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A judge has dismissed a lawsuit by Union County residents who contend that a doctor has no legal right to fire machine guns on a homemade firing range near their properties. Superior Court Judge Mark Klass has dismissed the case against Dr. Michael Land, according to Union County trial court coordinator Nevele Love. The judge made his decision Friday, the clerk's office said. Kathy Patterson, one of the neighbors who filed the suit, said that while she's disappointed by the judge's decision, "without question, we'll appeal it." Reached by phone Tuesday, Land said he expects the court order to be...

RAEFORD, N.C. — A Hoke County preschooler was fed chicken nuggets for lunch because a state worker felt that her homemade lunch did not have enough nutritional value, according to a report by the Carolina Journal. The West Hoke Elementary School student was in her More at Four classroom when a state agent who was inspecting lunch boxes decided that her packed lunch — which consisted of a turkey and cheese sandwich, a banana, apple juice and potato chips — “did not meet U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines,” the Journal reports. ... The student’s mother told the Journal she received...

North Carolina --(Ammoland.com)- Forsyth Commissioners will decide whether or not to enact gun bans at their next meeting, Monday, February 13th. The scheduled vote will either promote the Second Amendment or trample upon it. This is your opportunity to be heard. Commissioner Bill Whiteheart has spoken out against this ban, but needs help. It appears that most of the Republican Commissioners support lawful carry, we need to establish a presence at this meeting to ensure they don’t develop cold feet. Under HB 650 that went into effect Dec. 1, only very narrowly defined “recreation areas” may be posted. Like some...

RALEIGH — When Rep. Dale Folwell worked on controversial topics such as workers’ compensation reform and immigration policy last year, he aggravated more than a few constituents. “It was a very volatile year for me as an elected official,” Folwell said. “My family and myself were threatened by name.” That prompted him to obtain a concealed weapon permit, which allows him to carry a handgun in most places throughout the state under a sport coat or in a pocket. And the Winston-Salem Republican is far from alone among state lawmakers, who are much more likely than the average person to...

While participating in highway clean ups, the Student for Concealed Carry on Campus chapter seems like the average club doing community service at first glance. These students take safety precautions to a different level though. Along with the reflective vests and garden gloves, these students carry pistols in holsters while serving their community. "We get a pretty good amount of horn beeps and ‘woo-hoos' and stuff while we're out there," Clark Lynn said. Lynn is a senior in psychology and president of the N.C. State chapter of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. A club's mission As part of a...

Redistricting fuels high N.C. political turnoverU.S. Rep. Watt said he's also considering whether to retire By Jim Morrill Modified: Thursday, Feb. 09, 2012 One governor. Three members of Congress. Thirty state lawmakers. And counting. That's how many North Carolina elected officials have announced they're not running for re-election. Before candidate filing ends Feb. 29, there are certain to be more in what's shaping up to be a year of historic change. Democratic Rep. Mel Watt said Wednesday that he's considering retiring after 20 years in the 12th District - a day after Republican U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick said she won't...

A statewide gun-rights nonprofit has commitments from 12 Winston-Salem residents who are willing to sue the city of Winston-Salem over a city ordinance prohibiting guns in parts of the city's parks, the nonprofit's president said Monday. Paul Valone, president of Grass Roots North Carolina, said he believes the Winston-Salem ordinance passed in November violates the spirit of a state law passed in July. The state law the General Assembly passed last summer allows people with concealed-carry permits to have guns in parks, but the law allows municipalities to ban guns from parks that have athletic facilities or playgrounds. Before the...

The list of possibilities to replace U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick will surely change by the hour. Within minutes of Myrick's announcement that she won't be seeking another term, Roll Call was up with some obvious names: N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis of Huntersville, state Rep. Ruth Samuelson of Charlotte and state Sen. Bob Rucho of Matthews. We'll add former state Sen. Robert Pittenger and former Charlotte mayor Richard Vinroot. And don't discount some local prospects, including Mecklenburg county commissioner Jim Pendergraph (who will announce his intention to run, the Observer's Jim Morrill reports) and former City Councilman Edwin Peacock. Here's...

Woman Tasered in Front of Daughter After Cutting McDonalds Drive-Thru LineBy Olivia Katrandjian | ABC News Blogs – 17 hrs ago **SNIP** Employees at the McDonalds in Hope Mills, N.C., refused to serve Evangeline Lucca and told her to go to the back of the line. Lucca, 37, refused to move, and blocked the drive-thru for 20 minutes before police arrived on the scene, authorities said. When deputies arrived, Lucca was "defiant," "would not get off McDonalds property," and was "threatening the deputies," according to Debbie Tanna, a public information officer for the Cumberland County Sherriff's Office. **SNIP** "Two or...

To state the obvious — not to mention ripping off and paraphrasing one of Hollywood's most memorable lines — Curtis Foster was mad as heck when he saw an intruder leaving a neighbor's house, and he wasn't going to take it anymore. At about noon on Jan. 11, Curtis was at home in northeastern Winston-Salem. It was raining, and Foster was watching television. He heard a small ruckus across the way at a home catty-corner to his and looked out the window to see what it was. "I saw this guy step out of the house with a sack of...

Perdue is disingenuous to the endBy Jim Longworth Wednesday, February 1, 2012 **SNIP** It’s so like Bev to blame others for her failures and divert our attention away from her mistakes. Throughout her career in politics, Perdue has been the schoolyard bully used to getting her own way. As a state senator she wielded power over many agencies including the highway patrol. That power came in handy in July 1995 when she was involved in an alleged drunk-driving car crash. Instead of calling 911, she called a “friend” in the HP (believed to be trooper Randy Glover who, afterward received...

WILKESBORO -- A Wilkes County man who called 911 to report hearing voices outside his building on Nov. 5 and then shot two intruders, killing one of them, will not be charged, authorities said. Steve Joseph Whitley, 58, of North Wilkesboro, acted in self-defense, said District Attorney Tom Horner. He and Sheriff Chris Shew discussed the case most recently on Thursday. Whitley shot and killed David Cynor, 23, who lived in the Mulberry community, and wounded Sara Seagraves, 22, of North Wilkesboro. At one point Seagraves had been listed in critical condition at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, but has...

Two Political Analysts Say Gov. Perdue's Decision Doesn't Add UpWritten by Philip Jones 7:09 PM, Jan 30, 2012 Greensboro, NC -- We've had a few days to digest Gov. Bev Perdue's decision not to run for reelection, but there's still a bit of mystery surrounding her reasoning. **SNIP** "It's very difficult to see how her ... announcing she's stepping down increases the chances Republicans go back on their campaign promises from 2010 and say, 'OK, we're now open to a tax increase,'" Dinan said. Perdue said she believes she could've beat likely challenger Pat McCrory in this fall's election, but...

Perdue to stump for NC educationSue Book January 28, 2012 6:42 PM North Carolina’s governor may not be running for re-election but she intends to actively campaign statewide in 2012 for education funding. “This is personal,” Gov. Bev Perdue said in New Bern Saturday. “This is about the future of North Carolina and I intend to lead the fight. “I care so deeply about kids and their future. I am going to go all over the state. I am going to use the bully pulpit. I am going to call out all North Carolinians and, at the end of the...

NC Democrats meet after Perdue nixes 2nd runUpdated: Jan 28, 2012 5:24 AM EST GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina Democrats are gathering for 1 of their seasonal dinners and fundraisers at a time of party upheaval after Gov. Beverly Perdue announced she wouldn't seek a second term. The North Carolina Democratic Party expected more than 500 people at Saturday evening's Sanford Hunt Frye dinner at a Greensboro hotel. The event takes on added significance as several Democrats consider whether to run in the party's gubernatorial primary.

Will the last endangered Democratic official in North Carolina please turn out the lights? Rep. Brad Miller (D) announced his retirement this morning. Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue, facing the likely prospect of an epic defeat this November, announced her decision not to run for a second term this afternoon. Later, politically vulnerable Rep. Mike McIntyre (D) opened the door to running for governor of the Tar Heel State. And a local news report tonight said Rep. Heath Shuler (D) is eyeing a bid for governor as well. A Shuler spokeswoman had no comment.

Breaking News: U.S. Rep. Brad Miller said Thursday in a statement released to his supporters that he will not seek another term in Congress. ...Miller said his decision comes in the wake of the voting map redistricting battle...

LONG VIEW, NC (WBTV) - A mother had to shoot and kill her own son in what investigators are calling self defense early Friday morning. Long View police responded to 1st Avenue Place in Long View around 1 a.m. in reference to a shots fired call. When officers arrived they found 21-year-old Justin Barger shot dead in floor. Barger's parents told investigators they had poured out all the alcohol in the house after Barger became drunk. When his parents went to bed, Barger went into their bedroom and started assaulting them by pulling them out of bed and beating them...

CHADBOURN, NC (WWAY) -- A Columbus County man is dead after being shot during an alleged home break-in. Investigators are trying to figure out if the man was shot by a resident of the home or his own partner in crime. Around 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning residents of this home on North Wilkes Street in Chadbourn say two men forced their way in. They kicked in the door, knocking the frame loose. On the other end a frightened resident who was willing to defend himself. A roommate, who does not want to be identified, said his friend shot at the...

Yet another teen has used deadly force to protect his home from intruders. Police in North Carolina revealed a 14-year-old boy shot dead an intruder attempting to break into his home while he and his sister were alone. The teen opened fire with a shotgun while his 17-year-old sister hid in a closet as a gang of men attempted to smash their way into their home. Investigators released a 911 call with the teen calmly describing how he shot the intruder. In the call, the teen, says: 'I just shot the man. He came around the corner. I shot him....

LAKE WACCAMAW - An attempted armed robbery at Waccamaw Outdoor Supply on Wednesday ended with the alleged robber critically injured from a single gunshot, Police Chief Scott Hyatt said. The suspect died hours later. "A masked suspect came in with a weapon - not a gun, a weapon - and there was an exchange between the employee and the suspect," Hyatt said. "There were employees and customers in the store at the time. It was not a customer who did the shooting." The suspect said nothing during the exchange with the employee, Hyatt said. "He was shot once," the chief...

Ex-NC Gov. Easley Avoids Disbarment after FelonyBy The Associated Press UPDATED: 8:43 pm EST January 6, 2012 Wake County -- Former North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley will be able to resume practicing law at end of this year under an agreement reached with the State Bar on his punishment related to a campaign finance-related felony in 2010. A disciplinary panel on Friday approved the agreement between the Bar and Easley in which his law license will be suspended for another 11 months. His license was suspended more than a year ago while the Bar investigated his case.

VALDESE, N.C. -- The man accused of shooting an 80-year-old man is no longer facing criminal charges. According to paperwork from the clerk’s office, prosecutors determined the shooting was a case of self-defense. But Edward Lail argues against the prosecutors’ findings. The 80-year-old Korean War Veteran said a man he did not know came into his home and started asking him about a woman. “I come back and he was in the kitchen, and I said, ‘I told you to leave my house. I don’t know you.’ He come out here. I followed him out here and I seen the...

GREENSBORO — A store clerk fired a gun once at some would-be robbers and sent them running. Police said they went to Andy's Pantry at 1301 Grove St. at 7:23 Wednesday on an attempted robbery call. The store clerk told police that two men entered the store with bandanas covering their faces. One of the men pointed a handgun at the clerk and demanded money. The clerk then pulled out a handgun and shot one round. Police said they did not know if anyone was struck. A full description of the suspects was not available. Anyone with information about this...

Henderson, N.C. — A 14-year-old Henderson boy calmly described in a 911 call how he shot an intruder in a home invasion last week. "I just shot the man. He came around the corner. I shot him. He broke the whole glass out (of the back door)," the teen told the 911 dispatcher. Authorities said Anthony Henderson Jr. 19, broke into the home at 586 S. Lynnbank Road on Thursday while the teen and his 17-year-old sister were home. The boy told the dispatcher that Henderson pointed a handgun at him, but Vance County Sheriff Peter White said deputies found...

The New York Times, or as SayUncle calls it, the paper of making things up, ran a story on Monday asserting that 1% of North Carolina concealed handgun permit holders had been convicted of felonies or misdemeanors. They didn't break down the number of felonies versus the number of misdemeanors as that would lessen the impact. Grass Roots North Carolina head Paul Valone was interviewed for this story and responded late yesterday in a GRNC Alert. Mike Luo's crusade Following an extensive interview between GRNC president Paul Valone and New York Times reporter Mike Luo, the Times is now trying...

Expiring Ethanol Credit to Add to Gas Price JumpBy WRAL POSTED: 9:04 am EST December 28, 2011 RALEIGH -- Lack of action by state lawmakers and Congress is expected to raise gas prices in North Carolina by more than 8 cents a gallon, starting Sunday. Half of the increase comes from the state. North Carolina's gas tax is linked to the price of gas and is adjusted every six months. Because gas prices have gone up since July, the state tax, which is already one of the highest in the country, is going up by 3.9 cents a gallon on...

A front-page story in today's New York Times tries to stir up alarm about liberalized carry permit laws, which let people carry concealed handguns if they meet a short list of objective criteria. To illustrate the hazards of that policy, the Times cites crimes committed by permit holders in North Carolina. How many crimes? Excluding traffic offenses, the Times counts 2,400 over five years, of which 200 were felonies. More relevant (since critics of nondiscretionary permit laws worry that they contribute to gun violence), "More than 200 permit holders were also convicted of gun- or weapon-related felonies or misdemeanors, including...

Two robberies and a near-death experience convinced Mark Headstrong that he needed to carry a gun. So he started packing a few months ago – a black revolver with a brown handle, small enough to tuck into his front pants pocket. For the soft-spoken convenience store clerk, the weapon proved its usefulness on the afternoon of Nov. 17, when he was almost robbed a third time. A man walked into the Wrightsville Country Store wearing a dark jacket and a Groucho Marx mask, pointed a loaded single-automatic pistol in Headstrong's face and demanded cash. Rather than obeying the order, the...

Raleigh going after unpaid parking ticketsUpdated: 6:41 p.m. Wednesday Raleigh, N.C. — Hundreds of area residents are getting mail from Raleigh officials this week, but it's not holiday greetings. The city sent 4,000 letters Monday to people who have unpaid parking citations, and officials said more mailings are planned. The move is part of a new collection method approved last spring by the City Council. Effective Dec. 15, the city can intercept the state income tax refund of anyone with more than $50 in unpaid parking citations that are more than six months delinquent in order to pay off the...

NC city mulls rules change for Occupy protestersDec 20, 9:00 AM EST WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) -- City council members in Winston-Salem have postponed a vote on an ordinance that would have temporarily declared city hall is no longer public property. **SNIP** Some council members said they were uncomfortable voting on the changes without advance notice or a public hearing. The council will take up the matter next month.

Staffers working for the Democratic governor of swing-state North Carolina have been using embargoed federal data for political advantage, putting state employees at risk of jail time, according to emails uncovered by the free-market John Locke Foundation. Republicans jumped on the news to demand explanations from embattled Gov. Beverly Purdue, whose declining poll ratings may stymie President Barack Obama’s campaign to win the state’s crucial 15 electoral votes in November 2012.

Absolutely, people should be allowed to defend themselves anywhere. Providing the option to ban concealed-carry handguns from "recreational facilities" was a bad change to House Bill 650, which became law on Dec. 1. It should never have occurred. The inclusion of that provision was a lame attempt by ignorant state legislators to water down the bill. The personal choice of some state representatives to refrain from carrying a weapon for self-defense does not extend to allowing legislators to take that choice from other North Carolinians regardless of the location in question. So, yes, concealed carry should be allowed anywhere in...

23.6 Giuliani +4.2 19.4 Huckabee 13.7 Romney 11.6 Thompson 11.3 McCain 4.4 Paul

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) -- For the second time in a month a Wilmington store clerk has turned the tables on a would-be robber. The owner of the store says the man who allegedly tried to rob the store is "lucky to be alive." The owner of A&J Food Mart on Princess Place Drive says Jaquan Martin said, "Please don't kill me, please don't kill me," when his apparent attempt to rob the store went wrong. Police say Martin fumbled as he pulled out a gun giving a store clerk a chance to pull a gun of his own. The clerk...

Police: Womble's car crossed center line in crashUpdated: 6:19 p.m. Monday WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Police in Winston-Salem say a car driven by state Rep. Larry Womble crossed the center line of a local street and collided head-on with another vehicle in a wreck that killed the other driver. Authorities say 54-year-old David Allen Carmichael of Winston-Salem died in the crash. Carmichael was the son of a man who ran against Womble for his legislative seat in the 1990s.

Newt Gingrich has dominent leads among Republican voters in both North Carolina and Colorado. In fact, Gingrich is the first candidate outside of his or her home state that PPP has ever found with an actual majority of the primary vote in any one state.

-----cut------ Garner, on the other hand, defined "recreational facility" for what it seems to be - a playground, ball field, gym or swimming pool. That definition seems more in line with what the General Assembly, though we suspect the courts will ultimately write the definition. (And we suspect lawmakers were purposely vague in defining recreational facility because they wanted the courts to.) As for those who think that law-abiding folks ought to be able to carry a gun wherever they want, we're sympathetic. At the same time, we sympathize with moms and dads who might be uncomfortable at the sight...

A North Carolina nonprofit organization that advocates for Second Amendment rights is trying to rally Winston-Salem residents opposed to a new city ordinance that prohibits guns in certain parts of some of the city's parks and recreation facilities. Grass Roots North Carolina, which is based in Raleigh, issued an alert this week saying that the ordinance, which the city council passed Nov. 21, violates state law. The alert also says the nonprofit is considering filing a lawsuit against the city, though Paul Valone, president of Grass Roots North Carolina, said he could not comment on possible litigation. Winston-Salem's new ordinance...

New laws go into effect for NC, including changes to Castle DoctrineBy: NBC17 Staff Published: December 01, 2011 **SNIP** Under the bill, a person charged with murder, manslaughter, or assault on a pregnant woman will face the same charged for the unborn child. **SNIP** Other laws that went into effect Dec.1: Laura's Law. This toughens sentences on repeat drunk drivers. It's named for 17-year-old Laura Fortenberry who was killed in a crash by a repeat offender. Police will start taking DNA samples from people arrested for an assortment of crimes. It used to only apply to suspects arrested for violent...

$22 million incentive package helped bring Chiquita to CharlotteBy: Becky Bereiter Updated 1:12 PM CHARLOTTE — More information is being released about incentives package that helped persuade Chiquita Brands International to move its corporate headquarters to Charlotte. Chiquita CEO Fernando Aguirre is not hiding the fact that the $22 million incentives package played a major role in bringing the company to the Queen City. $20 million came from the state and $2 million came from the city and county. Aguirre said in order to get the $22 million in incentives, the company has to meet a number of requirements. Primarily,...

2 with ties to Perdue surrender at Wake jailBy MICHAEL BIESECKER, Associated Press Posted: 1:00 p.m. today RALEIGH. N.C. — Two people with close ties to North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue have surrendered at the Wake County jail on charges related to campaign finance violations. Both were quickly released Wednesday on $50,000 unsecured bonds. Juleigh Sitton of Morganton recently resigned as director of the governor's Western Office. Sitton was indicted on two felony charges Monday, accused of accepting $32,000 in secret salary payments from illegal campaign donations when she worked for Perdue's 2008 campaign.

North Carolina’s new “Castle Doctrine” law, which addresses certain circumstances under which a person can legally shoot or use other deadly force against another, takes effect Thursday. North Carolina’s current Castle Doctrine only applies to homes, but under the new law it also applies to vehicles and places of work. The Castle Doctrine, rooted in English common law, expresses the belief that one should be safe from illegal intrusion in one’s home. The new law is much longer and clarifies when deadly force can be used. New law more specific The new law defines a person’s home as any property...

N.C. grand jury indicts 3 with ties to Perdue campaignPosted to: Crime News North Carolina By Gary D. Robertson and Michael Biesecker The Associated Press November 28, 2011 RALEIGH, N.C. - A Wake County grand jury on Monday indicted former campaign workers and a close family friend of North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue as part of an investigation into undisclosed flights on private airplanes leading up to her 2008 election victory. Grand jurors handed up indictments in state court against former Perdue campaign finance director Peter Reichard of Greensboro; Juleigh Sitton of Morganton, until recently the director of the governor's...

CLAYTON - A local gun shop owner is suing to force Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell to grant him a machine gun permit. Ronnie Mitchell, Bizzell's attorney, said he will ask the court to dismiss the case. Dennis Nielsen, owner of Freedom Arms, a newly opened gun store on U.S. 70 Business in Clayton, requested a machine gun permit in May. Bizzell refused, saying he needed more information, including the type of automatic weapon Nielsen needed a permit for, where and how it would be stored and why Nielsen needed the weapon. State law requires permits from the county sheriff...

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Police in North Carolina were investigating Sunday after two students were robbed by several gunmen in a dorm room at Fayetteville State University. WRAL-TV reported four to six men with guns knocked on a dorm room door at around 2:00am local time, university spokesman Jeff Womble said. When the two students answered, a physical altercation ensued. Shots were fired, damaging some furniture in the room, but no one was struck. The two students were injured during the altercation, Womble said. One of the students was taken to a local hospital in unknown condition, and the other was...

Occupy protesters tidy up, leave siteBy Morgan Josey Glover - Staff Writer Monday, November 7, 2011 GREENSBORO — Gone are the tents, blankets and lawn chairs. The donated food, dishes and propane burners. The white boards, extension cords and protest signs. **SNIP** Permission to use the land ended Sunday. Members will resume meeting at least twice a week at Glenwood Coffee and Books, an independent bookstore, to discuss long-term strategies. Demonstrators also plan to stage a mock foreclosure of Bank of America on Friday at the company’s Green Valley Road branch. “A lot of people are worried about the Occupy...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CBS Charlotte) – One man made sure a Charlotte motel was going to pay for him running out of toilet paper. Upset about the lack of toilet paper that was available in his room, a man destroyed $2,090 worth of hotel property on Monday, according to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police report. The identity of the man remains unknown. The incident, which happened at the Charlottetown Manor, happened around 10 a.m. Monday. According to the report, the man grew irate after learning he didn’t have toilet paper and proceeded to walk upstairs to a vacant room that was being renovated....

An Elon teenager was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly committed an armed robbery at The Bodega Convenience Store. Burlington police responded at 9:20 a.m. to 802 Ross St. after a report of an armed robbery. According to a press release, the store’s clerk said two black males entered the store armed with hand guns and robbed the store. During the robbery, the clerk drew a weapon on the suspects and fired one shot. The clerk said he believed he had hit one of the suspects before they both ran away on foot toward Chandler Avenue. About an hour later, a...

RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina's journey toward new political boundaries for the Legislature and Congress for the next decade is about to detour again into court. Civil rights, election reform and union groups are planning to file a lawsuit Friday challenging the recently approved boundaries in state court. The groups' moves come even after the U.S. Justice Department announced late Tuesday it wouldn't object, for now, to the maps based on a portion of the federal Voting Rights Act. North Carolina's redistricting maps are subject to prior approval by the Justice Department or federal courts because of past discrimination.