Court Rules North Carolina Congressional Map Unconstitutional (Raleigh, NC)
A federal court in North Carolina says the state's congressional map is unconstitutional because it heavily favors Republican candidates. The three-judge panel proposed that the state could redraw districts before the November midterm elections or it could hold a primary election in November followed by a general election sometime before January. North Carolina held its primary in May using the map the court just ruled on.
Hendersonville Murder Suspect Caught (Hendersonville, NC)
The suspect of a murder in Hendersonville is now in jail. U.S. Marshals and Hendersonville officers spotted Kenneth Mills heading down I-26 in Henderson County yesterday and arrested him. He had been at-large since last Thursday when two people were shot in the middle of the street in the Green Meadows community. One of the victims later died at the hospital.
Woman Dies After Falling From Truck (Haywood County, NC)
State troopers say a woman died after falling out of a semi truck near I-40 in Haywood County yesterday. The truck was traveling on US 23-74 heading to the interstate when the passenger side door allegedly flew open and she fell. Investigators are looking to see if there was a malfunction in the door. Two children were found safe in the truck.
Buncombe Seeking Input In County Manager Search (Asheville, NC)
Buncombe County is seeking the public's input on the search for a new county manager. Commissioners have held two town hall meetings so far. The next one comes up Thursday at the A-B Tech Main Campus at 6 p.m. The position of county manager has recently been embroiled in controversy, as two former administrators have been indicted in a federal investigation.
Party Of One-Thousand Broken Up (Boone, NC)
The Watauga County Sheriff's Office says a house party of around one-thousand people had to be shut down on Saturday. The Watauga Democrat said deputies, Boone Police and the highway patrol were called to a home on North Carolina Highway 105 for noise violations. The gathering was broken up and it reportedly took law enforcement an hour-and-a-half to direct traffic out of the area. Five residents were cited with noise ordinance violations.
Ben And Jerry's Opens In Asheville (Asheville, NC)
The first Ben and Jerry's ice cream shop in Western North Carolina has now opened up in downtown Asheville. Customers will be able to find some flavors at the shop on Haywood Street you can't find in grocery stores. The store is owned by a Waynesville woman who operates two other shops in Tennessee. Ben and Jerry's now has more than 230 locations open across the country.
Framework For Affordable Housing Approved (Charlotte, NC)
A new affordable housing initiative is now in place in Charlotte. City leaders adopted a detailed plan last night called Housing Charlotte Framework, which is expected to help identify strategies, locations and how investments can be used for housing. The developer Crescent Communities also announced Monday that it will be donating four-and-a-half acres of land for income-restricted apartments in west Charlotte. Wells Fargo likewise pledged millions yesterday for affordable housing efforts.