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New Voter ID Law Immediately Challenged In North Carolina Court
The new North Carolina law detailing how a voter photo identification requirement is carried out has been challenged in court moments after the General Assembly completed the override of Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of the measure.
Six voters filed the lawsuit in Wake County court Wednesday afternoon, less than 15 minutes after the state House completed the override in a 72-40 vote. The Senate already voted to override Tuesday.
The photo ID law passed a month after a constitutional referendum mandating it was approved.
Man In Ballot Probe Declines To Talk To Board
Newly released correspondence shows the man at the center of a North Carolina absentee ballot probe declined a formal request this week to be interviewed by elections board investigators.
The State Board of Elections released a letter, dated Dec. 16, to an attorney for Leslie McCrae Dowless. The board's letter to attorney Cynthia Singletary requests an interview with Dowless, but notes that the board isn't invoking its power to compel testimony.
The letter also informs the attorney that her client's alleged actions during the 2018 election and before are "under criminal investigation" by the board's investigators. They are looking into irregularities with the Nov. 6 vote in the state's 9th District.
Singletary declined the board's interview request on Tuesday.
16 Released After NC Sheriff Withdraws From ICE Program
Less than two weeks after a North Carolina sheriff announced an end to an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 16 people under ICE detainers have been released.
The Wake County Sheriff's Office released those who served their time or posted bond. Sheriff Gerald Baker says the ICE detainers will not be honored for 79 people who remain in custody on state charges.
Baker announced on Dec. 7 an end to Wake County's participation in the federal 287(g) program, in which local law enforcement agencies check the immigration status of people they've arrested.
Mecklenburg and Durham counties have also ended agreements with ICE.
Cooper: Apple 'Open Recruiting Situation' For North Carolina
Gov. Roy Cooper hasn't given up yet on Apple creating more jobs soon in North Carolina.
In an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, Cooper declined to comment on why the state didn't land thousands of new jobs that Apple announced last week would go to Austin, Texas. Cooper says he's staying silent because he called Apple an "open recruiting situation" that could potentially yield more employment.
People familiar with recruitment efforts said last spring Apple was strongly considering North Carolina for its new corporate campus. Cooper and the legislature also made cash incentives more attractive to big companies through legislation.
Leak Leads To Boil Water Advisory In Walnut Cove
A water leak has led officials in Walnut Cove to post a boil water advisory.
Town officials said in a Facebook post that the fire department found the source of the leak and stopped it Wednesday. However, they are still recommending to residents that they boil water for one minute to kill any potential disease-causing organisms.
The leak created low water pressure and service outages.
Residents are also being asked to conserve water.
Power Restored To North Carolina City After Widespread Outage
Power has been restored to a North Carolina city that suffered a widespread outage for about seven hours after a transmission line was cut.
About 22,000 customers in New Bern lost power Wednesday afternoon. Duke Energy says a vegetation management crew damaged a transmission line while clearing an area. City police say power was restored later that night.
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