Man Facing Child Sex Offense Charges In Court

(Buncombe Co., NC) -- A Black Mountain pastor, who is facing multiple child sex charges, made his first court appearance. Forty-one-year-old Trent Holbert appeared by teleconference from jail yesterday. He's facing two counts of statutory sex offense with a child and one count of indecent liberties with a child. Holbert, of The Ridge Church, is being held on 300-thousand dollars bond.

New Social Studies Standards Approved In North Carolina

(Raleigh, NC) -- The North Carolina State Board of Education is voting in favor of adopting new social studies standards, including a guide for teachers on how to talk about race and discrimination. State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said the documents are not a mandatory way of teaching; rather a guide for gaining more perspective in the classroom. Supporters say they promote a more diverse point of view, but critics say they focus too much on the negative parts of American history.

Federal Complaint Filed In Asheville Against Seat Belt Company

(Asheville, NC) -- Two people whose children were killed in a fiery wreck in Jackson County are filling a complaint against the maker of their car-seats' safety restraints. Kristina Frost and Gary Mays filed a federal complaint in Asheville this week against AM-SAFE Commercial Products and Shield Restraint Systems. Their two and five-year-old children burned to death in 2018 when their buckles failed to open. The complaint states the defendants should have known the buckles were defective. A jury trial is requested.

Man Wanted In Connection To Three Asheville Shootings

(Asheville, NC) -- Asheville police are looking for a man tied to three back-to-back shootings. The incidents happened Wednesday night in the Shiloh community within an hour of each other. Police say 25-year-old Oshua Peak has half-a-dozen warrants out for his arrest and should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to call police. No one was injured in the shootings.

Buncombe Co. Authorities Investigating Kidnapping, Rape Case

(Buncombe Co., NC) -- Buncombe County authorities are trying to find the owner of a vehicle tied to a kidnapping and rape. The incident happened in the Leicester area. Authorities are looking for a white man in his 50s or 60s with a tattoo on his chest that reads "Bobby." They believe he owns the vehicle involved in the incident. Anyone with information is urged to call BCSO.

Historic Latta Plantation Closed Until Further Notice

(Charlotte, NC) -- The Historic Latta Plantation is closed until further notice. Mecklenburg County officials say they will be evaluating the best path forward for the site and its programming. This comes after the site manager planned a Juneteenth event called "Kingdom Coming," which offered the perspective of a slave owner. Mecklenburg County Commissioners let their contract with Historic Latta Place expire this week, saying they were not notified of the event six weeks in advance per their agreement.

Spectrum Center Returning To 100% Capacity In August

(Charlotte, NC) -- The Spectrum Center will be back at 100-percent capacity in August. The Hornets made that announcement yesterday. The venue will still have mobile ticketing, cashless transactions, and enhancing cleaning and disinfecting procedures. Face masks are encouraged but not required.

Six-Car Crash In Newton Causes Injuries To Those In Driver Education Car

(Newton, NC) -- A six-car crash in Newton caused serious injuries for three people. It happened at West Seventh Street and Northwest Boulevard on Wednesday. A man is accused of failing to stop at a red light, causing several collisions in a row. Among those hurt were three people in a driver education car: a teacher, student driver, and the student driver's twin sister.

Price's Chicken Coop Closing After 59 Years

(Charlotte, NC) -- A Charlotte restaurant is closing after 59 years in business. Price's Chicken Coop announced it will close its doors on Saturday. In a Facebook post, restaurant owners say the closure comes due to rising food costs and the labor shortage. The restaurant was a favorite locally but was also nationally recognized. In a 2012 Esquire Magazine poll, it was listed as one of the places to get the "Most Life-Changing Chicken in the Country."

Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit Now Open At Camp North End

(Charlotte, NC) -- A new art attraction can now be seen in Charlotte. The Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit opened at Camp North End yesterday. The moving images that show the work of Vincent Van Gogh will be in the Queen City through September 12th. Tickets are 39-dollars and 99-cents for adults.

Veteran Charlotte Deputy Chief Chosen To Be Next Police Chief Of Raleigh

(Raleigh, NC) -- The City of Raleigh has announced the selection of Estella Patterson as the next police chief of the capital city. Patterson, who is the Deputy Chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, was chosen after a nationwide search was narrowed down to just three candidates. Since joining Charlotte-Mecklenburg in 1996, Patterson has served in a number of leadership roles including Division Commander, Recruitment Director and Internal Affairs Commander. Patterson will become the 30th police chief in Raleigh history. She is set to begin her new duties on August 1st.

FAA And NTSB Trying To Determine Cause Of Fatal Plane Crash In Kinston Thursday Night

(Kinston, NC) -- Federal investigators will return to the scene of a fatal plane crash in Kinston Thursday that resulted in the death of the pilot. The small aircraft went down around 8:30 p.m. near the Kinston Drag Strip at U.S. Highway 11 and Highway 55 in Lenoir County. The pilot, who was the only person on board, has not yet been identified. Witness told police they saw the plane flying extremely low shortly before the crash. There were no other injuries.

Shooting In Durham Last Night Leaves Two Dead, Two Injured

(Durham, NC) -- Authorities in Durham are investigating a quadruple shooting Thursday night in which two people were killed and two others injured. It happened along the 1600-block of Holloway Street near the intersection of North Briggs Avenue. A preliminary police report says the incident began as an argument between two people, when multiple shots were fired. Both individuals were pronounced dead at the scene. A man and a woman also shot were described as innocent bystanders. Their injuries were not considered to be life-threatening.

NC Board Of Education Release New Guidelines For Teaching About Race In American History

(Raleigh, NC) -- Members of the North Carolina Board of Education have approved a new set of guidelines that are designed to help teachers more effectively discuss the history of race in America. The guidelines are outlined in about 20 pages of documents and suggested social studies curriculum for each grade level. The documents are only recommendations for developing a new set of standards. Educators and local school districts will still have the option of developing their own.

Cooper Appoints Veteran Attorney To Fill District Judgeship Position

(Raleigh, NC) -- Governor Roy Cooper has announced the appointment of Orange County attorney Joal Broun to fill a vacant district court judgeship position. In a statement released Thursday, the Governor said Broun will serve in Judicial District 15-B, which covers Chatham and Orange counties. Broun, who has practiced law in North Carolina for more than 30 years, most recently has been serving as director of the lobbying and compliance division of the North Carolina Secretary of State's Office.

Multiple Tubers Vanish In Rockingham Co.

(Rockingham Co., NC) -- The search is on for multiple tubers who went missing in the Dan River in Rockingham County. A water rescue has been taking place near the Duke Energy dam in Eden where nine tubers went over. The accident happened on Wednesday night, but authorities weren't called to the scene until Thursday. So far, four tubers have been found and another five are still missing.

New Social Studies Standards Approved In North Carolina

(Raleigh, NC) -- The North Carolina State Board of Education is voting in favor of adopting new social studies standards, including a guide for teachers on how to talk about race and discrimination. State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said the documents are not a mandatory way of teaching; rather a guide for gaining more perspective in the classroom. Supporters say they promote a more diverse point of view, but critics say they focus too much on the negative parts of American history.

Piedmont Triad Celebrates Juneteenth

(Winston-Salem, NC) -- Cities across the Piedmont Triad are celebrating Juneteenth. In High Point, the Home-Grown Juneteenth celebration takes place Saturday afternoon at Sabrina's on South Main Street. In Winston-Salem, the Triad Cultural Arts organization is hosting a festival Saturday afternoon at Biotech Place in the Innovation Quarter. Events are also planned in Greensboro, Mount Airy, Elkin, Burlington and more. June 19th, 1865 marks the day the last slaves in Galveston, Texas were told the Civil War had ended.

NC A&T Teams Up With B&N To Provide Free Textbooks

(Greensboro, NC) -- North Carolina A&T State University is teaming up with Barnes & Noble College to offer free textbooks to undergraduate students. The university will help pay for the program with funds from the federal CARES Act. A recent survey showed 65-percent of college students nationally did not buy textbooks due to hardships from the COVID-19 pandemic.

One Dead After Double-Shooting In Ramseur

(Ramseur, NC) -- One person is dead after a double-shooting in Randolph County. Shots were fired early yesterday morning at the Town and Country Mobile Home Park on Highway 64. Eighteen-year-old Jonathan Flowers was killed, and 21-year-old Tashara Simmons was badly injured. Deputies have not identified a possible suspect or motive in the case.

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