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Tag: north carolina

  • Tuition for in-state undergraduates is going up across UNC system. What to know

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    The University of North Carolina Board of Governors voted to increase the cost of tuition for in-state undergraduate students. This is the first tuition hike for the UNC system in nine years.

    What You Need To Know

    •  The University of North Carolina Board of Governors voted Thursday morning to increase the cost of tuition for in-state undergraduate students

    •  Tuition costs will be raised 3%, with an average increase of $125 per student starting with the 2026-27 school year

    •  The increase will not apply to current students, only new students


    The board voted in favor of the 3% increase Thursday morning. Officials say the hike amounts to about $125 per student, but is more or less depending on the university.

    The average cost of tuition systemwide will increase from $4,684 to $4,809 in 2026-27, according to a release, and will only apply to new students. Current students will not see a change in their tuition cost.

    “Low tuition is at the heart of our compact with the people of North Carolina,” said UNC System President Peter Hans. “We’re focused on reducing administrative costs, keeping student debt down, and making sure every UNC degree delivers value for our graduates.”

    Officials say the increase is in response to rising operating costs and inflationary pressures.

    “For so much of the UNC System’s history, the debate was not about if tuition would go up, but about how much it would go up,” said UNC Board of Governors Chair Wendy Murphy. “This Board, working with our president and our chancellors, changed that expectation. We created a new affordability baseline for North Carolinians, one that prioritizes families and their needs.”

    In addition to the tuition hike, the board also approved an increase in mandatory student fees. “Fees during the 2026-27 academic year will increase by an average of 1%,” a release said.

    The hikes only apply to the 12 universities across the UNC system that are not designated NC Promise schools. Officials say in-state undergraduate tuition at NC Promise schools will stay at $500 per semester.

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

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    Justin Pryor

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  • Red flags for teen dating violence: UNCG student shares her story

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    GREENSBORO, N.C. — Teen dating violence often begins with behaviors that may seem small at first — jealousy, pressure or attempts to control a partner. However, experts say those warning signs can quickly escalate into emotional, physical or sexual abuse. 

        What You Need To Know

    • Teen dating violence often begins with behaviors that may seem small at first — jealousy, pressure or attempts to control a partner — but experts say those warning signs can quickly escalate into emotional, physical or sexual abuse

    • For University of North Carolina at Greensboro senior Elizabeth Dorton, those red flags appeared when she was just 15

    • The FBI found 73% of abusive teen relationships involved a boyfriend and girlfriend
    • Simple assault was the most commonly reported offense among victims 15 and older, while rape was most frequently reported among victims 14  and younger
    • If you or someone you know is in an unhealthy or unsafe relationship, help is available through local crisis centers and the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)


    For University of North Carolina at Greensboro senior Elizabeth Dorton, those red flags appeared when she was just 15.

    Sitting on a bench on campus, Dorton shared a story she has rarely spoken about publicly. What started as a friendship with a fellow robotics teammate during high school soon turned into something more.

    “I was on a robotics team, it was somebody who was also on the team,” Dorton said. “Our friendship started there, and then it turned into more than just a regular friendship.”

    She said jealousy and isolation quickly followed.

    Dorton recalled repeated threats tied to something as simple as wanting a septum piercing.

    “He consistently told me if I had ever gotten that specific piercing, he would take, like the nine volt battery and hold it up, which closes the circuit and then it’s like an electrical current runs through it,” Dorton said.

    She said the threats eventually escalated into sexual violence, leaving her feeling trapped and alone.

    “Even though because I was never hit, that doesn’t mean that I deserved any of that … and it wasn’t my fault that that happened,” Dorton said.

    According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, nationwide data from 2020 through 2024 shows more than three-quarters of victims in violent teen relationships were female, accounting for 79.2% of reported cases.

    The report also found 73% of abusive teen relationships involved a boyfriend and girlfriend. Simple assault was the most commonly reported offense among victims 15 and older, while rape was most frequently reported among victims 14 and younger.

    Sydney Wray, a trauma therapist with House of Sparrow Counseling, said sexual coercion, emotional manipulation and digital monitoring are among the most common forms of abuse she sees in teens.

    “Studies have shown that an abusive relationship, both in teens and adults, the victim’s brain mimics a drug addiction, so in a lot of ways they’re addicted to their abuser,” Wray said.

    She said parents play a critical role in prevention by creating safe spaces for teens to speak openly about their struggles.

    “Make sure that you just provide them non-judgmental support and show them what healthy love looks like,” Wray said.

    Dorton said therapy helped her understand the relationship was unhealthy. She said she didn’t tell her parents about the abuse until two years after it ended.

    “I was scared that they would be upset with me or that I would get in trouble for some reason,” Dorton said.

    By sharing her experience, Dorton hopes other teens recognize the warning signs sooner and know they have options.

    “Once you recognize, maybe this is not what I want or this is not like how we used to be, that’s the first step. The next step is knowing that you can leave, you can go,” Dorton said.

    Mental health professionals say parents should watch for warning signs including teens constantly checking their phones, withdrawing from friends or family, or appearing fearful of upsetting a partner.

    “One of the biggest warning signs that your teen is in an abusive relationship or an unhealthy relationship is the constantly checking their phone or worrying about their partner and saying, I don’t want to do this or I can’t do that. Not wanting to see friends, not wanting to see family, isolating themselves, staying in their room,” Wray said.

    If you or someone you know is in an unhealthy or unsafe relationship, help is available through local crisis centers and the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). 

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

     

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    Ashley Van Havere

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  • Planets on parade: Rare 6 planets line up in the sky

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    Coming up on the last evening of February, Mother Nature will treat us to another astronomical phenomenon known as “planets on parade.” 

    What You Need To Know

    • Six planets will align on the evening of Feb. 28

    • Planets lining up happens a couples times per year

    • Two of the six planets can only be seen through binoculars or a small telescope


    It’s nicknamed as such because several planets appear to form a fairly straight line in the early evening sky. However, Spectrum News Space Expert Anthony Leone says it’s all about perspective. “In reality (and out in space), they are not lined up. It only appears that way to us.”

    This ‘parade’ is unique because six planets (Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) will align. He recommends looking west to southwest 30 to 60 minutes after sunset and finding a location with minimal light pollution for optimal viewing. The earlier the better, as Mercury will dip below the horizon not long after sunset. Jupiter will appear as a bright star to the east of the waxing gibbous moon.

    And make sure you bring binoculars or a telescope. “With the naked eye, you can see planets Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn as stars,” Leone says. “The more distant planets like Uranus and Neptune will need binoculars or a telescope to view.”

    Adding, “Free astronomy apps like ‘Sky Guide,’ ‘Planets’ and ‘SkyPortal’ are great at helping people see when and where the planets will rise.” 

     

    How frequently does this event occur?

    “Believe it or not, planet alignments are not too rare, and they happen a couple of times each year. It just depends on how many planets will be in alignment for a parade,” explains Leone. 

    If the weather doesn’t permit you to view this February, there will be another opportunity in August. The next one will be Aug. 12 with Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune all aligning.

    Happy viewing everyone!

    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 Scott Dean

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  • Planets on parade: Rare 6 planets line up in the sky

    [ad_1]

    Coming up on the last evening of February, Mother Nature will treat us to another astronomical phenomenon known as “planets on parade.” 

    What You Need To Know

    • Six planets will align on the evening of Feb. 28

    • Planets lining up happens a couples times per year

    • Two of the six planets can only be seen through binoculars or a small telescope


    It’s nicknamed as such because several planets appear to form a fairly straight line in the early evening sky. However, Spectrum News Space Expert Anthony Leone says it’s all about perspective. “In reality (and out in space), they are not lined up. It only appears that way to us.”

    This ‘parade’ is unique because six planets (Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) will align. He recommends looking west to southwest 30 to 60 minutes after sunset and finding a location with minimal light pollution for optimal viewing. The earlier the better, as Mercury will dip below the horizon not long after sunset. Jupiter will appear as a bright star to the east of the waxing gibbous moon.

    And make sure you bring binoculars or a telescope. “With the naked eye, you can see planets Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn as stars,” Leone says. “The more distant planets like Uranus and Neptune will need binoculars or a telescope to view.”

    Adding, “Free astronomy apps like ‘Sky Guide,’ ‘Planets’ and ‘SkyPortal’ are great at helping people see when and where the planets will rise.” 

     

    How frequently does this event occur?

    “Believe it or not, planet alignments are not too rare, and they happen a couple of times each year. It just depends on how many planets will be in alignment for a parade,” explains Leone. 

    If the weather doesn’t permit you to view this February, there will be another opportunity in August. The next one will be Aug. 12 with Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune all aligning.

    Happy viewing everyone!

    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 Scott Dean

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  • Ad falsely claims Sam Page slammed Trump’s immigration plan

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    A new advertisement misleadingly accuses a Republican North Carolina legislative candidate of criticizing President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. 

    The video ad, paid for by the NC True Conservatives political action committee, is meant to sway Guilford and Rockingham county voters in North Carolina’s 26th Senate District to vote for state Sen. Phil Berger over his GOP primary challenger, Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page.

    The ad accurately points out that Trump endorsed Berger, the state’s Senate leader since 2011, partly because of Berger’s support for Trump’s immigration policies. The ad then claims Page “got busted calling Trump’s plan unrealistic.”

    Here’s a transcript of the ad:

    Trump: “Seal the border. Stop the invasion, and send Joe Biden’s illegal aliens the hell back home.”

    Narrator: “Phil Berger backs President Trump’s plan to stop illegal immigration. That’s why President Trump backs Phil Berger. And Sam Page? He got busted calling Trump’s plan unrealistic.”

    Page, in what the ad labels a “leaked video” clip: “It is unrealistic to assume that 12 to 14 million people will just leave the United States.” 

    Narrator: “Sam Page — wrong on Trump, wrong on immigration, wrong for us.”

    Page has been a Trump ally for years, and the ad doesn’t provide any context for Page’s remarks, which were made in 2012. That’s years before Trump filed to run for president the first time — and even longer before Trump had articulated his immigration enforcement plan. The ad also deceptively edited Page’s complete comments.

    Page’s full comments

    Page pointed PolitiFact to a YouTube video posted Oct. 12, 2012 showing Page speaking at a lectern. 

    In it, Page said the federal government needs to do more to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, such as hiring more Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel. “Therefore, the National Sheriffs’ Association recommends the following,” Page can be heard saying. 

    “We’re asking for additional ICE agents, Border Patrol agents,” Page said. “We’re also asking for continued increased funding for our 287(g) and ‘Secure Community’ program.”

    He continued: “On the pathway to legal employment and legal status, the National Sheriffs’ Association does, at this point and time, strongly oppose outright amnesty for those individuals currently here illegally. Amnesty does not work. However, it is unrealistic to assume that 12 to 14 million people will just leave the United States if asked. A plausible solution must be developed. And that’s what I’m saying tonight.”

    Page then encouraged people to watch a documentary on illegal immigration and to call their representatives in Congress to demand a more secure border. 

    Page said he was reading from a 2011 National Sheriffs’ Association position paper on comprehensive immigration reform. 

    The association’s position paper read: “When granted in 1986, [amnesty] did little to stop the flow of illegal individuals from coming across the border and, in fact, contributed to thousands of fraudulent applications for amnesty. History cannot repeat itself. However, it is unrealistic to assume that 12 to 20 million people will just leave the United States if asked. A plausible solution must be developed.”

    When PolitiFact presented this information to NC True Conservatives, group spokesman Lawrence Shaheen said Page’s comments reflect the candidate’s personal beliefs. Shaheen cited a segment of the video when Page says, “And that’s what I’m saying tonight” — as well as an Oct. 8, 2012, Winston-Salem Journal article that read in part:

    The goal, Page said, is to motivate people to lobby members of Congress to do something about illegal immigration. Asked what he thinks should be done, Page said he supports comprehensive immigration reform — legislation that would deal with the estimated 11 million to 14 million noncitizens in the U.S. without authorization.

    Mass deportations, Page said, would not be an effective way to deal with the issue.

    “In the U.S., you can’t just deport 14 million people. There is going to have to be some type of fix for the long term.”

    Page told PolitiFact that he didn’t recall his conversation with a Winston-Salem Journal reporter, but said he was likely attempting to relay the position of the association. After Page campaign attorneys sent a cease-and-desist letter to Shaheen, lawyers for NC True Conservatives responded to the Page campaign citing the same news article and 2012 video. The group declined to take down the ad.

    Page support for Trump

    Page told PolitiFact that his support for that plan is evident through his backing of Trump and tougher immigration policies through the years. 

    In 2015, Page testified before a Congressional committee on immigration and border security. In a prepared statement, Page expressed support for legislation that would deport undocumented minors to their home countries so long as they wouldn’t face persecution there or face the risk of trafficking. 

    Page says he co-founded “Sheriffs for Trump” in 2016, when Trump promised to deport every immigrant living in the U.S. illegally, then estimated to be 11 million people. In September 2016, Page told The New York Times: “I believe we need to remove all criminal offenders that are in this country illegally.” In January 2017, Page told WXII-TV that he supported Trump’s plan to build a wall on the southern U.S. border and crack down on illegal immigration. The next month, Page was one of several sheriffs to visit Trump at the White House and praise his agenda. 

    Page helped lead Trump’s 2020 campaign in North Carolina, and in recent years supported local legislation that would require North Carolina sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration officers. 

    Page supported Trump again in 2024, when Trump vowed to carry out the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history.” The One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by Trump last year provided hundreds of billions of dollars in new Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding to help Trump achieve his goal. Page congratulated Trump for signing the legislation, describing it on X as a “major achievement and bold step forward.”

    When Trump endorsed Berger in the race in December, the president said Page had been a longtime supporter and described him as an “outstanding” person. 

    Page also referred PolitiFact to an article by The Assembly, which described him this way: “No North Carolina law enforcement official has cheered President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration agenda as much as Rockingham County’s cowboy hat-wearing sheriff, Sam Page.” 

    Trump’s immigration plan

    The Trump administration has asked immigrants to leave on their own, calling it self-deportation. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced in January that an estimated 2.2 million people had self-deported during the first year of Trump’s second term in office. That number is under scrutiny, however, because the Trump administration hasn’t released monthly detailed deportation data.

    But the Trump administration’s aggressive enforcement plan shows it isn’t relying solely on self-deportation. 

    DHS is offering a $2,600 stipend to each immigrant who self-deports and reports it on a government app. The offer comes with a warning: Those who don’t self-deport will be “arrested, deported, and they will never be able to return to the United States.” To execute that plan, Trump’s administration is investing billions of dollars to hire immigration agents to conduct what it touts as the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history.”

    Our ruling

    A NC True Conservatives ad claims that Page “got busted calling Trump’s [immigration] plan unrealistic.”

    The group cited comments Page made about immigration in 2012, years before Trump ran for president. He was repeating a portion of the National Sheriffs’ Association’s position paper at the time, and Page says he was reading them to an audience. He was not commenting on Trump’s immigration plan at all.

    Page has been an ardent supporter of Trump’s for years — even after the president’s vows to conduct large-scale deportations. We rate the ad’s claim False. 

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  • Fugitive caught when he jumps from stolen van and slips on wet leaves, NC cops say

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    The chase began when Monroe police spotted a stolen van near the Walmart on West Roosevelt Boulevard in Monroe, police said. The pursuit eventually grew to include the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

    The chase began when Monroe police spotted a stolen van near the Walmart on West Roosevelt Boulevard in Monroe, police said. The pursuit eventually grew to include the Union County Sheriff’s Office.


    Street View image from Nov. 2022. © 2026 Google

    A multi-jurisdiction police chase came to a clumsy end when the driver tried to escape on foot and slipped in wet leaves, according to the investigators in Union County, North Carolina.

    It happened around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, and the chase began when a van reported as stolen out of Mecklenburg County was seen by Monroe police at a Walmart on West Roosevelt Boulevard, officials said in a Feb. 24 news release.

    “When officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the driver later identified as Joshua Orr fled, initiating a vehicle pursuit,” the Union County Sheriff’s Office reports.

    “During the pursuit, Orr drove erratically and showed blatant disregard for public safety. He crossed into the opposite lane of travel, drove through public vehicular areas, and failed to obey posted speed limits. … Due to the severity of Orr’s driving behavior and the immediate threat to the public, deputies determined the vehicle needed to be stopped as quickly as possible.”

    Spiked sticks were tossed into the path of the van, resulting in the tires being deflated. However, Orr drove on, resulting in one front tire flying off as the van neared Central Piedmont Community College’s Levine Campus, officials said.

    “He then made a wrong turn onto CPCC Lane, a dead-end roadway. Orr drove through a gate on school property, causing damage to his vehicle and patrol vehicles involved in the pursuit. He eventually brought the vehicle to a stop,” the sheriff’s office said.

    “Orr attempted to flee on foot … but his escape plan was foiled by a wet pile of leaves. He slipped, fell, and was taken into custody without further incident.”

    An investigation revealed 46-year-old Orr lives in Concord and is “wanted as a fugitive from South Carolina and has an outstanding probation violation warrant in North Carolina,” Monroe police said.

    He has been charged with:

    • Felony fleeing to elude law enforcement
    • Felony fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle
    • Speeding
    • Two counts of injury to personal property
    • Reckless driving
    • Wrong-way driving on a dual lane highway
    • Failure to stop at a red light
    • Unsafe passing

    Court documents report the chase reached speeds that were more than double the speed limit in Monroe and unincorporated areas of Union County.

    Monroe is about a 30-mile drive southeast from uptown Charlotte.

    Mark Price

    The Charlotte Observer

    Mark Price is a National Reporter for McClatchy News. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology.

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    Mark Price

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  • Crowded Republican field lines up to take on Democrat Don Davis

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    It’s a small group at the Nashville Exchange in Nash County on a Monday night, a little more than two weeks before the North Carolina primary election. But each person here is a dedicated Republican and an almost certain voter.

    What You Need To Know

    • Five Republicans are running in North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District primary

    • The district was recently redrawn to benefit the Republican Party

    • The winner of the Republican primary will challenge Democratic Rep. Don Davis


    They are hearing from two of the Republicans running in the state’s 1st Congressional District. It’s a race with national attention because the party thinks it can flip the seat red for the first time in more than 140 years.

    Issues in this district include farming, where tobacco is very prevalent, health care, there’s been a number of hospital closures, and poverty. While there’s been a decline in the poverty rate, eastern North Carolina has some of the highest rates in the state.

    There’s a flood of Republicans running in the primary, which is March 3. The number of candidates makes it hard to predict who could win.

    President Donald Trump, an influential voice in Republican primaries, has not endorsed a candidate.

    “He’s really proven over and over to be a kingmaker in Republican politics,” said East Carolina University political science professor Peter Francia. “If he had decided to endorse one of the candidates, then I think we would be able to say with a lot of confidence that that candidate had a really good chance of winning.”

    Related: A closer look at N.C.’s only toss-up congressional House race

    Of the five Republicans running, the candidate who’s probably received the most attention is Laurie Buckhout.

    Democratic Rep. Don Davis is seeking reelection in the 1st Congressional District. (AP File Photo/David Yeazell)

    She ran for the seat in 2024, losing to Democratic Rep. Don Davis by two points. Despite the loss she has name recognition. She’s a retired Army colonel who recently served as acting assistant secretary of war for cyber policy in the Trump administration.

    Asa Buck is the longtime sheriff of Carteret County and is well-known in parts of the district.

    State Sen. Bobby Hanig represents some of this U.S. House district in the General Assembly and runs a pool cleaning and maintenance business in Currituck.

    Eric Rouse is a construction business owner who lives in Kinston and is a Lenoir County commissioner.

    And Ashley-Nicole Russell is a family law attorney with offices throughout the state.

    “The high number of candidates means there’s always the potential that a candidate doesn’t reach 30%, and in that case we have a runoff,” Francia told Spectrum News 1. “But my suspicion is that there will be a candidate who exceeds 30%.”

    Spectrum News 1 spoke with a number of voters at a poll site in Nash County.

    “I’ve met Laurie a couple of different times and I feel like her service to our country and I know that she has worked for Trump and I believe she is dedicated and loyal,” said JoAnn Everette, who said she voted for Buckhout.

    “Reducing it down to the top two would have been Laurie Buckhout and Asa Buck. I consider both of them to be near equals in different categories,” said Jerry Barnes. “The deciding factor for me was based on who stood the best chance in beating Don Davis and I felt that was Asa Buck.”

    The winner of the Republican primary will take on Davis, who’s vying for his third term.

    Davis is arguably one of the most moderate Democrats in the U.S. House and has a record of winning in the district.

    This November could be Davis’ toughest election because Republicans in the state legislature recently redrew the district boundaries to heavily favor their party’s candidate. It was part of the rare move of mid-decade redistricting that a number of states have taken in the country, started by Texas at Trump’s urging.

    “In this new map I think any political expert would tell you that the Republicans have a very good chance of winning the district this time around,” Francia said about the new 1st Congressional District.

    The district is wide, stretching from the Virginia border to the Democratic area of Rocky Mount and now the Republican stronghold of the Outer Banks.

    “In the 40 years that we’ve lived here we’ve been redistricted a lot of times, so it’s just a matter of OK, what’s coming up next,” said Republican voter Cynthia Carpenter.

    With so many candidates in the Republican primary, this race could be close as the GOP smells a chance to flip a blue seat to try to keep control of the U.S. House in November.

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

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    Reuben Jones

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  • FFA grows in popularity while the farming industry faces challenges nationwide

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    TRIAD, N.C. — The student organization Future Farmers of America is growing in popularity. The program has more than one million participants nationwide and is celebrating National FFA Week this week, but it comes at a time when farming is facing its share of challenges. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The N.C. Chamber estimates agriculture alone has an $111 billion dollar impact on the state’s economy

    • N.C. has fifth largest FFA membership in the country

    • USDA: number of farms nationwide was at its lowest total in a century in 2024

    • U.S. Senate report: farming has the oldest workforce in the nation, with the average age being nearly 60 years old


    “People kind of don’t realize how big agriculture is,” said Makayla VanMeter, vice president for the senior team of the Davie County High School FFA.

    Agriculture is one of the leading industries in North Carolina. The N.C. Chamber estimates agriculture has an $111 billion impact on the state’s economy. Student leadership organizations like FFA are educating the next generation about the importance of this field.

    “I feel like a lot of people aren’t educated on things that happen in agriculture and how our food is produced and how our animals are handled,” said Lillian Ragan, northwest regional and chapter officer for the Davie County High School FFA. “I think that it’s just something important for everyone to know, whether you’re going into the industry or not.”

    Nearly 90 students participate in the FFA program at Davie County High School in Mocksville. The school has a greenhouse and a barn with a variety of livestock including cows, chickens and pigs. It all helps students learn about topics like animal science, horticulture and agricultural mechanics.

    “It just shows awareness of how deep agriculture is in Davie County, and that it’s not going to go away any time soon,” VanMeter said.

    In Randolph County, the Asheboro High School Zoo School has the only FFA chapter headquartered at a zoo. It’s home to 1,700 animals and 2,800 acres of land. Students are able to work alongside zoo employees on one-of-a-kind projects and take unique courses like animal behavior, zoology and natural resources.

    “When it comes to animals, [we have a] higher diversity, instead of cows, chickens, birds,” said Alex Soto, vice president of the Asheboro Zoo School FFA Chapter. “I get to look at alligators, polar bears and discuss things about those.”

    Both programs are part of more than 370 FFA chapters in 99 counties statewide.

    North Carolina has the fifth largest FFA membership nationwide at just under 49,000 members, but the program’s popularity comes at a time when the agriculture industry is facing challenges.

    A U.S. Department of Agriculture report shows the number of farms nationwide was at its lowest total in a century in 2024 at just under two million. It also shows the amount of acres of farmland has shrunk from 900 million in 2017 to 876 million acres in 2024.

    According to a U.S. Senate Committee on Aging report, farming has the oldest workforce in the nation, with the average age being nearly 60 years old. It shows 40% of U.S. farmland is owned by farmers who are 65 years or older. Experts believe the global population will increase to more than two billion by 2050. If that happens, the report says farmers will need to increase production by 70% to meet the demand. 

    “It’s hard for students to get into the agricultural industry because of the cost associated with it,” said Jesse Ledbetter, agricultural education teacher at Davie County High School. “It’s important for us, as teachers, to show them how they can be profitable and the opportunities through different types of niche markets.”

    Organizations like FFA are helping address these issues. The program prepares high school and middle school students for more than 350 careers in agriculture.

    “It teaches you work ethic,” Ledbetter said. “It teaches you time management. It teaches you how to be efficient and resourceful. I think that the goal of our program is to help those students in any career choice.”

    FFA has more than 794,000 alumni members across the country that help support and mentor current members.

    The Davie County High School FFA chapter will host a plant sale fundraiser at the school on April 18. 

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

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    Zach Tucker

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  • Trump cites Charlotte light rail slaying, criticizes ‘pro-crime’ Democrats

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    In President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, he recognized Anna Zarutska in the audience. She is the mother of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, the Ukrainian woman killed on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

    Anna Zarutska cried as the president described the stabbing and blamed “pro-crime” Democrats for Iryna Zarutska’s 2025 death.

    “Iryna fled war-torn Ukraine to live with relatives near Charlotte, North Carolina,” the president said in his address. As an aside, he added, “And by the way, what’s going on with Charlotte?”

    “Last summer, 23-year-old Iryna was riding home on the train when a deranged monster, who had been arrested over a dozen times and was released through no cash bail, stood up and viciously slashed a knife through her neck and body,” Trump continued.

    Cameras showed Anna Zarutska openly weeping as the president talked about her daughter’s killing. 

    RELATED: 8 takeaways from Trump’s State of the Union address

    The president falsely said the accused killer, DeCarlos Brown, was an immigrant. Brown is, in fact, an American citizen.

    “She had escaped a brutal war only to be slain by a hardened criminal, set free to kill in America, came in through open borders,” Trump said. 

    The stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska, caught in a graphic video, shocked Charlotte and drew national attention to the Queen City. 

    RELATED: Iryna’s Law already impacting some defendants’ pretrial process

    Brown had a long history of mental health issues and contacts with the criminal justice system, public records show. He served five years in prison for armed robbery. He was arrested most recently for misuse of 911 in 2025, a misdemeanor, and released from jail. 

    The killing on Charlotte’s popular Lynx Blue Line light rail drove action in Raleigh, where the North Carolina General Assembly passed Iryna’s Law.

    The law gets rid of judges’ ability to release people from jail on a written promise to appear. It also gives judges more authority to deny “no cash” bonds to people who could potentially be a risk to the community. 

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

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    Charles Duncan

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  • Roy Cooper challenges Michael Whatley to sell stocks now if he believes in ban

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    File photos

    Senate candidates Michael Whatley and Roy Cooper found a policy they both agree on, but now Cooper is asking Whatley to prove he stands behind his position.

    On Monday, Whatley told The Washington Examiner that he agrees with members of Congress who believe their colleagues should sell off their individual stocks or place them in a qualified blind trust. Doing so ensures that members of Congress aren’t benefitting from their positions.

    “Public servants should never be about personal profit,” Whatley, the former chair of the Republican National Committee, told The Washington Examiner. “If you’re elected to serve, your duty is to the voters and not your portfolio.”

    Now Cooper is telling Whatley to put his money where his mouth is.

    “If Michael Whatley truly believes public service is about serving North Carolinians and not boosting his own portfolio, he should commit to selling his individual stocks today,” Cooper, the Democratic former governor of North Carolina, said in a news release first provided to McClatchy.

    In response, Jonathan Felts, a spokesman for Whatley, said Whatley will do that when elected to the U.S. Senate, and then turned attention to an unrelated 2019 story about Cooper and pipeline permits.

    Stock trading controversy

    Members of Congress have been debating the ethics of owning individual stocks since at least 2011. At the time, members were shocked to learn that they weren’t liable under insider trading laws, and several members were accused of trading based on insider knowledge.

    Since then, laws have been created to stop insider trading among lawmakers, but advocacy groups say those policies don’t go far enough.

    In December, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, filed a discharge petition, to prohibit members from owning individual stocks. That mechanism, if she collects 218 signatures, would force House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring a bill to the floor.

    So far she has 80 signatures. Only one is from North Carolina: Rep. Valerie Foushee, a Democrat from Hillsborough.

    Nine members of North Carolina’s delegation own widely held investment funds and stocks, and six have widely held investment funds such as mutual funds or large pension funds, but not individual stocks.

    Cooper and Whatley are considered the frontrunners to replace Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from Huntersville, who is choosing to retire after a public feud with President Donald Trump over Medicaid coverage in North Carolina. Trump has endorsed Whatley.

    Both are required to submit financial disclosures to the Senate Committee on Ethics, offering peeks into how they make a living.

    The exact amount that Whatley owns in stocks is hard to ascertain. He’s only required to give ranges for the stocks he owns. Most of his stock holdings are valued between $1,001 and $15,000 or between $15,001 and $50,000. At the bare minimum, he owns more than $200,000, according to his disclosure report. But if his stocks are at the top of the range, what he owns could be well over $1.5 million.

    His ethics report also includes the stocks owned by his wife and children, which raises the total much higher.

    His investments include pharmaceutical, oil and technology stocks, among other things.

    Cooper’s financial disclosures do not show any individually owned stocks, only mutual funds. He supported a ban on lawmakers owning stocks in December, but Whatley has remained quiet on the issue until now.

    “Whatley has already profited from policy decisions he championed, eroding what little trust people already have in Washington politicians,” Cooper said in the news release, which linked to an article about Whatley and his family’s stock holdings in oil companies. “I believe candidates must earn the trust of North Carolinians, which is why I didn’t own or trade any individual stocks as Governor, don’t own or trade individual stocks as a candidate, and it’s why I won’t as U.S. Senator, regardless of whether a ban is passed – Michael Whatley should commit to doing the same.”

    Early voting is now underway in the March 3 primary election.

    Danielle Battaglia

    McClatchy DC

    Danielle Battaglia is the D.C. correspondent for The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer, leading coverage of North Carolina’s congressional delegation and elections. She also covers the White House. Her career has spanned three North Carolina newsrooms where she has covered crime, courts and local, state and national politics. She has won two McClatchy President’s awards and numerous national and state awards for her work.

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    Danielle Battaglia

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  • Selma-to-Montgomery march

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    Amid one of the most difficult eras in American history, the weather in the Southeast did nothing to ease the ongoing fight for justice.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Selma to Montgomery march in Alabama occurred in 1965

    • It was an effort to register more Black voters in the South

    • Heavy rain soaked the protesters


    What was the Selma to Montgomery March?

    The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark achievement that ended segregation in public spaces and prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or sex.

    It helped strengthen the voting rights of African Americans in the South, but even so, many southern states continued to deny African Americans their right to vote.

    On Feb. 18, 1965, a peaceful protest for voting rights in Marion, Ala. turned deadly when white segregationists attacked the group. An Alabama state trooper shot an African American protester, Jimmie Lee Jackson.

    In response, Martin Luther King Jr. organized a march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. to draw greater attention to the injustices faced by the Black community and to advance their voting rights.

    Dr. Martin Luther Jr. hops over a puddle as it rains in Selma, Ala., March 1, 1965. King led hundreds of African Americans to the court house in a voter registration drive. At front is civil rights worker Andrew Young, and at right, behind King is Rev. Ralph Abernathy. (AP Photo)

    The beginning of the march

    The event began on March 1, 1965, with a voter registration drive. Pouring rain soaked the supporters and led to ponding on the roadways and sidewalks.

    Even these miserable conditions couldn’t halt the movement. Thousands of people prepared for the journey with raincoats, umbrellas, and rain boots, laying the foundation for one of the most important marches of the civil rights movement.

    On March 7, the march from Selma to Montgomery began and ultimately stretched over more than two weeks. State troopers and segregationists repeatedly tried to stop the protesters, causing several interruptions along the way.

    On March 15, President Lyndon B. Johnson voiced his support for the march, and military personnel then led the protesters the rest of the way, culminating in the march’s completion on March 25.

    A big win for racial equality

    After all of their hard work, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It guaranteed the right to vote for all African Americans in every state.

    Southern states could no longer use literacy tests to stop African Americans from voting.

    The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is one of the greatest pieces of civil rights legislation in American history. It provided another way for the voice of the Black community to be heard.

    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.

    [ad_2]

    Spectrum News Staff, Meteorologist Shelly Lindblade

    Source link

  • Selma-to-Montgomery march

    [ad_1]

    Amid one of the most difficult eras in American history, the weather in the Southeast did nothing to ease the ongoing fight for justice.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Selma to Montgomery march in Alabama occurred in 1965

    • It was an effort to register more Black voters in the South

    • Heavy rain soaked the protesters


    What was the Selma to Montgomery March?

    The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark achievement that ended segregation in public spaces and prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or sex.

    It helped strengthen the voting rights of African Americans in the South, but even so, many southern states continued to deny African Americans their right to vote.

    On Feb. 18, 1965, a peaceful protest for voting rights in Marion, Ala. turned deadly when white segregationists attacked the group. An Alabama state trooper shot an African American protester, Jimmie Lee Jackson.

    In response, Martin Luther King Jr. organized a march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. to draw greater attention to the injustices faced by the Black community and to advance their voting rights.

    Dr. Martin Luther Jr. hops over a puddle as it rains in Selma, Ala., March 1, 1965. King led hundreds of African Americans to the court house in a voter registration drive. At front is civil rights worker Andrew Young, and at right, behind King is Rev. Ralph Abernathy. (AP Photo)

    The beginning of the march

    The event began on March 1, 1965, with a voter registration drive. Pouring rain soaked the supporters and led to ponding on the roadways and sidewalks.

    Even these miserable conditions couldn’t halt the movement. Thousands of people prepared for the journey with raincoats, umbrellas, and rain boots, laying the foundation for one of the most important marches of the civil rights movement.

    On March 7, the march from Selma to Montgomery began and ultimately stretched over more than two weeks. State troopers and segregationists repeatedly tried to stop the protesters, causing several interruptions along the way.

    On March 15, President Lyndon B. Johnson voiced his support for the march, and military personnel then led the protesters the rest of the way, culminating in the march’s completion on March 25.

    A big win for racial equality

    After all of their hard work, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It guaranteed the right to vote for all African Americans in every state.

    Southern states could no longer use literacy tests to stop African Americans from voting.

    The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is one of the greatest pieces of civil rights legislation in American history. It provided another way for the voice of the Black community to be heard.

    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.

    [ad_2]

    Spectrum News Staff, Meteorologist Shelly Lindblade

    Source link

  • Selma-to-Montgomery march

    [ad_1]

    Amid one of the most difficult eras in American history, the weather in the Southeast did nothing to ease the ongoing fight for justice.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Selma to Montgomery march in Alabama occurred in 1965

    • It was an effort to register more Black voters in the South

    • Heavy rain soaked the protesters


    What was the Selma to Montgomery March?

    The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark achievement that ended segregation in public spaces and prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or sex.

    It helped strengthen the voting rights of African Americans in the South, but even so, many southern states continued to deny African Americans their right to vote.

    On Feb. 18, 1965, a peaceful protest for voting rights in Marion, Ala. turned deadly when white segregationists attacked the group. An Alabama state trooper shot an African American protester, Jimmie Lee Jackson.

    In response, Martin Luther King Jr. organized a march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. to draw greater attention to the injustices faced by the Black community and to advance their voting rights.

    Dr. Martin Luther Jr. hops over a puddle as it rains in Selma, Ala., March 1, 1965. King led hundreds of African Americans to the court house in a voter registration drive. At front is civil rights worker Andrew Young, and at right, behind King is Rev. Ralph Abernathy. (AP Photo)

    The beginning of the march

    The event began on March 1, 1965, with a voter registration drive. Pouring rain soaked the supporters and led to ponding on the roadways and sidewalks.

    Even these miserable conditions couldn’t halt the movement. Thousands of people prepared for the journey with raincoats, umbrellas, and rain boots, laying the foundation for one of the most important marches of the civil rights movement.

    On March 7, the march from Selma to Montgomery began and ultimately stretched over more than two weeks. State troopers and segregationists repeatedly tried to stop the protesters, causing several interruptions along the way.

    On March 15, President Lyndon B. Johnson voiced his support for the march, and military personnel then led the protesters the rest of the way, culminating in the march’s completion on March 25.

    A big win for racial equality

    After all of their hard work, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It guaranteed the right to vote for all African Americans in every state.

    Southern states could no longer use literacy tests to stop African Americans from voting.

    The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is one of the greatest pieces of civil rights legislation in American history. It provided another way for the voice of the Black community to be heard.

    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.

    [ad_2]

    Spectrum News Staff, Meteorologist Shelly Lindblade

    Source link

  • Selma-to-Montgomery march

    [ad_1]

    Amid one of the most difficult eras in American history, the weather in the Southeast did nothing to ease the ongoing fight for justice.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Selma to Montgomery march in Alabama occurred in 1965

    • It was an effort to register more Black voters in the South

    • Heavy rain soaked the protesters


    What was the Selma to Montgomery March?

    The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark achievement that ended segregation in public spaces and prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or sex.

    It helped strengthen the voting rights of African Americans in the South, but even so, many southern states continued to deny African Americans their right to vote.

    On Feb. 18, 1965, a peaceful protest for voting rights in Marion, Ala. turned deadly when white segregationists attacked the group. An Alabama state trooper shot an African American protester, Jimmie Lee Jackson.

    In response, Martin Luther King Jr. organized a march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. to draw greater attention to the injustices faced by the Black community and to advance their voting rights.

    Dr. Martin Luther Jr. hops over a puddle as it rains in Selma, Ala., March 1, 1965. King led hundreds of African Americans to the court house in a voter registration drive. At front is civil rights worker Andrew Young, and at right, behind King is Rev. Ralph Abernathy. (AP Photo)

    The beginning of the march

    The event began on March 1, 1965, with a voter registration drive. Pouring rain soaked the supporters and led to ponding on the roadways and sidewalks.

    Even these miserable conditions couldn’t halt the movement. Thousands of people prepared for the journey with raincoats, umbrellas, and rain boots, laying the foundation for one of the most important marches of the civil rights movement.

    On March 7, the march from Selma to Montgomery began and ultimately stretched over more than two weeks. State troopers and segregationists repeatedly tried to stop the protesters, causing several interruptions along the way.

    On March 15, President Lyndon B. Johnson voiced his support for the march, and military personnel then led the protesters the rest of the way, culminating in the march’s completion on March 25.

    A big win for racial equality

    After all of their hard work, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It guaranteed the right to vote for all African Americans in every state.

    Southern states could no longer use literacy tests to stop African Americans from voting.

    The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is one of the greatest pieces of civil rights legislation in American history. It provided another way for the voice of the Black community to be heard.

    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.

    [ad_2]

    Spectrum News Staff, Meteorologist Shelly Lindblade

    Source link

  • DNA breakthrough cracks 35-year-old murder cold case

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 35-year-old murder case in Charlotte is no longer considered cold after investigators announced an arrest made possible by advances in DNA technology that did not exist decades ago.

    In the 1990 killing of Kim Thomas Friedland, investigators had identified a suspect early on but lacked the forensic evidence to file charges. That changed with the help of new tools now available to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s crime lab.

    What You Need To Know

    • An arrest has been made in the 1990 killing of Kim Thomas Friedland 

    • Investigators used probabilistic genotyping software to analyze degraded DNA

    • CMPD says advances in forensic science allow testing of smaller DNA samples

    • The suspect, Marion Gales, faces a first-degree murder charge and is due in court March 13



    Matthew Mathis, director of the CMPD Crime Laboratory, said forensic science has evolved significantly over the past two decades.

    “There have been significant changes in forensics in the last 18 years,” Mathis said.

    Mathis has led the lab since 2008. During that time, he said improvements in DNA testing have transformed what investigators can analyze.

    “Now we have the capability of developing a DNA profile from very, very small amounts of DNA,” he said.

    That includes DNA not visible to the human eye.

    “Skin cells that are left behind when an individual touches an item for instance, or even degraded, DNA from cold cases,” Mathis said.

     

    The breakthrough in Friedland’s case came through probabilistic genotyping software, a forensic tool that uses mathematical algorithms and biological modeling to analyze complex or degraded DNA samples.

    CMPD said Marion Gales was taken into custody after DNA evidence linked him to the crime. Investigators had considered Gales a primary suspect early in the investigation, but at the time, there was not enough forensic evidence to formally charge him.

    During a news conference last week, CMPD credited the crime lab’s work in moving the case forward.

    “They do this work because they believe in the work. They do this work because they believe in bringing justice to victims, to victims’ families, no matter how long ago the incident occurred,” CMPD Deputy Chief Ryan Butler said.

    Mathis said newer tools allow scientists to revisit evidence once thought unusable.

    “We’re now able to develop profiles from evidence that we couldn’t develop profiles from 20 years ago,” Mathis said.

    That is especially important in cold cases, where evidence may be limited or degraded.

    “Sometimes cold case evidence is degraded. Sometimes there’s very small amounts, sometimes it’s been previously tested and there may not be a lot of evidence left to test. So that’s part of the entire testing process is just evaluating the evidence and determining what type of technology we can use, to get the answer that we need from that evidence,” Mathis said.

    The testing process can take time and may require multiple rounds of analysis. In some cases, even advanced technology does not yield enough DNA to find a match. But when it does, Mathis said the impact is significant.

    “Being able to provide the detectives and the court system with an answer to help them resolve a case, as this is an amazing feeling. It’s very rewarding,” he said.

    CMPD officials said rapid DNA testing can return preliminary results in as little as 90 minutes, though additional analysis is required before results are presented in court.

    Gales is facing a first-degree murder charge and is expected back in court March 13.

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

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    Jordan Kudisch

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  • Remembering the ‘Greensboro Six’

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    Dec. 7, 1955, is a day that changed the course of history in Greensboro.

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    Zach Tucker

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  • NC man with shotgun fatally shot by Secret Service at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort

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    An armed North Carolina man was shot and killed by law enforcement Sunday after driving into the secured perimeter of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, authorities say.

    The man was in his early 20s and had a gas can and shotgun with him, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said in a news briefing Sunday morning.

    Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, who often spend weekends at Mar-a-Lago, were at the White House on Sunday, Secret Service officials said.

    A Moore County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson identified the man as Austin Tucker Martin, 21, of Cameron, North Carolina.

    Martin’s family had posted a flyer on social media Saturday in an attempt to find him. He was last seen around 8 p.m. Saturday, according to the flyer.

    The Moore County Sheriff’s Office said a relative of Martin’s approached a deputy at a local business around 1:38 a.m. Sunday to report Martin missing. Martin’s name was entered into a national missing person database, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

    Federal authorities also got in touch with the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, which turned over all information about the case to the federal agencies investigating the incident, the release said. Martin did not have any prior contact with the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, it said, and the agency is not involved in the federal investigation.

    The release directed all other questions to the FBI Miami Field Office and the U.S. Secret Service.

    Federal officials have said Martin entered the Mar-a-Lago grounds through the north gate around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. He was confronted by two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy, Bradshaw said. They shot and killed Martin, he said.

    “He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with them. At which time, he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Bradshaw said at a brief press conference. The agents and the deputy “fired their weapons and neutralized the threat.”

    President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were at the White House when a man was shot and killed Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, after driving into the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Secret Service officials said.
    President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were at the White House when a man was shot and killed Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, after driving into the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Secret Service officials said. © Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

    No motive yet for Martin, an artist

    Martin was a 2023 graduate of Union Pines High School, who registered to vote as unaffiliated in 2022, state records show. He was an illustrator, specializing in landscapes and works featuring golf courses, according to his Instagram page.

    His 23-year-old sister, Caitlin Martin, was killed in a 2023 car crash. According to her obituary, he is survived by his parents and a brother.

    Brandon Huneycutt, head golf professional at the Quail Ridge Golf Course in Sanford, said he briefly met Martin several months ago, when Martin asked if he could “go onto some of the holes to try to get a vision … before he drew it.” They gave him a golf cart, so he could help himself, Huneycutt said.

    “I guess he took pictures of them, and he went home and actually hand-drew the pictures. They’re pretty good pieces,” Huneycutt said. They still have framed photos of some of the drawings at the course, he said.

    Investigators think Martin picked up the shotgun as he headed south to Florida, according to Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service.

    A box for the weapon was found in the vehicle after the incident, he said.

    The agents have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, Guglielmi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

    No law enforcement officers were injured, said Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros, with the Secret Service’s Miami field office.

    The FBI is assisting with the investigation, officials said. No motive has been announced.

    Previous Trump assassination attempts

    Trump has faced threats before, including an assassination attempt during a July 2024 campaign stop in Butler, Pennsylvania. The gunman in that attempt was shot and killed.

    In September 2024, Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, was arrested in a second attempted assassination. Routh, a North Carolina native, was found hiding with what appeared to be an AK 47-style rifle in the shrubbery outside a fence at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

    He was sentenced Feb. 4 to life in prison.

    This story was originally published February 22, 2026 at 11:49 AM.

    Related Stories from Raleigh News & Observer

    Tammy Grubb

    The News & Observer

    Tammy Grubb has written about Orange County’s politics, people and government since 2010. She is a UNC-Chapel Hill alumna and has lived and worked in the Triangle for over 30 years.

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    Tammy Grubb

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  • Secret Service: armed man shot, killed after entering perimeter of Mar-a-Lago

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    WASHINGTON (AP) — An armed man drove into the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida, before being shot and killed early Sunday morning, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service. Trump was not there but was at the White House in Washington.

    What You Need To Know

    • The U.S. Secret Service announced Sunday that an armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida

    • Although Trump often spends weekends at his resort, he and First Lady Melania Trump were at the White House during this incident

    • The man killed was identified by investigators as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin, according to a person familiar with the matter. He was reported missing a few days ago by his family

    • According to officials, he was observed by the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can and was ordered to drop the two pieces of equipment


    The man, who was in his early 20s and from North Carolina, had a gas can and a shotgun, according to Anthony Guglielmi, the spokesman. He had been reported missing by his family a few days ago, and investigators believe he headed south and picked up the shotgun along the way.

    Guglielmi said a box for the weapon was discovered in the man’s vehicle after the incident, which took place around 1:30 a.m.

    The man killed was identified by investigators as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

    Trump has faced threats to his life before, including two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign. Although the president often spends weekends at his resort, he and first lady Melania Trump were at the White House when the breach at Mar-a-Lago occurred.

    The man entered the north gate of the property as another vehicle was exiting and was confronted by two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.

    “He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him. At which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Bradshaw said at a brief press conference. The two agents and the deputy “fired their weapons to neutralize the threat.”

    The FBI asked residents who live near Mar-a-Lago to check any security cameras they may have for footage that could help investigators.

    In a post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau would be “dedicating all necessary resources” to the investigation.

    Investigators are working to compile a psychological profile, and a motive is still under investigation. Asked whether the man was known to law enforcement, Bradshaw said “not right now.”

    On Sunday afternoon, vehicles blocked the entrance to a property listed in public records as an address for Martin at the end of a private road in Cameron, North Carolina.

    Braeden Fields, Martin’s cousin, reacted with disbelief. He described Martin as quiet, afraid of guns and from a family of avid Trump supporters.

    “He’s a good kid,” Fields, 19, said. He said they grew up together. “I wouldn’t believe he would do something like this. It’s mind-blowing,” Fields said.

    He said Martin worked at a local golf course and would send money from each paycheck to charity.

    “He wouldn’t even hurt an ant. He doesn’t even know how to use a gun,” Fields said.

    He said his cousin didn’t discuss politics.

    “We are big Trump supporters, all of us. Everybody,” Fields said, but his cousin was “real quiet, never really talked about anything.”

    The incursion at Mar-a-Lago took place a few miles from Trump’s West Palm Beach club where a man tried to assassinate him while he played golf during the 2024 campaign.

    A Secret Service agent spotted that man, Ryan Routh, aiming a rifle through the shrubbery before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire and caused Routh to drop his weapon.

    Routh was found guilty last year and sentenced this month to life in prison.

    Trump also survived an assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally. That gunman fired eight shots before being killed by a Secret Service counter sniper. One rally attendee was killed by the gunman.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X that “the United States Secret Service acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a crazy person, armed with a gun and a gas canister, who intruded President Trump’s home.”

    Leavitt used her post to blame Democratic lawmakers in Congress for the partial government shutdown affecting the Homeland Security Department, which began Feb. 14 after Democrats demanded changes to the president’s deportation campaign.

    The Secret Service is among the agencies where the vast majority of employees are continuing their work but missing a paycheck.

    “Federal law enforcement are working 24/7 to keep our country safe and protect all Americans,” Leavitt said. “It’s shameful and reckless that Democrats have chosen to shut down their Department.”

    The White House referred all questions to the Secret Service and FBI. Both Trump and his wife posted statements on social media after the incident, but they were unrelated to the shooting.

    There have been other recent incidents of political violence as well.

    In the past year, there was the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk; the assassination of the Democratic leader in the Minnesota state House and her husband and the shooting of another lawmaker and his wife; and an arson attack at the official residence of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

    Five days ago, a Georgia man armed with a shotgun was arrested as he sprinted toward the west side of the U.S. Capitol.

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    Associated Press

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  • Secret Service: armed man shot, killed after entering perimeter of Mar-a-Lago

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    PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An armed man drove into the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida, as another vehicle was exiting before being shot and killed early Sunday morning, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service.

    What You Need To Know

    • The U.S. Secret Service announced Sunday that an armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida

    • Although Trump often spends weekends at his resort, he and First Lady Melania Trump were at the White House during this incident

    • The man killed was identified by investigators as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin, according to a person familiar with the matter. He was reported missing a few days ago by his family

    • According to officials, he was observed by the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can and was ordered to drop the two pieces of equipment


    The man, who was in his early 20s and from North Carolina, had a gas can and a shotgun, according to Anthony Guglielmi, the spokesman. He had been reported missing by his family a few days ago, and investigators believe he headed south and picked up the shotgun along the way.

    Guglielmi said a box for the weapon was discovered in the man’s vehicle after the incident, which took place around 1:30 a.m.

    The man killed was identified by investigators as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation.

    Trump has faced threats to his life before, including two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign. Although the president often spends weekends at his resort, he and first lady Melania Trump were at the White House when the breach at Mar-a-Lago occurred.

    After entering near the north gate of the property, the man was confronted by two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.

    “He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with them. At which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Bradshaw said at a brief press conference. The two agents and the deputy “fired their weapons to neutralize the threat.”

    The FBI asked residents who live near Mar-a-Lago to check any security cameras they may have for footage that could help investigators.

    In a post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel said that the bureau would be “dedicating all necessary resources” to the investigation.

    Investigators are working to compile a psychological profile and a motive is still under investigation. Asked whether the individual was known to law enforcement, Bradshaw said “not right now.”

    On Sunday afternoon, vehicles blocked the entrance to a property listed in public records as an address for Martin at the end of a sandy private road in Cameron, North Carolina.

    Braeden Fields, Martin’s cousin, reacted with disbelief. He described Martin as quiet, afraid of guns and from a family of avid Trump supporters.

    “He’s a good kid,” Fields, 19, said. He said they grew up together. “I wouldn’t believe he would do something like this. It’s mind-blowing,” Fields said.

    He said Martin worked at a local golf course and would send money from each paycheck to charity.

    “He wouldn’t even hurt an ant. He doesn’t even know how to use a gun,” Fields said.

    He said his cousin didn’t discuss politics.

    “We are big Trump supporters, all of us. Everybody,” Fields said, but his cousin was “real quiet, never really talked about anything.”

    The incident comes as the United States has been rocked by spasms political violence.

    The incursion at Mar-a-Lago took place a few miles from Trump’s West Palm Beach club where a man tried to assassinate him while he played golf during the 2024 campaign.

    A Secret Service agent spotted that man, Ryan Routh, aiming a rifle through the shrubbery before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire and caused Routh to drop his weapon.

    Routh was found guilty last year and sentenced this month to life in prison.

    Trump also survived an assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally. That gunman fired eight shots before being killed by a Secret Service counter sniper. One rally attendee was killed by the gunman.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X that “the United States Secret Service acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a crazy person, armed with a gun and a gas canister, who intruded President Trump’s home.”

    Leavitt used her post to blame Democratic lawmakers in Congress for the partial government shutdown affecting the Homeland Security department that began Feb. 14 after Democrats demanded changes to the president’s deportation campaign.

    The Secret Service is among the agencies where the vast majority of employees are continuing their work but missing a paycheck.

    “Federal law enforcement are working 24/7 to keep our country safe and protect all Americans,” Leavitt said. “It’s shameful and reckless that Democrats have chosen to shut down their Department.”

    The White House referred all questions to the Secret Service and FBI. Both Trump and his wife posted statements on social media after the incident, but they were unrelated to the shooting.

    There have been other recent incidents of political violence as well.

    In the last year, there was the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk; the assassination of the Democratic leader in the Minnesota state House and her husband and the shooting of another lawmaker and his wife; and an arson attack at the official residence of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

    Five days ago, a Georgia man armed with a shotgun was arrested as he sprinted towards the west side of the U.S. Capitol.

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    Associated Press

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  • Durham police use new tech to solve 2022 killing of Navy veteran

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    The suspect in a 2022 Durham murder case was sentenced to life in prison without parole, Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced Thursday in a news release, making it the first crime solved by Durham police with the help of 3D mapping. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Frederick Johnson was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the first-degree murder of Derek Sterling

    • Sterling, 42, was a Navy Veteran who was shot and killed on Aug. 30, 2022 in Durham

    • This was the first time the Durham Police Department used a FARO scan as evidence in court

    Frederick Johnson, then 52, was sentenced to life in prison by Judge Timothy Wilson for the first-degree murder of Derek Sterling, which happened on Aug. 30, 2022.  

    According to Jackson, this case was the first time the Durham Police Department used a FARO scan as evidence in court, providing a precise 3D map of the crime scene. This technology goes deeper than examining photos and videos and creates a reconstruction of the scene itself, the American Bar Association website states. 

    Wilson also sentenced Johnson to a consecutive term of 14-32 months for conspiracy to discharge a firearm within an enclosure to incite fear. 

    “This violent murderer will spend life in prison for his crimes,” Jackson said in a news release.

    “My office will always work with law enforcement to get dangerous criminals off our streets and keep our communities safe,” Jackson said. 

    On Aug. 30, 2022, officers with the Durham Police Department responded to a shooting on Hillsborough Road in the parking lot of a tobacco and vape shop.

    Upon arrival, officers found 42-year-old Derek Sterling, a U.S. Navy Veteran, suffering from gunshot wounds. Sterling was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS, according to officers with the DPD.

    The news release states that Johnson had pulled up next to Sterling in the parking lot before firing two shots and leaving. 

    According to evidence used in court, Johnson was later caught on camera at a residence, admitting to shooting someone with a handgun.  

    Johnson was arrested by the DPD and charged with the first-degree murder of Sterling on Sept. 9, 2022. 

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

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    Blair Hamilton

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