Free Republic

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...