AP-US-LOWE’S-RESULTS

Sales surge at Lowe’s as the homebound take on more projects

Lowe’s sales surged in the third quarter as the home improvement retailer capitalized on people looking to spruce up their homes as they spend more time there during the pandemic. Revenue increased to $22.3 billion from $17.4 billion a year ago. That beat the $21.08 billion that analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research were calling for. Online sales soared 106%, while sales at stores open at least a year climbed 30.1%. Sales at U.S. stores open at least a year rose 30.4%.

BC-NC-OUTER BANKS-HOMES SALES

Homes sales soar on North Carolina’s Outer Banks

NAGS HEAD, N.C. (AP) — Home sales on North Carolina’s Outer Banks are booming in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and low interest rates. The Virginian-Pilot reported Wednesday that homes and lot sales from Corolla to Ocracoke reached $1.18 billion through October. That’s the most since the all-time record of $1.5 billion set in 2005. Dan Sutherland, director of multiple listing services for the Outer Banks Association of Realtors, said that sales will likely pass $1.6 billion and set a new record. Tourists have flocked to the Outer Banks for its lack of density and open spaces. More people are working from, while the slow economy has lowered interest rates and boosted homes sales.

CONFEDERATE MONUMENT-TASK FORCE

Task force members support removing Confederate monument

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A majority of task force members appointed to consider the fate of a Confederate monument in a North Carolina city say they support removing it. The Asheville Citizen-Times reports nine Vance Monument Task Force members want to remove the 50-foot monument to Zebulon Baird Vance, who a Confederate military officer who served as North Carolina governor during the Civil War. The co-chair of the task force says it will serve as a symbol of white supremacy if it’s not removed or altered beyond recognition. The members made the comments ahead of Thursday’s official vote. That vote will serve as a recommendation to the Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. Two members support relocating the figure.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NORTH CAROLINA

Cooper warns N.C. counties of further virus restrictions

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is warning counties they may face extra coronavirus restrictions if they do not follow public health guidelines. Cooper and health officials unveiled Tuesday a new alert system to encourage counties with high levels of virus transmission to more aggressively enforce statewide health guidelines. Counties will be marked different colors based on cases, hospitalizations and the percentage of tests coming back positive. The state health department has labeled 10 largely rural counties “red” because of critical community spread. Several others are being asked to consider stricter enforcement of the statewide mask mandate and an earlier time for ending alcohol sales each night.

ELECTION 2020-NORTH CAROLINA-CLOSE RACES

Close race for North Carolina chief justice going to recount

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The extremely close race for North Carolina Supreme Court chief justice will have a recount. Democratic incumbent Cheri Beasley formally requested the recount Tuesday while Republican challenger Paul Newby held a narrow lead after nearly 5.4 million ballots have been counted. State election officials say counties must complete the recount by Nov. 25. Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein won Tuesday a second four-year term after totals showed his lead outside the 10,000-vote margin in which Republican Jim O’Neill could seek a recount. Beasley became the state’s first Black female chief justice in 2019. Newby is the senior associate justice.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-COLLEGE-VIOLATIONS

More than 450 referrals of COVID violations reported at UNC

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — A report by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill says there have been more than 450 reports of students violating COVID-19 safety rules set by the school. The report released Monday said there were about 55 cases of students being removed from campus housing for breaking the rules. The majority of the cases resulted in written warnings and other lesser disciplinary actions. The News & Observer reports students had signed agreements to follow virus safety guidelines when the semester began. The report does not provide details on the incidents, but says the complaints were made between Aug. 1 and Oct. 31.

BC-NC-1992 RAPE-CHARGES FILED

Police: DNA links man to 1992 rape, attempted murder

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Authorities in North Carolina say that a man has been arrested on charges of attempted murder and rape nearly 30 years after police say the crimes were committed. The Raleigh News & Observer reported Monday that two other suspects are still at large. Fayetteville police said they’ve arrested Roy Junior Proctor after its cold case unit linked him to the crime using DNA. Police said they matched a sample taken from him in September to the DNA from the victim’s 1992 rape kit. Proctor is in Cumberland County Detention Center with bail set at $1 million. It’s unclear if he’s hired an attorney.

AP-US-DUELING-DINOSAURS

‘Dueling dinosaurs’ fossils donated to North Carolina museum

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The skeletons of two dinosaurs that appear to have died fighting each other have been donated to a North Carolina museum. The nonprofit organization Friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences said in a statement Tuesday that it acquired the fossilized animals with private funds. The Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops horridus are known as the dueling dinosaurs. They were buried together 67 million years ago and are intertwined in what looks like a final death match. The fossils were discovered on a Montana hillside and remain entombed within the sediment in which they were found.