ReportWire

Tag: Caroline King

  • Madalina Cojocari: Police still searching 3 years later

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    Three years after the disappearance of Madalina Cojocari, police are still searching for answers.

    What You Need To Know

    • It has been three years since Madalina Cojocari, 11 at the time, was last seen getting off the school bus on Nov. 21, 2022

    • Her mother did not report her missing until Dec. 15, 2022, to avoid a “conflict” with Madalina’s stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, who she divorced earlier this year 

    • Her mother had asked someone for help getting her daughter away from Palmiter before Madalina’s disappearance, according to warrants 

    • After serving jail time for failing to report Madalina missing in a timely manner, her mother went back to her home country of Moldova


    Madalina was 11 years old when her mother, Diana Cojocari, reported her missing to her middle school on Dec. 15, 2022, after school officials began investigating why she did not return to school after Thanksgiving break.

    The last confirmed sighting of Madalina was on Nov. 21 of that year when she got off her school bus in Cornelius, a suburb in Charlotte where she lived.


    Diana Cojocari pleaded guilty in 2024 to failing to report a child missing to police. Madalina’s stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, was found guilty of the same charge.

    Diana Cojocari told investigators she last saw her daughter on Nov. 23, and the following morning, Madalina was not in her room. A backpack and some of her clothes were gone too.

    Diana Cojocari said she waited to report her missing to “avoid a conflict” with Palmiter, according to investigators.

    Search warrants released in March of 2023 revealed that Diana Cojocari had asked a man described as a “distant relative” to get her and her daughter away from Palmiter before Madalina’s disappearance.

    The man “stated that she told him she was in a bad relationship with co-defendant, Palmiter, and wanted a divorce,” the warrant said.

    Diana Cojocari and Palmiter were married in 2016, and their divorce was finalized in March of this year, according to court documents.

    The mother and daughter are from Moldova, in eastern Europe.

    After serving jail time, Diana Cojocari moved back to her native country, according to police.

    Those with any information about the whereabouts of Madalina are asked to contact the Cornelius Police Department at (704) 892-7773, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

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    Caroline King

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  • Mpox cases on the rise in Mecklenburg County

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    Mpox cases have been on the rise in Mecklenburg County, public health officials said Friday. 

    What You Need To Know

    • There were three cases of Mpox in Mecklenburg County in October compared to seven so far this month 

    • Mpox, previously called monkeypox, is most commonly spread through close skin-to-skin contact 

    • Common symptoms include rashes, fever, chills and other flu like symptoms  

    • Vaccinations are available at Mecklenburg County Public Health clinic locations


    There were three cases in October and seven so far this month, according to Mecklenburg County Public Health.

    This comes while Clade I, a more deadly strain of the virus, has been reported in parts of Europe and Africa.

    “While the overall risk from mpox in our community is very low, we encourage those who are at higher risk to take steps to protect their health,” Mecklenburg County’s Health Director Raynard Washington said. “The vaccine remains the best tool we have to prevent mpox and serious complications from the virus.” 

    Mpox, previously called monkeypox, can spread from rodents and primates, like monkeys, to humans, according to the Mayo Clinic. But it is mainly spread person to person through close, skin-to-skin contact with someone who is infected.  

    People at higher risk for contracting the virus are those with weakened immune systems, babies, pregnant women and people who have had eczema.

    Common symptoms include:

    • Rashes
    • Fever
    • Chills
    • Swollen lymph nodes
    • Exhaustion
    • Muscle aches and backache
    • Headache
    • Sore throat
    • Nasal congestion
    • Cough

    Getting vaccinated can help reduce the likelihood of contracting mpox and make symptoms less severe if so.

    Mpox vaccinations are available at Mecklenburg County Public Health clinic locations. People can call 704-336-6500 to make an appointment or walk in any time during business hours. 

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

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    Caroline King

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  • ‘Cloak of secrecy’: Charlotte leaders in the dark about Border Patrol deployment

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    Charlotte leaders voiced their frustration with the lack of communication with federal officials about the Border Patrol’s impending deployment to the Queen City.

    What You Need To Know

    • Local and state officials in Charlotte condemned U.S. Customs and Border Patrol’s lack of transparency about its plan to come to the city 

    • Reports circulated Wednesday that federal immigration agents operating in Chicago would move to Charlotte

    • The reports were not confirmed until Thursday when Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said he received confirmation from Border Patrol personnel 
    • Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools sent an email to parents Thursday night about how the school system will handle agents’ presence in the city, Board of Education member Liz Monterrey Duvall said 


    “This has just not been a transparent process overall, and none of us stand for it,” Aisha Dew, State House Representative for District 107, said Friday morning.

    There were reports Wednesday that the federal agents stationed in Chicago would move to Charlotte to continue enforcing the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.

    “This isn’t a request that came from Mecklenburg County for assistance or for help,” County Commission Chair Mark Jerrell said. “And so, we don’t understand what the plan is.”

    “Everything has been veiled in this cloak of secrecy,” he said.

    In a separate statement, Gov. Josh Stein asked people to “stand with our neighbors” and be peaceful. 

    “Public safety is the top priority for all of us in government — that means fighting crime, not stoking fear or causing division. We should all focus on and arrest violent criminals and drug traffickers. Unfortunately, that’s not always what we have seen with ICE and Border Patrol Agents in Chicago and elsewhere around the country.  The vast majority of people they have detained have no criminal convictions, and some are American citizens,” the governor said. 

    “I want to encourage North Carolinians to remember our values. We follow the law. We remain peaceful. We do not allow ourselves to be provoked. We stand with our neighbors. And when we see injustice, we bear witness. If you see any inappropriate behavior, use your phones to record and notify local law enforcement, who will continue to keep our communities safe long after these federal agents leave. That’s the North Carolina way,” Stein said.

    The Trump administration’s “Operation Midway Blitz” in the Chicago area was announced in early September, over the objections of local leaders and after weeks of threats on the Democratic stronghold.

    It started as a handful of arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the suburbs but eventually included hundreds of Customs and Border Protection agents whose tactics grew increasingly aggressive. More than 3,200 people suspected of violating immigration laws have been arrested across Chicago and its many suburbs dipping into Indiana.

    Democrats have accused the federal agents of using unnecessary force and creating a climate of fear. 

    “Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and what we have seen the border patrol and ICE agents do in places like Chicago and Los Angeles — using excessive force in their operations and tear gassing peaceful protestors — threatens the wellbeing of the communities they enter,” U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, a Democrat who represents the Charlotte area, said on social media.

    A top Border Patrol leader responded Friday to Stein and Adams.

    “Immigrants rest assured, we have your back like we did in Chicago and Los Angeles,” Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino said on X. “Rep. Adams, perhaps you & Gov. STEIN should learn the difference between an illegal alien & an immigrant. Illegal aliens have NO PLACE in our communities and should self deport via CBP Home.”

    Bovino has ties to North Carolina, having completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees at universities in the state’s western mountains.

    Many of the local leaders at a press conference in Charlotte on Friday issued a statement of solidarity Wednesday addressing the rumors about the agency’s deployment that were unverified at the time.

    “More than 150,000 foreign-born residents live in our city, contributing billions to our economy and enriching every neighborhood with culture, hard work and hope,” it read, adding: “We will stand together, look out for one another, and ensure that fear never divides the city we all call home.”

    The rumors were confirmed by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office Thursday.

    “Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry L. McFadden was contacted by two separate federal officials confirming that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel will be arriving in the Charlotte area as early as this Saturday or the beginning of next week,” the sheriff’s office said in a release.

    The sheriff’s office said federal officials have not shared details of what CPB will do in the Queen City and has not asked the office for help.

    Charlotte leaders said they have already begun receiving reports of what appeared to be plainclothes officers in neighborhoods and on local transit.

    “This is some of the chaos that we also saw in Chicago,” state Sen. Caleb Theodros, who represents Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, said Thursday.

    Some of the federal operations were carried out near schools in Chicago.

    Duvall, the school board member, said that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools sent an email to parents Thursday night about how the school system will handle agents’ presence in the city.

    She said the policies and procedures have also been posted on the board’s website.

    “We have tons of resources there available to the public, and if you have any other questions, please reach out directly,” she said. 

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

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    Caroline King, Associated Press

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  • Teacher attendance seems normal, schools say, despite calls for walkout

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    School districts across the state were concerned about teacher shortages after an anonymous social media post pushing for teachers to call out of work Friday and Monday went viral.

    What You Need To Know

    • An anonymous post called on North Carolina teachers to call out of work Friday and Monday

    • Schools in Durham and Guilford counties said there were not an unusual number of teacher absences as of Friday morning 

    • The post called for the protest because of the lack of a state budget, leading to stagnant wages for teachers 

    • Teachers’ unions across the state criticized the anonymous post and asked its members to not participate in the walkout 


    Some schools alerted parents Thursday to warn them of the potential disruption.

    “While students may have a different teacher or classroom location for the day, learning will continue as planned,” reads an email from North Garner Middle School sent to parents Thursday night.

    But administrators from Durham and Guilford county schools said they had not seen an increase in teacher absences as of Friday morning.

    The post calling for the protest cited the lack of a state budget, leaving schools to operate with the same amount of funding as last year. Without money for regular raises, teacher’s wages were left stagnant. 

    None of the large teacher unions in North Carolina have claimed credit for the post, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Association of Educators asked its members not to take part in the walkout.

    “CMAE does not endorse and will not participate in the anonymously organized social media campaign encouraging educators to call out on Nov. 7 and 10,” reads a statement issued by the union Thursday. “Our power as educators comes from unity, strategy, and collective action—not isolated walkouts.”

    Wake North Carolina Association of Educators also criticized the post.


    “Big serious actions aren’t generated by viral social media posts,” reads its post reacting to the call for the walkout.

    It highlighted the months of planning and organizing that it took for previous walkouts in 2018 and 2019.

    On May 16, 2018, more than 1,000 teachers called out of work in Durham County Schools alone, causing the county’s schools to close that day.

    The following year, Raleigh’s streets were once again filled with teachers, who called out of work to protest and demand higher compensation.  

    “Winning campaigns are strategic,” the post from the Wake North Carolina Association of Educators reads. “They have specific targets, with well-designed tactics, and demands.”

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

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    Caroline King

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  • ‘This is No. 1 priority for us’: Authorities continue manhunt in Craven County

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    The State Bureau of Investigation, N.C. State Highway Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard have deployed air units to assist in the search for a Craven County man accused of killing his grandmother and stabbing a deputy, Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes said Tuesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • The search continues for Dominic Connelly, 24, who is accused of multiple crimes, including arson, murder and stabbing a Craven County deputy

    • The deputy was stabbed inside a Bojangles in Vanceboro on the night of Wednesday, Oct. 29

    • Connelly’s grandmother was found dead inside a burning home on Oct. 25

    • He is considered armed and dangerous, officials said, and should not be approached. Anyone who sees him should immediately call 911


    Craven County Crime Stoppers and the U.S. Marshals have also issued a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Dominic Connelly.

    On Nov. 4, authorities said Connelly was seen on a home surveillance camera in the area of N.C. 43 Highway and Mile Road in Vanceboro, North Carolina.


    Hughes said that in prior sightings, Connelly had typically been seen wearing dark-colored clothing and seemed unprepared for the elements. However, in the Nov. 4 footage, Hughes said Connelly appears to have gotten a pair of desert sand colored coveralls.

    “We do have reason to believe there might be people out there assisting him in some way, shape or form. Whether it’s money, food, water, clothing… he does have family in the area,” the sheriff said.

    Authorities are continuing to ask the public to report any sightings of Connelly. He is considered armed and dangerous, officials say, and should not be approached.

    Anyone who sees Connelly should call 911 immediately.


     

    On Oct. 29, a deputy encountered Connelly in the bathroom of a Bojangles at the corner of Dawson Lane and Highway 43 in Vanceboro, North Carolina, according to a release. Connelly stabbed the deputy with a knife, officials said, before running off toward the Bailey Lane Apartments behind the Bojangles.

    The sheriff’s office said they were initially looking for Connelly in connection to the death of his grandmother, Patricia Lopedote, 72, on Oct. 25.

    Lopedote’s body was found inside a burning home on N.C. 101 Highway in Havelock, North Carolina, investigators said.

    Authorities said Connelly set the fire and took off in Lopedote’s vehicle, which was found unoccupied in a New Bern, N.C., parking lot on Pine Tree Drive on Oct. 28.

     

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    Justin Pryor, Caroline King

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  • Search continues for murder suspect accused of stabbing Craven County deputy

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    A helicopter and drones have joined the ongoing search for a murder suspect accused of stabbing a Craven County Sheriff’s deputy late Wednesday night.  

    What You Need To Know

    • The search continues for Dominic Connelly, 24, who is accused of multiple crimes, including arson, murder and stabbing a Craven County deputy

    • The deputy was stabbed inside a Bojangles in Vanceboro late Wednesday night

    • Connelly’s grandmother was found dead inside a burning home on Oct. 25

    • He is considered armed and dangerous, officials said, and should not be approached. Anyone who sees him should immediately call 911


    Dominic Connelly, 24, is wanted on charges of murder, first-degree arson, vehicle theft, first-degree attempted murder, felony assault on law enforcement, causing serious injury and resisting a public officer.

    “We will not stop,” Craven County Sheriff Corporal Kelly Cox said Thursday in a recorded statement addressed to Connelly. “We are asking you to end this peacefully now for your own safety and for the safety of the public and our officers.”


    He urged Connelly to turn himself in.

    “We are asking you to end this peacefully now for your own safety and for the safety of the public and our officers,” he said. “Do not make this situation worse.”

    Cox also called on Craven County residents to be on their guard.

    Connelly is considered as armed and dangerous and should not be approached if seen, he said.

    Connelly is described as a white male, 5 feet 5 inches tall, 135 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. Deputies said he was last seen wearing dark clothing and running toward the Bailey Lane Apartments. 

    Craven County Schools closed Vanceboro Farm Life Elementary, West Craven Middle and West Craven High School for all students and staff on Thursday and announced that Friday would be a remote, asynchronous learning day.


    On Oct. 29, a deputy encountered Connelly in the bathroom of a Bojangles at the corner of Dawson Lane and Highway 43 in Vanceboro, North Carolina, according to a release. Connelly stabbed the deputy with a knife, officials said, before running off toward the Bailey Lane Apartments behind the Bojangles.

    The sheriff’s office said they were initially looking for Connelly in connection to the death of his grandmother, Patricia Lopedote, 72, on Oct. 25.

    Lopedote’s body was found inside a burning home on N.C. 101 Highway in Havelock, North Carolina, investigators said.

    Authorities said Connelly set the fire and took off in Lopedote’s vehicle, which was found unoccupied in a New Bern, N.C., parking lot on Pine Tree Drive on Oct. 28.

    Anyone with information on Connelly’s whereabouts is asked to call Craven County Sheriff’s Office at 252-636-6620, Craven County Communications at 252-633-2357, or submit an anonymous tip to the Craven County Crime Stoppers app at p3tips.com/986. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information leading to Connelly’s arrest.

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    Justin Pryor, Caroline King

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  • See some of this year’s Halloween house displays

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    It’s looking a little spooky around North Carolina. Some people like Christmas lights, but others go all out celebrating the Halloween season by setting up their scariest decor displays.

    From skeletons and spiders, front yard graveyards, witches, warlocks and all sorts of monsters are decorating theirs homes for the season.

    In Apex, 15 miles from Raleigh, many houses have stepped it up this year to enter in the town’s annual Tour of Frights, which features homes and businesses with the best Halloween or fall-themed decorations.

    The town created two routes marking spots people can drive by to see these outdoor exhibits. The maps are available online here.

    Check out this photo gallery to see some of the stops and other houses decked out for the holiday.

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    Caroline King

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  • Attendance dips at N.C. State Fair. A look at the numbers

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    Food vendors and carnival workers are packing up their candied apples, cotton candy, games and giant stuffed prizes, marking the end of the 2025 North Carolina State Fair season.

    What You Need To Know

    • Less than 950,000 people went to the N.C. State Fair this year 

    • Last year, there were nearly 1 million fairgoers

    • Historically, attendance is most impacted by weather 

    • But weather this year was fairly similar to 2024 


    This year, there were 946,811 total fairgoers during the fair’s 11-day run, according to figures from the state’s Department of Agriculture.

    That is nearly 8,000 fewer than the past 10-year average and more than 50,000 less than last year.

    “It’s been a very strong year, and we are happy with that,” Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a statement. “A lot of attention gets focused on attendance figures, and we do want to see strong numbers, but that is not the only barometer we use to measure success. Across the fairgrounds and throughout the fair we saw a lot of smiles and a lot of happy people. And that’s what makes all the hard work worthwhile – every day and every year!”

    Fair attendance has not seen a linear recovery since it returned after missing 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

    In 2019, attendance was 938,029. In 2021, fewer than 825,000 people went. The following year saw a bounce back with more than 960,000 people, but then numbers dipped in 2023.

    Last year, attendance almost reached more than a million fairgoers, which would have been the first time it had hit seven figures since 2017, but it was just shy by a little over 1,000.

    The record for the highest number of total fairgoers in a single North Carolina State Fair season is still held by 2010, which saw 1,091,887.

    Attendance per day ranged from 41,287 to 116,426, the latter being attendance on the last Saturday and the former on the first Thursday of the fair. This stayed consistent with trends that the first day typically sees the fewest and the last Saturday the most fairgoers.

    Often, the culprit for low attendance levels is the weather. In 2023 when the total number of fairgoers was nearly 30,000 less than the year before, it rained on Oct. 14, which was the first Saturday of the fair season. 

    That day, 62,501 people went to the fair compared to 115,586 on Oct. 15 in 2022, which was the first Saturday that year and saw sunny weather with temperatures in the mid 70s.

    This year’s discrepancy between attendance numbers cannot be as easily explained away by the weather, though since temperatures and conditions were largely similar to last year.

    The Department of Agriculture’s highlights from this year’s fair:

    • The Junior Livestock Sale of Champions drew $214,830 for champions and the junior livestock scholarship program

    • There were more than 27,000 general and livestock entries registered in competitions

    • This year’s pumpkin contest brought a site-record with the winner weighing in at 2,244.5 pounds

    • The equivalent of 150,000 meals was collected through donations on Smithfield Hunger Relief Day

    North Carolina’s State Fair will return next year Oct. 15-25, 2026.

     

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    Caroline King

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  • Mecklenburg helped ICE make an arrest at the courthouse, sheriff said

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    Mecklenburg County deputies helped federal immigration officials arrest a person at the courthouse Wednesday morning, according to Sheriff Garry McFadden.

    What You Need To Know

    • ICE arrested a person at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse Wednesday with the help of county staff, according to  Sheriff Garry McFadden 

    • This came after a meeting between McFadden and ICE officials last week that he said he set up with the aim of improving communication with the agency  

    • McFadden criticized ICE earlier this year for their lack of timeliness picking up undocumented detainees 

    • McFadden was first elected in 2018 after running on a promise to end the county’s formal agreement with ICE, which he did within hours of being sworn in 


    McFadden met with Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week.

    He requested the meeting and sat down with the agency’s regional representatives on Oct. 17 with a goal of “establishing a better working relationship and improve communication,” he said in a statement Friday.

    “I made it clear that I do not want to stop ICE from doing their job, but I do want them to do it safely, responsibly, and with proper coordination by notifying our agency ahead of time,” he said. “I’m proud to say that the meeting was productive.”  

    On Tuesday night, he said ICE officials reached out to the courthouse major and said they planned to arrest two people the following morning.

    “Our staff provided directions and access to ensure the arrests could take place safely and efficiently,” McFadden said. “The operation went smoothly and was well-coordinated, incident-free, and demonstrated exactly the kind of partnership we’ve been requesting for years.”

    ICE ended up only making one arrest because the other person did not show up for court, McFadden’s statement said.  

    Since North Carolina’s lawmakers passed House Bill 318, local law enforcement agencies are officially required to reestablish relationships with ICE. It requires them to tell immigration authorities when they are holding someone sought on an ICE detainer or administrative warrant.   

    But in May, McFadden said he had been doing that, and the bill would fail to fix the issue of transferring undocumented people with pending state charges to ICE custody for civil immigration proceedings.

    McFadden criticized ICE in February for not picking up people Mecklenburg police identified as undocumented within the legal timeframe, which led him to release many from detention.

    He also raised concern about the ICE operations happening within the county without his knowledge.

    In April, an attorney said he saw a person arrested at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse by people in plain clothes who identified themselves as ICE.

    Mecklenburg County had a partnership with ICE for many years when it signed a 287(g) agreement in 2006 when the program started, which gives local agencies funding to assist federal immigration enforcement. In the 12 years that agreement was in place,15,000 Mecklenburg residents were deported, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

    McFadden signed a letter ending the partnership with ICE hours after he was sworn into office in December of 2018.

    “And so now we have to show Charlotte that this is a step in the right direction and I need everybody’s help [to show] Charlotte and the nation that we are doing the right thing,” said McFadden said at the time.

     

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    Caroline King

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  • State lawmakers to vote on Republican redrawn district map

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    North Carolina state senators say they will vote Tuesday on a redrawn congressional map that would give Republicans an opportunity to gain an extra seat in the U.S. House.

    What You Need To Know

    • North Carolina lawmakers are considering a redrawn congressional map intended to help Republicans unseat a Democrat

    • The map would change the state’s 1st District, currently represented by Democratic Rep. Don Davis, by adding more conservative counties and removing liberal-leaning ones

    • Congressional maps are typically only redrawn once every 10 years after the census 

    • Texas started the national redistricting battle and approved its own new map and California responded with its own gerrymandered map proposal 


    State Senate leader Phil Berger, a Republican, said his chamber gave the new map tentative approval Monday and will take a final vote Tuesday before sending it to the state House. 

    The state Senate was divided along party lines over new boundaries for two eastern North Carolina districts in a move aimed to thwart the reelection of Democratic Rep. Don Davis, one of the state’s three Black members of Congress. The vote followed a committee meeting in which dozens of speakers from the public sharply accused Republican lawmakers in the ninth-largest state of bowing to Republican President Donald Trump.

    The plan’s chief author was direct about the map’s intent to help his party in the 2026 midterm elections.

    “The motivation behind this redraw is simple and singular — draw a new map that will bring an additional Republican seat to the North Carolina congressional delegation,” said GOP Sen. Ralph Hise, who shepherded it through his chamber. If Democrats take back the House, Hise said, they will “torpedo President Trump’s agenda.”

    The proposed map reconfigures the 1st District, which is currently represented by Davis, by adding more Republican-leaning counties along the coast and removing more liberal-leaning ones inland. Greene County, Davis’ home county, is among several that would be removed from the 1st District and instead become part of the 3rd District. 

    The new map would help Republicans flip Davis’ seat in next year’s elections. That would mean 11 of the state’s 14 House representatives would be Republicans, up from the current 10-4 split. Under a map used in 2022, the state had a 7-7 seat split.

    If the map is approved, Davis would run in the 1st or 3rd District, according to a spokesperson.  

    After a Senate procedural vote Tuesday, the proposed map will head to the House, which is expected to give it final General Assembly approval later this week.

    The state Democratic Party plans an outdoor rally Tuesday to oppose it. But Democrats are the minority in both chambers, and state law prevents Democratic Gov. Josh Stein from using his veto stamp on redistricting action. 

    “This is an attack on Black voters,” Sen. Kandie Smith, an African American legislator who represents a county in Davis’ current district, said during Senate floor debate. “It’s about stealing elections by design, so that the outcomes are predetermined and accountability becomes optional.”

    Redrawing the districts is typically only done every 10 years after the census, but North Carolina is not the first state to propose a new map five years earlier than usual.

    Texas led the trend when its governor, Greg Abbott, signed a new map into law in August that could add five Republican seats. California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded by announcing his own redistricting plan, which California residents will vote on whether to approve.

    The practice of redrawing maps to favor a political party is known as gerrymandering. The term dates back to the early 1800s when Massachusetts’ state Senate election districts were redrawn under Gov. Elbridge Gerry. An article in the Boston Gazette compared the shape of one district to a salamander, and the “Gerry-mander” was born.

    Gerrymandering has long been a feature of North Carolina’s politics. The Supreme Court case Rucho v. Common Cause in 2019 was a result of the state’s congressional map redrawn to favor Republicans after the 2010 census. The court’s decision effectively ended federal oversight of the redistricting process, opening the door nationally for more gerrymandering.

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    Caroline King, Associated Press

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  • Search for missing kayaker continues in Mountain Island Lake

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    The search for a kayaker, who went missing Sunday evening on Mountain Island Lake, has restarted after a pause due to weather, the Huntersville Fire Department said.

    What You Need To Know

    •  A kayaker went missing on Mountain Island Lake Sunday evening 

    •  The search was suspended Sunday night due to high winds

    •  The Huntersville and East Lincoln fire departments resumed their search Monday morning 

    • No announcement has been made yet if the kayaker has been found 


    Mountain Island Lake is 15 miles northwest of Charlotte.

    The Huntersville Fire Department announced on X at 6:40 p.m. Sunday that it was using its fire boat to assist East Lincoln Fire Department with the search for the unidentified missing person. It said the departments were looking in the water near the near the Hwy 73 bridge that crosses over the left side of the lake.

    Two hours later, the department posted they were suspending the search for the evening.

    “The weather hit us fairly hard,” the post reads.

    Wind gusts reached more than 22 miles per hour Sunday night in the Charlotte area.

    Monday morning, Huntersville Fire Department officials said it was back out on the water, continuing the search.

    The department asked that traffic passing through the area use caution and yield to emergency response vehicles.


     

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    Caroline King

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  • Here’s what happened when a fire truck caught fire inside the fire station

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    Fire crews sprang into action when a blaze broke out in their own Morganton station Friday, quickly putting out a burning old fire engine. 

    The engine caught fire inside the station outside of Morganton Friday afternoon, according to a statement posted by the fire department.  

    What You Need To Know

    •  A fire truck caught fire inside the Drexel Fire Station in Burke County

    •  The station is connected to Drexel’s town hall building 

    •  No injuries were reported 

    • Nearby fire stations helped put out the blaze 


    At about 1 p.m., the Drexel Fire Department Chief Jonathan Wilkie first heard a pop and then saw smoke coming from one of the older fire engines parked in the station.


    The crew was close by and responded quickly, containing the blaze before anything else burned. The fire station is connected to Drexel’s town hall building. All town staff working inside had to evacuate, and there were no injuries reported.

    Other nearby departments came to help put out the fire, including Valdese Fire Department, Triple Community Fire Department, Chesterfield Fire Department, Salem Fire Department, Burke County Fire Marshal, and Burke County EMS.

    “We are thankful there were no injuries and no damage to the building as a result of this fire,” Drexel Mayor Dennis Anthony said in the statement from the department. “A huge thanks to the responding mutual aid agencies for quickly assisting us in knocking the fire down.”

    The investigation is ongoing, but the statement said that early reports suggest the fire began in the engine compartment of the older fire truck.

    The Drexel Fire Department is still operational, and further updates will be posted on its Facebook page.

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    Caroline King

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  • Armadillos in N.C. — New map shows where to spot them

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    The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission shared a map on Wednesday of where nine-banded armadillos have been seen in the state.  

    What You Need To Know

    • The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission posted an armadillo range map for the state   

    • Nine-banded armadillos have been reported in the U.S. since the 1800s 

    • Nine-banded armadillos are one of the only animals to naturally carry leprosy 

    • There is no evidence that the armadillos in N.C. are carrying leprosy, according to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission


    Confirmed observations of these armadillos have been more common in the western part of the state, but nearly every one of North Carolina’s counties have at least had an unconfirmed sighting report.

     


    There are 20 types of armadillos, but the nine-banded armadillo is the only species found in the United States, according to the National Wildlife Federation. They get their name from the banded pattern on the armor-like plates that cover their bodies. Unlike their three-banded armadillo counterparts in South America, the ones in North America do not roll.

    The first recorded sighting of an armadillo in the U.S. was in Texas in 1849, but they have been expanding their range ever since, according to research published by Bradley University.

       Fun facts about nine-banded armadillos, according to the Rainforest Alliance

    • Nine-banded armadillos spend most of their time in burrows underground

    • They typically grow to be about the size of a domestic cat

    • Their long tongues allow them to eat up to 40,000 ants in one meal

    • When scared, they can jump more than three feet in the air

    A less fun-fact about nine-banded armadillos is that they are the only animals, besides humans, known to naturally carry leprosy, according to the Emerging Pathogens Institute.

    A 2015 study by the institute found that more than 16% of armadillos in Florida carried Mycobacterium leprae, the bacteria that causes leprosy. Now known as Hansen’s disease, it is treatable and 95% of people cannot get it because their immune system can fight off the bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    The Wildlife Commission responded to concerned comments about the armadillo’s capacity to carry leprosy.

    “We don’t have evidence that armadillos in North Carolina carry the bacteria, which is easily treated by modern antibiotics,” the commission commented on Facebook. “If worried about it, just don’t touch any armadillos.”

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    Caroline King

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  • $1 million bond for longtime N.C. legislator charged with child sex crimes

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    A longtime state legislator from Guilford County facing multiple charges related to indecent liberties with a minor has allegedly attempted to contact and locate the victim using his political status, according to court documents.

    A judge set a $1 million bond for Rep. Cecil Brockman Friday.  

    What You Need To Know

    • Court records show Rep. Cecil Brockman, a six-term Democratic lawmaker from Guilford County, was arrested on charges of statutory sexual offense and taking indecent liberties with a child

    • Court documents say he attempted to contact and locate the victim 

    • A judge set a $1 million bond for Rep. Cecil Brockman Friday

    • The alleged crimes involved a 15-year-old


    Brockman, a Democrat representing part of Guilford County, has served six terms in the North Carolina House. He is charged with two counts each of taking indecent liberties with a child and statutory rape, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office said.

    He was jailed without bond.

    A magistrate’s order says Brockman is accused of engaging in a sexual act with a 15-year-old twice and is twice alleged to have committed “a lewd and lascivious act” upon the juvenile. The alleged victim in each felony count was identified by the same initials.

    Court documents say he made attempts to locate the juvenile in the hospital and tried to use his state legislator title to get access to information about the victim’s whereabouts.

    After Brockman’s arrest was announced on Wednesday, several other state legislators, including North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton who was speaking on behalf of the state’s Democratic Party, called for his resignation.


     

    State Republicans leaders also have called for Brockman to immediately step down.

    “If true, there is no place in public service now or in the future for someone accused of these heinous crimes,” the N.C. GOP stated in a tweet. 

    The leader of the state House, Republican Rep. Destin Hall, urged Brockman to resign so the charges would not be a distraction for his chamber. 


     

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    Justin Pryor, Caroline King, Associated Press

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  • Swannanoa to see new EMS station

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    Buncombe County’s Board of Commissioners accepted a construction bid for a new Emergency Medical Services station in Swannanoa. 

    What You Need To Know

    •  Buncombe County is building a new EMS station in Swannanoa

    •  It is set to open in early 2027 

    •  The total project cost is estimated at more than $9.99 million 

    • The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 20 at 4 p.m.


    The county says once open in early 2027, it will reduce emergency service response times, potentially saving more lives.

    Carolina Specialties Construction will build the EMS East facility in front of the Owen Pool at 750 Old U.S. 70 Highway, 15 minutes from Asheville. The construction contract allows for about 14 months and expects it to be finished by December of next year. It will be the first standalone EMS station ever built by the county.

    EMS East will be 12,214 square feet and hold six emergency vehicles. It will also have bedrooms, a kitchen and a dining area for staff, which will include two paramedics and one EMS supervisor. The center will be staffed and operational 24/7.

    The total cost of the project is estimated at more than $9.99 million, according to the county.

    There will be two information sessions where people can meet with EMS to learn more about the facility:

    • Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. – Q&A session with EMS at the Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance meeting at United Methodist Church, 216 Whitson Ave.
    • Nov. 3 at 4:30 p.m. – Meet EMS leadership at the Community Engagement Market at Asheville Christian Academy, 74 Riverwood Road

    The groundbreaking ceremony for EMS East is scheduled for Nov. 20 at 4 p.m.

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    Caroline King

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  • Durham, Fayetteville and Greensboro: Primary election voter guide

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    Ninety percent of counties in North Carolina have municipal elections this year. Early voting is already underway for many and several cities have primaries set for Tuesday, Oct. 7, including Durham, Fayetteville and Greensboro.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Many of North Carolina’s municipal primary elections are on Tuesday, Oct. 7 

    •  Durham, Fayetteville and Greensboro’s city council and mayoral elections are highly contested 

    •  The general election will be on Nov. 4


    These three cities’ councils are nonpartisan, so the two candidates from each open seat that receive the most votes in the primary will move on to the general election on Nov. 4.

    Everyone hoping to vote must bring a valid photo ID or fill out an ID-exception form. Voters can check their registration and find their sample ballot and precinct location here.  

    Durham

    The mayoral title and three seats on the city council are up for election. Here are the candidates:  

    Mayor

    City council Ward I

    City council Ward II

    City council Ward III

    The city council member candidates have to live within the ward they represent, but residents anywhere in the city can vote for them.

    Saturday, Oct. 4 is the last day of early voting for the primary. Polling places will be open on primary election day Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

    Fayetteville

    Early voting for the primary election ends at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4. Registered voters can call Cumberland Board of Elections’ office at (910) 678-7733 for the location of their polling place and hours on Tuesday. Here are the candidates:

    Mayor  

    City council District 1

    City council District 2

    • Malik Davis (current council member)  
    • Gail Morfesis
    • Joseph Thames

    City council District 7

    City council District 8

    • Rodney E. Garvin
    • Mahmoud A. Hamed
    • Shaun McMillan
    • Robbie Poole (withdrew)

    City council District 9

    Fayetteville city council districts three through six do not have enough candidates running to require primaries but will be on the general election ballot.

    Greensboro

    Greensboro’s mayoral seat is up for grabs since Nancy Vaughan, the current mayor, is not seeking reelection. The incumbent council members for districts one, two and four are also not running again. Here are the 2025 candidates:

    Mayor

    City council at-large (voters will choose three out of the list below)

    City council District 2

    City council District 3

    City council District 4

    Residents can vote only for council member candidates in their district or those running for “At-Large” positions. Voters can find which district they are a part of here.

    The primary for District 5 was canceled because there are only two candidates running: Tammi Thurm, the current council member for the district, and Jeannette Davidson-Mayer.

    For more information on the other elections occurring across the state, click here.  

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    Caroline King

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  • Durham wants help planning where to put new sidewalks and bike lanes

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    The City of Durham and Durham County are asking for feedback on their Bike + Walk Plan for the region.

    What You Need To Know

    •  People living in Durham can help choose what bike lane and sidewalk projects will be completed next 

    •  There are 150 project proposals currently and the community’s feedback will narrow that down to 75 

    •  Feedback can be left online or in-person at one of seven upcoming events 


    People living in the county or city can voice their preference for which projects out of the 150 bike lane, sidewalk and intersection improvement proposals they would like to see completed.

    People can leave comments online on the interactive map of the proposed projects or in-person at one of the upcoming engagement events:  

    Sept. 30, 6-8 p.m. at W.G. Pearson Center, 600 E Umstead St.

    Oct. 3, 6-8 p.m. at Durham Central Park, 501 Foster St.

    Oct. 4, 12-4 p.m. at North Durham Farmer’s Marker, 1016 Old Oxford Road

    Oct. 5, 12-5 p.m. at Move-a-Bull City Open Streets, Blackwell St., Corcoran St. and Foster St. Corridor

    Oct. 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at North Regional Library, 221 Milton Road

    Oct. 11, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Campus Hills Park, 2000 S Alston Ave.

    Oct. 18, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Holton Career & Resource Center, 401 N Driver St.  

     

    Durham transportation staff will be at these events to answer questions and collect the community’s input. There will also be a survey at the end, and those who fill it out will get a chance to win a $200 gift card in a randomized drawing.

    Comments will be taken through the end of October. After that, the feedback will be used to pick the top 75 projects to be prioritized.

    The 150 project proposals were made based on comments the city and county collected last year during phase one of the project. In the fall of 2024, the project team received 1,895 map comments marking spots where people wanted to see more pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure.

    The team is made up of city and county staff with support from the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization.

    Phase three, the final draft of the plan, is set to finish in early 2026.

    People can register for the upcoming events or sign up for emailed project updates here.

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    Caroline King

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  • New program protecting eastern hellbenders from extinction

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    Eastern hellbenders, the giant salamanders that swim in western North Carolina’s waterways, also known as snot otters, devil dogs and lasagna lizards, are at risk of becoming endangered. But the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service announced a new program to try to change that.

    What You Need To Know

    • The United States Department of Agriculture started a new program to protect eastern hellbenders 

    • These salamanders are at risk of extinction because of human activities polluting the waterways in which they live 

    • Conservationists will be sent to counties in western North Carolina and work with landowners and agricultural producers to help repair hellbender habitat 


    The service identified 35 counties across three states — North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee — that it will send conservationists to. They will work with landowners and agricultural producers to help repair the hellbender’s aquatic habitat and protect against future damage created by fertilizer runoff and other water contaminants.


    The conservation service offers free technical and financial assistance to make these changes.

    Efforts to help hellbenders could also benefit other species that share their habitat, including the bog turtle, Appalachian elktoe and brook trout.

     

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    Caroline King

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  • One year after Helene: Western N.C.’s ongoing journey to recovery

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    A year since Hurricane Helene rocked the mountains, communities in western North Carolina are still reckoning with the devastation it caused.

    Buncombe, Henderson, Yancey and other counties will hold memorials on the anniversary, Sept. 27, to honor the 108 lives lost in the state due to the storm.

    The hurricane first made landfall in Florida on Sept. 26 and churned its way through Georgia and South Carolina before arriving in North Carolina the following day.

    Helene dumped a record-breaking 5 inches of rain per hour on the western part of the state, whose soil was already soaked from downpours earlier in the month, according to the National Weather Service. This led to historic flooding that triggered nearly 2,000 landslides.

    North Carolina’s Governor Office estimates that Helene caused a total of $59.62 billion in damage in the state.

    Some deadlines for individuals or businesses to apply for Helene recovery assistance passed earlier this year, but applications for a North Carolina housing rehabilitation program are still open.

    Gov. Josh Stein recently requested $13.5 billion more from Congress to aid recovery efforts. Stein said he’s grateful for $5.2 billion in federal funds the state has been allocated so far but North Carolina has not received “anywhere near what it needs.”

    The requested money would help rebuild homes, support small businesses and repair roads, he said. 

    More than 1,400 roads were closed after the storm. Now, 34 remain shut down, but the majority are back online according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s regularly updated map of roads effected by the storm.

    As roads reopen, the areas connected to them have as well, just in time for the mountains’ upcoming tourism season.

    As the leaves turn bright yellow, orange and red, many are drawn to drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway to take in the views of the fall foliage.

    The National Park Service has an interactive map that shows which parts of the parkway are allowing through traffic. The scenic 26-mile section from Asheville to Craggy Gardens reopened last week.

    Several other state parks reopened this summer. In June, Chimney Rock State Park welcomed back its first visitors since last year to climb the 499 steps to the American flag atop the chimney-shaped outcrop.

    Visit North Carolina has an online tourism guide with a list of autumnal attraction recommendations in western North Carolina.


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    Caroline King

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