ELECTION 2020-REPUBLICANS

GOP candidates balance pros, cons of running with Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s return to the campaign trail this week means events with a president who draws TV cameras and raucous crowds. That’s usually gold for down-ballot candidates. But these days its value can be debatable. Trump is the GOP’s unrivaled beast, commanding the support of nearly all its voters. But Trump has wounded himself lately with his divisive law-and-order response to protests against police killings of African Americans, the untamed coronavirus pandemic and the worst economy in decades. With Trump’s poll ratings falling, Republicans are debating whether congressional candidates should embrace him or create some distance.

DEPUTIES FIRED ON-NORTH CAROLINA

Sheriff searching for 3 who fired at deputies from woods

ZEBULON, N.C. (AP) — News outlets report authorities in North Carolina are searching for three men who fired gunshots at deputies Sunday night. Wake County Sheriff’s spokesman Eric Curry said deputies were responding to reports of shots fired near Zebulon around 7:30 p.m. before the men started firing at them from inside a wooded area. Curry says the three men were armed with assault weapons and continued firing at deputies after receiving orders to stop. He says deputies were not wounded and the men fled the scene. Authorities are asking the public’s help for information on the suspects.

AP-NC-HOUSE BOAT SINKING-RESCUE

Coast Guard rescues 2 humans, 1 cat from sinking houseboat

ELIZABETH CTIY, N.C. (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard has rescued two people and one cat from a sinking houseboat in eastern North Carolina. WRAL reports that the rescue was made Saturday on the Scuppernong River near the Albemarle Sound. Officials had received a 911 call that a 50-foot houseboat was taking on water. A helicopter and boat crew were soon launched from Elizabeth City. Two people were hoisted onto the helicopter. The boat crew retrieved the cat. The houseboat’s owner is coordinating with the Coast Guard to salvage the vessel.

BLM MURAL-REPAIRED

‘Black Lives Matter’ Charlotte mural repaired after damage

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Artists in Charlotte have repaired the “Black Lives Matter” mural in the city after it was damaged by a driver who left tire marks on it. News outlets report the 16 artists who created the mural returned Sunday to repair the letters. No arrests have been made since police began investigating the vandalism discovered Friday. The mural has been a focal point for Black Lives Matter protests in the city since it was installed last Tuesday.

MOTORCYCLE PROTEST

Hundreds ride motorcycles in memory of George Floyd

GARNER, N.C. (AP) — More than 300 motorcyclists in North Carolina rode 60 miles Sunday to call for change following the police killing of George Floyd. WRAL-TV reports that the motorcyclists gathered in Garner and rode to Fayetteville in a peaceful protest to show their support for criminal justice reform. Sedrick Hayes, who organized the event, said it ended up much bigger than he expected. One primary goal for the gathering was to encourage people to register to vote.

AP-US-SUPREME-COURT-ATLANTIC-COAST-PIPELINE

Justices revive permit for pipeline under Appalachian Trail

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is siding with energy companies and the Trump administration in reinstating a permit for a proposed natural gas pipeline that would cross under the Appalachian Trail. The justices threw out a lower court ruling that had canceled the permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. It would bring natural gas from West Virginia to growing markets in Virginia and North Carolina. Its supporters say the pipeline would bring economic development, thousands of jobs and reduced energy costs for consumers. Other legal issues remain before construction of the pipeline could begin.

AMERICA PROTESTS-NORTH CAROLINA

Raleigh protesters seek changes in police department

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — After more than two weeks of protests in downtown Raleigh, protesters are demanding change from the city’s leadership, particularly in its police department. The News & Observer reports that on the 15th consecutive day of protests Saturday, about 150 demonstrators traveled through downtown, marched to the Executive Mansion and eventually to Central Prison. They heard from a woman whose son was fatally shot by Raleigh police. Gloria Mayo is the mother of Keith Collins, a Raleigh man who was killed in February. Mayo said she wanted to be a voice for her son and other people who have been killed by police.

SPEEDWAY PROTEST-SMALL CROWD

Speedway protest over COVID-19 limits draws only small crowd

PINE HALL, N.C. (AP) — Stock car racing has turned into the leading battleground over COVID-19 crowd restrictions in North Carolina. Track owners have taken their fight to reopen to the streets and to court. But on Saturday, a protest at one race track attracted so few people that the demonstration was perfectly legal under the state’s restrictions. The News & Observer reports that at 311 Speedway in Stokes County, fewer than 25 people showed up to protest, despite a live band and a free cheeseburger and fries with a ticket purchase .Gov. Roy Cooper’s coronavirus restrictions limit outdoor gatherings to 25 people.

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