PALO ALTO, California (Reuters) - Facebook's chief operating officer said the social networking company was targeting a bigger ad market than the search ad market that has made Google Inc rich.

Sheryl Sandberg also told a group of high-tech specialists on Thursday that revenues were growing so fast at privately held Facebook that it turned cash positive recently, instead of in 2010 as predicted earlier this year.

Stock futures are little changed as a drop in revenue at General Electric weighed on the market.

Solid earnings reports from Google Inc., IBM Corp. and chip maker Advanced Micro Devices after the closing bell Thursday gave the market some support.

By Daren Bakst

North Carolina needs to stop trying to lure businesses through economic incentives and instead focus on providing a business-friendly climate for all businesses.

In 2004, North Carolina got involved in a major incentives deal with Dell. The state legislature approved $242.5 million in tax breaks to be given over 15 years to the company. Winston-Salem and Forsyth County both kicked in money as well.

As is common with economic incentives projects, this whole “venture” with Dell has been a fiasco. Dell already is closing its plant and as a result 905 jobs will be lost. About $30 million in state and local incentives have already been provided to Dell. While some of the money may be returned, millions of dollars are going to be lost.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON – A non-working tag light that lead to a traffic stop has landed a Hickory man in jail on drug charges

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy M. Sing first noticed a vehicle driven by Stephanie Metcalf traveling on Maiden Highway. Deputy Sing stopped the vehicle at the Highway 321 on ramp and spoke to the driver.

Deputy Sing said a conversation with Metcalf lead to an investigation and search of her vehicle. The deputy also asked the passenger, identified as Joshua Aaron Bolick, 24, 4th Street Boulevard NW, Hickory, to step out of the vehicle.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON – Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies spot an attempted bicycle thief at a shopping center on Buffalo Shoals Road last Thursday afternoon, after the victim told Deputies 18-year-old David Williams, of 1469 Bumgardner James Lane, attempted to steal a bicycle from her East Highway 150 residence.

Claudia Leach first talked to Deputies by telephone to report the initial incident, and then later called Deputies back to report Williams’ location. Williams tried to run from Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies during the incident around 3 p.m. while wearing a tee-shirt that read “if you see me running, try to keep up,” according to a news release from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

LINCOLNTON - The Lincoln County Health Department has received a very small shipment of H1N1 (swine flu)vaccine. This initial allotment will be distributed to healthcare workers.

The Health Department will notify the public when more vaccine has been received and when vaccination clinics will open.

For more information please call 704-736-8624.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON – Lieutenant Larry Stanley has been named the new Chief Deputy of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. His first day on his new assignment was Monday according to news release from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

Chief Deputy Stanley has over 30 years experience with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, having started as a full time road deputy back in April 1979.

Over the years, Chief Deputy Stanley has served in a multitude of capacities within the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

STAFF REPORTS

VALE, NC - Laura Baker, a senior at West Lincoln High School, retained her title as 2A Southern Piedmont Conference Singles Champion bringing her 2009 record to 18-0.

This is the second year Baker has won both the singles regular season championship and the tournament championship. Baker also won the tournament championship in 2007.

In the quarterfinals Baker defeated LHS's Mackenzie West 6-0, 6-0. She faced NLHS's #2 Ashley Cedrone in the semi-finals, winning 6-0, 6-1, then defeating Cedrone sister Suzy (#1 at NLHS) 6-1, 6-0.

(File Photo)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co reported sharply higher third-quarter results, topping Wall Street expectations, as gains at its investment bank offset deeper losses on credit cards and other consumer loans.

The second-largest U.S. bank on Wednesday posted net income of $3.6 billion, or 82 cents a share. That compares with $527 million, or 9 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter.

A woman has been sentenced to a year of probation for attacking a fellow exotic dancer in the face with a stiletto heel at an Ohio club.

In a deal with prosecutors, 22-year-old Chetania Davis pleaded guilty Tuesday in Akron to a misdemeanor assault charge.

Health care talks slip back behind closed doors Wednesday as Senate leaders start trying to merge two very different bills into a new version that can get the 60 votes needed to guarantee its passage.

All eyes are on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who has said he wants to complete the wedding quickly and get historic health care overhaul legislation onto the floor the week after next.

Profile America — Wednesday, October 14th. Speed was the name of the game on this date in the past with the setting of two milestone aviation records. On this date in 1922, Lieutenant Lester Maitland flew a Curtiss Pursuit plane just over 216 miles-an-hour — the first to fly faster than 200. And on this date in 1947, Air Force Major Chuck Yeager flew the Bell X-1 faster than the speed of sound for the first time, reaching just over 750 miles-an-hour. Today, the X-1 is one of the premier exhibits at the National Air and Space Museum on the mall at Washington, D.C., one of the main attractions of the city’s annual draw of 1.2 million overseas visitors each year.

Unaffilaited Voters Going Heavy GOP



Raleigh, N.C. – North Carolina voters favor Republican Congressional candidates over their Democratic opponents according to results of the latest Civitas Flash Poll released today.

In a generic ballot for Congress, 52 percent of voters said they preferred a Republican, while only 39 said they percent favored a Democrat.

“If the 2010 election was held today, the declining popularity of Gov. Perdue and President Obama would hit Democrats where it hurts most: at the ballot box,” said Francis De Luca, executive director of the Civitas Institute. “The Republicans significant lead in the Congressional generic ballot demonstrates the potential damage the unpopular Democratic leaders could do to the brand in 2010.”

By Melany Dawn Crouse

LINCOLNTON - Two cars collided earlier on Tuesday around 3:15 p.m. at the intersection of Salem Church and Keever Dairy Farm Road in Lincolnton.

Boger City Fire Department responded to the accident along with Lincoln EMS and the highway patrol.

The intersection has become an accident hazard recently with a number of accidents occurring at that location.

Heavy damage was sustained by both vehicles.

Photo by Melany Dawn Crouse

October 26, November 2, November 9

LAKE NORMAN - Three regional bicycle planning public drop-ins are scheduled for October 26, November 2 and 9, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the following locations:

- Monday, October 26th at Cornelius Town Hall, 21445 Catawba Avenue, Cornelius, NC

- Monday, November 2nd at Troutman Town Hall, 400 N. Eastway Drive, Troutman, NC

- Monday, November 9th at Unity Presbyterian Church, 8210 Unity Church Road, Denver, NC

The Lake Norman region is developing a plan to create a safe and lasting bicycle network to encircle Lake Norman, and invites all interested citizens to attend one of these comment meetings.

Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe says she will vote for a Democratic health care bill, breaking with her party on President Barack Obama's top legislative priority.

The Maine senator kept virtually all of Washington guessing how she would vote until she announced it late in the Senate Finance Committee debate Tuesday. Until then, she told reporters, she had not even let Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in on her secret. She told her colleagues: "When history calls, history calls," even though she had some criticism of the bill.

The largest U.S. analysis of adult hospitalized swine flu patients has found that 46 percent did not have asthma or any other underlying condition.

Health officials looked at 1,400 adult swine flu hospitalizations in 10 states. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official released some of the details at a Tuesday press conference.

Students from Hopewell High School and North Mecklenburg High School to Participate in “Rivals for Respect Walk”

Huntersville, NC – Students from Hopewell and North Mecklenburg High Schools will be putting aside their traditional rivalry and working on the same team to support Special Olympics in the first-ever “Rivals for Respect Walk” on Oct. 24. The walk will begin at Hopewell High School, and participating students will walk the five miles to North Mecklenburg High School, crossing a finish line on the football field. Students are raising funds to benefit Special Olympics programs and are using this walk to promote awareness for people with intellectual disabilities, specifically encouraging their peers to stop using the hurtful word ‘retarded’ in everyday language.

Special Olympics athletes from Mecklenburg County will join students for the last 100 meters as they cross the finish line together.

By Jason Saine

LINCOLNTON - Sheriff Tim Daugherty pleaded ‘not guilty’ today to two charges of felony obstruction of justice and one misdemeanor charge of giving a false report to a law enforcement officer at his first appearance in court in Lincolnton.

Daugherty was indicted yesterday on the charges by a grand jury.

Daugherty did not speak directly to members of the press but his attorney, Adrew Banzhoff, told press that the Sheriff has not intentions of resigning.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON - The following listing represents incident and arrest reports from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

This listing does not necessarily mean anyone at the listed address was accused of any crime, only that a report was made at that location. Also, it is advisable to understand that many people may have the same or similar names.

Local law enforcement asks that anyone with information about any of these incidents or to report a crime call CrimeStoppers at (704) 736-8909. CrimeStoppers allows you to remain anonymous and pays up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

Incident reports are brought to you by Helms Security, Inc. in Lincolnton. Follow update “tweets” on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/helmssecurity .

INCIDENTS
2009-01888
PWISD Sch III CS
Assigned: File Only Detective Helms
Location: Lincolnton, NC
Victim: State
Had controlled substance in possession
Date reported: 3-18-09
District: A

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON / GASTONIA - William Heafner, president of Piedmont Companies, Inc. of Lincolnton, N.C., has announced today the sale of the parcel of land known as College Interchange to two locally based, family-owned companies. The 23-plus-acre site, located in Gastonia at the Grier Beam exit off U.S. 321 near Gaston College, will be home to both Freeman Gas and Tyson Brothers.

Freeman Gas, based out of Spartanburg, S.C., has purchased a 5,000-square-foot plus 4.3-acre site that will house a facility designed to serve not only the company’s industrial customers, but homeowners as well. Founded in 1936, Freeman Gas consists of 21 locations specializing in the sale of propane gas and related products and accessories.

STAFF REPORTS

LINCOLNTON – A Keener Road man is arrested and charged after stabbing another man during an argument.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy T.S. Posey and Sgt. T. Smith responded to the 2300 block of Keever Road around 4am Friday, where they found Adam Hammond and Jeffrey Boyles standing in the roadway.

Authorities found Boyles bleeding from the mouth; Hammond, meantime, admitted to deputies he was armed with a knife. Deputies discovered Boyles also had a severe laceration to the torso.

By Melany Dawn Crouse

LINCOLNTON - Rescue crews responded to this wreck on highway 150 East just past Old Mill Road last night around 8:00 p.m.

The driver of the vehicle had minor scratches and bruises but was able to walk away.

Boger City Fire Department responded, along with Lincoln EMS and the highway patrol.

Photo by Melany Dawn Crouse.

STANLEY, NC – East Lincoln Speedway is set to host one of the largest racing weekends of the season this Friday and Saturday October 16-17 as they play host to the 11th Annual Legends Dirt Nationals.

Over 100 drivers from all over the country are scheduled to be on hand at the Lincoln County oval to decide who will be crowned the king of Legends car racing for 2009.