Morning News Briefs: Thursday, January 19, 2017

Seven Arrested In Greensboro While Requesting Documents

Seven people were arrested on trespassing charges Wednesday in Greensboro. They were seeking documents related to an incident of excessive force between former officer Travis Cole and Dejuan Yourse.

A group called Operation Transparency notified the City of Greensboro in December that they'd be conducting a public document search. They're asking for all documents pertaining to the investigation of former Officer Travis Cole to be released.

According to Operation Transparency's Andrew Garcés, only bits and pieces of the investigation were released, and the group is looking to fill in the gaps. The seven people were arrested at City Council offices and were charged with second-degree trespassing.

NC Gets $4.5M For Hurricane Damage Case Managers

North Carolina is getting money from the federal government to help people who saw their homes destroyed by Hurricane Matthew's flooding fill out paperwork and overcome complications to obtain housing assistance.

Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday the North Carolina emergency management office has been awarded a $4.5 million grant from FEMA. The money will pay for case managers to help people get homes repaired or find alternative housing.

Cooper's office says case managers should be in place by early next month and will work with faith-based and volunteer organizations to assist the people in need.

Tillis Named Chairman of Senate Armed Services Subcommittee

Senator Thom Tillis has been named chairman of a Senate Armed Services subcommittee.

The News and Record of Greensboro reports the subcommittee plays a key role in military personnel policies.

Tillis says the subcommittee is important because of the impact it has on the day-to-day lives of troops and their families.

He says the focus will be on improving facilities, training and readiness. Senators will also examine the military's hiring and disciplinary processes, and management infrastructure.

Tillis's constituents include the nations' largest military installation, Fort Bragg, as well as the largest East Coast Marine Corps base, Camp Lejeune.

UNC President: Job Candidates Say No, Citing Bathroom Law

Academics being recruited by North Carolina's public university system have ruled out moving to the state because of a law limiting legal protections for gay, lesbian and transgender people.

That's according to University of North Carolina President Margaret Spellings, who also told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday she's unaware of any academic talent embracing a North Carolina move because of the law called House Bill 2.

The former U.S. Education Secretary says the law hampers one of the state's leading engines of economic growth.

Former NC Commerce, Environmental Secretary Joins Law Firm

A two-time Cabinet member for then-North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has taken a job at a law firm to work with companies interested in moving to or expanding in the state.

John Skvarla was commerce secretary during the past two years and McCrory's environmental secretary for the first two years of McCrory's term. The Nexsen Pruett law firm office in Raleigh announced Skvarla's hiring Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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