AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-DISTANCE-LEARNING

Schools plan for potential of remote learning into the fall

After seeing two academic years thrown off course by the pandemic, school leaders around the country are planning for the possibility of more distance learning next fall at the start of yet another school year. President Joe Biden has made reopening schools a top priority, but administrators say there is much to consider as new strains of the coronavirus appear and teachers wait their turn for vaccinations. And while many parents are demanding that schools fully reopen, others say they won’t feel safe sending children back to classrooms until vaccines are available to even young students.

COLLEGE CAMPUS-FATAL SHOOTING

Trial set for lawsuit over shooting on Wake Forrest campus

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — A lawsuit filed over the shooting death of a Winston-Salem State University student on Wake Forest University’s campus has been scheduled for trial. The Winston-Salem Journal reported Monday that the court proceeding is set for Oct. 4 in federal court. Najee Ali Baker was WSSU football player from New York. He was shot to death in 2018 when he was leaving a party that was held at The Barn on Wake Forest University’s campus. Two men were charged in his death. Baker’s mother filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the school and a company that was providing private security. The lawsuit claims Wake Forest was negligent. School attorneys deny the allegation.

POLICE SHOOTING-NORTH CAROLINA

Police: Female shot by officer responding overdose call

GASTONIA, N.C. (AP) — Police in North Carolina say that an “armed” female has been shot and seriously hurt by an officer who was responding to a call about a drug overdose. The Charlotte Observer reports that the incident occurred early Monday in Gastonia. The woman’s name and condition have not been released. The Gastonia Police Department said in a news release that police received an overdose call. When officers arrived, police said they encountered a female armed with a gun inside the residence. Police said an officer shot the female. She was airlifted to a hospital. The shooting remains under investigation, and police have not said what led to it.

WWII MORTAR ROUND

North Carolina man finds WWII-era mortar round in basement

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina man’s discovery of a World War II-era mortar round in his home Sunday prompted police to close several area roads. Dr. Ralph Haynes, of Durham, told WTVD-TV that he found the 60 mm mortar round from 1942 behind a pillar in a basement crawlspace during a home renovation project. Haynes said he believes the shell had probably been there since the 1950s. Haynes said the mortar round still had its firing pin intact, so he carefully moved it to a separate garage before calling the Durham Police Department. The removal by the bomb squad prompted street closures for nearly two hours.

FATAL SHOOTING-CHILD

Girl, 10, fatally shot in North Carolina

HOLLISTER, N.C. (AP) — A 10-year-old North Carolina girl has died after being shot in what authorities say may have been the result of mishandling of a gun by a family member. WRAL-TV reports that Halifax County deputies were called to Bobolink Trail in Hollister at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday for a report of a juvenile being shot. By the time they arrived, they learned the girl had died from her injuries. Deputies said an investigation indicates that the girl may have been shot accidently by a relative who mishandled a firearm. No other details were immediately available.

AIR SERVICE

Georgia city seeks grant to start flights to North Carolina

VALDOSTA, Ga. (AP) — Officials in a south Georgia city have applied for a federal grant that could be used to start flights to North Carolina. Valdosta Regional Airport Manager Jim Galloway says the money from the Federal Aviation Administration could enable two round trips a day to the American Airlines hub in Charlotte. A decision on the application by the Valdosta City Council is not expected until the fall. The city wants $1.25 million and would be required to provide a 10% match. Any flights to North Carolina would not begin until 2022. The airport currently has three round trips a day connecting to Delta Air Lines in Atlanta.

DEPUTY SHOT-NORTH CAROLINA

Deputy released from hospital after traffic stop shooting

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina sheriff’s deputy who was shot during a traffic stop on Interstate 95 has been released from the hospital. Nash County Deputy William “Tommy” Toney was shot several times Thursday morning. He was released from the hospital Saturday. Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone said his deputies spotted a Mercedes-Benz with Florida tags speeding in the southbound lanes of I-95 and stopped the car to issue a warning. One deputy noticed criminal activity in the car and called another deputy to the scene. Stone said when deputies asked the man to step out of the car, he pulled out a gun and opened fire. The suspect was also wounded. Both Toney and the suspect were both taken to a hospital in Greensville.

MORAL MARCH

Annual Moral March turns into motorcade in North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A large group of activists turned out for an annul demonstration in Raleigh to push for causes ranging from racial equity and justice to a $15 minimum wage. The annual Moral March and HKonJ looked different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of hundreds of people marching through the streets of downtown Raleigh, the activists formed a motorcade, complete with signs, stickers and beeping horns. WRAL-TV reports that this year’s theme was “Hope in Action: Living a New World Into Existence.” Vehicles began lining up at about 7 a.m. Saturday at the Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts.