Lawmakers Hashing Out New District Maps
(Raleigh, NC) -- State lawmakers are revealing newly-drawn district maps. The legislature was ordered to redraw lines by this Friday due to a ruling by the North Carolina Supreme Court that the previous plans were unconstitutional. The state House passed a proposal for its own districts by a large margin yesterday. Two versions of Congressional districts are still being weighed by the House and Senate.
Governor To Address School Face Mask Guidelines
(Raleigh, NC) -- North Carolina's governor will address the state over school face mask guidelines this afternoon. Roy Cooper is expected to speak about recommendations, just as legislation is being considered to make masks optional in all school districts. Most systems statewide still have a mask requirement in place. House Speaker Tim Moore reiterated yesterday he feels the choice to wear a mask should be left to parents.
Student Appears In Court Over Kidnapping, Sex Crime Charges
(Buncombe County, NC) -- A Buncombe County teen is facing kidnapping and sex offense charges. The North Buncombe High 18-year-old appeared in an initial hearing yesterday in connection with alleged crimes that happened on campus last September. The superintendent says the school system is fully cooperating with the investigation. Two juveniles are also facing charges, but they haven't been revealed by investigators.
Polk County Students Injured In Bus Crash
(Polk County, NC) -- Several students are recovering from injuries suffered in a Polk County bus crash. The sheriff's office says a bus overturned into a yard in the Saluda community Wednesday afternoon. Five of the 20 students on board were taken to hospitals with injuries not considered to be life-threatening. The driver was ticketed for failure to maintain the lane.
Asheville, Buncombe Looking For Consultant In Homelessness Study
(Asheville, NC) -- Asheville and Buncombe County are teaming together to tackle homelessness. The two governments started taking applications this week to hire a consultant to address what Mayor Esther Manheimer calls a crisis. The consultant will be tasked with developing recommendations to help the unsheltered homeless population.
Free COVID Tests, Masks Given Out In Henderson County Today
(Hendersonville, NC) -- Henderson County's public health department is giving out free COVID tests and face masks again today. Health officials will be on hand at the Blue Ridge Mall. It's the second time this week the event has been held. Individuals are not required to be vaccinated to pick up the items.
Mecklenburg County Dropping Mask Mandate
(Charlotte, NC) -- The face mask mandate in Mecklenburg County is being dropped. Commissioners agreed last night to rescind the requirement beginning February 26th at the recommendation of the county's public health director. Businesses will still have the choice to require masks if they desire. The health director is also recommending that the school system transition to a mask optional policy next month.
One Dead After Plane Crashes On I-85
(Davidson County, NC) -- A Charlotte man is dead after his plane crashed into I-85 in Davidson County. Investigators say the twin-engine aircraft went down around mile marker 91 and slammed into the back of a tractor-trailer yesterday. The pilot was found dead at the scene, while the truck driver suffered minor injuries. The plane had taken off just moments before from the Lexington Davidson County Airport.
Meck Commissioners Looking For Fill-In On Board
(Mecklenburg County, NC) -- Mecklenburg County commissioners are in the process of finding a temporary fill-in for a board member. Commissioner Ella Scarborough is currently on medical leave. Applications for a replacement are being accepted today through February 25th. The candidate will be appointed in mid-March.
Charlotte Pride Festival, Parade Returning
(Charlotte, NC) -- The Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade is coming back to uptown. The event has been limited over the past two-years due to the pandemic. Charlotte Pride Week will take place in the week leading up to the festival and parade. Organizers say the festival helped contribute over eight-million-dollars to the local economy in 2019.
Novant Health Eases Visitation Policies
(Charlotte, NC) -- Visitation policies are changing this week at Novant Health hospitals. Due to decreasing COVID cases, most hospitalized patients are now allowed an unlimited amount of visitors, as long as they're at least 12-years-old. Visitations will still be limited for hospitalized patients begin treated for COVID.
ACC Eyeing Charlotte As Possible Headquarters Location
(Charlotte, NC) -- Charlotte is a potential site for the new headquarters of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Charlotte Business Journal is reporting league officials are making a second visit to the Queen City next week. The athletic conference is considering a move out of Greensboro, where it's been stationed for nearly 70-years.
House Approves New Court Ordered District Maps Wednesday
(Raleigh, NC) -- Members of the North Carolina House approved a new set of Congressional district maps Wednesday, ahead of a February 18th deadline ordered by the State Supreme Court. The bipartisan district lines, which passed on a 115-5 vote, appear to improve the chances for Democrats to win more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the state legislature, but would still favor Republicans to win the majority of the seats in the Senate. The bill is expected to be voted on by state Senate later today.
Governor To Offer The Latest On Mandatory Masks Requirements At K-12 Schools
(Raleigh, NC) -- Governor Roy Cooper is expected to hold a news briefing today to address the brewing controversy over mandatory face masks requirements in public schools. This, as several individual school districts across the state have already enacted optional masks policies, but so-far there remains no statewide masks optional rule. The news briefing is set to start at 3:pm.
Demonstrators Rally Outside Amazon Warehouse
(Durham, NC) -- A small group of protesters held a rally and march outside an Amazon warehouse in Durham Wednesday, demanding the company bring back more restrictive COVID-19 protocols. The group of former employees and local union members called for Amazon to implement safer precautions in the workplace, including social distancing, hazard pay, enforcement of masks wearing and the availability of free N95 masks. Amazon recently dropped its masks requirement for fully vaccinated employees.
Bomb Threats Made Against Two North Carolina HBCU's
(Fayetteville, NC) -- Two historically black universities in North Carolina received bomb threats on Wednesday. According to the FBI, Fayetteville State and Winston-Salem State both received the threats by phone. While law enforcement determined the threat against Winston-Salem State was not credible, officials at Fayetteville State ordered all students and staff to shelter in place while a thorough sweep of the campus was performed. Fayetteville State also cancelled classes on Wednesday. There were no reports of injuries.
Survey Ranks North Carolina Near The Bottom In Terms Developing Policies To Address Mental Health In Schools
(Raleigh, NC) -- A new report ranks the state of North Carolina 42nd in the nation in terms of developing policies that support mental health in students. The survey, conducted by the Hopeful Futures Campaign, based its rankings on a number of factors, including the number of psychologists, social workers and counselors working at schools. The report also applauded the state for things it is doing well, such as requiring K-12 education include classes on mental and emotional health.
North Carolina Falls To Pittsburgh In Latest Effort To Get To The Big Dance
(Chapel Hill, NC) -- A disappointing and somewhat embarrassing loss for the North Carolina men's basketball team Wednesday night, as the Tar Heels fell to Pittsburgh. It was the second straight win for the Panthers in the Dean Dome, as Pitt has gotten the better of UNC in three of the last four meetings between the two. With a minute-49 seconds left in the game, the Tar Heels did manage to cut a 20-point deficit down to just six at 69-63. But Ithiel Horton, who made all five of his three point attempts for a game high 19, helped to the Panthers to hold on to finish the night with a 76-67 victory.
Man Extricated after Hitting Winston-Salem Building Wednesday Night
(Winston-Salem, NC) - A driver is recovering from his injuries in the hospital after officials say he hit a building in Winston-Salem Wednesday night. The Winston-Salem Police Department reports that Gregory Scott Young was trapped inside the car after he hit the building at 5600 Country Club Road. Firefighters had to extract him from the wreckage. Police have not said if Young will be charged or what caused him to crash.
Shooting in W-S Injures 13-Year-Old Boy
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- The Winston-Salem Police Department is asking for the public's help to provide more information about a shooting that injured a 13-year-old boy. A department news release says officers responded to the area of William Drive and Tyler Drive a little after 6:30 Wednesday night to find the victim who'd been shot. He was taken to a local hospital where he is listed in stable condition. Officials did not release any suspect information and say if you have any tips to offer to please call them.
Winston-Salem State One Of Two HBCUs In North Carolina To Receive Bomb Threat Wednesday
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- Authorities are investigating after Winston-Salem State University, an historically black university, was one of two HBCUs in North Carolina that received a bomb threat Wednesday. However, a spokeswoman for WSSU says university officials determined that threat wasn't credible enough to evacuate campus. Law enforcement did, however, search all the buildings. Fayetteville State University also received a bomb threat Wednesday that it described as unverified. The two schools are the latest HBCUs nationwide to receive bomb threats since early January.
Rep. Kathy Manning Part of Legislative Trio to Honor Greensboro Four
(Greensboro, NC) -- Congresswoman Kathy Manning and two other representatives have introduced a resolution honoring the leadership of the Greensboro Four Sit-In of 1960. She and Congressman G. K. Butterfield, Congresswoman Alma Adams, say it's important to recognize this important moment in the American Civil Rights Movement. The resolution celebrates not only the Greensboro Four - also known as the A&T Four - but also the many North Carolina A&T University students who participated in the sit-in movement. Rep. Butterfield also say he hopes the resolution will encourages all states to include this historical account in their educational curriculum. North Carolina A&T is located in Greensboro in North Carolina's Sixth Congressional District.