Triangle/Local
Janet Cowell officially sworn in as Raleigh Mayor
RALEIGH, N.C. — Janet Cowell, a seasoned public servant, has been officially sworn in as Raleigh’s new mayor after winning the election on November 5.
Cowell’s career includes roles as a Raleigh City Council member, state Senator and state Treasurer. She is set to serve a two-year term. In an interview with WPTF, Cowell shared her vision for the future of Raleigh. She emphasized her commitment to addressing the concerns voiced by residents during her campaign, including inclusivity and sustainability.
The Weekend Gardener Tips: Taming the Saltbush
The saltbush is native, but the North Carolina Native Plant Society considers this provocative plant invasive. It was once only located near the coast, but now you can find it through eastern North Carolina and the Piedmont region. There are other native coastal plants that have made their way west like wax myrtle, beautyberry and yaupon holly. But the saltbush is insidious in the way it takes over growing space for plants that are native to the Piedmont.
Workers at Charlotte airport, an American Airlines hub, go on strike during Thanksgiving travel week
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Service workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport have gone on strike during a busy week of Thanksgiving travel to protest what they say are unlivable wages. Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services authorized the work stoppage in North Carolina that started Monday morning. Union spokesperson Sean Keady says the strike is expected to last 24 hours. The companies contract with American Airlines to provide services such as cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs. Airport officials say this holiday travel season is expected to be the busiest on record. The companies have acknowledged the seriousness of a strike during the holiday travel season.
Charlotte airport workers voting on whether to strike during busy Thanksgiving travel week
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Service workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport are voting on whether to go on a 24-hour strike around Thanksgiving amid complaints about low wages and poor working conditions. The vote is being taken by employees of two airport contractors who provide cabin cleaning services, trash removal and other services. The airport expects over 1 million passengers to depart from it the weekend before the holiday. The date of the proposed strike has not been announced.
North Carolina official overseeing hurricane rebuilding efforts is no longer in role
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The chief operating officer for the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency is no longer working in the position as of Wednesday. An office spokesperson confirmed Laura Hogshead is out of the role and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s legislative lobbyist Pryor Gibson will serve in the interim. Hogshead’s departure comes after a scathing rebuke of her work by GOP state lawmakers during a Monday hearing. The recovery office is facing a more than $220 million deficit to continue housing projects in parts of eastern North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Florence. Republican legislators say the office has mismanaged its funds.
State/Regional
North Carolina man dies two weeks after an explosion at his home
WEDDINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Authorities in North Carolina say an 82-year-old man has died two weeks after an explosion at his home. The Union County Sheriff’s Office said reports came in on Nov. 17 of an explosion at a Weddington home that was felt across the county. First responders found severe damage to part of a home. County officials said a man and woman were taken to hospitals and the wife was treated and released. Union County announced that Wesley Decker, who sustained extensive burns in the explosion, was receiving care at a long-term care facility when he died Friday. The Fire Marshal’s Office determined that there was an accidental fuel-air explosion in the garage, but the exact cause remains undetermined.
Trump promised federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe. Will he follow through?
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — When Kamala Harris and Donald Trump campaigned in North Carolina, both candidates courted a state-recognized tribe there whose 55,000 members could have helped tip the swing state. Trump in September promised that he would sign legislation to grant federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe, a distinction that would unlock access to federal funds. He ultimately won North Carolina by more than 3 percentage points, in part due to continued support from Lumbee voters. Now, as Trump prepares to return to the White House in January, the promise will be put to the test. He has Republican allies in Congress on the issue, and now the Lumbee, as well as tribal nations across the country, are watching closely to see what comes next.
North Carolina election board certifies 2024 results, except for a few key races
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina State Board of Elections voted to certify the results of the 2024 election aside from a few outstanding races still under recount. That certification includes authenticating President-Elect Donald Trump’s 16 electoral votes from the battleground state he’s won three times now. Key statewide races such as the governor’s race were also certified. A tight state Supreme Court race and a few key state legislative races weren’t certified because they are either under recount or have election protests filed. The outcome of one of those legislative seats may determine if Democrats break the GOP supermajority in the General Assembly.
North Carolina’s governor has vetoed a GOP bill that would weaken his successor and other Democrats
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed Republican-backed legislation that weakens the powers of several Democrats slated to hold statewide offices next year. Republicans will try to override the veto next month, but it’s unclear whether they’ll have enough votes to do so. The bill would move appointments to the State Board of Elections from the Democratic governor’s office to the now-Republican state auditor. It also erodes the powers of the attorney general, superintendent of public education and the lieutenant governor. The bill also contains some relief provisions for areas impacted by Hurricane Helene but most of that money can’t be spent until the General Assembly reconvenes.
Listeria outbreak tied to Yu Shang Food leaves California infant dead and 10 people sick
U.S. health officials said a California infant has died and at least 10 other people have been sickened in an outbreak of listeria food poisoning tied to ready-to-eat meat and poultry products that include chicken feet, duck neck and pork hock, feet and tongue. Yu Shang Food Inc. of Spartanburg, South Carolina, has recalled more than 72,000 pounds of products. The problem was discovered in October after routine tests detected listeria in the foods and the production environment. The CDC said a California woman who was pregnant with twins was sickened and both infants died but listeria was only found in a sample from one of the infants, so that child and the mother were included in the count.
World/National
Stock market today: Rising tech stocks pull Wall Street to another record
NEW YORK (AP) — Technology stocks pulled Wall Street to another record amid mixed trading. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% Monday after closing November at an all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1%. Super Micro Computer, a stock that’s been on an AI-driven roller coaster, soared after saying an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or the company’s board. Retailers were mixed coming off Black Friday and heading into what’s expected to be the best Cyber Monday on record. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market.
Some Democrats are frustrated over Joe Biden reversing course and pardoning his son Hunter
ATLANTA (AP) — Already reeling from their November defeat at the polls, Democrats now are grappling with President Joe Biden’s pardoning of his son for a federal felony conviction — after the party spent years slamming Donald Trump as a threat to democracy who operates above the law. The White House on Monday struggled to defend the pardon claiming the prosecution was politically motivated — a page out of Trump’s playbook. That explanation did not satisfy some Democrats, angry that Biden’s reversal could make it harder to take on Trump.
It’s the final holiday stretch at the Biden White House. The theme is ‘A Season of Peace and Light’
WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s the final holiday stretch at the White House for President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, and the theme is “A Season of Peace and Light.” The first lady is set to unveil the decorations and deliver a holiday message at the White House on Monday. More than 300 volunteers spent the past week decorating the executive mansion and its 83 Christmas trees with nearly 10,000 feet of ribbon, more than 28,000 ornaments, over 2,200 paper doves and some 165,000 lights.
Biden’s broken promise on pardoning his son Hunter is raising new questions about his legacy
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s decision to go back on his word and pardon his son Hunter wasn’t all that surprising to those who are familiar with the president’s devotion to his family. But by choosing to put his family first, the 82-year-old president has raised new questions about his legacy. Biden has held himself up as placing his respect for the American judicial system and rule of law over his own personal concerns. It was part of an effort to draw a deliberate contrast with Republican Donald Trump. Now, both his broken promise and his act of clemency are a political lightning rod.
Biden pardons his son Hunter despite previous pledges not to
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has pardoned his son, Hunter, sparing the younger Biden a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions and reversing his past promises not to use the extraordinary powers of the presidency for the benefit of his family members. The Democratic president had previously said he would not pardon his son or commute his sentence after his convictions in the two cases in Delaware and California. The move comes weeks before Hunter Biden was set to receive his punishment after his trial conviction in the gun case and guilty plea on tax charges, and less than two months before President-elect Donald Trump is set to return to the White House.
Entertainment
‘Moana 2’ sails to a record $221 million opening as Hollywood celebrates a moviegoing feast
NEW YORK (AP) — “Moana 2” brought in a tidal wave of moviegoers over the Thanksgiving Day weekend with $221 million in ticket sales. Studio estimates Sunday show that, combined with “Wicked” and “Gladiator II,” made for an unprecedented weekend in cinemas. “Moana 2″ blew predictions out of the water, setting a record for Thanksgiving moviegoing. At the same time, the sensation of “Wicked” showed no signs of slowing down with $117.5 million over the five-day weekend. “Gladiator II” collected $44 million. For an industry that’s been battered in recent years by the pandemic, work stoppages and streaming, it was a triumphant weekend that showed the still-potent power of Hollywood’s blockbuster machine.
How to sum up 2024? The Oxford University Press word of the year is ‘brain rot’
LONDON (AP) — Oxford University Press has named “brain rot” its word of the year. It’s defined as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state,” especially from consuming too much low-grade online content. Oxford University Press said Monday that the phrase “gained new prominence in 2024,” with its frequency of use increasing 230% from the year before. It was chosen by a combination of public vote and language analysis by Oxford lexicographers. The five other word-of-the-year finalists were demure, slop, dynamic pricing, romantasy and lore. Oxford Languages President Casper Grathwohl said the choice of phrase “feels like a rightful next chapter in the cultural conversation about humanity and technology.”
‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator’ make gravity-defying theater debuts
NEW YORK (AP) — “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” have debuted in theaters with a combined $270 million in ticket sales. Their worldwide performance breathed fresh life into global box office results that have struggled lately. Together the films turned the moviegoing weekend into one of the busiest of the year. Jon M. Chu’s lavish big-budget musical “Wicked,” starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, debuted with $114 million domestically and $164.2 million globally. Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” is a sequel to his 2000 best picture-winning original and launched with $55.5 million in ticket sales. “Moana 2” is being released Wednesday, so it looks like Hollywood might be looking at historic sales over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of ‘Love Connection’ and ‘Scrabble,’ dies at 83
NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. He teamed up with Young for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and became a full supporter Donald Trump.
Comcast to spin off cable networks that were once the entertainment giant’s star performers
WASHINGTON (AP) — Comcast is spinning off into a new company many of its cable television networks that were once at the heart of the entertainment giant, as consumers increasingly swap out their cable TV subscriptions for streaming platforms. Those one-time stars for Comcast’s NBCUniversal cable television networks include USA, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel, as well as CNBC and MSNBC. Peacock will remain with Comcast, as will Bravo, which provides significant content for the Peacock streaming service. How exactly this split will impact customers has yet to be seen, particularly as Comcast aims to complete the transition over the next year. But some analysts speculate that the spun-off networks may have more freedom to bring their content elsewhere.
Sports
ACC fines NC State, North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech for rivalry week scuffles
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The ACC has fined N.C. State, North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech for scuffles during their rivalry games. The league announced the penalties Monday, although it did not disclose the amount of the fines. It said the amounts would be the maximum allowed by league bylaws. The Wolfpack and Tar Heels battled after N.C. State’s 35-30 win when Wolfpack players attempted to plant a team flag on the Tar Heels field. The Cavaliers and Hokies mixed it up during pregame warmups before Virginia Tech’s 37-17 win. The scuffles were among many that broke out during college football’s rivalry week.
College football players scuffle after flags come out following rivalry wins
It was flag day in college football. Michigan, North Carolina State and Florida celebrated road wins by displaying flags on the logos in the middle of their rivals’ stadiums. Arizona State put its own twist on the day with a trident. The results were predictable. Michigan scuffled with Ohio State after a group of Wolverines attempted to plant their flag in the middle of Ohio Stadium. There was a similar scene in North Carolina after at least one N.C. State player tried to plant a Wolfpack flag on UNC’s home field. And another skirmish in Florida after Gators edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. planted a flag on Florida State’s logo.
UNC’s Mack Brown closes coaching tenure with rivalry loss, disappointment over handling of exit
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Mack Brown closed his North Carolina coaching tenure with a loss to rival N.C. State. That came days after the school announced the program’s winningest coach wouldn’t return next season. The 73-year-old Brown was in the sixth season of his second tenure with the Tar Heels. Brown said he didn’t want to become a distraction to the players by announcing a coaching change leading up to the game against the Wolfpack. But Brown said he agreed it was time for the program to have new leadership and said: “I‘m not angry. I think it’s time to go.”
Broome has 23 points and 19 rebounds as No. 4 Auburn tops No. 12 UNC 85-72 to reach Maui title game
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Johni Broome had 23 points and 19 rebounds to lead No. 4 Auburn to an 85-72 victory over No. 12 North Carolina in a Maui Invitational semifinal. Miles Kelly added 15 points and Chad Baker-Mazara scored 14 for the unbeaten Tigers, who never trailed and led by as many as 19. They will play Memphis for the tournament championship on Wednesday. Broome scored 18 points in the first half and finished 9 of 18 from the field. He also had five assists and three blocks. Chaney Johnson had 11 points and eight rebounds for Auburn. Seth Trimble led the Tar Heels with 17 points. RJ Davis, the reigning ACC player of the year, was held to a season-low 12 on 5-of-11 shooting.
No. 1 Kansas holds off No. 11 Duke 75-72 after Dickinson ejected in the Vegas Showdown
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dajuan Harris scored 14 points and top-ranked Kansas withstood the ejection of star center Hunter Dickinson to beat No. 11 Duke 75-72 in the Vegas Showdown. Dickinson, who entered the game averaging 17.8 points and 10.4 rebounds, received a fragrant-2 foul and was ejected for kicking the Blue Devils’ Maliq Brown in the head midway through the second half. Highly touted Duke freshman Cooper Flagg took advantage of Dickinson’s absence, and the Blue Devils kept it close all the way to the buzzer. Tyrese Proctor led Duke with 15 points.