Category: Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Local News
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An arrest has been made in the hit-and-run death of a lineman with Pike Electric in Johnston County.
Ronald Thomas Mayo, 44, of Smithfield, was arrested at a residence off US-70 in Johnston County late Thursday, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said.
Mayo is charged with felony hit and run involving death. He was transported to the Johnston County Detention Center awaiting his first court appearance Friday at 2 p.m. He was being held under $50,000 bond.
The flatbed Sewer Cleaner truck he was driving was located and impounded.
The charges stem from an incident just before 5:30 p.m. Wednesday on Live Oak Church Road. The highway patrol said that Mayo disregarded a stop signal given by traffic control personnel who were halting traffic due to low-hanging power lines.
Repair technicians were working on the power lines as the truck traveled through the scene and became entangled with one of the low-hanging wires. This caused one of the repair technicians, James P. Rudzki, 29, of Wendell, to fall to the ground, resulting in fatal injuries.
Another lineman was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
The highway patrol said that Mayo failed to remain at the scene.
The owner of the truck, who is a family member of the driver, released a statement following the arrest
“Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of the Pike electric worker recently killed in the unfortunate accident. The driver of the vehicle was not even aware of their apparent involvement until recently. There is much incorrect information being shared and we look forward to a complete investigation of this unfortunate incident.”
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — Moran Yanai spent 54 days in captivity after being kidnapped by Hamas and taken to Gaza on October 7th, 2023.
She has been sharing her story so that it can provide hope to others. Yanai spoke to a crowd about her experience at the Millennium Hotel in Durham.
Yanai was selling jewelry at the Nova Music festival when it was stormed by Hamas. – Captured and taken into Gaza – enduring pain and suffering, breaking her leg in several places, she says the real challenge was mental.
“I’m talking about mind over body to understand that this machine can do so much more than we think,” she says.
But she says she kept up her faith, and eventually was among the first hostages to be released.
“You see everything so clearly, you think clearly. But then, also you see the amount of evil of people. You see the amount of places that you want to change,” she says.
After her release, she fought for more hostages to be freed. Eventually, others, including Chapel Hill native Keith Siegel, were freed.
Siegel also shared the horrors he faced in captivity with ABC News.
“I spent 6 months alone, I was moved around 33 times, and spent time in tunnels,” he said.
And recently, the final living hostages were returned, but Yanai also wants to see those who didn’t survive to have the remains returned.
“They started this situation, is the same as me. They should have the privilege to go back home and to give that family closure or a place to go up to to, you know, have that memory of their loved one. So for me, the message is not yet over because this war is not over yet to me in my head,” she says.
But she says her main message is to never give up hope, even in the darkest of times.
“It’s not over till it’s over. And when it’s over, we all need to be responsible on how our life will look like,” she says.
Moran Yanai spent 54 days in captivity.
Yanai also recently shared her story in Charlotte and Elon.
Many travelers stuck in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa are having to pay a heavy price to extend their stays, with nowhere else to go. The hurricane caused widespread destruction to infrastructure, including airports and other essential facilities.
Halifax County couple Bridgette and Wayne Todd were told they will have to pay $500 a night for their room once the Montego Bay Airport is repaired.
“They have jobs here… We shouldn’t be allowed to stay for free. But it’s definitely going to get a little expensive for the next few days,” Todd said.
Travel agent Nita Cooper with Stars N Skye’s Travel Agency tells WRAL this is why she always encourages travelers to invest in trip insurance.
“If they did have travel insurance, this would not be an issue,” said Cooper. “This is what it protects you from. In the event of any unforeseen circumstance, your insurance would kick in and cover whatever the additional cost would be.”
Many vacationers took to platforms like TikTok, expressing frustration at resorts charging market rates while visitors have nowhere else to go and no access to resort amenities.
Rocky Mount resident Zabdiel Dewar, who is from Jamaica, has many family members working in the hotel industry. He tells WRAL that the last week has been devastating for the country and its citizens. He encourages tourists to empathize with hotel and resort employees.
“You’re making minimum wage at a job, and there’s a natural disaster. And instead of being at home with your family, you have to be at that job,” said Dewar. “Put yourself in those shoes and think of how it will work for you. How easy that would be for you.”
Some Triangle travelers tell WRAL they hope to catch the first flight back to RDU, arriving no earlier than Sunday.
Tipoff was roughly 90 minutes away, so Charles Lee’s latest secret maneuver hadn’t been publicly revealed just yet.
Instead, when the Charlotte Hornets coach got asked about the recent rise in rotational minutes for Sion James over the course of the season’s initial week, he glowingly opened up in discussing the rookie guard.
“Sion’s done a great job of developing his game, learning how we want to play on both ends of the court,” Lee said. “He stood out to us, obviously, early in pre-draft and going to evaluate him in our front office. And so there’s always been something there with Sion. I think that his physicality defensively has been really impressive, but he’s earned an opportunity.”
After serving as a reserve for the initial four games of his career, James apparently was deemed worthy of an even bigger break. He started in the Hornets’ backcourt alongside star LaMelo Ball in their 123-107 loss to the Orlando Magic at Spectrum Center on Thursday night, helping establish a little history in the process.
In joining fellow draft class members Kon Knueppel and Ryan Kalkbrenner in the game-opening unit, it marked the first time the Hornets have ever started three rookies in a regular-season game.
“Yeah, it’s awesome,” James said. “We’ve talked about how we get to go through this experience together. It’s awesome sharing the floor together. At one point, all four of us were on the floor together, which is really cool for us to see. And we’re just really trying to grow.
“We’re thankful for the position that we’re in, and we’re just trying to do the best for ourselves and for the organization.”
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges, center, sits on the team’s bench dejected in the final moments of action against the Orlando Magic at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Oct. 30, 2025. The Magic defeated the Hornets 123-107. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
James’ insertion into the starting lineup couldn’t spur the Hornets (2-3) past the Magic, despite Orlando being on a back-to-back and shorthanded without Jalen Suggs and Mo Wagner. A sluggish opening quarter paired with an inability to get up into the Magic defensively doomed Charlotte.
Factor in an off night from Miles Bridges, who didn’t get it going until late and tossed in 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting, and a modest performance from Ball by his lofty standards — 17 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds — and the Hornets began their three-game home stand in disappointing fashion by trailing wire to wire against Orlando (2-4).
“Yeah, I think that we definitely didn’t have that extra gear that we had been playing with the last few games,” Lee said. “I don’t know coming off that road trip or what it is, but we’ve got to be able to find that juice. And I think that it starts with being able to get stops. And when we get stops, we’re usually out in transition and playing with the pass and playing confidently.
“So, I think that, again, we’ve got to get more stops to be able to play with the pass pace that we want to play with.”
About the only thing this one will be remembered for centers around James.
James, who totaled eight points and four rebounds in 27 minutes against the Magic, quickly carved out an early-season rotation spot with activity on both ends of the court, high basketball IQ and sustained effort, catching the staff’s eye almost immediately.
The Hornets knew they had something in the hard-working Georgia native who slid into the national spotlight thanks to his one season at Duke teamed with Knueppel, No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg & Co.
“It’s been fun to watch, and I think his teammates have kind of helped bring him along as well,” Lee said. “And so I don’t think there was a certain point — I just think it was really an evolution and an earning of an opportunity throughout all the competitiveness we had during training camp and preseason, and seeing how he can just add to a group because he doesn’t need the ball necessarily.
“He can play beside anybody. He’s going to play defense, he’s going to offensive rebound, he’s going to help connect the whole group. So, love that about him. And I think that it’s a good asset to our group.”
Here are some takeaways from the Hornets’ latest outing:
Costly defensive woes
Scanning the score by quarter along with the Magic’s shooting percentage beyond the arc in the first half tells you all you need to know about this one. Orlando topped 30 points in all but one quarter and sank 47.4% of its 3-point attempts in the first half alone.
“In general our defensive execution was not good enough,” Lee said. “To come off of last game and start the game with a 38-point first quarter and a 33-point second quarter, especially with the points of emphasis being taking care of the paint, defending without fouling, second-chance points … it felt like those reared their heads too much in that first half.
Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James, left, is hugged by injured guard Brandon Miller prior to the team’s game against the Orlando Magic at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Oct. 30, 2025. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
“And then I thought that we actually found a little bit of a groove defensively in some other areas and credit some of their guys that haven’t been shooting it well shot it decently tonight. So, we will definitely hit the drawing board and get back to practice and keep working on our defensive end intensity and purpose.”
The Hornets let the Magic push them around. And they know it’s unacceptable.
“We just weren’t physical enough, honestly,” James said. “They’re a big, physical team, one of the most physical in the league, and in stretches we matched and exceeded it. And those are the stretches where we were able to get stops and get quick baskets on the other end.
“But a lot of the time, they were out-physicaling us and that’s how we gave up 38 in the first quarter, 33 in the second quarter.”
Tre Mann’s slow start
Take a peek at the Hornets’ leading scorers entering the night and one name is lower than expected, leaving more than a few people wondering what’s going on.
Tre Mann ranked ninth in scoring on the team at six points per game through the Hornets’ first four contests and had topped double digits only once this season. He also got held scoreless in Sunday’s win in Washington, and shot 24.6% overall from the floor and 22.2% through four games.
Mann posted nine points against the Magic, failing to reach double figures once again. Still, Lee is sure Mann will return to form soon.
“Yeah, always going to remain confident in Tre and everyone in that locker room,” Lee said. “I watch how hard they work, how much they care. My confidence will never waver with him or anybody else. I think that he’s just trying to find his way again. You missed some games and still just trying to find that rhythm. But I’ve actually seen progress from game to game.
“I’ve seen him find his defensive impact, like trying to get into the ball a little bit more, trying to have a little bit more shift activity. Offensively, I think he’s becoming a little bit more decisive. Saw him knock down two threes against Miami that I thought were just kind of catch-and-shoot, and be ready and let it fly. And then also in pick-and-roll situations, just recognizing some unders and where to pass and when to pass. You miss some time, new style of play, it takes a little bit of time. But I have full confidence in Tre to be able to get back to ‘Tricky Tre.’”
Kon Knueppel is more than a shooter
To say Knueppel is off to a good start is an understatement.
He is atop this season’s rookie leaderboard in made 3-pointers (17) and entered the matchup with Orlando ranked fifth in the NBA in 3-pointers knocked down. He’s connected on more shots beyond the arc through four games than anyone in NBA history, and is also the lone player in league history to make five or more 3-pointers in two of his first four career games.
But that’s not what’s jumping out to Lee. It’s what’s transpiring on the other side of the floor.
Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel, left, loses control of the ball as Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner applies defensive pressure during action at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Oct. 30, 2025. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
“I think that his understanding of personnel and tendencies has already been pretty impressive for a first-year player,” Lee said. “I think he takes the time to study and watch film, and he and his position or primary skills coach do a really good job of working on techniques as well — slide steps and how to steer.
“And he’s a quick learner. He’s got a really high basketball IQ, really good feel and then his overall just competitive nature makes him want to embrace whatever challenge comes his way defensively.”
Roderick Boone joined the Observer in September 2021 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and NBA. In his more than two decades of writing about the world of sports, he’s chronicled everything from high school rodeo to a major league baseball no-hitter to the Super Bowl to the Finals. The Long Island native has deep North Carolina roots and enjoys watching “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” endlessly. Support my work with a digital subscription
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — As millions of North Carolinians prepare to potentially lose food assistance in November due to the federal government shutdown, the state government has made a large monetary donation to food banks across the state.
According to a news release from the governor’s office, the State of North Carolina is donating $10 million to food banks across the state. In addition to the state, several other organizations have made donations to food banks and other means forms of preventing food insecurity.
These organizations, according to the governor’s office, include:
AmeriHealth Caritas: $5 million
David & Nicole Tepper Foundation: Accelerating more than $2.5 million to food banks across North and South Carolina to provide immediate access to funds for food purchases.
Duke Energy Foundation: $100,000
Bank of America: $100,000
Delaware North and Catawba Two Kings Casino: $50,000
Nucor Steel: $50,000
UNC Health Foundation & UNC Horizons: $30,000
The Fresh Market: $25,000
Eastern Ministerial Alliance: $20,000
Smithfield Foods: $20,000
AdventHealth: $19,000
Compare Foods: $10,000
Lending Tree: $7,500
Smart Food Foundation: 10,000 pounds of food
“With the help of generous partners, North Carolina is taking action to keep families fed,” Governor Josh Stein said. “Shoring up our state’s food banks will serve as a critical, but fleeting, lifeline for families in need, and I hope other North Carolina organizations will also step up in this time of need. Whether it’s paying our military, ensuring no child goes hungry, or lowering health care costs, leaders in Washington need to come together immediately to find a bipartisan solution that provides long-term stability for millions of Americans.”
The donation announcement comes on the even of the 30th day of the federal government shutdown, with neither Republicans — who control the House of Representatives, the Senate and the presidency — nor Democrats backing down on their reasoning for the shutdown.
Democrats are standing firm on their argument that the Affordable Care Act subsidies being extended, in order to counter a spike in healthcare rates for millions of Americans. Meanwhile, Republicans are insistent on passing a “clean” continuing resolutions first, in order to fund the government and open back up. Then, according to Republicans, negotiations about the subsidies can begin.
If the government does not open by Friday, SNAP benefits will run out, leaving millions without food assistance.
While there are emergency funds available, in a notice sent to state agencies, the USDA said those funds will not be used to fund SNAP if the shutdown continues into November month. The department’s reasoning for this is the contingency only comes into effect when the money allotted for SNAP benefits runs out, and regular benefit funding no longer exists in this situation.
“SNAP contingency funds are only available to supplement regular monthly benefits when amounts have been appropriated for, but are insufficient to cover, benefits,” the notice reads. “The contingency fund is not available to support FY 2026 regular benefits, because the appropriation for regular benefits no longer exists.”
The end of SNAP benefits to families is something Jason Kanawati Stephany, the Vice President of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, said could lead to a breaking point for the food assistance network in the Tar Heel State.
“This could push our hunger relief network to a breaking point,” Kanawati Stephany said. “We are expecting if the support is withheld starting November 1st, that we’re going to see a significant increase in the number of people seeking emergency food assistance through our network, and that’s on top of the challenges we were already facing.”
Jackson said 600,000 children in North Carolina, more than 40,000 of whom are under 18 months old, will be affected if that money isn’t handed over to the state. He also said the department could be using the reserve funding meant to keep the food rolling out, but they’re not touching that money.
“Nearly 600,000 children in our state could be without food in a few days because USDA is playing an illegal game of shutdown politics,” Jackson said in a statement. “They have emergency money to help feed children during this shutdown, and they’re refusing to spend it. I warned them last week that I would take them to court if they tried to hurt our kids. Today, that’s what we’re doing.”
A list of food assistance available around the Triangle, and how a way to find assistance outside of the Triangle, is available here.
An active-duty U.S. Marine has been arrested on accusations of kidnapping a 12-year-old girl from Indiana with the intent of sexually assaulting her, the FBI said Thursday.
William Richard Roy, 24, who was stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, flew to Chicago last week, met the girl in a park and then took her to a hotel overnight before boarding a bus to Durham, North Carolina, the FBI said in a statement.
The girl’s grandmother first reported her missing on Friday, according to the statement.
The FBI arrested Roy when he arrived in Durham on Sunday and the girl was “safely recovered,” the agency said.
Roy faces three charges, which entail enticing and transporting a minor across state lines for an illicit sexual act.
Public records listed one working number that appeared to be associated with Roy, but the person who picked up declined to comment.
The U.S. Marine Corps did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A busy month of sporting events and celebrations is leading to the seizure of more than $1.1 million worth of counterfeit goods.
The North Carolina Secretary of State’s Office ran multiple investigative sweeps around the state, finding some of the same items that may have been purchased at places such as the State Fair. All of the illegitimate products were seized throughout October.
At a glance, a lot of the merchandise looks like the real deal. But a closer look reveals flaws that prove the items are counterfeit.
“If it appears to be of lesser construction, stringy, messy writing, misspelling, those are all absolute signs,” Secretary of State Elaine Marshall said. “You don’t have to know a whole lot about the actual configuration of the item to know that.”
Investigative sweeps during North Carolina A&T, Winston-Salem State, and North Carolina Central homecoming activities resulted in the seizure of an estimated $860,000 worth of goods. Much of the merchandise bore counterfeit collegiate and professional sports trademarks, as well as designer brands like Ray-Ban, Gucci, Rolex, Chanel, Louis Vitton, Polo, and Nike.
“It’s a criminal element,” Marshall said. “It’s unfair to regular merchants. It’s unfair to the State of North Carolina. And in this case, some of these merchandise or similar merchandise is for scholarship funds at the universities.”
Law enforcement also seized more than $208,000 in counterfeit merchandise, including more than 500 counterfeit Labubu plush dolls, watches, and T-shirts at the North Carolina State Fair.
An operation at the Hickory Flea Market resulted in the seizure of nearly $85,000 in counterfeit merchandise.
According Marshall, there were no arrests in any of these operations because the vendors surrendered the items voluntarily.
Marshall told CBS 17 there’s a serious risk involved with these quick bargains. She advises North Carolina residents to be on the lookout because these counterfeit goods can pose a risk to health and safety.
“You’re supporting criminals, so I would hope that your moral compass would be a little stronger than your desire for a certain fashion thing,” she said. “You’re supporting bad people. You’re taking from other legitimate, hard-working people and store owners.
“I know everyone wants to find a bargain, but when you buy counterfeits, you are getting poor quality products, many with health and safety issues like loose parts that can be a choking hazard,” Marshall said. “You may be funding other dangerous ventures like organized crime, human trafficking, and terrorism. In addition, you are hurting local communities that rely on sales taxes to fund things, like police and fire services.”
The three investigative sweeps at local universities were at the request of and in coordination with the colleges.
South Carolina women’s basketball wrapped up its preseason Thursday with another exhibition win.
Dawn Staley and the No. 2 Gamecocks got a strong 91-82 win over No. 11 North Carolina in State Farm Arena. South Carolina controlled the scoreboard for all but three minutes in the game, and a late push from North Carolina tightened up the final margin.
The Gamecocks finish their preseason exhibition slate with a perfect 2-0 record and now turn their attention to Monday’s regular season opener against Grand Canyon.
A good night on offense
South Carolina’s offense looked good in an exhibition against Anderson last week and continued to perform well against increased competition on Thursday.
Ta’Niya Latson and Tessa Johnson both found a groove on offense and finished tied for a team-high 19 points.
“I felt really comfortable,” Latson said. “I played against UNC before, so I just knew I had to bring my practice habits to the game and just be myself.”
Every Gamecock who saw the floor against North Carolina played, and five players finished with more than 10 points. Joyce Edwards tallied 12 points and Maryam Dauda gave the Gamecocks 10 points off the bench. Madina Okot finished with 11 points.
South Carolina shot 50% as a team.
Good work on defense
The Gamecocks were able to keep pressure on North Carolina’s offense all game.
USC forced North Carolina to turn the ball over 15 times. The Gamecocks recorded nine steals as a team, led by Raven Johnson.
Almost every Gamecock recorded a block in the game. South Carolina had six blocks as a team.
Some rotation adversity
Let’s face it, South Carolina wasn’t exactly put through any major challenges when it beat D-II Anderson 112-32 in its first exhibition last week.
The Gamecocks did run into some slight adversity against the Tar Heels on Thursday, though that should be expected against a Top 25 team.
Okot and Tessa Johnson both found themselves in some foul trouble in the game. Both finished with four fouls.
When that happened, Staley leaned on Joyce Edwards in the post, though Dauda and Adhel Tac provided serviceable minutes, and Maddy McDaniel and Agot Makeer in the back court.
Quick note on Raven Johnson and Ayla McDowell
All but one of South Carolina’s 10 available players on the roster made an appearance in the game. The lone player to not log any minutes was freshman wing Ayla McDowell.
Staley said McDowell, who scored six points in 14 minutes against Anderson, didn’t play due to an illness.
“She’s been sick for the last probably couple days,” Staley said. “She probably could have played, but she didn’t really feel that well during shoot-around. … She’s braving through it. But I decided just to allow her to get better so she could be ready for when the regular season rolls around.”
Johnson went to the locker room after a hard fall late in the second quarter. It took her a minute to get off the floor and when she did, she was holding her lower back.
Johnson returned to the game and started the second half. She finished with five points, five assists and three steals.
Staley confirmed Johnson was fine after the game.
“We’ll see what she feels like tomorrow,” Staley said. “She’s probably going to hurt a little bit, probably going to be a bit sore tomorrow. But Raven is tough.”
South Carolina WBB schedule: Next four games
Monday: vs Grand Canyon, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
Nov. 7: vs Bowling Green, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
Nov. 11: vs Clemson, 6 p.m. (ESPN2)
Nov. 15: vs Southern Cal in The Real SC in Los Angeles 9 p.m. (Fox)
This story was originally published October 30, 2025 at 7:52 PM.
Michael Sauls is The State’s South Carolina women’s basketball reporter. He previously worked at The Virginian-Pilot covering Norfolk State and Hampton University sports. A Columbia native, he is an alum of the University of South Carolina.
Dickens called 911 on Monday evening and informed the operator that he had killed his children, according to the sheriff’s statement. When deputies arrived, they discovered four children dead in the trunk of a vehicle inside the garage of a Zebulon home. Dickens also told deputies that his three-year-old son was alive inside the house.
911 call made by a Johnston County father, who tells the operator he killed his children, was released on Wednesday.
In a news conference on Wednesday, Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell said all five children were homeschooled. It was determined that the remains had been there for a long period of time.
Timeline based on the investigation and interviews
Leah Dickens, 6 was killed in May 2025
Zoe Dickens, 9, was killed August 2025
Wellington Dickens, 10, was killed in either late August or early September 2025
Sean Brasfield, 18, (Stepchild) was killed in September 2025
The remains of all four victims have been sent to the medical examiner. As of now, no motive has been identified, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The 3-year-old is alive and safe. He was taken by DSS for medical evaluation.
This photo provided by the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, shows Wellington Delano Dickens III.
Johnston County Sheriff’s Office via AP
Sheriff Bizzell also said Wednesday that Dickens’ wife, Stephanie, died at home on April 21, 2024. She was found deceased by Dickens and was three months pregnant at the time.
Her death was attributed to complications from a miscarriage. Dickens told authorities that his wife had experienced severe bleeding the night before her death but had refused to seek medical treatment.
Raleigh police officer Raul Francis calls his family almost daily.
After Monday, those calls have gone unanswered. Francis is trying to reach his parents in Jamaica and hasn’t heard from them since Hurricane Melissa left a path of destruction across the island nation.
“It just keeps ringing,” Francis said.
Melissa made landfall this week as a powerful Category 5 hurricane.
“I’m pretty much concerned,” Francis said. “However, I believe they are OK. It’s just that they don’t have power or internet service at this time.”
It’s a reality that many people in North Carolina with ties to Jamaica are facing.
Jamaican native and Rocky Mount resident Zabdiel Dawar got good news Thursday, days after the storm hit.
Minutes before an interview with WRAL News, Dawar received a long-awaited call from his mother in Jamaica letting him know she is doing well.
“I was just screaming when I saw mommy’s face,” Dawar said. “My mother is a praying lady, and she said during the entire ordeal that’s all she did was pray.”
Francis prays for a similar call and, in the meantime, is still answering calls for service.
“Even though I have my family on my mind, hoping that they’re OK, I still have to be levelheaded and try to make sure I’m focusing on the job at hand,” Francis said.
Francis hopes he’ll hear from loved ones soon as the destruction comes into better focus.
“I just want them to know that I love them, and I hope they’re OK,” Francis said. “That’s pretty much the most important thing right now.”
There are mega mansions all over the country — California, Florida, Las Vegas and elsewhere. One legendary boxing referee has decided to take one of the 20,000-square-foot ginormous structures and turn it into something helpful.
On the market for $12 million, the estate features 12 suites, each with spa-like bathrooms and expansive living areas designed to offer both privacy and comfort. Rooted Elements Media
Sitting on four acres, the Las Vegas home was flipped upside down and turned into a luxury assisted living facility thanks to Joe Cortez, an International Boxing Hall of Fame referee, who lived in the home. Cortez transformed the home following a “life-altering accident” that affected his daughter’s, a release on the house said.
The layout of the residence includes grand common areas, such as a professional-grade kitchen, a large dining room, a 21-seat theater, an elevator, a fitness center with a sauna and steam room and a wine room and bar. Rooted Elements Media
“This property is unlike any other in Las Vegas,” listing agent Frank Napoli said. “It combines the scale and amenities of a luxury estate with a layout specifically designed for high-end assisted living. Every detail reflects comfort, privacy and care.”
“This property is unlike any other in Las Vegas,” listing agent Frank Napoli said about the 20,000-square-foot home at 5930 N. El Capitan Way in Las Vegas. “It combines the scale and amenities of a luxury estate with a layout specifically designed for high-end assisted living. Every detail reflects comfort, privacy and care.” Rooted Elements Media
It’s now listed for $11.995 million. The estate includes:
12 suites with their own bathrooms
Kitchen
Dining room
21-seat theater
Elevator
Gym
Steam room
Wine room
Bar
Swimming pool
Spa
Waterfalls
Covered patios
Pool house
The four acres includes a swimming pool. Rooted Elements Media
“It’s rare to find a property that balances elegance with functionality at this level,” said Napoli. “This estate was designed to provide both a beautiful environment and the infrastructure needed for quality care.”
The listing is held by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties.
This story was originally published October 30, 2025 at 5:01 PM.
TJ Macías is a Real-Time national sports reporter for McClatchy based out of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Formerly, TJ covered the Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers beat for numerous media outlets including 24/7 Sports and Mavs Maven (Sports Illustrated). Twitter: @TayloredSiren
NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have long puzzled over the origins of a mysterious dinosaur excavated in the 1940s: Was it a young T. rex or another type of dinosaur?
At first, researchers had only a tyrannosaur skull to go by, making it hard to tell if it belonged to a child or adult. Another skull and skeleton nicknamed Jane added to the debate, but didn’t settle the controversy.
Now a research team said there’s new evidence that resolves the case. The latest clue comes from a complete skeleton — first uncovered in 2006 in Montana — that scientists say identifies the mystery reptile as its own species and not a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex.
The discovery “rewrites decades of research on Earth’s most famous predator,” said study co-author Lindsay Zanno with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina State University.
Growth rings within the bones found in Montana’s Hell Creek Formation told scientists the new dinosaur was an adult about half the size of a fully-fledged T. rex. From growth comparisons to other reptiles like crocodiles, they also found that the major differences between the creature’s skull and an adult T. rex’s — changes in bone structure, nerve patterns and sinuses — were unlikely to form from simply going through puberty.
Signs pointed to a dinosaur that’s a distant T. rex cousin known as Nanotyrannus lancensis, the researchers reported in a study published Thursday in the journal Nature.
There’s now “more support and evidence than there ever has been” that this T. rex relative could exist, said Holly Woodward, a fossil bone expert from Oklahoma State University who had no role in the new study. But she’s not yet convinced that the other mystery skeletons like Jane are something new.
Other independent scientists also said the debate isn’t over. The new skeleton is indeed an adult, but it could be a sister species to T. rex and not a distant relative, said vertebrate paleontologist Thomas Carr of Carthage College.
There are similarities between the shape of T. rex’s skull and the mystery specimens that keep him from switching camps.
“I don’t think this study settles everything,” he said.
Resolving this case of mistaken identity is important to understanding how T. rex grew up, said study co-author James Napoli with Stony Brook University. Another big question is whether T. rex was the main predator prowling toward the end of the age of dinosaurs 67 million years ago — or whether a tinier, but still mighty predator also roamed.
The new skeleton is dubbed “Dueling Dinosaurs” because it was found intertwined with the bones of a Triceratops, and is currently on display at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — Electric school buses hit the road in Durham Thursday morning, marking a significant step toward reducing emissions and saving costs.
The first two buses, funded by a $15 million grant from the Clean Bus Program, will transport Durham Public School students while cutting down on harmful emissions and the district’s carbon footprint.
According to the district, the electric buses are expected to lower fuel and maintenance costs over time, as they have fewer parts compared to traditional buses.
NC State football coach Dave Doeren said Thursday that he is not considering retirement after the 2025 season.
“No, I think about winning games, trying to find ways to get better, trying to help this football team, trying to help this university, trying to help my coaches, trying to be a good dad, trying to not get my wife mad at me,” said Doeren, who is in his 13th season as head coach at NC State.
“That’s what I think about. Do I have plans down the road someday to retire? Sure, but I don’t have any plans to do that. I’m gonna keep coaching. I’ve got four years left on my contract.”
Doeren, the program’s all-time leader in victories, is under contract through the 2029 season. He is paid more than $6.1 million this season. If NC State were to fire him after this season, he would be owed more than $12 million. Doeren is 91-69 at NC State.
NC State (4-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC) and has lost four of its last five games. The Wolfpack hosts No. 8 Georgia Tech (8-0, 5-0) on Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium.
“I want this place to be as good as it can be,” said Doeren, who turns 54 in December. “That’s what I want. And I’ve done a lot. We’ve done a lot here to make this a stable, successful, competitive program. And I love these kids.”
Doeren has, since the spring, discussed how much fun this year’s team is to coach and how likeable the team is.
“I’m so fortunate, so I’m having fun,” Doeren said. “I mean, I know losing sucks and it hurts and I’m pissed as hell on Sunday and Monday, but I’m having fun going to practice with this football team.”
Doeren said that he “hated” coaching last year’s team on his radio show that aired Wednesday night, according to On3.
“Last year’s team was hard,” he said Thursday. “This is not last year and I think no different than [NC State athletics director] Boo [Corrigan] or any other person that is in charge of something, at the end of every year, you look at it and, you’re like, man that was really hard or I really enjoyed that but what can we do better? I’m going to worry about it at the end of the season, and what can I do better than I did last year?
“Sometimes you got to step away from it and give yourself a little breath and not make emotional decisions. Right now, it’s ain’t about that. It’s about trying to beat a really good Georgia Tech team.”
Doeren said earlier in the week that the team’s recent struggles made him more eager to fight for his squad.
““Adversity brings out who you are,” Doeren said Monday. “In a lot of cases, it’s easy to be this front-running dude when you’re winning. So we’ve lost four out of five games. So what now?
“We got to go fight again. Let’s go fight harder. That’s who coaches this football team. And if that’s not good enough at some point, then they’ll do what they got to do. But that’s who they have leading the program. They got a guy that doesn’t quit, that fights his ass off and that loves his players.”+
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday, Oct. 29 that October benefits are unaffected, but the state has not yet received federal funding to issue November payments on schedule.
More than 143,000 people in Mecklenburg County and 83,000 in Wake County could be impacted by the delay, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
Ron Pringle, CEO of the Raleigh-based Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, told The News & Observer his organization is preparing “like a natural disaster,” warning that even after the shutdown ends, “the storm isn’t over.”
With increased traffic expected at food banks across the state, those who are able can help by donating food, time or money — but is donating one better than the others?
While donating food and volunteering are often needed and appreciated, financial donations can have a larger impact. Here’s why.
Emma Wilcox, a senior at Riverside High School, adds sweet potatoes to boxes of fresh produce for distribution at a weekly food pantry at Iglesia Presbiteriania Emanuel on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Durham, N.C. The food pantry prepared over 50 extra boxes of fresh produce to help accommodate students during the closure of a dozen Durham schools. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Is it better to donate food or money?
When you donate money, food banks can usually make it go further than you can at the grocery store.
According to Feeding America, these organizations can purchase large volumes of food at wholesale prices and cover essential costs like transportation, storage, staffing and other things individual food donations can’t always help with. Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina also reports that every dollar donated translates into “about 7 pounds of food.”
Put simply, when you give money, food banks can choose exactly what’s needed and buy it more efficiently than individual shoppers can, Feeding America says. That means the $10 you spend on a few canned goods could provide many meals when donated instead.
Money helps give people what they actually need
Food banks often try to distribute food based on dietary requirements, but those foods aren’t always donated.
A 2022 study published by the National Library of Medicine found that while food banks do help people access food, the donations they receive often lack variety and nutrition.
By donating cash, you help food banks fill those gaps and stock what’s missing, according to the LA Regional Food Bank, which also points out that money gives them the flexibility to buy whatever their clients need at any given time. It also helps them keep up when food prices rise or certain items run short, so they can make sure everyone gets healthy, balanced meals.
Cash donations reduce waste and save food banks time
Donating food can create extra work for food banks, who have to inspect, sort, store and sometimes even throw away items that are expired or damaged.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, while most food banks welcome physical donations, there are still real costs involved in moving and managing all that food.
When you give money instead, food banks can skip the sorting and focus on buying exactly what they need, when they need it. Feeding America also notes that cash also helps support programs that rescue surplus produce and get it to families quickly, before it goes to waste.
Check out our story on where to get help, including food assistance hotlines, food pantries and nonprofit information for Mecklenburg, Wake, Durham, Orange, Chatham and Johnston County.
For mental health resources during difficult times, check out the News & Observer’s mental health resource guide, which features information about immediate help during a mental health crisis, as well as help for LGBTQ+ people, people of color, children and families, people with disabilities and people experiencing homelessness.
Ask the North Carolina Service Journalism Team
Questions about life in North Carolina? Or have a tip or story idea you’d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.
Evan Moore is a service journalism reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He grew up in Denver, North Carolina, where he previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizen, and is a UNC Charlotte graduate.
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — Duke Eye Center has become the first academic medical center in the country to implant a new cell-based gene therapy for a rare eye disease called MacTel.
This procedure offers hope to patients like Yvette Crawley, a retired X-ray technician from Apex, who was diagnosed with the condition over a decade ago.
MacTel slowly destroys the light-sensitive cells in the back of the eye, leading to a loss of central vision and making everyday tasks like reading and driving difficult. Until now, there was no treatment to slow the disease’s progression.
“This implant offers real hope for patients facing vision loss because of MacTel,” said Lejla Vajzovic, M.D., professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Duke University School of Medicine. “We are really allowing our patients to live fuller, more independent lives by preserving their vision.”
Crawley, the first patient at Duke to receive the new gene therapy, had the implant-about the size of a grain of rice-placed inside her eye. The implant contains over 200,000 living cells that release proteins to protect the remaining photoreceptors, potentially preserving vision and independence.
“I have always had great adventures, and I just want to be able to continue to make choices,” Crawley said. “This implant is going to allow me to continue to make choices in my retirement life without being hindered by the potential loss of vision.”
Duke researchers played a key role in the clinical trials that led to FDA approval of this innovative treatment.
Durham Public Schools is the latest district in the area to weigh revisions to its cellphone policy to align with a new state law.
School leaders Thursday will review changes that would require middle and high school students to power off their
phones instead of just silencing them. The new policy also has two options to either
prohibit smart glasses altogether, or they only be used as prescription glasses
with technology turned off.
Wake County Public Schools is also considering making changes to align with the law. The current policy says cellphones can be kept in silent mode.
Wake school leaders are also considering amending the policy to ensure students can still bring personal laptops to school, so long as they’re used for instructional purposes. That has been a point of confusion, with some believing the policy did not allow personal laptops at all.
The Wake school board plans to approve the changes by the end of the year.
Earlier this year, the school board approved a standalone cellphone policy that drastically restricted their use, after years of schools establishing their own rules and enforcing them differently.
WRAL News reported earlier this year that different approaches to enforcement yielded different successes.
This summer, state lawmakers passed House Bill 959, which requires school boards across the state to approve policies restricting the use of cellphones and other communication devices and to establish consequences for people who violate those policies.
The push came as states and schools across the country were responding to concerns about device addiction among young people and concerns that devices were disrupting learning.
Some research has suggested that some policies can effectively curb device use. One recent study found modest academic gains two years after schools implemented a strict policy, but saw more students suspended when policies were strictest.
That is how the Craven County Sheriff’s Office titled their social media post, urging the public to cautiously be on the lookout for arson and homicide suspect Dominic Liam Connelly — who also assaulted a deputy with a knife Wednesday night.
A Blue Alert was issued by the state just before 1 a.m. Thursday after the assault took place, which deputies said was near the Bojangles in Vanceboro on N.C. Highway 43 and Dawson Lane.
While searching for Connelly, deputies said they received a lead of a possible sighting of the suspect. “Connelly was in the bathroom of the business and used a knife to assault a Deputy Sheriff before fleeing the scene on foot,” deputies said in their social media post.
“Connelly was last seen wearing all dark clothing running towards Bailey Lane Apartments located behind Bojangles,” deputies said.
Connelly has active warrants for attempted first degree murder, felony assault on law enforcement causing serious injury and resisting a public officer in this incident.
Connelly is also wanted for murder, first degree arson and larceny of a motor vehicle. This stems from an investigation earlier this week on October 25 where deputies responded to a structure fire and death investigation nearly forty miles away on 2010 N.C. Highway 101 in Havelock.
72-year-old Patricia Lopedote, Dominic’s grandmother, was found dead in the home and her vehicle was missing, prompting a warrant filed by deputies for the stolen vehicle against Dominic. “On October 28, 2025, Lopedote’s vehicle was located in a parking lot on Pine Tree Drive near the baseball fields in New Bern, N.C. unoccupied,” deputies said.
After an autopsy and consultation with the District Attorney’s Office, deputies said it was determined that Lopedote was murdered and Connelly was the suspect.
The Craven County Sheriff’s Office is asking that anyone with information on the whereabouts of Dominic Connelly contact them and avoid approaching him.
“Anyone assisting Connelly in his unlawful flight to avoid arrest and prosecution will face criminal charges,” deputies said.
If you have any information on this case, please contact the Craven County Sheriff’s Office at (252) 636-6620 or Craven County Communications at (252) 633-2357. You can also submit tips anonymously through the Craven County Crime Stoppers app at p3tips.com/986. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of Dominic Connelly.
Heading into the final week of regular-season play, the penultimate Carolinas Top 25 poll before our season finale, two S.C. teams jump into the rankings.
Welcome Sumter and TL Hanna.
Sumter (8-1) has won seven straight games, including last week’s 36-29 win over Ridge View. In their run, the Gamecocks have shut out two teams and held another to seven points.
TL Hanna (8-1) is from Anderson, South Carolina, and the Yellow Jackets have won eight games in a row since a season-opening 30-10 victory over Byrnes back in August.
Elsewhere, the top nine teams remained the same, and Weddington, a North Carolina power from Matthews, moved into the top 10 at No. 10.
The Carolinas Top 25 is sponsored by McClatchy media companies in the two states and is compiled by longtime Carolinas football expert Chris Hughes.
Langston Wertz Jr. is an award-winning sports journalist who has worked at the Observer since 1988. He’s covered everything from Final Fours and NFL to video games and Britney Spears. Wertz — a West Charlotte High and UNC grad — is the rare person who can answer “Charlotte,” when you ask, “What city are you from.” Support my work with a digital subscription
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025.
Scott Sharpe
ssharpe@newsobserver.com
The Jonas Brothers are celebrating their 20th year together as a band — longer as brothers, of course— with a massive tour, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.
The “JONAS20: Greetings From Your Hometown” tour launched in August, complete with surprise guests and collaborations at almost every stop. Since then, they continue to add dates to the tour, extending it through the end of December.
Wednesday night, Nick Jonas, 32, Joe Jonas, 35, and Kevin Jonas, 37, brought their career-spanning concert to Raleigh’s Lenovo Center. The lineup shines a spotlight on “every chapter of Jonas Brothers’ 20-year journey,” according to publicity notes.
That includes their hits as a trio along with solo projects from Nick Jonas & the Administration and Joe Jonas’ group, DNCE. Earlier this week in Orlando, Kevin Jonas announced his debut solo single, “Changing.”
They will bring the tour to Charlotte on Nov. 5.
Here are photos from the Raleigh concert with The All American Rejects as the opening act.
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
The Jonas Brothers bring their “Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to Raleigh, N.C.’s Lenovo Center, Wednesday night, Oct. 29, 2025. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
