State House Delays Vote On Born Alive Bill Again
(Raleigh, NC) -- A vote on the Born Alive bill is delayed again in the North Carolina State House. The chamber has re-scheduled the vote for May 29th after pushing it back several times this week. The bill would require a doctor to preserve the life of a baby born alive during an abortion attempt. Governor Cooper vetoed the bill earlier this year. Republican House Speaker Tim Moore says they won't vote on it until there is enough to override the veto.
Lawsuit Against Conservative Group Tossed Out In Asheville
(Asheville, NC) -- A federal judge is tossing a lawsuit connected to a 2016 Trump campaign rally in Asheville. Shirley Teter accused the conservative group Project Veritas of ruining her reputation when it posted videos online portraying her as a Democratic operative. She said a South Carolina man assaulted her outside the Cellular Center in September 2016, but charges were later dropped. The judge threw out the defamation suit yesterday because he says Project Veritas is protected by the First Amendment.
App State Bans Fraternity Until 2023
(Boone, NC) -- Appalachian State University is banning a fraternity until at least 2023. The Watauga Democrat is reporting the Omnicron-Alpha chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon was suspended more than two years ago and later denied reinstatement last fall. The Office of Student Engagement says a full ban is now in effect due to a longstanding pattern of troubling behavior. That includes problems over social media posts and multiple student conduct proceedings at the Boone school.
Fund Established To Help Families Affected By Gun Violence
(Asheville, NC) -- Families affected by gun violence will be getting support under a new foundation created in the name of a UNC Charlotte student from western North Carolina. Waynesville's Riley Howell died while jumping on a gunman on the campus in late April. The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina is planning to donate money to organizations that help families dealing with tragedies similar to this. The program created is called the Riley Howell Foundation Fund.
WNC Organization Helping Louisiana Tornado Victims
(Buncombe County, NC) -- A disaster relief organization in Buncombe County is preparing to help victims of recent tornadoes in Louisiana. A crew for Hearts with Hands will travel to the city of Ville Platte tomorrow to deliver a truckload of supplies. A state of emergency was declared in the city after an EF1 tornado damaged at least 50 homes and businesses last Sunday. Volunteers packed up supplies yesterday in Swannanoa.
North Asheville Road Closed For Six Months
(Asheville, NC) -- Drivers who usually take Old Toll Road in north Asheville need to avoid the route for the next half-year. A section of the road completely caved in during heavy rain last month. City officials say the rebuild may now take up to six months to finish. Construction alone could reach 750-thousand-dollars.
City Council Wants Pay Raise
(Charlotte, NC) -- The Charlotte City Council is looking for ways to give themselves a pay raise. WBTV is reporting councilwoman LaWana Mayfield asked during a workshop yesterday if one-million-dollars from police training funds could be used to cover a salary increase. Budget Director Phil Reiger says those funds can't be re-purposed for a raise. The salary of city council members is reportedly 85-hundred-dollars less per year than Mecklenburg County Commissioners.
UNC Charlotte Shooting Victim Sent Back To Hospital
(Charlotte, NC) -- A UNC Charlotte shooting victim is back in the hospital. Drew Pescaro was initially released on Monday after spending nearly three weeks at CMC Main for multiple surgeries and recovery. His girlfriend tweeted from Pescaro's account on Wednesday that he has been re-hospitalized due to an infection. Pescaro was one of three students who were injured and two killed when a gunman opened fire at UNC Charlotte on April 30th.
SWAT Officer Shoots Drug Suspect In Hickory
(Hickory, NC) -- A drug suspect is in the hospital after a SWAT officer shot him at a Hickory home yesterday. Officers found the man laying in bed while executing a search warrant. He was allegedly shot after threatening to kill officers and then making a sudden movement under the covers. The SBI is now investigating.
Fund Established To Help Families Affected By Gun Violence
(Asheville, NC) -- Families affected by gun violence will be getting support under a new foundation created in the name of a UNC Charlotte student. Riley Howell died while jumping on a gunman on the campus in late April. The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina is planning to donate money to organizations that help families dealing with tragedies similar to this. The program created is called the Riley Howell Foundation Fund.
CMPD Looking For Suspect Who Failed In Subway Armed Robbery
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD is looking for a suspect who failed in an armed robbery attempt thanks to a Subway employee. The high school senior told WSOC-TV that a man pulled out a crowbar on Tuesday at the restaurant on the Plaza and threatened to beat her. She quickly sounded the store alarm, which sent the suspect running away. Investigators believe the same man may be responsible in four other armed robberies.
Pence Urges Congress To End Partisan Games During Local Visit
(Union County, NC) -- The Vice President is calling on Congress to end partisan games and pass the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Mike Pence made the comments yesterday during a tour of Parkdale Mills in Union County. The trade agreement is a replacement for NAFTA. Pence says manufacturing and agriculture industries will continue to prosper if the agreement is ratified.
Missing Raleigh Woman's Body Found, Man And Woman Charged
(Spring Hope, NC) -- A Raleigh woman whose family reported her missing earlier this week is dead and a man and woman are charged in her murder. The Nash County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday that Sarah Denise Patterson's body was found in a shallow grave near Spring Hope. The 51-year-old certified nursing assistant was reported missing after she didn't show up for work last weekend. A relative, Cleavon Williams, is charged with first-degree murder and April Smith is charged as an accessory after the fact.
Historic Apex House Destroyed In Morning Fire
(Apex, NC) -- A piece of local history is gone after a morning fire in Apex. Cary firefighters say two people who were inside when the house caught fire Wednesday morning got out safely. The house known as the James Madison Williams House was built in the early 19-hundreds at the height of tobacco cultivation in the White Oak Township. There's no word on what caused the fire. Capital Area Preservation described the house as a "rare surviving intact centerpiece of a historic farmscape."
Crashed Van, Fire Close Eastbound I-40 In Durham
(Durham, NC) -- A crash and a fire on Interstate 40 in Durham brought the afternoon commute to a stop Wednesday. A 15-passenger van crashed and caught fire near U.S. 501 around 3:30 p.m. That forced authorities to shut down the eastbound lanes on I-40 for a time. There are no reports of anyone being injured.
Record-Breaking Heat Could Be Coming
(Raleigh, NC) -- Hot weather is on the way and it could be a record-breaker. Forecasters are calling for a high of 90 and a chance of thundershowers today, before things get really hot. The Triangle could see 95 on Friday, which would tie a 75-year-old record, and Sunday could hit 96. That would break the record that was set in 1944.
Duke Edges Wake Forest For 7th Women's NCAA Golf Title
(Fayetteville, AR) -- Duke is the NCAA Women's Golf Champion for the seventh time. The Blue Devils edged Wake Forest 3-2 in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Wednesday. The victory in extra holes gave Duke its first national title since 2014.
Greensboro PD ID's Woman Killed At Bus Stop
(Greensboro, NC) -- Police are identifying the woman who was hit and killed at a bus stop in Greensboro. Thirty-eight-year-old Varonda Manley was standing near Lees Chapel and Byers roads yesterday morning when a driver ran off the road and hit her. The driver was arrested on suspicion of driving left of center, driving with a revoked license and misdemeanor death by vehicle.
Name Of Page High School Student Who Drowned ID'd
(Greensboro, NC) -- We're learning the name of the high school student who drowned in a private lake in Greensboro. Fifteen-year-old Malik Ramirez was a freshman at Page High School. He drowned last Friday at a private lake across from the school. A male and female student were with him. Authorities say all three teens were wearing their regular clothes.
Greensboro Approves "Vision Zero" Plan
(Greensboro, NC) -- Greensboro is moving forward with a plan to help cut down on the amount of traffic deaths. The City Council approved "Vision Zero" at its meeting Tuesday night. It hopes to decrease the amount of traffic deaths each year, eventually getting the number down to zero. Council members say drivers can help by putting down their phones, watching their speed and obeying traffic laws.
Winston-Salem Church To Go Up For Auction
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- A historic church in Winston-Salem is headed to the auction block this Friday if it doesn't come up with the money needed to stay open. Greater Cleveland Avenue Christian Church is one of the oldest African American churches in the city. It needs three-point-five-million dollars to avoid foreclosure. The church is expected to go up for sale tomorrow at noon at the Forsyth County Courthouse.
One Person Hurt, One Arrested In Winston-Salem Shooting
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- One person is hurt after a shooting in Winston-Salem. It happened yesterday evening near 25th Street and Greenway Avenue. Police say a person is in custody in connection with the shooting. An investigation is underway.