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Lawmakers Work On Disaster Relief For Schools
North Carolina legislators say they're working on a disaster relief bill that will address extended public school closures and teacher pay issues resulting from Hurricane Florence.
Republican state education leaders announced Monday in Wilmington that they're planning legislation designed to ensure teachers at still-shuttered schools that they will get paid without using vacation time.
Sen. Michael Lee of Wilmington, Rep. Craig Horn of Weddington and state Superintendent Mark Johnson also discussed adjusting the school calendar law to address lost classroom time because of closures.
Florence Shelter At Joel Coliseum Closes
A local shelter for people escaping the floods of Florence closed Monday after more than a week as a temporary home. Most of those staying at Winston-Salem's Joel Coliseum have already moved on.
At its peak during the weekend that the storm swept across North Carolina more than 400 people stayed at the coliseum, waiting for word that it was safe to go back home. As of Monday, that was down to about 40.
Stephanie Murphy is a public information officer for the American Red Cross. She says she's seen a spirit of camaraderie develop among the evacuees.
Murphy says most people returned home or found friends or family to stay with. There are open shelters in the eastern part of the state for those still without a place to go.
Proposed Ordinance In Greensboro Opens The Door To Proactive Home Inspections
In Greensboro, a proposed ordinance giving housing inspectors broader powers is under consideration.
Discussions began shortly after hundreds of minimum housing code violations were discovered at the Summit/Cone Apartments. That's where five refugee children died in a fire in May. Dozens of families were later forced to leave after the city condemned the building.
Council members met with a variety of stakeholders to explore ways for the city to be more proactive. Under the proposed ordinance if one apartment has a safety hazard, all units would be open to inspection.
Greensboro Housing Coalition Director Brett Byerly cautions that new ordinances could lead to more homelessness, and other unintended consequences.
Police: College Student Shot, Killed By Security Officer
Police say a North Carolina college student was shot and killed by a security officer who said the shooting was in self-defense.
Durham police said in a news release Monday its officers were sent to the apartment complex on Sept. 18 in response to a report of a gunshot wound. When officers arrived, they found a man with an apparent gunshot wound. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died.
On Monday, police identified the victim as 23-year-old DeAndre Ballard, a New Bern native and student at North Carolina Central University.
The security guard who shot Ballard works for the NC Detective Agency, which says it stands by his actions.
Durham police are conducting what they call a death investigation. No charges have been filed.
Mother Bear Killed Following Attack On Woman; Cubs Relocated
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission says a mother black bear that attacked a woman has been killed and its three cubs have been moved to a remote area.
The commission says the mother bear was euthanized for human safety, and the healthy cubs were old enough to live without their mother. The commission says 75-year-old Toni Rhegness was attacked last week while walking her dog near her Swannonoa home.
It says she saw the cubs and tried to scare them off by shouting. It says Rhegness was then attacked by the unseen mother bear and seriously wounded. Rhegness was treated and released that same day. Commission black bear biologist Colleen Olfenbuttel says a lack of food is driving bears into neighborhoods.
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