New high tech way to track your child

Submitted by Trent Faris, Reporter/Photographer

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012, 6:29pm

ROCK HILL, SC (WBTV)- If you're a parent you've probably taken your kids to the park, stopped to look down at your phone to update your Facebook status then looked up and for a split second your child has disappeared.

"A mother's worst night mare is when she's lost sight of her child," said Mellen Shugart.

Shugart is a pre-school teacher and has two young children of her own to look after.

"It would be nice to have something that we could give to our children or at least know where the vicinity of they are," said Shugart.

Amber Alert GPS has such a device. The Amber Alert GPS is the smallest GPS tracker of its kind on the market. The owner of the company came up with the idea for the tracker in 2007 after he lost his child for a short period of time.

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Young York County boy dies of brain tumor; received 1000's of cards

Submitted by WBTV Web Staff

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012, 9:44am

YORK COUNTY, SC (WBTV) - A little boy who inspired his community in York County has passed away.

The family of Gavin Jones asked people to send cards to their 9-year old. He had an inoperable brain tumor. They were hoping to break the Guinness World Record for receiving the most cards.

Word spread across York County in a very grass roots way. Community groups got in on the act. Neighbors and family and friends posted things online and helped spread the word.

Thousands of people responded by sending a card in the mail. WBTV's newsroom sent one as well.

Gavin died over the weekend. Some numbers on Facebook today put the number of cards he received at 15,000. Not a record, but certainly an outpouring of support by all accounts.

Click the attached video to see what Anchors Molly Grantham and Jamie Boll said about this story on WBTV's 5:30 p.m. news.

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Don't mind the rain as a dry summer is likely, officials say

Submitted by Trent Faris, Reporter/Photographer

Monday, May 14th, 2012, 7:25pm

YORK COUNTY, SC (WBTV)- ROCK HILL, SC (WBTV) - The sound of rain hitting the ground is music to Sam Halls's ears at the Bush-n-Vine farm in York.

Since Sunday the farm has received 2.1 inches of rain, which is good but in the farming business Hall says that won't last long.

"Always thankful for the rain," said Sam Hall. "I would say that would last for maybe the next month or so. We pump out of wells and ponds; we need them to be full so we can make it through the summer."

Rock Hill Assistant City Manager Jimmy Bagley went to a meeting today in Huntersville to talk about water and this summer.

"All the forecasts are indicating that the next 90 days are going to be dryer than normal," said Bagley.

He says The rain we've received in the last few days is far from a drought buster.

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Heavy downpours continue through Monday, flash flooding could be a problem

Submitted by WBTV Web Staff

Monday, May 14th, 2012, 3:50pm

Heavy downpours continue through Monday, flash flooding could be a problem

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- The walls of water continue to fall in and around the Charlotte region Monday.

Between 2 and 3 inches of rain fell across the foothills in the past 24 hours. The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg issued a Flood Advisory for Burke, Catawba, Cleveland and Lincoln counties until 11 a.m. Monday.

Several WBTV viewers sent in photos of flooding in their neighborhoods. Click on the slideshow to see them.

Heavy rains along the U.S. 321 and Interstate 77 were reported along with some lightning.

Watauga County is under a Flash Flood Watch through Tuesday morning, according to the NWS.

WBTV Meteorologist Al Conklin says anyone out and about Monday should watch out for localized flooding.

You should never try to drive your vehicle through a flooded area or roadway.

Monday's highs will be in the low to mid 70s.

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Security breach reported on York County jobs website

Submitted by Nick Needham on Friday, May 11th, 10:04 am

YORK, SC (WBTV)- The county manager in York County says the personal information of people who have applied for jobs with the county may have been compromised.

The security intrusion was discovered during routine maintenance on the county's web servers, according to a news release from York County.

The web server contained personal information including names and social security numbers of current, former and prospective York County job applicants and some vendors.

It was immediately reported to the South Carolina Sharing & Analysis Center and the local law enforcement.

Based on forensic analysis, no evidence of unauthorized use of personal information included on the web server has been discovered.

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NASCAR Day is Friday, May 18th!

Submitted by Susan H.

Thursday, May 10th, 2012, 2:44pm

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Get your limited edition NASCAR Day lapel pin, show your support for NASCAR Day and help raise awareness of children in need. Pins are $10 each (plus a small handling fee), measure 1-inch by 1-inch and feature a checkered flag design. The NASCAR Foundation embodies the compassion of the NASCAR Family and its commitment to serving communities. It seeks to raise funds and increase volunteerism to support nonprofit charities and charitable causes nation-wide, with an emphasis placed on initiatives that affect the ability of children to live, learn and play. Click here to learn more about children and family initiatives supported by The NASCAR Foundation. You can also enter for

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A record amount of rainfall...and then some

Submitted by Nick Needham on Wednesday, May 9th, 2:34 pm

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- A strong line of thunderstorms gave the Charlotte region a record amount of rainfall Tuesday.

WBTV Meteorologist Al Conklin says the city saw 2.41 inches fall at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

The storms moved in mainly in the evening producing heavy downpours across the region. Already a quarter of an inch has fallen since midnight, Conklin said.

Storms are a threat again Wednesday, bringing more lightning, heavy downpours and the possibility for localized flooding.

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg issued a Flood Advisory until 3 p.m. Wednesday for Burke, Caldwell and Alexander Counties.

Conklin says they high will be in the mid to upper 70s day before dropping into the lower 50s overnight into Thursday morning.

But once the rain moves out late Wednesday night, the rest of the week and the weekend look to be filled with sunshine and temperatures in the mid to upper 70s.

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