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North Carolina Elections Chairman Resigns Amid Controversy

The chairman of North Carolina's elections board has resigned following complaints about comments he's made online criticizing President Donald Trump.

Andy Penry resigned Saturday from the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement. The Democrat said he was leaving the board because he did not want to undermine an ongoing probe of potential wrongdoing in the state's 9th Congressional District. The board is investigating alleged fraudulent activity related to mail-in absentee ballots and could order a new election.

Current North Carolina Elections Board In Place A Little Longer

North Carolina judges have delayed the enforcement of their ruling that struck down the latest iteration of the state elections board.

The extension from the three-judge panel came late Friday.

The judges ruled in October that the board's composition doesn't give Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper the control that's warranted to him over an executive agency. They had put off the board's termination until Dec. 3, but now it won't happen until noon Dec. 12.

Video Prompts Diversity Training at Guilford County High School

Guilford County School officials are providing diversity training for staff and students at one of its largest high schools.

This comes after two Northwest Guilford students appeared in a racist video that went viral on social media.

GCS leaders became aware of the video over the Thanksgiving break. It shows the teens using racial slurs and expletives.

District officials say they strongly condemn the video and have appropriately disciplined the students involved in the incident.

Duke Removes Confederate Veteran's Name From Building

A building on Duke University's campus will no longer be named after a benefactor who espoused white supremacist ideas.

The university said its Board of Trustees on Saturday voted to approve removing Julian Carr's name from a building where the history department is located.

Carr was a Confederate veteran and tobacco magnate who gave land where part of Duke was built, helping facilitate the university's move to Durham. He once bragged during a 1913 speech about whipping a black woman.

Petition Urges Visa For Slain Girl's Father

An online petition is urging government officials to allow the father of a slain North Carolina teenage girl to attend her funeral.

A petition on Change.org urging immigration officials to let the father of Hania Aguilar attend her funeral next week has nearly 10,000 signatures as of Sunday afternoon. The petition says her father lives in Guatemala and would need an expedited visa to attend.

Police said they found Aguilar's body last week after several weeks of searching.

Outer Banks Ferry Trips To Be Faster After Upgrades

New ferries will make travel faster around the Outer Banks.

The Virginian-Pilot reports that the North Carolina Ferry Division is upgrading its fleet.

A new passenger vessel will be able to carry more people and travel four times faster than conventional ferries. And two new ferries that carry vehicles will be able to transport significantly more cars and people than the boats they are replacing, cutting down on wait times.

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