JAIL OFFICERS ASSAULTED

Officers assaulted at North Carolina jail, 1 stabbed

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina sheriff’s office says three jail officers were assaulted by an inmate who they were trying to move to a disciplinary unit away from the general population. The Charlotte Observer reports the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office says the three officers were attempting to move 39-year-old inmate Eric Henderson to the detention unit at the Mecklenburg County jail on Tuesday. Henderson refused to heed the officers’ commands and stabbed one of them with “homemade weapons.” The sheriff’s office says the officer was treated by the jail’s medical staff, and the other two officers sustained non-life-threatening and minor injuries.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWSUIT-NRA

Lawsuit: NRA illegally funded Trump, other GOP candidates

O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) — A federal lawsuit accuses the National Rifle Association of violating campaign finance laws by using shell companies to illegally funnel up to $35 million to Republican candidates, including former President Donald Trump, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri and others. The Campaign Legal Center filed the lawsuit Tuesday on behalf of a gun control nonprofit founded by former Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords. It accuses the NRA of using shell corporations to “illegally but surreptitiously coordinate advertising with at least seven candidates for federal office.” The NRA says in a statement it “has full confidence in its political activities and remains eager to set the record straight.”

SPORTS GAMBLING

Idled North Carolina sports wagering legislation reemerges

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Legislation to authorize and regulate sports gambling in North Carolina has reemerged in a House committee more than two months after it passed the Senate. A House committee voted Thursday for a measure would direct the North Carolina lottery to issue between 10 and 12 interactive sports wagering operator licenses. College, professional and some amateur sports could be wagered on. The state would collect a tax on an operator’s adjusted gross revenues. Bill supporters say betting is already happening within North Carolina’s borders through offshore online websites or local bookies. Opponents say authorizing sports gambling would create more gambling addicts and more social ills. 

REDISTRICTING

North Carolina legislators finalize redistricting maps

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina General Assembly has finalized maps for the state’s legislative and congressional districts that are supposed to last for the next decade. The House and Senate voted Thursday for the lines drawn based on 2020 census figures. Republicans would largely fare well under the plans. Republicans would be in good shape to retain their state legislative majorities, as well as to win 10 U.S. House seats — two more than they currently hold. Democrats and their allies say the maps contain illegal partisan and racial gerrymanders. One lawsuit was filed last week and more could be coming. 

FIRE SUPPRESSANT-LAWSUIT

North Carolina AG sues 14 companies over fire suppressant

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Lawsuits filed by North Carolina’s attorney general against 14 manufacturers of a fire suppressant claim the makers caused a public nuisance, created a design defect, failed to warn their customers and fraudulently transferred corporate assets to shield their profits. Attorney General Josh Stein said in a news release Thursday that his office filed four lawsuits which named 3M, Corteva, and DuPont, among others. In the lawsuit, Stein is asking the court to require the manufacturers to pay for investigations to determine the extent of the damage, clean up the damage, replace water treatment systems and wells, restore damaged natural resources and to monitor water quality.

EX-OFFICE MANAGER-EMBEZZLEMENT CHARGE

Ex-North Carolina office manager accused of embezzlement

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation says a former North Carolina office manager who worked for a man who was murdered is accused of embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from his business. WITN reports the bureau says 53-year-old Elizabeth Fleming is charged with one count of embezzlement greater or equal to $100,000, four counts of embezzlement, and one count of obtaining property by false pretenses. The bureau says was investigators were looking into the 2018 death of former Fremont mayor Floyd “Andy” Evans in 2018, investigators learned that money had been embezzled from his farming operation. 

SOUTH OF THE BORDER RENOVATIONS

South of the Border highway attraction gets some upgrades

HAMER, S.C. (AP) — South of the Border, a popular South Carolina tourist attraction, is receiving some upgrades. Three of the shops have been torn down to make way for new features, and several others are being renovated. The corny Mexican-themed attraction is located in Hamer, South Carolina, with a huge sombrero towering over the intersection of Interstate 95 and U.S. highways 301 and 501. Thousands of drivers take detours every year to visit the shops and restaurants. General manager Timmy Townsend says the future of the vacated shops remains uncertain. The completion date for the renovations is also uncertain due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ASSAULT CHARGE-DEPUTY RESIGNS

North Carolina deputy resigns following assault charge

ELIZABETHTOWN, N.C. (AP) — Authorities say a North Carolina sheriff’s deputy accused of assaulting a man with a flashlight has resigned from his job. News outlets report a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office says 39-year-old Michael Hal Shaw II of Elizabethtown was booked into the Brunswick County jail after he was indicted by a Bladen County grand jury on Monday on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. Shaw is accused of assaulting a man with a large aluminum flashlight on Oct. 8. It wasn’t clear whether he was on duty at the time of the assault.

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