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Greensboro Receives HUD Money For Hazard Cleanup
The City of Greensboro has been awarded millions of dollars to help clean up lead and other hazards in low-income homes.
Greensboro is getting nearly $3 million for the project from the federal government, while the city itself is providing an additional $400,000.
The bulk of the money comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The city says it will use the money to clean up lead-based paint and other hazards in 165 housing units. So far, Greensboro's Lead-Safe Housing Program has made nearly 900 homes healthier to live in.
4th of July Naturalization Ceremony Held In Old Salem
47 people became U.S. citizens in a 4th of July ceremony in Winston-Salem.
The morning ceremony was held in front of a packed auditorium at the Old Salem visitor center.
The Winston-Salem Journal reports the people earning citizenship hailed from 25 countries, including Belgium, Ghana, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
About 500 people attended the ceremony, many waving small American flags.
Threats: North Carolina City Cancels Fourth Celebration
One North Carolina city canceled its Independence Day celebration, citing threats it received in connection with an ongoing homicide investigation.
Hamlet City Manager Jonathan Blanton says scheduled Tuesday evening events with fireworks to follow were scrapped as a precaution.
Blanton said the city had received several threats of violence that targeted the planned celebration, saying they were credible and were being investigated by police. Blanton didn't elaborate on the specific nature of the threats.
NC Pride Organizers Apologize Over Yom Kippur Conflict
NC Pride organizers are asking for forgiveness after scheduling their annual parade and festival on Sept. 30 — the same day as the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
The festival has been held on the last Saturday of September for the past 17 years, but this year thousands of people won't be able to participate because of the conflict.
Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, is one of the Jewish community's holiest days of the year.
NC Pride organizers, who are all volunteers, say they're devastated about the timing. They posted a note on the event website asking for forgiveness and saying they look forward to their Jewish friends participating in future years.
The Jewish Federation is now looking to coordinate a separate pride event in October.
North Carolina Hospital Settles Suit Over Urine Test Billing
A Charlotte hospital system has agreed to settle a lawsuit over improper billing for urine tests.
U.S. Attorney Jill Rose says that Carolinas Healthcare System in Charlotte has agreed to pay $6.5 million to settle a lawsuit over billing practices brought by former lab director Mark McGuire.
Rose said prosecutors found the hospital had used the wrong billing code for urine drug tests to get higher payments than the hospital should have received.
Pageant Faux Pas: Miss North Carolina Mixes Up 2nd And 3rd
The organizers of the Miss North Carolina pageant say they are changing auditors after a mistake on the announcement card led to the wrong woman being announced as finishing second.
The pageant says Miss Goldsboro Courtney Smith is the real first runner up and Miss Mount Holly Allison Farris actually finished third.
Their placement was switched during the announcement at the end of the pageant Saturday night.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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