North Carolina News – October 28

ELECTION 2020-CHRIS PAUL

Chris Paul leads march to voting site at N. Carolina college

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — NBA star Chris Paul led nearly 2,500 people on a march to an early-voting site at a university in North Carolina where he also takes classes. Winston-Salem Journal reports that Paul was part of the “March to the Polls Part 2” event held Tuesday at Winston-Salem State University. The Oklahoma City Thunder point guard had previously said he would be encouraging students at historically Black colleges to head to the polls. Campus police blocked traffic to allow for the march, which had hundreds of city residents and candidates running for office. Some students said Paul’s attendance at the event attracted large crowds.

BC-NC-COMMUNITY COLLEGE-CYBER ATTACK

Community college continues to investigate cyberattack

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — A data breach at a North Carolina community college may have affected many of its current and former students. The Greensboro News & Records reported Tuesday that Guilford Technical Community College was hit with a ransomware cyberattack in mid-September. The college said it’s investigating the cyberattack “to determine what happened and to remediate impacted systems.” State agencies, cybersecurity experts and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have provided assistance. The college said it has contacted students, faculty and staff members who were potentially affected. It said it will offer credit monitoring and identity restoration services for a year. The college declined further comment further “due to the ongoing nature of this investigation.”

BC-NC-UNIVERSITY MASCOT DIES

NC State’s canine mascot, Tuffy II, has passed away

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — N.C. State’s canine mascot, Tuffy II, has passed away. The Raleigh News & Observer reports that the wolf-looking, Tamaskan breed of dog died on Tuesday. During Saturday’s in the fall, Tuffy II had roamed the sidelines of Carter-Finley Stadium as 60,000 Wolfpack fans cheered on the school’s football team. Owner Joe Downey had recently posted a GoFundMe link after Tuffy II was diagnosed with a form of heart disease. The university’s athletics department tweeted that Tuffy II had passed away in his sleep over night. The school had brought back a live mascot in 2010. That was the first time since 1970 that N.C. State had a live mascot on the sidelines.

ELECTION 2020-ABSENTEE BALLOTS

Mail-in absentee request deadline passing in North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The options to vote in North Carolina are dwindling as Election Day nears. Voters who wanted to cast a traditional mail-in absentee ballot had until late Tuesday afternoon to request one through their county board or online through a state portal. Voters who complete the received ballots must turn them in to their county board by Nov. 3 or have them postmarked by the same date. People who didn’t apply in time for a mail-in ballot can still vote on Election Day and at early in-person voting sites in all 100 counties through Saturday afternoon.

BC-NC-VIRUS OUTBREAK-CHURCH

5 deaths tied to COVID-19 outbreak at North Carolina church

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Health officials in North Carolina say at least five people have died from a COVID-19 outbreak connected to a local church. The Charlotte Observer reports Mecklenburg County Public Health has now identified 143 cases of COVID-19 linked to convocation events at the United House of Prayer for All People on Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte. According to the health department, four of the people who died were Mecklenburg residents and one lived in Gaston County. In addition, county officials say a cluster of COVID-19 cases at a senior living community has increased to at least 19 confirmed cases, including three staff members.

ELECTION 2020-PENCE-NORTH CAROLINA

Mike Pence making 2 more campaign stops in North Carolina

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence is making his second and third campaign stops in North Carolina in three days for President Donald Trump’s reelection bid. Pence is scheduled to hold rallies at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro at midday Tuesday and at the Wilmington airport in the evening. He’ll be in Greenville, South Carolina, for an event in between. Pence remains on the campaign trail after his chief of staff and other close contacts tested positive for COVID-19. Pence tested negative and decided to keep traveling after consulting White House medical personnel. That included a campaign stop in Kinston on Sunday.

AP-NC-NAIL TRAP

Man injured by ‘nail trap’ in the North Carolina wilderness

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A man who was walking his dog has suffered deep puncture wounds to his heel after stepping on a so-called “nail trap” in the North Carolina wilderness. The Asheville Citizen Times reports that the incident occurred Sunday in western North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest. The trap was buried in a rut and covered with leaves. It was made of plywood and 2-inch nails with the points facing up. The words “PETA paybak” were written on the trap and possibly referred to the group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The group is based more than 400 miles away in Virginia. PETA denies any involvement and is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

FIREARMS CONSPIRACY-CHARGES

Idaho men charged with conspiring to sell hard-to-trace guns

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A judge has ruled that a former Marine and another Idaho man charged with participating in a money-making conspiracy to build hard-to-trace firearms and distribute them in North Carolina will be transferred to that state. Ex-Marine Jordan Duncan, 25, and Paul James Kryscuk, 35, each waived hearings in U.S. District Court in Idaho, clearing the way for the transfers. The case also involves another former Marine, 21-year-old Liam Montgomery Collins. Authorities didn’t list Collins’ residence. Court documents say the conspiracy involved manufacturing and selling hard-to-obtain firearms and firearm parts so purchasers of the weapons would remain unknown to government authorities.