AP-NC-RARE TURTLE FOUND DEAD

Rare sea turtle found dead on North Carolina’s Outer Banks

FRSICO, N.C. (AP) — A species of sea turtle that is rarely seen on North Carolina’s Outer Banks has been found dead in a Frisco marsh near the Pamlico Sound. The Virginian-Pilot reported Tuesday that biologists have so far been unable to find a cause of death of the leatherback sea turtle. The creature weighed upwards of 500 pounds. And biologists solicited the help  of a construction company’s crane to lift the dead animal onto a barge. Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the National Park Service found no obvious cause of death. The investigation revealed no physical injuries, plastics in the intestines or major parasites. But the animal’s organs suggested the animal was under physiological stress.

SESSION OPENS

NC legislative session opening subdued amid virus worries

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina General Assembly begins a new two-year session with Republicans still in charge and COVID-19 safety concerns still prominent. The House and Senate gavel in Wednesday for a one-day meeting to seat the 170 lawmakers that make up the legislature and elect chamber leaders. GOP Sen. Phil Berger and Rep. Tim Moore are expected to remain in their leadership posts. The opening day in Raleigh will be subdued compared to previous years due to the coronavirus. Family members of legislators won’t be on the floor with their loved ones to retain social distancing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina lawmakers irritated over slow vaccine rollout

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina are growing increasingly frustrated with the state’s slow rollout of Pfizer and Moderna’s coronavirus vaccines. They point to confusion over how to schedule appointments, a lack of clear guidance from the state over distribution and difficulties overcoming vaccine hesitancy among nursing home workers. Lawmakers want the state to offer clearer guidance to local health officials and do more to scale up the distribution of vaccines. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday ranked North Carolina as the 10th slowest state in the country per capita in administering doses. About one-fourth of the more than 820,000 doses distributed thus far have been administered.

BC-NC-UNIVERSITY CLASSES-DELAYS

Appalachian State and UNC-Charlotte delay in-person classes

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Appalachian State University and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte have delayed the start of in-person classes as the number of coronavirus cases rise across the state. The Greensboro News & Record reported Monday that in-person classes at Appalachian State won’t begin until Feb. 1. That is two weeks later than originally planned. UNC-Charlotte said on Monday that it is pushing back face-to-face classes by a month. UNC-Chapel Hill was the first public university in North Carolina to push back the start of in-person undergraduate classes.

UNIVERSITY-PROUD BOYS INVESTIGATION

College employee accused of being Proud Boy, no fault found

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina State University says its investigation into an employee accused of being a member of the Proud Boys “did not substantiate any significant allegations.” The school announced its findings into Chadwick Jason Seagraves, a desktop support team manager, on Monday. The university had launched a probe after the allegations about Seagraves were posted on Twitter and reported by Raw Story. Seagraves has previously told The News & Observer the he was not a member of the far-right extremist group. He was also accused of publishing personal information about left-wing activists in Asheville and Portland, Oregon. He hasn’t acknowledged doing that.

LGBT RIGHTS-NORTH CAROLINA

Moratorium over: N. Carolina towns advance LGBT protections

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The first North Carolina municipalities are acting to expand LGBT rights a month since a moratorium expired on anti-bias ordinances created during the effort to remove the state’s “bathroom bill.” The town of Hillsborough voted unanimously Monday to approve new protections for people on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and other differences when it comes to employment and public accommodations. Two more towns had similar ordinances on their board agendas this week. The moratorium began in early 2017 and ended Dec. 1. The 2016 “bathroom bill” drew national condemnation and led corporations and sports teams to reconsider business in the state.

AP-US-WILMINGTON-TRUST-BANK-FRAUD

Court tosses convictions of former Wilmington Trust execs

DOVER, Del. (AP) — A federal appeals court has overturned the convictions of four former executives for the only financial institution to be criminally charged in connection with the federal bank bailout program. A three-judge panel on Tuesday ordered that the convictions of the former Wilmington Trust executives for making false statements to federal regulators be reversed and that judgments of acquittal be entered. The court also vacated their conspiracy and securities fraud convictions and ordered a retrial on those charges. The ruling marks a stunning reversal in the government’s case against former bank president Robert Harra Jr. and three other top executives.

DRUG RING-COLLEGES

Foundation boots UNC-Chapel Hill fraternity from house

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — A foundation has ended the lease for a fraternity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that was linked to a drug trafficking ring. News outlets report the lease for the Kappa Sigma fraternity will end on Jan. 18, one month after local and federal law enforcement officials announced that that two of the fraternity’s members were charged in October with federal drug crimes. Court filings showed the illegal drug activity involved chapters of Phi Gamma Delta, Kappa Sigma, and Beta Theta Pi fraternities at UNC-Chapel Hill between 2017 and the spring of 2020.