Felon Arrested For Possession with intent to distribute cocaine in Maiden NC

72-year-old Paul Douglas Baker of Maiden and 43-year-old Rebecca Nicole Huitron of Conover were both arrested by Maiden Police on September 12.

Following the arrests, Officers executed a search warrant on Baker’s residence on East Main Street in Maiden.

Baker was charged with four counts of trafficking cocaine, three counts of possession of cocaine, and four counts of possession of a firearm by felon, all felonies. Huitron was charged with felony possession of cocaine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Baker was jailed in the Catawba County Detention Facility under a $750,000 secured bond. Huitron was jailed in the Catawba County Detention Facility. Baker was scheduled to appear in District Court and Huitron was scheduled to appear in Superior Court, both Friday (September 13) in Newton.

In addition to the Maiden Police Department, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Department of Homeland Security assisted in the investigation.

Official Press Release

Officers executed a search warrant on Baker’s residence at 703 East Main Street in Maiden. (Staff Photo)

Trick or Treaters Lining the Streets of Maiden. Photo Courtesy of Marian Lytle.

Excitement is brewing in Maiden as Halloween approaches. Our small town is renowned for drawing in trick-or-treaters from across Catawba County and further afield and bringing smiles to the faces of droves of children. Homeowners along Main Street have been bearing the financial burden of providing candy every year, a weight that is becoming more difficult to carry as grocery prices continue to rise.

Trick or Treaters Lining the Streets of Maiden. Photo Courtesy of Marian Lytle.
Trick or Treaters Lining the Streets of Maiden. Photo Courtesy of Marian Lytle.

In response to this challenge, local resident Ashlyn Murphy is rallying townsfolk together again this year for another candy donation drive. In 2023, with the support of Piedmont Hardware and generous members of our community, she was successful in collecting what can only be described as a small mountain of candy! The sweet treats were then distributed to homes along Main Street and neighboring areas who participate in Maiden’s annual Halloween festivities. The generous response from the community was met with heartfelt gratitude from participating homeowners.

A sampling of the candy collected by Ms. Murphy and Piedmont Hardware. Photo Courtesy of Ashlyn Murphy
A sampling of the candy collected by Ms. Murphy and Piedmont Hardware. Photo Courtesy of Ashlyn Murphy

This year, her goal is to continue this tradition and ensure that Halloween remains a delightful experience for all attendees. Residents who live on roads with fewer trick-or-treaters who still wish to contribute to the holiday spirit can donate candy to the cause.

Where to drop off your donations:

Candy can be dropped off at Piedmont Hardware, at 10 East Main St. during regular business hours.

Piedmont Hardware Store in downtown Maiden
Piedmont Hardware Store in downtown Maiden

We are looking forward to celebrating Halloween thanks to the spooky spirit of generosity inherent in our community and the hard work of Ms Murphy and Piedmont Hardware! 🎃🍬🍭

But please take a photo first!

Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula

Image source: NCDA & CS

First found in eastern Pennsylvania in 2014, the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive insect pest that is now established in New York, Delaware, and Virginia and it has recently been found in Tennessee and North Carolina. Early detection is critical in stopping its spread and minimizing the devastating effect it could have on NC landscapes and agricultural crops, particularly grapevines, fruit trees, and a wide range of hardwood trees. The messy honeydew they secrete also causes problems by attracting ants, wasps, and black sooty mold to neighborhoods and businesses, affecting property values, tourism, and human health.

See More Images Here

If you see a spotted lanternfly, you should do the following:

· Take a photo and report the sighting on the North Carolina Department of Agriculture online report tool at ncagr.gov/SLF

· Kill the insect. You can kill the insect by squishing it or placing it in a container of rubbing alcohol.

· Look for additional spotted lanternfly in the area. If your report is spotted lanternfly, you will be contacted by Plant Industry Division staff for more information.

Remember: See it. Snap it. Report it.

There are no known biological controls or native predators for spotted lanternfly, so early detection and rapid response is the only way to keep this highly invasive pest out of our state. You are the best resource to watch for invasive species and help prevent the spread of the spotted lanternfly in North Carolina.

Content provided by: NC State Extension

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Additional Steps You Can Take Include:

Become familiar with Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), the preferred host plant for spotted lanternfly. Note the location of trees in your area and check them regularly in the summer for immature insects (May-September), adults (July-December), and egg masses (October-June).

Ryan Bohannon, NC State University  CC BY 4.0

Check your vehicle for egg masses/juvenile or adult insects if traveling through infested areas. As an extra measure, take vehicles through the car wash before returning to NC.

If you own a vineyard or orchard, NCDA&CS recommends you remove all Tree of Heaven on your property as a preventative measure against this pest.

Get the word out. Talk to people and businesses in your community. Make them aware of this potential pest and what to look for.

Egg MassEarly InstarsLate InstarAdult
SLF egg massEarly SLF InstarsLate SLF InstarSLF Adult
Each egg mass is ~1-inch in size and contains roughly 35 eggsThe 1st instar is small (roughly the size of a tick) and grows to ~1/4-in size (3rd instars)Bright red and ~1/2-in in sizeFrom head to wing tip ~1-in in size
September to MayLate March to JuneLate May to JulyJuly to December
NC Dept of Agriculture

For More Information:

NC State Extension

North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

Mayor Max Bumgarner, Jr. attended Saturday’s Grand Opening to welcome Malorie’s Place to Maiden. The ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the charity’s official opening to the community.

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This being the second day of the three-day event, spirits were high and many were in attendance to be a part of the celebration.

The silent auction was already in full swing, hot dogs and bar-b-que was on offer as well as celebratory cake!

If you missed Saturday, the event will still be open tomorrow to rap up the Grand Opening celebration with a family fun day, including smoked chicken plates, a bouncy house and a bubble machine for the kids.

Be sure to drop by, enjoy the fun, and tell them Local Maiden Info sent you!

Sunday Smoked chicken plates $10.00 (smoked Chicken, pasta salad, baked beans) available 1-4 at Malorie’s Place – 446 S Main Ave, Maiden

Patrick Junior Havens

A disturbing case of invasion of privacy and child sexual exploitation has concluded with a prison sentence for Patrick Junior Havens, 64. Havens, owner of 321 Lawnmower Sales & Services in Maiden.

Havens has been sentenced to up to 107 months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, and is required to register for 30-years as a sex offender. The verdict follows multiple offenses, including the illegal filming of a minor.

Evidence presented at trial revealed Havens had installed hidden cameras in a residential bathroom in order to capture explicit footage of a 13-year-old relative. Havens made multiple copies of this heinous footage for his own personal use.

In March 2023, a family member discovered two recording devices hidden in a bathroom. A subsequent search warrant led authorities to seize additional cameras disguised as phone chargers, along with other recording equipment.


Although these devices recorded footage of other family members, only the footage of the teenage girl was used by Havens for his unlawful purposes.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office spearheaded the investigation, and the case was prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Office of Lincoln & Cleveland counties.

Why not support Maiden’s new 501c3, “Malorie’s Place,” and treat yourself to a hot dog or barbecue sandwich at their Grand Opening event tomorrow?

Hot dogs will be $3 and barbecue sandwiches are $5.

localmaiden.info took some time to browse their silent auction this evening, and they have some unique items up for grabs, including Fall wreaths, paintings, a fabulous Lady and the Tramp statue ( the photo does not do it justice!) home decor, a beautiful dragonfly hat, vintage tools and more! Many local businesses have also donated gift cards, including local massage parlors, hairdressers, 18 Main Sweets and Things, restaurants and more!

You can find Malorie’s Place at 446 South Main Avenue, Maiden. This event runs from 11 am til 4 pm, with the ribbon cutting ceremony taking place at 11am.

Malorie’s Place will also be hosting a “Family Fun Day” this Sunday with a bouncy house, food trucks, vendors, a children’s craft area and a bubble machine.

Some of the unique items available in the Malorie’s Place Silent Auction! Don’t miss out folks!

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch until 10 PM this evening. Please be weather aware, fellow Maiden neighbors! Details below. Photograph shows dark clouds rolling in.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH OUTLINE

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 635 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS

NC
NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

ALAMANCE ALEXANDER ANSON
CABARRUS CASWELL CATAWBA
CHATHAM CLEVELAND CUMBERLAND
DAVIDSON DAVIE DURHAM
EDGECOMBE FORSYTH FRANKLIN
GASTON GRANVILLE GUILFORD
HALIFAX HARNETT HOKE
IREDELL JOHNSTON LEE
LINCOLN MECKLENBURG MONTGOMERY
MOORE NASH NORTHAMPTON
ORANGE PERSON RANDOLPH
RICHMOND ROCKINGHAM ROWAN
SAMPSON SCOTLAND STANLY
STOKES UNION VANCE
WAKE WARREN WAYNE
WILSON YADKIN

Image by Leszek Leszczy

"Police Car Lights" by davidsonscott15 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Scammers have been calling Maiden citizens, impersonating Catawba County Sheriff’s Office staff. They demand money from the victim and threaten them with immediate arrest if they refuse to pay. These scam calls may make reference to either outstanding warrants or fines. Simply hang up and do not pick up if they attempt to call back. Under no circumstances should you give these callers any personal details or private information.

Be advised that the Sheriff’s Office will never call and ask for money.

Please reach out and spread the word to your friends, family and neighbors, especially our senior citizens.

From the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office:

‼️SCAM ALERT‼️ We’ve had several calls today about “Lieutenant Rodney Harris” calling citizens demanding money or they will be arrested. Lt. Harris, or any law enforcement officer, will NEVER call you and demand money. Nor will we ask you deposit it into a cryptocurrency machine!! ❌PLEASE DO NOT FALL FOR THIS SCAM!! Pass the word on to everyone you know!

“Police Car Lights” by davidsonscott15 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

We presented our localmaiden.info at Town of Maiden 08-05-2024 Council Meeting!

That was fun! We enjoyed telling everyone at the council meeting all about our little newspaper!

As a small, locally-owned news source, we understand the importance of keeping our community informed and connected. Our team of dedicated journalists and writers work tirelessly to uncover the stories that truly resonate with the people of Maiden, ensuring that you always have access to the information you need to stay in the know.

Whether you’re a lifelong resident or a newcomer to our charming town, localmaiden.info is your go-to source for all things Maiden. From highlighting the achievements of local businesses to covering community events and initiatives, we strive to be the trusted voice that amplifies the unique spirit and character of our beloved hometown. Our comprehensive Business Directory includes listings for over one hundred Maiden-based businesses.

We will look into a small periodic printed version as suggested by Council Member Beth Rudisill to serve those who may not get their news online!

Also at the August 5th Council meeting Mayor Max Bumgarner Jr. presented Town Manager, Todd Herms with a resolution of appreciation for his 16 years of dedicated service to the Town. Herms has served as the longest Town Manager in Maiden history and has been instrumental in multiple economic development projects bringing over 2,000 jobs to the area. Along with his role as Town Manager he has also been active in the community serving as a youth recreation sports coach, delivering Meals on Wheels, and more. Thank You Todd for your service!

Courtesy Town of Maiden Facebook Page

Courtesy Town of Maiden Facebook Page

Maiden Elementary School Before Demolition Gallery 2

Our second gallery of photographs depicting Maiden Elementary School before it’s impending demolition.