Morning News Briefs: Thursday, October 13, 2016

Storm Death Toll In North Carolina Rises To 20

Gov. Pat McCrory said the death toll in North Carolina from Hurricane Matthew has risen to 20.

McCrory told a briefing in Lumberton on Wednesday that the latest death was reported in Lenoir County. He provided no additional details.

The death toll for the U.S. now stands at 36.

McCrory said people hoping to travel through the area should avoid Interstate 95 because a portion of the road is flooded, and he suggested finding alternate routes.

North Carolina Voter Applicants Get Leeway Due To Matthew

North Carolina elections workers are giving some leeway to people aiming to register to vote before a deadline this week because of potential mail delays from Hurricane Matthew's aftermath.

Usually, an application must be turned in to a county office by Friday, or postmarked by Friday as long as it is received by Oct. 19. The State Board of Elections now says mailed applications for this fall will be accepted with later postmarks until Oct. 19 as long as the form is dated by Friday.

The adjustment doesn't affect potential voters registering and casting ballots during early in-person voting Oct. 20 until Nov. 5. There's no registration on Election Day.

GOP Lawmakers, McCrory Say Session On Matthew Unneeded Now

Republican legislative leaders agree with Gov. Pat McCrory there's no need for the North Carolina General Assembly to reconvene now to address Hurricane Matthew's destruction, potentially by tapping into the state's record savings.

Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore said Wednesday it would be imprudent to make long-term decisions about a recovery plan until floodwaters recede and safety issues are controlled. They also pointed to McCrory's statement this week that there's enough state emergency funds to get through to February. The legislature begins its session in January.

North Carolina Senate Debate Likely To Mention Trump, ACLU

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and the American Civil Liberties Union are likely to be popular subjects in the debate between the two candidates for North Carolina's open Senate seat.

The only scheduled televised debate between incumbent Republican Sen. Richard Burr and Democratic challenger Deborah Ross will air statewide Thursday night.

Burr is seeking his third Senate term but has been getting pushed hard so far by Ross, a former state legislator. She and her allies have portrayed Burr as benefiting financially during his time in Washington.

Burr has said he still backs Trump for president despite comments about women released last week that Burr called "indefensible." Burr and his allies have been blasting Ross for her previous career at the American Civil Liberties Union.

Charlotte Police Officer Shoots, Wounds Suspect

Charlotte police say an officer has shot and wounded a suspect who had a gun.

Lt. Andrew Harris said in a news release that an officer heard gunshots coming from the parking lot of a motel shortly after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Harris says when the officer reached the parking lot, she got out of her patrol car and was confronted by a person with a handgun. The statement says the officer considered the suspect a threat and fired.

The suspect was taken to Carolinas Medical Center with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. The officer was not hurt.

The names of the officer and suspect have not been released. The race of those involved was not immediately available.

The officer has been placed on leave during the investigation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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