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Heavy Storms Leave Thousands Without Power In North Carolina
Storms moving across North Carolina have left thousands of customers without electricity.
The storms dumped up to 4 inches of rain in the Charlotte area. Up to 6 inches could fall in parts of central North Carolina.
Duke Energy reported more than 59,000 customers without electricity Monday. More than 48,000 of those customers were in Charlotte. Other significant outages were reported in neighboring Cabarrus County and in the Winston-Salem area.
A flood watch was in effect for most of the state. The watch is in effect for some of the state until Monday night and in other areas until early Tuesday.
Flood warnings were in effect in some parts of the state, with river flood warnings in effect through Thursday.
High surf advisories were in effect on the Outer Banks.
David Powell, Former Partnership Executive, Found Dead Of Suicide
David M. Powell, the former Triad economic development executive and Wilmington businessman who was accused of embezzling more than $240,000 from the Piedmont Triad Partnership, is dead of an apparent suicide.
The News and Record reports that the 52-year-old Powell was found dead in his parents' home Saturday morning in Kure Beach.
Powell had lived in Wilmington for the past year under the name Finley Powell.
He was charged in January 2016 with two counts of embezzling more than $240,000 from the partnership, which is the Triad's main economic development agency.
The case was on hold as investigations continued.
North Carolina's Long Summer Vacations Are Being Challenged
A 2004 law mandating when North Carolina public schools hold summer vacation is facing its strongest challenge yet from educators and legislators who say more flexibility would improve student performance.
Tourism officials and a parents' group are trying to keep summer like it is, with schools starting no earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and ending no later than the Friday closest to June 11. North Carolina is one of two states that mandate both start and end dates.
Dozens of bills have been filed seeking calendar flexibility for certain districts or statewide. Educators say local control is best, and differentiated calendars could benefit low-performing students.
North Carolina Civil Rights Center Faces Conservative Ire
A center founded at the University of North Carolina by a civil rights attorney to help the poor and disenfranchised is the latest institution to come under fire from conservatives seeking to leave their mark on the state's higher education system.
Attorney Julius Chambers survived firebomb attacks in the 1960s and 1970s as he fought segregation.
Decades later, he founded the UNC Center for Civil Rights. Now conservatives on the policy-making board for the 16-campus system want to strip the center of its ability to file lawsuits, removing its biggest weapon.
Assault Charge Dropped In Punch Outside Trump Campaign Rally
Prosecutors have dropped a misdemeanor assault charge against a 73-year-old man who police say hit a woman outside of a Donald Trump campaign rally in North Carolina last September.
Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams told the Citizen-Times of Asheville that the case was dismissed after prosecutors spoke to the victim, 69-year-old Shirley Teter.
Charges against three other people arrested outside the same rally have also been dismissed.
After Last Freeze, North Carolina Harvests More Strawberries
With the last freeze well behind them, North Carolina strawberry farmers are preparing for the second harvest.
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said many growers were picking their crop at least two weeks early because of warm February temperatures. Troxler said freezing temperatures in March put production on hold, but since those conditions have passed, strawberries are ready for picking.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says picking will begin in eastern North Carolina and the Piedmont over the next two weeks. Western North Carolina growers should be ready for picking on May 1.
Marketing specialist Dexter Hill says the peak of the N.C. strawberry season is traditionally Mother's Day weekend, but locally grown berries should still be available into Memorial Day.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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