North Carolina First Southern State To Ban State Funds For Conversion Therapy
(Raleigh, NC) -- North Carolina is the first southern state to ban the use of state funds for "conversion therapy" for minors. Governor Roy Cooper signed an executive order on Friday that prevents state money being used to try and change the sexual orientation or gender identity of a minor. Cooper said there are about 320-thousand adults in his state who identify as LGBTQ. He also noted that suicide rates are high among the nearly 700-thousand people nationwide who have undergone conversion therapy.
Fletcher Man Charged In Arson
(Fletcher, NC) -- A Fletcher man is being charged with arson inside his own residence. Henderson County fire engines rushed out to put out the blaze on Silver Springs Road last Wednesday. They had to come back out a second time when the fire rekindled. Brian Scott Russell was arrested on second-degree arson for allegedly setting the fire inside the home. He was the only one there at the time.
Missing NC Child Found In A Texas Home
(Lewisville, TX) -- A North Carolina child who had been missing since early July is alive after being found in Texas. The four-year-old child, Aubriana Recinos, was found in the home of an alleged human trafficking ring ran out of Lewisville on Friday. Police say the residence had been under an FBI investigation as the center of a large scale human trafficking ring.
Armed Robbery Reported At Etowah Dollar General
(Etowah, NC) -- An armed robbery is being investigated at a Henderson County Dollar General. Employees told deputies that a man walked into the store in Etowah Sunday morning armed with a gun. He reportedly handed the clerk a note before stealing cash. The suspect drove off in a older blue van. No one was injured.
New State Lawmaker Sworn-In Today
(Polk County, NC) -- The new state representative for western North Carolina's district 113 is being sworn in this morning. Polk County commissioner Jake Johnson was selected last week to take the seat of Cody Henson, who resigned after pleading guilty in a cyberstalking case. Johnson has already said he'll be running on the Republican ticket when the term for the district 113 seat ends next year. The swearing-in takes place at 8:45 a.m. in the R. Jay Foster Hall of Justice in downtown Columbus.
WCU Alum Gets First PGA Tour Win
(Greensboro, NC) -- A Western Carolina University grad is now a winner on golf's PGA tour. J.T. Poston shot an eight-under par yesterday to come from behind and win the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro. Poston grew up in Hickory before winning two Southern Conference titles as a Catamount in 2014 and 2015. The win secures his PGA tour card for two seasons and guarantees a trip to the Masters in Augusta next year.
Suspects Appear In Court In Ballot Fraud Case
(Wake County, NC) -- Seven suspects charged in the district nine ballot fraud case are expected to be in court today. McRae Dowless and six others will appear before a Wake County judge on counts related to perjury, obstruction and absentee ballot possession. Dowless has been indicted on two separate occasions in connection with the investigation. The alleged fraud led the board of elections to hold a new congressional election, which comes up next month.
Suspect Arrested After Stealing Ambulance
(Gaston County, NC) -- A suspect is being charged with stealing an ambulance in Gaston County. Investigators say Joshua Poindexter drove off in an ambulance out of the bay at CaroMont Regional Medical Center on Friday night. Police tracked Poindexter down using the vehicle's GPS system. Poindexter reportedly led officers on a chase until they caught him in Cherryville.
Deputy Recovering After Wreck
(Chesterfield County, SC) -- A Chesterfield County deputy who was injured in a wreck Friday is expected to recover. Sheriff's officials told WBTV that Deputy Lauren Brock broke her knee and her femur in three places after slamming into a tree during a chase in the Ruby area. She had surgery on Saturday. The sheriff's office says just by looking at her patrol car, it could've been a lot worse.
Pedestrian Hit, Killed By Van In University City
(Charlotte, NC) -- The CMPD says a man was hit and killed by a van in University City on Friday night. He was struck while in a lane on University City Boulevard new Mallard Creek Church Road. Officers say the driver stayed at the scene and wasn't impaired. The victim wasn't in a crosswalk at the time of the accident.
Passengers Upset With Long Lines At CLT
(Charlotte, NC) -- Some passengers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport aren't happy about some recent unexpected delays. Thousands of Boy Scouts coming from the World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia converged at the airport on Friday to head out on American Airlines flights. The airline said it had coordinated with the scouts to prepare for the increase in traffic, but weather made it more difficult by causing delays and cancellations the night before. CLT was advising regular passengers to show up three hours in advance during the long delays.
Hickory Native Picks Up First PGA Win
(Greensboro, NC) -- A Hickory native is now a winner on golf's PGA tour. J.T. Poston shot an eight-under par yesterday to come from behind and win the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro. Poston was born in Hickory and played for the Hickory High School team before attending Western Carolina University. The win secures his PGA tour card for two seasons and guarantees a trip to the Masters in Augusta next year.
Durham Vigil Honors Weekend Mass Shooting Victims, Protests Gun Violence
(Durham, NC) -- Dozens of people gathered in downtown Durham on Sunday to honor the people killed and injured in two mass shootings this weekend. The vigil organized by March For Our Lives also called for lawmakers to enact legislation to cut down on gun violence. Twenty people were killed at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas on Saturday and nine were killed early Sunday morning in a shooting in a popular club district in Dayton, Ohio.
Home Invasion Suspects Arrested, One Shot In Knightdale
(Knightdale, NC) -- Two Raleigh men are in custody and one is recovering from a gunshot wound. Twenty-two-year-old Jasper Tyler and 23-year-old Zairee Parker are accused of breaking into an apartment in Knightdale and attacking a man. Investigators say the man who lives in the apartment shot Parker. Police say Parker is in stable condition after surgery at WakeMed.
Chapel Hill Pastor Arrested With $24-Million In Fake Cartier Jewelry
(Chapel Hill, NC) -- A Chapel Hill pastor is facing charges after he was arrested with more than 24-million dollars in fake designer jewelry. Officers arrested Frank Lan at Deer Park Community Church in Chapel Hill on Friday. They say the 34-year-old minister had more than 32-hundred counterfeit Cartier bracelets when he was taken into custody. The secretary of state's office says it's the biggest counterfeit seizure since North Carolina's Anti-Counterfeit Task Force was created in 2004.
Fire Damages North Raleigh Church
(Raleigh, NC) -- Worshipers in a North Raleigh congregation are praying their church will be cleaned up from a weekend fire by next Sunday. The fire at Crossroads Fellowship Church started around 11:30 p.m. Friday. No one was injured and the fire was contained to a warehouse area but there's smoke and water damage through much of the building. This Sunday's services were cancelled but the executive pastor says they hope to have services at the building next Sunday.
Renovated Moore Square Park Reopens
(Raleigh, NC) -- Moore Square is open again. The downtown Raleigh park that dates back to 1792 reopened Saturday after a year-and-a-half renovation project. Special events are scheduled all week, starting with a children's story hour at 9 a.m. today. Kids will be able to play on the imagination playground from 10 to noon.
Gov. Cooper Comments On Mass Shootings
(Raleigh, NC) -- Governor Roy Cooper is speaking out as the nation reels from two mass shootings this past weekend. He tweeted, "The time has long passed for condolences alone. Common sense changes are needed now." Shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio left 29 people dead and dozens of others injured.
Former Winston-Salem City Manager Dies Of Pneumonia Complications
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- Winston-Salem's longest-serving city manager has died of complications from pneumonia. Bryce "Bill" Stuart died Saturday morning at the age of 79. He served as the city manager for 26 years, from 1980 to 2006.
Person Killed In Wilkes Co. House Fire
(Traphill, NC) -- A person is dead after a house fire in Wilkes County. It happened Saturday night on Shepherds Cross Road in Traphill. A captain of the Wilkes County sheriff's office confirms a person died but did not reveal the victim's identity. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Paper Tickets No Longer Accepted On PART Buses
(Winston-Salem, NC) -- Paper tickets are no longer accepted on PART buses. Starting today, drivers will accept two forms of digital payments only -- Touch Pass and Smartcard ticketing. That means passengers will have to buy passes through an app or online. The goal is to speed up the boarding process.
Two People Killed In Davidson Co. Collision
(Davidson Co., NC) -- Two people are dead after a head-on wreck in Davidson County. It happened Sunday evening on Old Highway 109 near Lexington. Troopers say the two victims were in the same vehicle. No one in the second car involved was hurt. The cause of the crash is under investigation.