highly-suspect’ industry.”

In the last 36 months, consumers have filed 92 complaints against local magazine sales operations. Charlotte-based Generations Making Differences (BBB grade F) has had 20 complaints filed against it, of which five are unanswered.

Police: Man caught hiding in woods after girlfriend found murdered

Roxanne Fowler Maddry

CHINA GROVE, NC (WBTV)- A woman was found murdered in her China Grove home Saturday night, and after a search through the night, her boyfriend is now in custody facing a murder warrant.

On Saturday at approximately 7:45 pm, officers with the China Grove Police Department received a call to check on the welfare of an individual who had been reported missing to the Rowan County Sheriff's Office.   

Reported missing was Roxanne Fowler Maddry, 48.

When police arrived at the home of Maddry's boyfriend, Wayne Hill, at 124 Poplar Street in China Grove, they found the her vehicle at the home, as well as additional items of evidence that led them to believe that Maddry may was inside the home and possibly injured.  

Police forced entry and found Maddry and determined that she had been fatally wounded.   Police told WBTV that Maddry had died from blunt force trauma.

Sex offender charged after moving to home within 100 feet of child care facility

Sex offender charged after moving to home within 100 feet of child care facility

SALISBURY - A convicted and registered sex offender is back in jail after failing to notify the sheriff that he was moving to a new address, and because that new address is within 100 feet of a child care facility.

According to the sheriff's report, Derrick Gardner, 43, was charged on Thursday with failing to register as a sex offender, sex offender residence violation, and parole violation.  Bond was set at $35,000.

Gardner has an extensive and violent criminal record.  The charges that relate to his status as a sex offender include four counts of taking indecent liberties with a child and solicitation of a first degree sexual offense.  Those charges are from 2003.

NSSA Awards Banquet tonight

NSSA Awards Banquet tonight

SALISBURY - One of Salisbury's unique institutions has been in full swing over the weekend and reaches a climax tonight with the 54th annual National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Awards banquet.

The 54th Annual NSSA Awards Weekend is in full gear, with some of the more than 400 guests in town from all over the country.  

Hall of Fame inductees Dick Vitale and Mitch Albom are both expected in Salisbury, along with National Sportscaster of the Year Dan Patrick and National Sportswriter of the Year Peter King.  

In addition, 65 State Sportscasters and Sportswriters of the Year were scheduled to attend, including winners from the 36 states and the District of Columbia.

Arizona will also be represented by Michigan Sportscaster of the Year Don Shane.  He retired in 2012 and now lives in the Grand Canyon State.

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Speedway seeking fan support for X-Games bid

Speedway seeking fan support for X-Games bid

CONCORD - On the heels of ESPN’s visit to scout Charlotte Motor Speedway as a potential location to hold the summer edition of X Games in 2014-16, the world-class sports facility’s fans can make an extra push to win over the selection committee.

Two of the most decorated athletes in the history of action sports have thrown their support behind Charlotte, touting it as the perfect fit for the pinnacle of extreme sports contests.

“Charlotte is the motor racing capital of the world,” said 17-time X Games medalist turned NASCAR driver Travis Pastrana. “Coming to Charlotte would take action sports to a whole new level. These facilities are amazing. They’ve got everything in place… I think this is just a perfect fit.”

A soggy soaker of a Monday, flooding possible for some

A soggy soaker of a Monday, flooding possible for some

CHARLOTTE - WBTV meteorologist Ashley Batey says we can expect a wet Monday all across the WBTV viewing area, and some areas may even experience flooding:

Flash flood watch in effect until 6:00 tonight.  Another round of rain likely today, and with heavy downpours possible, flooding will once again be a concern today. 

As far as location, there is no one place more likely to see it than the next.  It will be wherever we see the heaviest rain in the shortest amount of time.

Additionally, severe weather is possible, with damaging straight-line winds the most likely threat for us.  While unlikely, an isolated tornado threat can’t be ruled out.  Lightning likely this afternoon, too. 

Update: suspect caught hiding in woods after girlfriend found murdered

Update: suspect caught hiding in woods after girlfriend found murdered

CHINA GROVE - A woman was found murdered in her China Grove home Saturday night, and after a search through the night, her boyfriend is now in custody facing a murder warrant.

On Saturday at approximately 7:45 PM, officers with the China Grove Police Department received a call to check on the welfare of an individual who had been reported missing to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.   

Reported missing was Roxanne Fowler Maddry, 48.

When police arrived at the home of Maddry's boyfriend, Wayne Hill, at 124 Poplar Street in China Grove, they found the victim’s vehicle at the home, as well as additional items of evidence that led them to believe that Maddry may was inside the home and possibly injured.