Raleigh Christmas Parade victim dies after getting hit by runaway truck

Jenny Goldsberry

November 20, 11:21 AM November 20, 11:31 AM

The 11-year-old dancer who was hit by a truck hauling a float during a Christmas parade in North Carolina died.

Saturday's Raleigh Christmas Parade saw one GMC Sierra truck lose control as it was hauling the CC & Co. Dance Complex's float amid roughly 200 young female dancers. The driver was reportedly heard yelling out of the window that he had lost control. The unidentified dancer was injured as a result and was pronounced dead later at a hospital despite receiving emergency care at the scene.

Landen Christopher Glass was identified as the one driving the truck, which was associated with the local dealership Leith Cars. Raleigh Police charged Glass with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, careless and reckless driving, improper equipment, unsafe movement, and carrying a firearm in a parade.

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"Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of the young girl who lost her life today at the Raleigh Christmas Parade," Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin tweeted. "Our prayers are with her family, friends and the dancers from CC & Co. The community is here for you as we try to understand and process this shared tragedy."

"In a joyous season on what should be a happy day, we instead mourn for this family and their friends as we keep them in our prayers," Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) tweeted.

"Our deepest prayers go out to the family of the young girl who lost her life today at the Raleigh Christmas Parade," Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) wrote. "We send our love and support to the community and everyone involved in this terrible tragedy."

"We are still in shock as we write these words to you. This morning's events have devastated us. We also know that many other young ones witnessed this tragedy and that is hard to fathom as well," the dance company wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday. "We never expected to experience a day like today, and the only thing getting us through is the tremendous love and support we've seen expressed among our CC & Co. Dance family."

The Raleigh Christmas Parade was celebrating its 78th anniversary after a hiatus in 2020. There were some 80,000 visitors in the area for last year's parade.

The 12 states that could decide control of the Senate

Ryan King

November 07, 06:30 AM November 07, 06:30 AM

While forecasters are generally bullish that the GOP will capture the House on Election Day, the battle for the evenly divided Senate is widely considered a toss-up.

Given the 50-50 split, a single seat could tip the scales of power in the upper chamber, prompting both parties to pour enormous sums of money in hopes of swinging battleground races their way.

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A slew of factors, such as historical trends favoring the opposition party, late-breaking scandals, bleak economic news, concerns over candidate quality, and more, have given both sides heartburn as they brace for Nov. 8.

The Cook Political Report currently ranks four Senate contests as a toss-up: Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. Of those seats, Republicans are defending one, while Democrats are running incumbents in three.

Beyond these four, there are competitive races in several states in which polling favors one candidate, but the result could go either way.

Here is a look at 12 Senate races to watch on Election Day.

Georgia

Widely seen as a pickup opportunity for Republicans, given Georgia's history as a ruby-red state, the showdown between Republican Herschel Walker and incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) is a nail-biter.

A seasoned orator from the famed Ebenezer Baptist Church, Warnock first won the seat during a special election runoff that took place after the 2020 election. His victory was pivotal to Democrats clinching control of the Senate. Polling has oscillated between him and Walker, who has been dogged by a flurry of recent scandals.

Most recently, Walker has reckoned with reports that he encouraged two ex-girlfriends to have abortions — allegations he vehemently denies. The accusations fly in the face of his staunch anti-abortion platform.

In the Peach State, Senate candidates must garner a majority in order to win outright. Candidates shy of the 50% mark must compete in a runoff election, meaning the Warnock-Walker showdown might not be over on election night, given that both are currently polling below that threshold.

Pennsylvania

The two parties have been engaged in a fierce Senate battle ever since incumbent Pat Toomey (R-PA) announced his retirement in 2020. Led by a Democratic governor and a Republican state legislature, Pennsylvania is a true battleground state, having voted Republican for the 2016 presidential election and Democratic for the 2020 presidential election.

For months, the Keystone State appeared poised to flip to the Democrats, whose nominee, John Fetterman, held a commanding lead over Republican Mehmet Oz. The GOP hopeful had been battered by a contentious GOP primary and then immediately entered the general election weathering an onslaught of attacks from the Fetterman campaign, which painted him as a rich, out-of-touch carpetbagger.

But things took a turn in recent weeks as concerns over Fetterman's health rose to the fore. The lieutenant governor suffered a stroke just days before his primary and has been left with lingering speech and auditory impairments that were on full display during his debate with Oz last month.

Fetterman has argued that he was being upfront with voters about his verbal hurdles, despite declining to release his medical records, and insisted that he expects to get better with time.

Oz recently captured a slim lead in the RealClearPolitics polling average for the first time.

Nevada

Although Democrats managed to win both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections in the Battle Born State and currently enjoy control over the governor's office as well as the state legislature, Republicans have performed strongly in a spate of recent polling.

That includes a slim GOP lead in the state's Senate race between incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and her Republican rival, Adam Laxalt. Throughout the race, Laxalt and Cortez Masto traded barbs on inflation and the 2020 election, which Laxalt has suggested was "rigged."

Laxalt is a political scion whose father and grandfather were prominent in Nevada politics; he served as the state's attorney general from 2015 to 2019. Cortez Masto succeeded the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and has served one term in the upper chamber as the only Latina senator. She initially held a small lead over Laxalt in polling, but that began to shift in September.

Latinos are an important voter bloc in Nevada, and Republicans have been keen on making inroads with them this election cycle.

Arizona

Once seen as a reliably red state, Arizona has become purple in recent cycles, electing two Democratic senators and President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Republicans entered 2022 seeking to retake lost ground in the Grand Canyon State.

Initially, incumbent Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) held a commanding lead over Blake Masters, but the Republican foe has narrowed the gap in recent weeks, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average.

Masters has projected a conservative populist persona, casting himself as a champion for working-class voters disaffected by inflation and an immigration crisis at the border. Kelly has distanced himself from President Joe Biden on issues such as immigration and sought to put Masters on defense over abortion and his ties to former President Donald Trump.

Last week, Libertarian hopeful Marc Victor dropped out of the race and backed Masters, though it is unclear how big of an impact that will have on the outcome.

Wisconsin

Incumbent Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson (R) narrowly won his previous elections in 2010 and 2016 and was widely considered one of the most vulnerable incumbent Republican senators heading into the 2022 cycle.

Initially, Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes pulled ahead of him in polling, but that began to shift in late September, coinciding with an apparent rebound for Republicans across the country. Barnes enjoyed late-in-the-game Democratic firepower, with former President Barack Obama stumping for him.

The campaign has mirrored many other showdowns between Republicans and Democrats, featuring attacks between the duo on inflation, crime, abortion, energy prices, and other issues that are top of mind for voters.

In 2020, Biden narrowly won Wisconsin by less than half a point, while Trump had won by less than 1 point in 2016, making the Badger State a true battleground.

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New Hampshire

Maggie Hassan (D-NH) is among the most vulnerable incumbent Senate Democrats in the country. Seeking to mount a strong challenge, national Republicans courted popular Gov. Chris Sununu for the New Hampshire race but were dealt a blow when he opted to run for reelection as governor instead.

After Republican Don Bolduc nabbed the Republican nomination, Hassan opened up a sizable lead in polling that has begun to wither dramatically in recent weeks. Bolduc has wavered on whether he believes the 2020 election was stolen, changing his answer to that question multiple times, which has provided fodder for Hassan.

New Hampshire swung blue this last election cycle, opting for a Democrat in both the presidential election and congressional contests.

Yet New Hampshire has the reputation of being a perennial swing state, and Republicans currently have control of the state legislature and governor's mansion.

Ohio

While many forecasters believe the Buckeye State leans Republican, Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) voices confidence that he can eke out an upset in the race to fill outgoing GOP Sen. Rob Portman's seat. His Republican foe, author and venture capitalist J.D. Vance, has run as a MAGA-style populist and consistently leads Ryan in polling.

Ryan has anguished over the lack of support he received from national Democrats, insisting his race is winnable. He also highlights instances in which he's bucked the party, including on matters such as student loan forgiveness and Title 42. His pitch to voters is that he would be an independent voice in the Senate.

Once a critical swing state, with its Rust Belt working-class voters, Ohio has seemingly taken a right turn, voting for Trump as well as a Republican governor and state legislature. If Ryan manages to pull off a victory in a red wave year, it would be a considerable blow to the GOP, as it needs to defend all of its currently held seats.

North Carolina

Democratic-aligned groups have pumped a sizable amount of money into the North Carolina Senate race late in the game after seemingly holding back as Democrat Cheri Beasley challenges Republican Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) for the open seat.

Obama recently cut an ad for Beasley in the hope of boosting her prospects in a fairly tight race. Meanwhile, Budd has enjoyed the support of Trump, who was rankled by outgoing Sen. Richard Burr's (R) vote to convict him during his second impeachment trial.

Budd has the lead in polling, and the seat is rated "leans Republican" by the Cook Political Report.

Washington

Although below the political radars of many, Democrats have reportedly been scrambling behind the scenes to bolster incumbent Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) in her race against Republican Tiffany Smiley in Washington state. Murray leads Smiley in polling, but her advantage is dramatically smaller than the roughly 19-point margin Biden enjoyed in 2020.

Smiley is a political newcomer who has hammered Murray and Democrats more broadly on economic issues. She has also nearly closed a 9-point gap with Murray, indicating that political headwinds for Democrats could be on her side in the traditionally blue stronghold.

Florida

Once widely seen as a critical swing state, Florida has trended red recently. Incumbent Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) has opened a commanding lead over Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) in polling, but the contest is still worth keeping an eye on. Demings has outraised Rubio and mounted a scrappy campaign against him.

Many voters in the state were recently pummeled by Hurricane Ian, whose aftermath became a major issue in the race in the weeks that followed.

Colorado

Of all the Republican senators vying for Senate this cycle, only one seems to have rankled Trump: Colorado's Joe O'Dea, who overcame a Democratic spoiler campaign for the GOP nomination. O'Dea has publicly rebuked Trump, prompting the former president to proclaim, "MAGA doesn't vote for stupid people with big mouths."

Colorado has leaned Democratic in recent cycles, but O'Dea has run a surprisingly strong campaign against incumbent Sen. and former presidential candidate Michael Bennet (D-CO). Prominent Republicans such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President George W. Bush have backed O'Dea in the contest.

Utah

In one of the most unconventional political moves, Utah Democrats opted not to run a candidate from their party against incumbent Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), figuring independent contender Evan McMullin stood a better chance against him in the Republican stronghold of Utah than any of their potential candidates.

Recent polling has shown Lee with a sizable lead over McMullin, who has bashed him for his actions surrounding the 2020 election, but the race garnered national attention after multiple polls suggested a relatively tight race.

If McMullin were to win, he says he wouldn't caucus with either party. Still, a hypothetical victory would cost the GOP a seat and make the Senate math more favorable for Democrats.

Employing woes put North Carolina around major of states battling to uncover staff

Joe Mueller | The Middle Sq.

August 20, 07:31 AM August 20, 07:31 AM

(The Heart Sq.) — Organizations in North Carolina were struggling to uncover personnel right before the start out of the pandemic and the dilemma continues.

WalletHub research ranked North Carolina 15th when accounting for the amount of work openings all through the latest thirty day period accessible and for the past 12 months from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Studies. WalletHub gave double fat to the occupation openings amount in the course of the most up-to-date thirty day period. North Carolina’s occupation openings rate very last month was 7% and the amount for the very last 12 months was 7.43%.

Alaska was rated the top rated condition for employers struggling the most to seek the services of workers and Washington was past.

The 2022 Employer Requires Survey, published by the North Carolina Division of Commerce, discovered a lot more employers noted choosing troubles in the drop of 2021 than in former several years as 81% responded at least some issues making an attempt to hire someone. Employers mentioned a absence of candidates was the top purpose for problems, adopted by employability troubles and provided shell out was also minimal.

"These conclusions are not sudden given the latest tightness of the labor marketplace, which has become even tighter considering the fact that the first months of the pandemic," the report said. "In the tumble of 2019, for example, there have been approximately 1.3 jobseekers per job opening in the slide of 2021, there was much less than 1 (.9) jobseeker for every opening. Therefore, there are merely fewer applicants for a large quantity of task openings."

North Carolina’s unemployment fee was 3.4% in June, just beneath the countrywide charge of 3.5%.

The national labor pressure participation level, outlined as the percentage of the inhabitants that is either performing or actively looking for get the job done, was 62.1% in July North Carolina’s price was 60.5% in June, up seven-tenths of a proportion point from June 2021.

Miren Ivankovic, an adjunct professor of economics at Clemson College, told WalletHub the participation price is more telling than other facts details.

"It appears to be that people who still left the labor force are not returning to it," Ivankovic stated. "This is a difficulty that need to be tackled and enhanced. I forecast latest traits to continue being for the duration of this yr, but predictions are that GDP (gross domestic item) will develop at a a great deal slower level, even a adverse level because of to Federal Reserve guidelines, and that will ‘cool off’ demand for labor."

On the other hand, the Division of Commerce’s 2022 Wants Study instructed businesses make changes to draw in extra candidates.

"When some likely employees may possibly be hesitant to return to the labor power owing to well being issues, childcare, relatives obligations and retirements, companies may be challenged to alter to the realities of a lesser labor drive in the long run owing to primary demographic problems," the survey said. "This may perhaps involve employers to consider each presented wage and non-wage positive aspects such as wellness insurance plan and childcare to appeal to desired personnel."

FEC threatens Madison Cawthorn right after he fails to fork over campaign economical records

Andrew Kerr

August 04, 10:14 AM August 04, 10:28 AM

The Federal Election Commission threatened outgoing Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) with likely legal enforcement motion for failing to report his campaign's finances all through the months before and just after his May perhaps 17 major defeat.

Cawthorn was due to file a report to the FEC on July 15 detailing what his campaign raised and expended amongst late April and the conclusion of June, but the Cawthorn campaign has retained the FEC in the dim as of Wednesday afternoon.

"The failure to well timed file a entire report may well result in civil cash penalties, an audit or authorized enforcement action," the FEC warned Cawthorn in a letter on Monday.

The FEC famous that Cawthorn is not likely to escape fines in the issue, as the civil penalty calculation does not include things like a grace interval and commences the day following the owing day of the report.

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Cawthorn submitted a statement of organization with the FEC on July 15, determining himself as the treasurer and custodian of documents for his marketing campaign, a move that could open up him up to private civil legal responsibility if the FEC penalizes his campaign for failing to report its funds on time.

Cawthorn did not return a ask for for comment.

Thomas Datwyler, who served as the treasurer and custodian of documents of the Cawthorn marketing campaign before the firebrand freshman lawmaker lost his main election on May perhaps 17, did not return a request for comment.

The FEC's menace to Cawthorn comes right after the Everyday Beast noted in July that the Cawthorn campaign burned by all its restricted standard election funds in a mad dash investing spree in the guide-up to his principal defeat and now has no funds remaining over to return to his donors.

A source with the Cawthorn campaign told the Day by day Beast that the campaign put in $1,500 on trips to Chick-Fil-A, almost $3,000 at a restaurant identified as Papa's Beer, $21,000 on accommodations in Florida, numerous excursions to a large-close cigar shop, and egregious consulting charges to people today such as Cawthorn's own buddy and campaign manager Blake Harp.

Harp did not return requests for remark.

The Cawthorn campaign experienced only $138,000 income on hand and money owed totaling $325,000 as of April 27 soon after getting raised in excess of $3.5 million because the beginning of 2021, in accordance to its most not long ago submitted FEC report.

Cawthorn's marketing campaign is expected by regulation to reimburse a mixed $220,000 to significant-dollar donors who experienced contributed to his general election fund before his May perhaps 17 most important decline. It really is unclear wherever Cawthorn's marketing campaign will find the cash to reimburse his donors.

"There was just no money," the Cawthorn campaign source told the Everyday Beast. "It was dollar-in, dollar-out. So if he loses, it is really a seriously terrible thing, and the only way to include it is receiving funds straight from the candidate or treasurer."

"No one ever did the math, which baffled me due to the fact the expending was so outrageous," the resource explained.

Cawthorn suffered a string of uncomfortable stories in the direct-up to his main reduction to point out Sen. Chuck Edwards.

Cawthorn was alleged to have engaged in an inappropriate partnership with one of his staffers, he was caught attempting to convey a handgun earlier security at a North Carolina airport, and a movie surfaced of the congressman naked in bed obtaining bodily and earning noises with one more gentleman.

Cawthorn also faces a Household Ethics investigation around allegations that he engaged in an insider investing scheme linked to the "Let us Go Brandon" meme cryptocurrency.

A number of authorities watchdog groups beforehand informed the Washington Examiner that Cawthorn could have implicated himself in an insider buying and selling scheme when he wrote: "LGB legends ... Tomorrow we go to the moon!" in response to a Dec. 29 Instagram image of himself posing with the meme coin's ringleader, James Koutoulas.

The future working day, LGBCoin's worth spiked by 75% following NASCAR driver Brandon Brown introduced that the coin would be the major sponsor of his 2022 time. Koutoulas was highlighted in Brown's press release.

Cawthorn disclosed in late May that he sold upward of $250,000 of the meme cryptocurrency soon soon after its price spiked in late December. Less than a thirty day period later, LGBCoin experienced missing 100% of its value.

Warnings issued following 'surprise' tropical storm types off the coastline of Carolinas

July 02, 09:19 AM July 02, 09:35 AM

A 'surprise' tropical storm has shaped off the coasts of the Carolinas, and could hammer the coastline with wild weather conditions this weekend.

Tropical Storm Colin formed early Saturday early morning just off the coastline of South Carolina, turning into the third named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane period and threatening to drench outdoor functions around the Fourth of July prolonged weekend.

The storm, a little something of a surprise, formed hrs after Tropical Storm Bonnie manufactured landfall in Nicaragua.

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Colin was predicted to transfer little by little through the Carolinas about the weekend. At 5 am japanese Saturday, it experienced highest sustained winds close to 40 mph, and was found just inland about South Carolina.

Forecasters warned that tropical storm disorders have been expected in South Carolina on Saturday morning, and into North Carolina from Saturday morning through Sunday. Heavy rain was anticipated, with some places reaching up to 4 inches.

A tropical storm warning was in influence from South Santee River, SC, to Duck, NC

It experienced been a silent several weeks for the Atlantic the hurricane period, after Tropical Storm Alex, fashioned on June 5 and moved via South Florida soon right after. Alex was the initially named storm of what is anticipated to be an “above normal” hurricane year, according to the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. If that prediction comes true, 2022 would be the seventh consecutive yr with an over-ordinary year.

This year, meteorologists predict the year – which operates by way of Nov. 30 – will create 14 to 21 named storms. Six to 10 of them are anticipated to become hurricanes, and up to six of these are forecast to improve into main hurricanes, classified as Category 3 storms with winds of at minimum 111 mph

Final calendar year, there ended up 21 named storms, just after a document-breaking 30 in 2020. For the past two a long time, meteorologists have fatigued the list of names applied to recognize storms for the duration of the Atlantic hurricane year, an event that has occurred only a person other time , in 2005.

The links concerning hurricanes and local weather transform have develop into clearer with just about every passing 12 months. Facts reveals that hurricanes have develop into much better around the world in the course of the earlier 4 decades. A warming planet can expect more powerful hurricanes about time, and a higher incidence of the most strong storms – nevertheless the total selection of storms could fall, mainly because elements like more powerful wind shear could continue to keep weaker storms from forming.

Hurricanes are also becoming wetter because of more h2o vapor in the warmer environment researchers have suggested storms like Hurricane Harvey in 2017 made significantly much more rain than they would have devoid of the human effects on weather. Also, soaring sea degrees are contributing to better storm surge – the most harmful factor of tropical cyclones.

North Carolina lawmakers hesitate to send out out checks as gas costs rise

Christopher Hutton

June 21, 09:13 AM June 21, 09:13 AM

Lawmakers in North Carolina are having difficulties to go a law that would give people cash to aid them deal with growing gasoline price ranges.

Democrats have tried to pitch a summertime tax break, which would give North Carolina drivers a $200 tax rebate. Having said that, the Republican-managed condition Senate has been hesitant to move it and has ongoing to help for a longer time-expression tax cuts. Even though state Democrats proposed the legislation in late May perhaps, regional leaders have failed to choose major action as fuel charges increase.

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"The condition is sitting on a $6.5 billion surplus, and we want to put [it] back in pockets of doing work families as before long as doable," claimed state Sen. Michael Garrett, a Democrat, according to the News & Observer.

Nonetheless, Senate Republicans are "not inclined to shift in that certain way," according to point out Senate President Professional Tempore Phil Berger. He in its place proposed that Democrats look to their fellows in Washington, D.C., and inquire them to just take action towards soaring fuel selling prices as a result of actions these types of as increasing the oil source in hopes of minimizing expenses in excess of time. Other Republicans in the Senate appeared additional dismissive, focusing on shifting the blame to President Joe Biden.

Lawmakers really don't want the rebate to seem "like a gimmick," according to state Property Speaker Tim Moore, a Republican. Instead, he would prefer a invoice that would make longer-phrase tax reductions.

Republicans in each chambers have on a regular basis advocated extra reductions in the individual tax price, which sits at 4.99% as of 2022.

The tax reduce would use 20% of the state's $6.5 billion budget surplus to give out $200 checks by Oct. 1 "to guide people to shell out for the high expenses of gasoline and increased foods selling prices involved with the increased gas prices," the proposed bill said. The revenue would only go to licensed drivers at minimum 18 several years aged.

Fuel costs have been steadily climbing in modern months. Countrywide gas selling prices handed the $5 per gallon milestone on June 9, significantly to the detriment of most motorists. A gallon of regular fuel in North Carolina costs about $4.60, 22 cents additional than it did a thirty day period in the past and $1.72 far more than a 12 months in the past, according to AAA. Though some professionals assume costs could dip in the near potential, there are couple of signs that prices will go down soon in the prolonged phrase.