Tag Archives: NC

Deputies kill armed man inside North Carolina hospital ER, sheriff says

Deputies kill armed man inside North Carolina hospital ER, sheriff says

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (AP) — Authorities say deputies fatally shot a man inside a North Carolina hospital’s emergency room Tuesday after he pointed a gun at them. Law enforcement arrived at Sentara Albemarle Medical Center in Elizabeth City early Tuesday morning after receiving reports of an armed man pointing a gun at several emergency room staff members. Authorities say they found the man in the emergency triage room and three of the deputies fired at him after he aimed his handgun at them. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. None of the deputies were injured. Officials did not immediately release additional details about the suspect.… Continue Reading

Court directive to notify voters in close North Carolina election blocked for now

Court directive to notify voters in close North Carolina election blocked for now

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s Supreme Court has temporarily halted enforcement of a decision by an appeals court that favored a Republican candidate in a close and unresolved November election for the state’s highest court. The Supreme Court blocked Friday’s order by a Court of Appeals panel that otherwise would have essentially taken effect immediately. Monday’s stay means a directive telling election workers statewide to identify and contact potentially tens of thousands of voters whose ballots were challenged by Republican Jefferson Griffin won’t be carried out for now. Justice Allison Riggs leads by 734 votes. Her attorneys asked for the delay over the weekend.… Continue Reading

The skyrocketing cost of weight-loss drugs has state Medicaid programs looking for a solution

The skyrocketing cost of weight-loss drugs has state Medicaid programs looking for a solution

Some of the more than a dozen states that cover the high cost of GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy, Ozempic and Zepbound through Medicaid or state employee insurance programs are scrambling to lessen the budgetary squeeze from fast-rising costs. In Pennsylvania alone, Medicaid coverage of the drugs is projected to cost $1.3 billion. That’s up from practically nothing several years ago. Pennsylvania and Connecticut are looking to tighten guidelines for people who want to use GLP-1s solely for weight loss. But there remains interest in covering the drugs. An Associated Press analysis using the bill-tracking software Plural shows at least a half-dozen states have bills this year proposing Medicaid coverage.… Continue Reading

North Carolina judges side with Republican colleague in close Supreme Court race

North Carolina judges side with Republican colleague in close Supreme Court race

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina appeals court has sided with the trailing candidate in a close state Supreme Court election from November. The intermediate-level Court of Appeals ruled Friday that ballots covering three categories should be disallowed. This overturns decisions of the State Board of Elections and favors Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin. He’s 734 votes behind Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs. Griffin’s postelection protests challenged over 65,000 ballots. The decision tells election officials to give voters in two of the categories about three weeks to provide needed information so their ballots could count. But the ruling first will likely be appealed to the state Supreme Court.… Continue Reading

Rare greenhouse gas law in NC could get pulled back by GOP legislators

Rare greenhouse gas law in NC could get pulled back by GOP legislators

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina enacted a rare energy law in the South in 2021 that directed power plant emissions be sharply reduced. But now the state’s GOP-controlled legislature is seeking to repeal a key element in that law. The Senate wants to do away with the requirement to take “all reasonable steps to achieve” reducing carbon dioxide output 70% from 2005 levels by 2030. Bill sponsors say regulators have already delayed the deadline as the law allows and the change would help Duke Energy assemble less expensive power sources now. Bill critics say the interim goal is useful to meet a 2050 carbon neutrality standard that still would be in place.… Continue Reading

North Carolina Senate Republicans pick Lee as next majority leader

North Carolina Senate Republicans pick Lee as next majority leader

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The next majority leader of the North Carolina Senate is a top budget-writer who has managed to keep his Senate seat by winning close swing district races. A news release says the Senate Republican Caucus elected Sen. Michael Lee of New Hanover County as majority leader by acclamation on Tuesday. He succeeds outgoing Sen. Paul Newton, who resigned from the Senate last week for a university job. The majority leader is considered a chief lieutenant to the chamber’s No. 1 leader, GOP Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger. Lee was first appointed to the Senate in 2014, lost his seat in 2018 but won it back in 2020.… Continue Reading

First disappointment and then a celebration as video captures high school band’s big surprise

First disappointment and then a celebration as video captures high school band’s big surprise

SNOW HILL, N.C. (AP) — A small high school in eastern North Carolina is celebrating the highest ranking its band has won at a statewide musical competition. The surprise reaction of the students learning they had won a superior ranking was captured on video. It started when band director Andrew Howell solemnly stepped onto the bus and told his students what they had gone through was a learning experience. Some of the students groaned or dropped their heads. Then he pulled out a plaque awarding the band with the competition’s highest ranking. The students erupted with screams and cheers. The video of their celebration has been seen by millions after being posted on TikTok and social media sites.… Continue Reading

Sears, Alabama can’t duplicate record 3-point night, fall to Duke with Final Four at stake

Sears, Alabama can’t duplicate record 3-point night, fall to Duke with Final Four at stake

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Mark Sears was held to six points and Alabama followed an NCAA Tournament-record 25 3-pointers with only eight, dooming its shot at a second straight Final Four in an 85-65 loss to Duke in the East Region final. Sears — who finished 2 of 12 from the field and 1 for 5 on 3s — shot a clunker on Alabama’s first attempt and never got untracked. He hit 10 3s and scored 34 points on the same Prudential Center court only two nights earlier against BYU. This time, Sears made his only basket of the first half with 2:17 to go.… Continue Reading

North Carolina judge challenging outcome of race wore Confederate uniform in college photo

North Carolina judge challenging outcome of race wore Confederate uniform in college photo

WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge challenging the outcome of his North Carolina Supreme Court race was photographed wearing Confederate military garb and posing before a Confederate battle flag when he was a member of a college fraternity that glorified the pre-Civil War South. The emergence of the photographs comes at a delicate time for Jefferson Griffin. The Republican appellate judge is seeking a spot on North Carolina’s highest court. Griffin is facing mounting criticism as he seeks to invalidate over 60,000 votes cast in last November’s election. He trails the Democratic incumbent by over 700 votes. The photographs obtained by The Associated Press were taken when he was a student at the University of North Carolina in the early 2000s. Griffin said he regrets wearing the Confederate uniform.… Continue Reading

Was classified information shared? Senators overseeing military request probe into Signal leak

Was classified information shared? Senators overseeing military request probe into Signal leak

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee are requesting an investigation into how Trump national security officials used the Signal app to discuss military strikes. A federal judge also says he will order the preservation of the messages. Thursday’s action ensures some scrutiny on an episode President Donald Trump has dismissed as frivolous. Republican Sen. Roger Wicker and Democratic Sen. Jack Reed signed onto a letter to the acting inspector general at the Defense Department for an inquiry into the potential use of unclassified networks to discuss classified information. Contents of the Signal chat published by The Atlantic show Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listed weapons systems and a timeline for an attack on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.… Continue Reading

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