Morning News Briefs: Wednesday, January 18th, 2017

Group To Demand Documents In Police Misconduct Investigation

A watchdog group plans to demand documents in a police misconduct investigation when its members gather at Greensboro City Hall.

The News & Record of Greensboro reports GSO Operation Transparency plans to conduct "a people's document search" connected to the arrest of Dejuan Yourse by former Greensboro police officer Travis Cole in June.

Group members say they will meet Wednesday. The group demanded the file Dec. 13 from the Greensboro City Council, which later voted not to release the remaining documents.

Yourse was punched in the face and thrown to the ground from his mother's porch by Cole during an arrest June 17 recorded by officers' body cameras.

Residents Request “Sanctuary City” Status For Winston-Salem

A group in Winston-Salem has requested “sanctuary city” status for the undocumented, amid fears of accelerated deportations under a Donald Trump administration.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports the group told City Council members that the city needs to make a “very clear statement” in support of civil rights.

The group is calling itself the Winston-Salem Sanctuary Coalition, and says it has the support of a number of community organizations.

The term sanctuary city generally refers to cities that don't enforce federal immigration laws.

Several council members said they favor sanctuary city status, but are being “held hostage” by North Carolina legislators.

Lowe's Announces Nearly 2,400 Layoffs For Full-Time Workers

North Carolina-based home improvement retailer Lowe's says it's told approximately 2,400 full-time workers that they will be laid off.

A statement from the store said the majority of the cuts are at the store level, with other cuts occurring at distribution centers, customer support centers and at the company's corporate office in Mooresville.

The company said it's providing severance and outplacement resources to displaced workers.

Lowe's also announced Bob Hull was retiring as its chief financial officer. Marshall Croom, who has been with Lowe's for two decades, will succeed Hull as CFO March 3.

Revenue Picture Remains Good For NC Government

North Carolina tax collections continue to outpace budgeted expectations at the fiscal year's halfway mark, improving the chances for a surplus when the year ends in June.

The General Assembly's top staff economist wrote legislative leaders Tuesday telling them that taxes, fees and other revenues are $322 million ahead of projections for the six months ending Dec. 31 — or 3 percent over the target.

Nearly all of the increase can be attributed to better-than-anticipated numbers for individual income, sales and business taxes.

Brock, Tucker Join Tillman As Senate Finance Leaders

There will be new faces leading North Carolina Senate committees for the coming session as veteran Republican members have retired or moved on to other positions.

Sens. Andrew Brock of Mocksville and Tommy Tucker of Waxhaw have joined Sen. Jerry Tillman of Randleman as Finance Committee chairmen. Brock and Tucker succeed the retired Bob Rucho and Sen. Bill Rabon of Southport, who was previously announced as the Rules Committee chairman. Rabon succeeds ex-Sen. Tom Apodaca of Hendersonville.

There are new Transportation Committee chairmen in Sens. Jim Davis of Franklin and Tom McInnis of Rockingham. And Sen. Trudy Wade of Greensboro has joined two other senators to lead the Commerce Committee.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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