DEPUTY SHOOTING-NORTH CAROLINA

Family files $30M suit over deputies’ shooting of Black man

The family of an unarmed Black man who was fatally shot by sheriff’s deputies in North Carolina has filed a $30 million civil rights lawsuit. Wednesday’s filing in federal court says Andrew Brown Jr. died because of the deputies’ “reckless disregard of his life.” Brown was killed April 21 by Pasquotank County Sheriff’s deputies who were serving drug-related warrants at his Elizabeth City home. The deputies surrounded Brown’s BMW before his car backed up and moved forward. The deputies then fired at his vehicle. A local prosecutor said the shooting was justified. The filing is the latest in a string of federal lawsuits in the wake of police shootings of Black and brown people.

AP-US-XGR-TEACHING-RACE-NORTH-CAROLINA

North Carolina Republicans move to limit classroom race talk

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republicans are moving forward with a plan to limit how teachers can discuss certain racial concepts in classrooms. State Senate leader Phil Berger says his chamber will advance a measure seeking to ban the promotion of critical race theory in K-12 public school classrooms. Democrats, education groups and racial justice advocates fear the measure will stifle conversations on race in schools and have a chilling effect on teachers. Changes to the bill make it more clear that certain race-related ideas can still be discussed, just not promoted. Proponents of theory say it is being misrepresented and turned into a boogeyman for political purposes.

BLACK COLLEGES-THE FUTURE

Acclaim, fundraising spread unevenly among Black colleges

ATLANTA (AP) — One of the nation’s most prestigious historically Black colleges got a major publicity boost recently when it announced two high-profile faculty hires. While those noteworthy additions could be a fundraising and enrollment boon to Howard University, other Black schools are not so fortunate; in fact, many are struggling. In particular, some smaller private colleges have been fighting for their survival for years amid declining enrollments, weak endowments and aging buildings. An Associated Press analysis of enrollment and endowment data shows wide disparities among the nation’s Black colleges.

BLACK LIVES MATTER-MURAL DEFACED

N. Carolina man accused of defacing Black Lives Matter mural

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (AP) — Authorities in North Carolina have arrested a man who they believe vandalized a Black Lives Matter street mural painted to honor a man shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies. News outlets report Elizabeth City police say 32-year-old Jeremy Wayne Maggard was arrested Tuesday and charged with injury to real property and reckless driving. Maggard is free on a $500 bond. Artist Michael Little painted the mural in honor of Andrew Brown Jr., who was shot and killed by a Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office deputy on April 21. It was unveiled on Saturday and defaced the next day.

FUGITIVE COUPLE ARRESTED

Couple wanted in North Carolina killing arrested in Arizona

PHOENIX (AP) — Federal authorities say a fugitive couple wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman in North Carolina six months ago have been arrested in Arizona. U.S. Marshals Service officials say 62-year-old Eric Parker and 50-year-old Tangela Parker were taken into custody Tuesday in Phoenix. Authorities say the couple had been on the run since Jan. 13. The Parkers are suspects in the death of Phelifia Marlow, who was shot at a furniture plant in Hickory, North Carolina a few days after a workplace dispute. U.S. Marshals say they worked over 30 leads stretching across eight states before developing information that the Parkers were staying at a Phoenix residence under the fake names of Jason and Elizabeth Reardon. They now face extradition to North Carolina.

POWER PLANT EMISSIONS

NC takes steps on carbon cap, multi-state pollution effort

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — State regulators will develop rules for North Carolina to meet targets for reducing power plant pollution. The Environmental Management Commission voted Tuesday to carry out a petition from environmental groups. They want a 70% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 when compared to 2005. The directive also prepares North Carolina for joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. It’s a cap-and-trade program for power plant emissions in 11 mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s clean energy goals call for the 70% reduction. The commission’s action came the same day that a House committee recommended a wide-ranging energy bill that would reach a 62% reduction.

RED BULL-JOBS

Economic jolt: Red Bull to help build beverage hub in NC

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina state officials say beverage manufacturers Red Bull and Rauch will work together to build a manufacturing, canning and distribution hub in Cabarrus County. Gov Roy Cooper joined other elected leaders on Tuesday in Concord to make the announcement. Subsidiaries of the Austrian-based companies plan to create the production hub on the grounds of the now-closed Philip Morris cigarette manufacturing site in Concord. Cooper says more than 400 new jobs will be created with average salaries of over $50,000. The two companies could get state financial incentives of close to $4.1 million if they meet job-creation and investment thresholds.

CHILD-FATAL BEATING

North Carolina man, girlfriend accused in son’s death

HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) — Authorities in North Carolina have accused a man and his girlfriend in the fatal beating of their 6-year-old son. High Point police say in a news release that officers were summoned to a hospital after the child was brought there by his father. According to the news release, an autopsy performed on the child showed a significant history and pattern of physical abuse. Police charged 30-year-old Devon J. Nelson with first-degree murder and felony child abuse. Police also charged 24-year-old Tamara D. Corbett with felony child abuse and accessory after the fact. Both are jailed on bonds of $2 million apiece, and it’s not known if they have attorneys.