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Tag: mountain

  • 4 sexual assaults reported on ECU campus in under a month, crime log shows

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    Crime reports at East Carolina University show four reported incidents of second degree forcible rape on campus in under a month. The ECU Police Department is investigating.

    What You Need To Know

    •  East Carolina University police are investigating four reported sexual assaults on campus in under a month

    • The crimes occurred on Oct. 3, 5, 8 and 14, according to the department log

    •  Police logs show each case remains an open investigation


    The crimes occurred on Oct. 3, 5, 8 and 14, according to the department’s crime log.

    The victims and suspects knew each other in the crimes that happened on Oct. 3 and 5, police said. No information has been released about the Oct. 8 and 14 crimes.

    “To be clear, sexual assault under any circumstance is unacceptable and is never the fault of the victim,” ECU police wrote in a statement posted to Facebook earlier this month when the first two cases were reported.

    “Reports of this nature commonly involve individuals known to each other. We want to emphasize the importance of clear, ongoing and enthusiastic consent in all intimate interactions. Consent can be revoked at any time, for any reason and that decision must be respected,” police said.

    The investigation into each case remains open, according to the department’s crime log.

    Police have issued the following reminders to help keep students safe:

    • Consent: permission or agreement to do something
    • Bystander intervention: stepping in to stop or prevent harm without putting yourself in harm’s way, and/or notifying the appropriate authorities
    • Healthy relationship: characterized by mutual respect, trust, open communication and shared power with voluntary consent for all intimate activity

    Anyone wishing to report a crime can do so by calling the ECU Police Department at 252-328-6787 or 911 in the event of an emergency.

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    Justin Pryor

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  • Jeff Jackson announces lawsuit against Trump over SNAP benefits

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    RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina and more than 20 other states are suing the Trump administration for pausing federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Food Assistance Program.

    Democratic N.C Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced the lawsuit in a press conference in Raleigh on Tuesday.

    “It’s unlawful, and we’re going to do everything we can to fight it,” Jackson said of funds not being released. 

    There are 1.4 million North Carolina residents rely on the program to put food on the table, but the Trump Administration said the program will run out of money Saturday unless the federal shutdown ends.

    The program still has reserve funds, but Republicans say that money is not legally available because it is reserved for emergencies, like disasters.

    On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson added there “has to be a preexisting appropriation for the contingency funding to be used, and Democrats blocked that contingency.”

    But Democrats say the Trump Administration should use the roughly $6 billion that are in the contingency funds for SNAP.

    “The department is choosing not to use the emergency money that they’ve been given. I believe the reason they’re doing that is to play shutdown politics. They are looking to ratchet up the pain in a already painful moment. This is wrong and it’s against the law,” Jackson said.

    Responding to the lawsuit, Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on CNN, “I find it very rich that they are suing the Trump Administration because their friends on the Hill won’t vote yes to keep the government.”

    On Monday, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein posted on X: “The administration’s refusal to use these available funds as temperatures cool and the Thanksgiving holiday approaches is a cruel abdication of the responsibility to support families and communities.”

    Last week Jackson signed onto a letter with other state attorneys general asking why reserve funding can’t be used and they laid out a series of questions asking for the agency to respond by Monday.

    “We are asking the court to act with emergency speed to meet this emergency. i think there is a very good chance that we get a favorable ruling that puts this on hold relatively soon. I hope that it happens before November 1, there is some chance of this theoretically, but we are asking the court to act as quickly as possible given the circumstances,” he said.

     

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    Reuben Jones

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  • WATCH: Hurricane Hunters fly into Category 5 Hurricane Melissa

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    Hurricane Melissa is a powerful Category 5 hurricane in the Caribbean Sea set to make landfall in Jamaica Tuesday morning.

    A U.S. Air Force Reserve crew from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the “Hurricane Hunters,” flew through Hurricane Melissa on Oct. 27, 2025, collecting valuable data to help improve the forecast, and took video from inside the eye.

    Watch the Hurricane Hunters video of Hurricane Melissa’s “stadium effect” inside the eye as it was a Category 5 hurricane on Monday, Oct. 27.


    Before making landfall on Tuesday, Oct. 28, the turbulence was so strong inside Hurricane Melissa that the Hurricane Hunters had to abandon the mission and return to its operating location.

    You can check the latest updates on Hurricane Melissa here.

    More Storm Season Resources


    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Reid Lybarger

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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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  • Salibury chief says bystander likely saved officer’s life during assault

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    A bystander likely saved an officer’s life during a knife-wielding assault at a Cookout Sunday evening, the Salisbury Police Department said.

    What You Need To Know

    • Salisbury Police Chief Patrick Smith is praising a bystander’s courageous actions that he says likely saved an officer’s life during an assault Sunday evening

    • The officer and bystander were injured by a knife-wielding suspect at a Cookout on East Innes Street, police said

    • The suspect faces multiple charges


    Officers responded to the restaurant on East Innes Street around 8:15 p.m. for a disturbance call.

    When officers arrived, police said they found the suspect, identified as Jamie Hunt, 44, armed with a knife.

    “A struggle ensued,” according to a release. That’s when Hunt began swinging the knife, injuring one officer.

    “During the altercation, a bystander intervened to assist the officers and sustained several lacerations to his left hand while preventing the officer from suffering further stab wounds,” the department said. “His actions likely saved the officer’s life.”

    An officer used a Taser to subdue Hunt, who was then taken into custody.

    Everyone involved was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The officer and bystander were treated and released.

    The suspect is in custody but is expected to remain at the hospital for several days, police said.

    Once released, Hunt faces several charges that include two felony counts of assault on a government official with a dangerous weapon, one felony count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of resisting, obstructing and delaying a public officer.

    “I am thankful for the citizen who stepped in to help. His act of bravery likely saved an officer’s life,” Salisbury Police Chief Patrick Smith said in a release. “We are relieved that both our officer and this Good Samaritan are recovering.”

    The investigation is ongoing.

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    Justin Pryor

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  • LIVE CAMERAS: Watch Category 5 Hurricane Melissa move into Jamaica

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    It will make landfall Tuesday.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Second victim dies after Thursday’s Charlotte home invasion, kidnapping

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    A second person has died, police say, after a home invasion and kidnapping Thursday afternoon in north Charlotte.

    Both victims’ identities were made public over the weekend.

    What You Need To Know

    • Two people were found shot at the intersection of Hoskins Road and Black Avenue around 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23

    • One victim, Justin Carlton, died shortly after being taken to the hospital. Police said the second victim, Shabazz Grant, died Sunday

    • The suspect in the shooting and a connected kidnapping, according to CMPD, died in a shootout with police

    Justin Carlton, 38, and Shabazz Grant, 34, were found shot around 4 p.m. at the intersection of Hoskins Road and Black Avenue on Oct. 23, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

    Both victims were taken to the hospital, but Carlton died from injuries a short time later.

    Grant died from his injuries on Sunday, police said in a release.

    The shooting, according to police, was connected to a kidnapping reported in the same area.

    Officials said Joseph Andrade, 28, the suspect in the shooting, forced his way into a home, kidnapped a woman and drove away with her.

    Police began chasing Andrade’s vehicle after seeing him driving with the woman in the passenger seat. During the chase, police said Andrade started shooting at police before crashing at the intersection of Freedom and Morehead.

    Andrade then jumped out of the car, police said, and started a foot chase with officers.

    “He approached additional officers on Morehead Street where he pointed a firearm at at least one of the officers and the officers then returned fire,” CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said in a video statement posted to X Thursday evening.

    Andrade died at the scene, and police said a gun was recovered.

    None of the officers were injured, Jennings said. The woman was also found uninjured near the area of the crash.

    The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting, which is standard practice in a police shooting.

    CMPD will handle the investigation of the assault with a deadly weapon, the homicide and the kidnapping, Jennings said.

    “We’re still piecing a lot of different things together, so I can’t really say what the motive was for the home invasion, what the motive was for the shooting in the homicide and the assault with a deadly weapon at this point,” Jennings said Thursday evening. “So we’re going to try to work through that and piece it together,”

    “Lives were lost, but we have a lot of lives that were saved because of officers’ response time,” he said. 

     

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    Jordan Kudisch, Charles Duncan, Justin Pryor

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  • Colorado snow lovers, rejoice: A-Basin opens for the season Sunday

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    The long wait is over.

    Arapahoe Basin ski area will open for the season on Sunday, marking the first of Colorado’s resorts to get — and make — enough snow for skiers and snowboarders to hit the slopes.

    A-Basin will open the Black Mountain Express lift to High Noon at 8:30 a.m., officials announced Saturday.

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    Katie Langford

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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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  • Josh Allen looks to snap Bills’ 2-game skid vs. Panthers

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Josh Allen will put his 7-0 record following a bye week on the line Sunday when the Buffalo Bills visit the surging Carolina Panthers.

    What You Need To Know

    • Josh Allen aims to maintain his perfect post-bye record when the Buffalo Bills face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday

    • The Bills started strong this season but stumbled with two consecutive losses before their week off

    • The Panthers have turned their season around with three straight wins

    • Andy Dalton might start for Carolina because Bryce Young is dealing with a sprained ankle



    Allen and the Bills appeared in prime position to gain a stranglehold on the No. 1 seed in the AFC — and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs — after racing to a 4-0 start, including a come-from-behind win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.

    But the Bills have suddenly looked average, losing back-to-back games to the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons before the bye.

    Allen said it was difficult to go into the week off on a sour note, but added it has given the Bills time to hit the reset button.

    “Listen, we got a lot of work to do,” Allen said. “But this is a team that has a lot of guys that want to do that work, that care for each other. And we’re just excited for another opportunity this week.”

    The Panthers (4-3) looked as if they might be headed toward an eighth straight season without a trip to the postseason after starting the season 1-3. But they’ve found a running game and have reeled off three straight wins. It’s the first time they have been above .500 this late in the season since starting 5-3 in 2019.

    They are just one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South with two games still to play against Baker Mayfield and company.

    The Panthers appear focused, even avoiding the traditional time-off rewards that come with “victory Mondays.”

    “I love that our leadership is focused that way,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “They certainly understand that we haven’t seen our best football. … We’ve seen glimpses of it. We’ve seen excellent play in areas, but there’s so much more out there for us, and we should just continue to be trying to improve our processes all the way through the end of the season.”

    Dalton ready

    Andy Dalton will make his seventh start in three seasons with the Panthers. Bryce Young is hobbled by an ankle sprain after leaving in the second half last week against the New York Jets.

    Dalton is 1-5 as a starter for Carolina, but has plenty of experience.

    He has thrown for more than 39,000 yards and 254 touchdowns — most of that production coming during his nine seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.

    “If Andy does have to play, have full confidence being able to just call the game the same way I would normally call it and have the balance and be attacking and aggressive in our spots,” Canales said. “So he gives us an opportunity to keep pushing our football forward, which I love.”

    Bills reinforcements

    The Bills are in position to have two offseason free-agent additions make their defensive debuts on Sunday. Edge rusher Michael Hoecht and tackle Larry Ogunjobi both resumed practicing this week after serving their respective six-game NFL suspensions for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancers.

    Just don’t consider it the calvary arriving, said Ogunjobi, who’s entering his ninth season.

    “I think it’s just me and Mike coming back, being able to just help how we can,” said Ogunjobi, who spent the previous three years with Pittsburgh. “You want to rally, you want to get this thing going in the right direction.”

    More pony package?

    The Panthers have found something with their running game over the last three weeks and will look to take advantage of a Buffalo defense that is ranked 31st in the NFL against the rush, allowing an average of 156.3 yards per game.

    Carolina is third in the league in rushing, averaging 140.1 yards per game.

    Canales said the Panthers will continue to employ a two-back system with Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle. Last week, with Hubbard returning from a calf injury, the Panthers alternated possessions with the two backs.

    The Panthers have even flirted with the idea of using the “pony package” with both Hubbard and Dowdle on the field at the same time.

    “Anytime you get both those backs on the field, it’s a great threat to the defense just as it is with our other personnel,” offensive coordinator Brad Idzik said.

    Shaq is back

    Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson is in for a homecoming after spending his first 11 seasons with Carolina. He signed with Buffalo and reunited with coach Sean McDermott, who previously served as the Panthers’ defensive coordinator.

    “A winner. He’s here for a reason,” McDermott said, referring to the 2015 first-round draft pick. “You could tell right away the impact he made in our locker room, on our team. … And part of it is that they can learn from watching a player like that, how he handles himself on the field and off the field.”

    Signed as a backup, Thompson could have an increased role with starters Matt Milano (pectoral) and Terrel Bernard (ankle) both listed as questionable. The Bills have ruled out defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (calf) and safety Taylor Rapp (knee), who was placed on injured reserve.

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    Associated Press

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  • Suspected kidnapper killed in shootout with Charlotte police, officials say

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    A suspect in a home invasion and kidnapping is dead after a chase and shootout with police, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. 

    Shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday, officials said police officers went to a shots fired call in north Charlotte at the intersection of Hoskins Road and Black Avenue and found two people shot. Both were taken to the hospital and one died, police said. 

    Officials said the shooting suspect forced his way into a home, kidnapped a resident and made them drive him from the scene. Police found the car and started chasing the suspect, officials said. The suspect started shooting at police during the chase, police said. 

    “After a short pursuit, the suspect exited the vehicle and continued to shoot in the direction of CMPD officers,” according to police. Officers shot back and hit the suspect, who died at the scene.

    “Multiple CMPD vehicles were shot into during this incident,” police said in a news release. “Neither the kidnapped victim nor any officers were injured during this incident.”

    Police said they found a gun at the scene. The State Bureau of Investigations is investigating the shooting, which is standard practice in a police shooting.

    “We’re still piecing a lot of different things together, so I can’t really say what the motive was for the home invasion? What the motive was for the shooting in the homicide and the assault with a deadly weapon at this point. So we’re going to try to work through that and piece it together,” CMPD Chief Johnning Jennings said in a news conference Thursday evening. 

    “Lives were lost, but we have a lot of lives that were saved because of officers’ response time,” he said. 

     

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    Jordan Kudisch, Charles Duncan

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  • Tropical Storm Melissa forms in the Caribbean Sea

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    Tropical Storm Melissa has formed in the Caribbean Sea. It’s the 13th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tropical Storm Melissa has formed in the Caribbean Sea
    • It could become a hurricane
    • It will bring heavy rainfall and gusty winds to parts of the Caribbean

    Melissa has maximum winds of 50 mph and is moving westward at 14 mph. It’s slowing down over warm water and a favorable environment in the Caribbean Sea, and it should strengthen more in the next couple days as it stalls, or moves extremely slowly, in the central Caribbean Sea.

    Regardless of intensity, it’s going to bring heavy rainfall, gusty winds and rough surf over portions of Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba and other parts of the western Caribbean this week and weekend.

    The cone of uncertainty displays where the center of a storm could be located. It does not predict what areas may feel the storm’s impact. Anyone outside, but near the cone, should be on alert and make storm preparations. Read more about what the cone will display.

    A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:

    • The southern coast and Tiburon peninsula of Haiti

    A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:


    Most models show Melissa meandering in the Caribbean Sea throughout the weekend, and eventually turning northeast toward the western Atlantic. It’s unlikely that it directly impacts the U.S. thanks to some strong cold fronts pushing into the Southeast.

    More Storm Season Resources

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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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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  • Performing arts teacher donates kidney to assistant principal

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    FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. — A Wake County assistant principal now has a new kidney, all thanks to one of the teachers at his school.

    What You Need To Know

    • Assistant Principal Ernest Devane has suffered from kidney disease for a couple of years and was in need of a kidney transplant

    • Kristin Lundberg, a teacher at the same school, matched with Devane and was able to be a donor

    • The surgery was a success, and both are now recovering


    Ernest Devane, the assistant principal at Fuquay-Varina Middle School, received a kidney last month from Kristin Lundberg, the school’s performing arts teacher.

    Devane has suffered from kidney disease for the last couple of years and was looking for a donor.

    Lundberg decided to test to see if she was a match and, luckily, she was. 

    “I was blessed to have a person with a kidney match, my kidney, a direct match, right down the hall from me,” Devane said. 

    “It’s all just kind of meant to be,” said Lundberg, who also shares a birthday with Devane. 

    The successful surgery took place at the end of September. They are both recovering well. 

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    Amy Elliott

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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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  • 4 killed in 24 hours: Charlotte-Mecklenburg police investigating

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    Four people were killed in separate homicides across Charlotte over the weekend, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said.

    The killings all took place within 24 hours Saturday into Sunday.

    What You Need To Know

    • CMPD is investigating four separate homicides that took place within 24 hours over the weekend

    • The incidents happened on Wembley Drive, North Graham Street, Park Fairfax Drive and Wilkinson Boulevard

    • Out of the four incidents, police have identified two of the victims

    • One suspect has been charged in connection to one of the killings, police said


    The first incident happened at about 2 a.m. Saturday in the 1300 block of Wembley Drive. Police said the victim, identified as 50-year-old Ernesto Toledo, was found dead from “some sort of blunt force trauma” that happened during an altercation.

    No additional details were released.

    Around 4:45 p.m. Saturday, a man was found with multiple gunshot wounds, police said, in the 5600 block of North Graham Street. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

    His name has not yet been released.

    About 15 minutes later, CMPD responded to a man being shot and killed in the 100 block of Park Fairfax Drive. He has not yet been identified.

    On Sunday, police then responded to a shots fired call in a parking lot of Coyote Joe’s on the 4600 block of Wilkinson Boulevard around 1:25 a.m. Officers said they found a man, later identified as 41-year-old Jason Neal, dead from gunshot wounds when they arrived.

    Of the four killings, detectives have only arrested one suspect.

    Andre Walker, 44, has been arrested in connection to the Sunday killing of Neal. Walker has been charged with murder, police said.

    Police have not released any information on possible suspects in the other three cases. Anyone with information on any of these incidents is asked to call 704-432-8477 (TIPS) to speak with a Homicide Unit detective or Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

    The outbreak of violence comes as many residents are voicing concerns about safety across the city.

    After the August killing of Iryna Zarutska on a city light rail, groups and families of victims killed by violence have called upon city and state leaders to address court systems they say have failed to protect the public and keep defendants in jail while awaiting trials, as well as staffing shortages within local police departments.

     

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    Justin Pryor

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  • N.C. State Fair Photo Gallery: Your pictures shared

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    The 2025 N.C. State Fair season shown through your photo submissions.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Mecklenburg sheriff and ICE meet to air frustrations and address new law

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden met face to face Friday to discuss tensions over a new state law that requires sheriff’s offices to hold detainees for an additional 48 hours to allow ICE to take custody.

    What You Need To Know

    • For the first time, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden met to address tensions

    • The hourlong meeting also discussed a new state law that requires sheriff’s offices to hold detainees for an additional 48 hours to allow ICE to take custody

    • Both agencies say the meeting was productive

    • The sheriff said there are no plans for another meeting with ICE


    In February, Spectrum News 1 reported that McFadden had released a detainee without ICE’s knowledge, one in a string of disputed incidents that have fueled conflict between local and federal authorities.

    McFadden and ICE officials say Friday’s meeting has helped clarify procedures.

    From McFadden’s perspective, the conversation was productive.

    In a statement, ICE agreed.

    “ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations met with Sheriff McFadden and his staff today and engaged in a very productive meeting. We greatly value the opportunity to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to achieve our shared goals of safety and security of our communities and our officers,” the agency said.

    During the hourlong meeting, McFadden presented ICE with a letter outlining plans for pickup, direct contacts and expectations for arrests — issues both sides say they’ve struggled to coordinate in the past.

    The meeting was the result of a letter sent on behalf of the sheriff Oct. 1, asking ICE for clearer collaboration under the new state law, the Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act, which requires sheriffs to hold detainees for an extra 48 hours beyond their scheduled release so ICE can take them into custody.

    In recent months, McFadden has said ICE failed to respond to pickup requests, forcing his office to release detainees. ICE, however, has accused McFadden’s office of refusing to cooperate with detainer requests.

    The two agencies agreed on points of contact for coordinating courthouse arrests and pickups.

    “So we gave them a safe process and procedures,” McFadden said. “If they have to operate inside the courthouse or on the courthouse grounds, because they do have that jurisdiction to do that. We just want them to do it in a safe manner for both them and the general public.”

    McFadden said both sides needed to “air out frustrations” and work toward a more transparent system.

    “We have the facility that they will have to come to,” he said. “We have the facility they have to remove these people from. So we want to make that safe and secure and also without problems. And so today in having that discussion, hopefully they understand us and we understand their needs.”

    The sheriff said there are no plans at this time for another meeting with ICE.

    National pressure, local tension

    The meeting comes amid growing pressure from the Trump administration to expand deportation operations and enlist local law enforcement agencies as partners. ICE has recently proposed loosening detention standards so more county jails can hold immigrants awaiting removal.

    At the same time, Congress approved a funding package that includes billions for ICE to expand detention capacity and deportation efforts.

    Across the country, sheriffs have become central players in the debate over cooperation with ICE. While immigration detainers are nonbinding requests under federal law, North Carolina’s new legislation now mandates local compliance for up to 48 hours. Supporters say the law prevents the release of potentially dangerous individuals, while critics say it blurs the line between local policing and federal enforcement.

    In Mecklenburg County, McFadden has accused ICE of ignoring communication attempts and failing to pick up detainees, while ICE maintains that his office continues to disregard lawful detainer requests. The sheriff has argued that only detainers supported by a judge’s order are legally valid.

    As state, local and federal agencies continue to navigate overlapping authority, Mecklenburg County remains at the center of the debate over immigration enforcement in North Carolina.

     

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    Jordan Kudisch

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  • Carolina Hurricanes stay unbeaten, beating the Ducks 4-1

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    ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Seth Jarvis scored his 100th and 101st NHL goals and added an assist, and the Carolina Hurricanes remained the NHL’s only unbeaten team with a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night.

    Alexander Nikishin scored his first NHL goal and Shayne Gostisbehere matched his career high with three assists for the Hurricanes, who improved to 4-0-0 with their second win to start a six-game trip.

    Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen made 23 saves against his former team for Carolina. Jarvis scored the Canes’ first two goals, giving him five in four games during his sizzling start.

    The Hurricanes reached the Eastern Conference finals last summer, and they appear loaded for another memorable season after outscoring their opponents 19-8 so far. Jarvis, Nikishin, Gostisbehere, Aho and Jackson Blake have all scored in each of Carolina’s first four games.

    Leo Carlsson scored and Lukas Dostal stopped 27 shots for the Ducks in their first home defeat under new coach Joel Quenneville.

    Carolina went ahead late in the first when Jarvis scored on a rebound after Gostisbehere intercepted Mikael Granlund’s poor pass. Jarvis added a power-play goal in the second, but Carlsson scored for Anaheim 70 seconds later.

    Nikishin scored in the slot early in the third period. The promising 24-year-old Russian defenseman joined Carolina for four playoff games last summer, and he spent the summer learning English with a tutor before making the Canes’ opening-night lineup and racking up three assists in his first three regular-season games.

    Aho scored his first goal of the season with 4:12 to play.

    Up next

    Hurricanes: At Kings on Saturday.

    Ducks: At Blackhawks on Sunday to open a five-game trip.

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    Associated Press

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  • Hundreds of N.C. National Guard members go without pay during federal shutdown

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    More than 800 members of the North Carolina National Guard did not get their regular paychecks this week because of the federal government shutdown, according to Gov. Josh Stein.  

    What You Need To Know

    •  The federal government shutdown began Oct. 1 after Congress did not pass a new budget

    •  Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed or are working without pay

    •  In North Carolina, more than 800 members of the National Guard did not get their paychecks this week

    •  In previous shutdowns, federal workers have received back pay after Congress passed a new federal budget


    The federal shutdown began on Oct. 1 after Republicans and Democrats in Congress could not agree on a new federal budget. Each party blames the other and demands their own changes to the proposed federal budget. The main sticking point for Democrats in the Republican-majority U.S. House is funding for health care subsidies and Medicare.

    But while members of Congress argue over the budget, hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed or are working without pay, according to the Associated Press. 

    “North Carolina National Guard members are essential to keeping our state and our country safe. Today 841 NC National Guardsmen did not receive their scheduled paychecks and must continue work without pay through the federal government shutdown,” the North Carolina governor said. “That’s unacceptable.” 

    “We need our federal government to support our National Guard, protect our health care, and make sure families can put food on the table,” Stein said on X.

    In previous federal shutdowns, workers received back pay after Congress passed a new budget. 


     

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    Charles Duncan

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