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Thousands Of North Carolina Teachers Marched. Now What?
North Carolina politicians and the public are waiting to see what happens next after thousands of teachers rallied to demand increased spending on public schools.
An estimated 19,000 people marched through the state's capital city.
The state's teacher advocacy group wants the Republican-led legislature to stop tax cuts on upper-income households and corporations taking effect in January.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper says the money should go for an average 8 percent teacher pay raise this year, plus money for textbooks and help for teachers who shell out for classroom supplies.
Legislative leaders have promised an average 6 percent pay raise for educators, which would be the fifth in five years.
Legislative Session Gaveled In Among Teachers
The North Carolina General Assembly opened its annual session as thousands of teachers descended on the Legislative Building in support of public school funding and teacher pay increases.
Speaker Tim Moore and Lt. Gov. Dan Forest gaveled in the House and Senate floor meetings shortly after noon Wednesday.
The Senate seated a new member Wednesday — Sen. Toby Fitch of Wilson was appointed to fill the term of Sen. Angela Bryant, who resigned recently to join the parole commission.
The House Health Committee met briefly Wednesday afternoon and approved a bill designed to make it easier for out-of-state school psychologists to take similar jobs in North Carolina schools.
Teen Arrested In Greenway Shooting Of Horses
An arrest has been made in a shooting that killed 1 horse and injured 2 others at a Winston-Salem greenway this weekend.
A release from the Winston-Salem Police Department says 19-year-old Alonzo Cross has been charged with three counts of Felony Cruelty To Animals and Discharging a Firearm Within the City Limits.
Police conducted a search of Cross' residence where they found a number of firearms which had previously been reported as stolen.
Cross is being held at the Forsyth County Detention Center.
The investigation also led to three juveniles being taken into custody for possessing stolen firearms.
Former Mental Health Agency CEO Files Countersuit Over Pay
The former CEO of North Carolina's largest regional mental health agency has filed a countersuit to fight efforts to recover $1.7 million in severance pay which a new board of directors said he used for himself and other executives.
The Winston-Salem Journal reports Richard Topping, the former head of Cardinal Innovations, filed his countersuit Tuesday in Mecklenburg County Superior Court.
Last May, State Auditor Beth Wood ripped Cardinal for lavish spending on CEO pay and "questionable" credit card purchases, among other items. In October, a 17-page report from the Department of Health and Human Services criticized the severance packages Cardinal offered Topping and his team.
The next month, DHHS took over the agency and fired the board for approving a $3.8 million severance package for Topping and other executives.
State Auditor: More Than 1,900 Computers Unaccounted For
A report from the state auditor says more than 1,900 computers bought by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety over two years ago are unaccounted for.
The Charlotte Observer reports State Auditor Beth Wood said it's unclear where the computers are and whether any were stolen. Wood said while DPS was able to track down most of the 8,600 desktop and laptop computers purchased in 2014 and 2015, many are still missing.
According to the audit, the department distributed the computers to users but didn't track and account for them. The audit also said the department didn't conduct an inventory of computer equipment for more than five years.
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