Man Sentenced To Home Confinement For Threats To Mosque
Federal prosecutors say a North Carolina man was sentenced to eight months of home confinement after pleading guilty to charges that he threatened members of a mosque.
The U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release Thursday that 36-year-old Russell Thomas Langford was sentenced Thursday in federal court in North Carolina. The Army Reserve officer pleaded guilty in November to a felony charge for threatening mosque members in order to obstruct their free exercise of religious beliefs.
Coal Ash Pits: Duke Energy Tells Neighbors To Waive Claims
Neighbors living near Duke Energy Corp's coal-ash pits in North Carolina are being told they have to give up the option of suing over any future water problems if they want extra compensation from the utility.
The country's largest electricity company says in letters to about 1,000 homeowners near 13 of its coal-burning power plants that it will require a lawsuit waiver if neighbors want to collect a $5,000 "goodwill" payment and 25 years' worth of water bills for new municipal connections.
The company is offering to provide compensation for potential lost home resale values.
Proposal To Reduce UNC Board Considered In House Next Week
Lawmakers will soon consider whether the board overseeing the University of North Carolina system's 17 campuses is too large.
A key House Republican says an education committee will debate next week legislation to reduce the UNC Board of Governors from 32 voting members to 24 by mid-2019. Rep. David Lewis of Dunn said Thursday the proposal is designed to make the board more streamlined and effective. A floor vote also could come next week.
The House and Senate elect all 32 members - 16 in every odd-numbered year. System President Margaret Spellings recently told a newspaper that reducing the board's size is worth exploring.
Hanes Dye May Face Fine For Spill
A company could be fined by state regulators after a rupture at a Winston-Salem plant dumped red dye into a creek, killing some fish and prompting a warning for people to avoid the water.
The spill occurred at Hanes Dye & Finishing Co. last week, and some of the dye made it to Peters Creek, where between 100 and 200 fish were killed.
The Winston-Salem Journal reports the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has released a letter saying that fines can amount to $25,000 per day for similar violations. The letter does not say how big of a fine could be proposed for Hanes.
3 High School Students Accused In Homeless Man's Assault
Authorities in Winston-Salem say three high school students have been arrested in the assault of a homeless man who is hospitalized in intensive care.
The Winston-Salem Journal reports all three students, ages 18, 17 and 16, are charged with felony assault inflicting serious bodily injury. They were arrested at Reynolds High School on Jan. 25.
Police responding to a disturbance just after 4 a.m. on Jan. 16 found 59-year-old Arthur Bloxham badly beaten with a shattered orbital bone and a punctured lung.
Police say the three students and at least one other person beat Bloxham as he slept under a bridge.
Two of the students are free on bond. The status of the third students wasn't clear Thursday, when all three were scheduled to appear in court.
Coach K Says He Is Returning To Coach Duke Saturday Vs. Pitt
Mike Krzyzewski says he is returning this weekend to coach his Duke Blue Devils.
The Hall of Fame coach made the announcement Thursday night on his weekly radio show that he will make his return Saturday against Pittsburgh after back surgery kept him out for four weeks.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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