NC Lawmakers, Federal Regulators Ask For 60-Day Hold On Suit

North Carolina's legislative leaders and federal regulators have asked a judge to put on hold litigation in which the Republican lawmakers had sued these same regulators and Gov. Roy Cooper's administration over his efforts to expand Medicaid.

Their joint motion marks a turn of events with President Trump's administration now running the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The administration has shown interest in repealing the health care overhaul that allows expansion.

The motion filed late Wednesday seeks 60 days so Trump's administration can evaluate issues in the lawsuit filed by House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger

Federal Grant To Bring $198M For Hurricane Matthew Relief

North Carolina has been officially awarded nearly $200 million from the federal government for Hurricane Matthew relief that Congress approved last month in a larger spending agreement.

Gov. Roy Cooper's office says the $198 million grant was awarded this week. Eighty percent of the money will go to four counties — Robeson, Cumberland, Edgecombe and Wayne — among the hardest hit during the October storm and historic flooding. The remaining money will be sent to more than 40 other counties.

Former Sen. Hagan Moved To Atlanta Rehab Center

Former North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan is now in an Atlanta rehabilitation center and has made strides while recovering from a brain inflammation.

Hagan initially was in a Washington hospital last month and was diagnosed with encephalitis. She was later in Chapel Hill. A statement released Thursday through a family spokeswoman says Hagan now has been moved to Georgia to a hospital for individuals with spinal cord and brain injuries. Hagan's doctors still are unsure how she contracted encephalitis.

Greensboro Middle School Renamed After Melvin Swann

A name change is coming to Greensboro's Aycock Middle School. Starting next school year , students will attend Swann Middle School.

The Guilford County Board of Education voted 8-1 Thursday night to rename the school after Melvin C. Swann Jr., a former Guilford County Schools administrator.

The News and Record of Greensboro reports Swann played an important role in the desegregation of the school district, and the merger of the Guilford, Greensboro and High Point school systems.

Swann died last summer at the age of 80.

The board had previously decided to replace the Aycock name. Charles Aycock was an early 20th century North Carolina governor and education champion, but also an ardent segregationist.

Winston-Salem Investigating Series Of Vacant Home Fires

Officials in Winston-Salem are trying to find out why so many vacant homes have burned this year.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports firefighters battled the seventh fire at a vacant home in the city earlier this week.

No injuries have been reported.

Fire officials say the fires are usually reported in the early morning hours.

An abandoned school burned in the city late last month.

The causes of the fires have not yet been determined. Investigator Jason Councilman says officials don't think the fires are related.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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