Category Archives: Triangle/Local

Deputy fatally shoots a 13-year-old boy wanted for grandmother’s killing in North Carolina

Deputy fatally shoots a 13-year-old boy wanted for grandmother’s killing in North Carolina

RAEFORD, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina deputy shot and killed a 13-year-old boy wanted in the killing of his grandmother when the teenager charged toward the officer with a piece of lumber the boy had picked up during a chase, authorities said Friday.

The State Bureau of Investigation will review Thursday’s shooting involving the Lee County sheriff’s deputy, which is a standard protocol.

The events began in Raeford, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southwest of Raleigh, where the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office said 68-year-old Connie Linen was pronounced dead in her home. Authorities say she was a victim of a homicide but haven’t released details about how she was killed. Deputies initially came to the home in response to a well-being check.

Detectives determined Linen’s grandson to be a suspect, and authorities had completed paperwork charging him with first-degree murder, the Hoke Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said it was told about the homicide, and officers later found the boy behind an abandoned mobile home in the Cameron area.

When deputies approached the boy, he ran away, authorities said. The teenager grabbed a two-by-four from a yard during the pursuit and charged toward an officer, who shot the teen, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said. The office’s news released described the boy as 5 feet, 11 inches (1.8 meters) tall and 150 pounds (68 kilograms).

Lee County Sheriff Brian Estes and the State Bureau of Investigation didn’t immediately respond to emails Friday seeking more information about the shooting and the investigation.

“This has been a tragic and emotional situation for everyone involved,” Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil said Friday. “We ask that our community come together with compassion and understanding as we all process this difficult event.”

North Carolina lawmaker accused of sex crimes resigns from state House

North Carolina lawmaker accused of sex crimes resigns from state House

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina state legislator accused by authorities of sex-related crimes involving a 15-year-old has resigned from the General Assembly. Cecil Brockman’s resignation letter late Friday came just after the House speaker formally announced a committee to investigate Brockman’s alleged misconduct. House leaders from both parties, along with Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, had urged Brockman to resign since his arrest three weeks ago. Brockman had served in the House since 2015. He wrote that he needed to focus on defending himself. Democrats in Brockman’s district will now choose someone to serve out his two-year term.… Continue Reading

Johnston County sheriff says a North Carolina suspect may have killed 4 of his children over several months

Johnston County sheriff says a North Carolina suspect may have killed 4 of his children over several months

SMITHFIELD, N.C. (AP) — Authorities say a North Carolina man charged with killing four of his children after human remains were found in the trunk of a vehicle believe the slayings occurred over several months. Wellington Delano Dickens III contacted authorities Monday and told them he had killed his children and where to find the bodies at his home near Raleigh. Authorities say the victims include three of his biological children, aged 6, 9, and 10, and his 18-year-old stepchild. Investigators now believe the deaths started in May and continued through September. No motive has been identified. Dickens is being held without bond and an investigation is ongoing.… Continue Reading

Duke University study finds EVs quickly overcome their energy-intensive build to be cleaner than gas cars

Duke University study finds EVs quickly overcome their energy-intensive build to be cleaner than gas cars

DETROIT (AP) — Producing and manufacturing electric vehicles and their batteries uses a lot of energy, leading many to be skeptical about the environmental benefits of going electric. But a new study says that after two years of use, EVs have a cleaner bottom line than gas-powered vehicles. The study also found gasoline vehicles lead to two to three times more damage to the climate and air quality than EVs in the long term. The work offers insight into a transportation sector that makes up a big part of U.S. emissions. Researchers from Northern Arizona University and Duke University published their findings Wednesday in the journal PLOS Climate.… Continue Reading

A North Carolina man is charged with 4 murder counts after telling authorities he killed his kids

A North Carolina man is charged with 4 murder counts after telling authorities he killed his kids

ZEBULON, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina man who told authorities he killed four of his children and that the bodies were in the trunk of a vehicle at his home has been charged with one murder count. Johnston County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that Wellington Delano Dickens III is charged with one count of murder and is being held without bond in the Johnston County Jail. It says sheriffs deputies found human remains in his garage after he dialed 911 on Monday evening. Multiple additional charges were anticipated, according to the news release.… Continue Reading

Composting Made Easy: Tips from the WPTF Weekend Gardener

Composting Made Easy: Tips from the WPTF Weekend Gardener

One of the most economical and practical things you can do for the plants in your landscape and vegetable garden is to start a compost pile. We’ve discussed it fairly often on the “WPTF Weekend Gardener” over the last 40 years. The first step is to find a relatively shady well-drained location in your back yard. You don’t have to buy a container, just build your own or find a proper spot on the ground. A wire cylinder 3 to 4 feet in diameter will work or build a three-sided box that’s 4 to 5-feet high and wide. However, if you prefer, ready-made bins are easy to find.… Continue Reading

Black enrollment is waning at many elite colleges after affirmative action ban, AP analysis finds

Black enrollment is waning at many elite colleges after affirmative action ban, AP analysis finds

WASHINGTON (AP) — An Associated Press analysis finds that the number of Black students enrolling at many elite colleges has dropped in the two years since the Supreme Court banned affirmative action in admissions. New enrollment figures from 20 selective colleges provide mounting evidence of a backslide in Black enrollment. Many campuses have also seen decreases in Hispanic enrollment, though they have been more scattered and less pronounced. At Princeton and some others, the number of new Black students has fallen by nearly half. Some colleges attribute it to natural fluctuations. Some students say the changes are too big to ignore.… Continue Reading

Federal grand jury indicts man for fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee on North Carolina train

Federal grand jury indicts man for fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee on North Carolina train

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted a man for fatally stabbing a Ukrainian refugee on a commuter train in Charlotte, North Carolina. The indictment on Wednesday charges him with causing death on a mass transportation system, keeping the possibility of a federal death penalty on the table. Brown allegedly stabbed 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska in a random attack captured on video. Brown had cycled through the criminal justice system for more than a decade, including earlier this year when he was arrested after repeatedly calling 911 from a hospital, claiming people were trying to control him.… Continue Reading

COVID-19 vaccines may help some cancer patients fight tumors

COVID-19 vaccines may help some cancer patients fight tumors

WASHINGTON (AP) — The most widely used COVID-19 vaccines may offer a surprise benefit for some cancer patients by boosting their immune systems to help fight tumors. Research reported Wednesday in the journal Nature found that people with advanced lung or skin cancer lived longer if they received a Pfizer or Moderna shot within 100 days of starting a type of immunotherapy. The mRNA in these vaccines appears to enhance the immune system’s response. Now the research team is preparing a more rigorous study of the potential connection, to see if mRNA vaccines should be deliberately paired with cancer drugs called checkpoint inhibitors.… Continue Reading

Millions of Indians celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights

Millions of Indians celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights

NEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of Indians are celebrating the Hindu festival of Diwali, marking the victory of light over darkness. Homes and streets across the country were illuminated Monday. The dates of the festival are based on the Hindu lunar calendar and typically fall in late October or early November. The festival involves socializing, exchanging gifts and setting off fireworks. The celebrations were most visible in Ayodhya city in Uttar Pradesh state, where over 2.6 million lamps were lit. Hindus believe the deity Lord Ram was born there and returned after 14 years in exile. People light earthen lamps to mark his homecoming.… Continue Reading

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