North State Journal Vol. 1, Issue 39

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VOLUME 1 ISSUE 39

www.NSJONLINE.com |

SUNDAY, November 20, 2016

Taming the flames A BRIDGE crewman raking around a spot fire on the Party Rock fire on Nov. 7. Check for updates at nsjonline. com.

courtesy of N.C. Forest Service BRIDGE Program

the Sunday

News BRIEFing Ticket hunt is on for Trump’s inauguration Washington, D.C. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration has been scheduled for Jan. 20, 2017. Tickets to see Trump take the Oath of Office on the West Lawn of the Capitol are free and can be obtained through your state representative or senator. Most offices will distribute them on a lottery system. The U.S. Secret Service says the Inaugural Parade will go down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House and giant screens will display the swearing in across the National Mall.

NORTH

STATE

JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION

up in the air

Some NC malls to close on Thanksgiving Raleigh CBL & Associates Properties say their N.C. malls will be closed on Thanksgiving because they want to give employees time with their families and renew the energy of Black Friday as the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season. CBL’s malls include Triangle Town Center in Raleigh, Cary Towne Center in Cary and Cross Creek Mall in Fayetteville. All Marshalls, HomeGoods and T.J.Maxx stores will also remain closed.

Five NC cities named among best for veterans Durham N.C. is known as a veteranfriendly state with a big military presence, but now there are more reasons for veterans to make N.C. their home. WalletHub weighed 21 factors, including percentage of military skill-related jobs and availability of VA health facilities, and determined that Durham, Raleigh, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Greensboro are among the best places in the nation for veterans to live.

in SPORTS Star basketball players battle weight throughout career. Page B4-5

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20177 52016 $2.00

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Christine T. Nguyen | north state journal

Durham County Board of Elections chairman Bill Brian Jr. listens to evidence during a hearing Friday on the election results.

Governor’s race far from over as voter fraud allegations surface By Donna King North State Journal DURHAM — On Friday N.C. counties were supposed to certify their final election results, but instead 50 of them met to address formal protests after allegations of possible voter fraud surfaced throughout the week. More than half of the state’s counties had formal complaints filed after a week of investigating voter fraud claims. After Election Day, Attorney General Roy Cooper led Gov. Pat McCrory by less than 5,000 votes, or 0.11 percent, but the numbers shift as each county decides on challenges. “Now we know why Roy Cooper fought so hard against voter ID and other efforts to combat voter fraud as attorney general,” said Russell Peck, McCrory’s campaign manager. “With each passing day, we discover more and more cases of voting fraud and irregularities. We intend to make

sure that every vote is properly counted and serious voter fraud concerns are addressed before the results of the election can be determined.” Most of the concerns revolve around allegations that the N.C. Democratic Party paid local political action committees to harvest absentee voter ballots and sign them on behalf of the voters. In a protest filed by McCrae Dowless, the Republican running for Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor in Bladen County, a deposition from a Bladen County Board of Election official says he found more than 300 ballots with “overtly similar” handwriting cast in the Nov. 8 election in the county. The ballots had write-ins for Dowless’ challenger, Democrat Franklin Graham, but also contained votes for other Democrats, including Cooper. “With the ones found on Nov. 1, I believe there are an overSee canvassing, page A3

wildfires

Reward offered for suspects as wildfires burn By Donna King North State Journal LAKE LURE — Nearly 50,000 acres of forest have burned in wildfires across western N.C. as firefighters continue to work on containing 15 fires in the state. This week air quality across much of the west and into the Charlotte area was rated a Code Red for smoke. In a press conference Gov. Pat McCrory offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to arrest of those responsible for setting the fires, many of which they believe are man-made. “We are committed to doing all we can to support our firefighters, protect people and property, and find those who may be responsible for any wildfires in North Carolina,” said McCrory. “Firefighters are making progress but the job is not over. I especially want to thank the volunteers serving as firefighters and those helping to feed, house and support firefighters in communities throughout our state.” Dry weather and sustained 30-50 mph winds are challenging firefighters, with the South Mountain State Park fire giving them the most difficulty. The Party Rock fire near Lake Lure has consumed 3,400 acres but the largest fire is the Tellico fire, burning on more than 13,000 acres in Swain and Macon counties. The Tellico blaze also led to a rock slide that closed a 10-mile section of highway in the Nantahala Gorge. Two other fires are the Boteler fire near Hayesville and the Maple Springs fire. With a long battle against the flames anticipated, Agricululture Commissioner Steve Troxler is working to bring Thanksgiving dinner to firefighters. “Plans are being ironed out and as of now the Baptist Men are cooking at two of the locations, one at Lake Lure, one at Franklin, and our research stations division is cooking for the site at Robbinsville,” said Troxler’s spokesman, Robbie Yarborough. Parts of the Appalachian Trail and other highways remain closed with campfires banned all along the trail and borders with Georgia and Tennessee. A state of emergency remains in effect for 25 western N.C. counties.

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fires across eight states in the southeastern U.S.

12

fires in N.C.

2K

firefighters are working in N.C.

100 fire trucks

judicial

Alito outlines conservative agenda for high court By Lawrence Hurley Reuters WASHINGTON, D.C. — Justice Samuel Alito on Thursday laid out a possible agenda for the U.S. Supreme Court if it regains its conservative majority as expected after Donald Trump takes office, citing gun rights and religious freedom as among key issues it will tackle in the coming years. Alito, one of the court’s two most conservative justices along with Clarence Thomas, pointed to freedom of speech and a disruption of the U.S. Constitution’s separation of powers caused by federal agencies expanding their authority at the expense of the U.S. Congress as other “constitutional fault lines” that could come before the court. Speaking at a meeting of the Federalist Society, a group of conservative lawyers, Alito paid tribute See Alito, page A3

Alito


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