North Carolina News – November 27

DEPUTY SHOT-NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina deputy shot; suspect in custody

WENTWORTH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina sheriff’s deputy has been shot while responding to a domestic call. Lt. Kevin Suthard of the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office told news outlets that the deputy was taken to a local hospital Thursday night. A sheriff’s office statement says the deputy was shot in the leg and has serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. An unidentified suspect was disarmed and then taken into custody by a second deputy. The sheriff has asked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to take over the case. Rockingham County is located north of Greensboro, just south of the Virginia border.

AP-US-BLACK-RENTERS-THREATENED

Prison sentence for man who threatened Black renters

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina man who pleaded guilty to charges that he threatened to shoot a Black family for renting a home has been sentenced to more than two years in prison. The U.S. Department of Justice says the prison sentenced handed down to 34-year-old Douglas Matthew Gurkins is followed by three years of supervised release. Court documents said Gurkins drove to the family’s home, yelled racial slurs at them and told them they didn’t belong in the home. According to the documents, Gurkins threatened to shoot the mother and four children and any other Black people who entered the property.

BC-NC-COAST GUARD RESCUE

Coast Guard saves 3 stranded on island after boat drifts off

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says it rescued three people stranded on an island on the North Carolina coast after their boat had drifted off. A news release says personnel at the Coast Guard Sector North Carolina command center received word on Tuesday that three people were stranded on Racoon Island after their 21-foot craft drifted away. The command center dispatched a boat crew from the Hobucken station. The crew put the three unidentified people on the boat and took them to the Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge Boat Ramp in Cedar Island. No injuries were reported.

DRUG TRAFFICKING SENTENCE

Prosecutors: Trafficking leader sentenced to 15 years

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A man who prosecutors say led an operation that trafficked drugs through North Carolina has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. The Raleigh-based federal prosecutors’ office said in a news release that 40-year-old Bernave Millan-Rascon of Mexico received the sentence Monday on charges including drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute five or more kilograms (11 pounds) of cocaine. Prosecutors say in a news release that Millan-Rascon was one of two leaders of an international trafficking organization in Mexico that shipped drugs into the U.S. Authorities said that he was heard by law enforcement agents on a wiretap directing the shipments of large amounts of cocaine into North Carolina.

ELECTION 2020-SUPREME COURT

North Carolina Supreme Court recount extended into next week

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The recount in North Carolina’s state Supreme Court chief justice race between Republican Paul Newby and Democrat Cheri Beasley will continue into next week. The State Board of Elections says three large counties in the state do not expect to complete their recounting of ballots as expected on Wednesday and will have to continue the process on Monday. The board will announce final results once counties have completed their recounts. Newby and Beasley have lodged election protests that the State Board is expected to consider on a future date. With the vast majority of counties having completed their recounts, Newby leads by 433 votes. Nearly 5.4 million people cast ballots in the race.

SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP

North Carolina Senate Democrats pick leadership for session

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Democrats in North Carolina’s state Senate have returned four lawmakers to leadership positions for the upcoming session after the GOP defended its majorities in both chambers of the legislature. The Democratic Caucus announced in a news release Tuesday that it had held a virtual meeting to elect its leadership. Sen. Dan Blue of Wake County was elected to a fourth term as Senate Democratic leader.  Sen. Jay Chaudhuri of Wake County was elected to a second term as Senate Democratic Caucus Whip. Sen. Ben Clark was elected to a third term as Senate Democratic Caucus Secretary and Sen. Valerie Foushee was appointed to a third term as Senate Democratic Caucus chair.

CLOROX COMPANY-JOBS

Clorox bringing 158 new jobs to North Carolina

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — The Clorox Company is going to create 158 new jobs in Durham, North Carolina, in its vitamins and supplements division. Gov. Roy Cooper’s office announced Tuesday that the company will invest $7.5 million to bring the division’s headquarters to Durham and expand existing operations in the city. The supplements business makes brands of vitamins including RenewLife and Rainbow Light. Clorox’s Burt’s Bees division already employs 500 at its Durham headquarters and a manufacturing plant in Morrisville.

BC-NC-CHICKEN PLANT-FATAL SHOOTING

One dead after shooting at North Carolina chicken plant

ROSE HILL, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina sheriff’s office says one person is dead after an early morning shooting at a poultry processing plant. The Duplin County Sheriff’s Office tells news outlets that the shooting occurred shortly after 5 a.m. Wednesday in the parking lot of the House of Raeford chicken processing plant in Rose Hill. The sheriff’s office says it has identified both the suspect and the victim, but their identities haven’t yet been released. House of Raeford is headquartered in Rose Hill and also has plants in South Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana.