Triangle/Local
Harris goes to North Carolina, plans to hold Sunday campaign event in state hit hard by hurricane
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris is meeting with Black leaders in North Carolina and will attend church in the state ahead of a rally. The weekend trip is her second time in the battleground state after it was struck by Hurricane Helene, with Harris stepping back into campaign mode in a place that many Democrats see as a potential pick-up in November’s election. The Democratic presidential nominee went to North Carolina last week to survey the destruction caused by Helene and pledged assistance for its victims. She plans to attend church Sunday as part of a “Souls to the Polls” effort in Greenville, a city of roughly 90,000 people on the coastal plain of a state that narrowly backed Republican Donald Trump in 2020.
North Carolina governor signs Hurricane Helene relief bill
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has signed the state’s first relief package to address Hurricane Helene’s devastation. The bill signed Thursday allocates $273 million for immediate needs and gives flexibility to agencies and displaced residents in western counties. The Republican-dominated legislature approved the measure unanimously the day before. Nearly all the money will be used to meet the federal government’s match for state and local disaster assistance programs. Other provisions help nutrition workers in closed schools. The money is coming from the state’s large savings reserve. The bill also changes how upcoming elections are conducted in 25 counties. More Helene relief legislation could advance in two weeks.
North Carolina lawmakers pass $273M Helene relief bill with voting changes to more counties
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina legislators have approved an initial $273 million relief package to help address Hurricane Helene’s devastation and recovery in the mountains. The unanimous House and Senate passage on Wednesday came less than two weeks after Helene’s historical rainfall caused catastrophic damage and loss of life. Repubilcan legislative leaders who helped craft the measure described it as a down payment on aid. The bill also mostly follows rule alterations for conducting elections and turning in ballots that were approved unanimously Monday by the State Board of Elections for 13 western counties. But it would now cover 25 counties. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and the board offered input for the bill.
Military board substantiates misconduct but declines to fire Marine who adopted Afghan orphan
By JULIET LINDERMAN, CLAIRE GALOFARO and MARTHA MENDOZA Associated Press CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP) — A U.S. Marine whose adoption of an Afghan war orphan has spurred a yearslong legal battle and raised alarms at the highest levels of government will remain on active duty. A three-member panel of Marines said Tuesday that while Maj. […]
How Waffle House helps Southerners — and FEMA — judge a storm’s severity
For some residents of storm-prone Southeastern states, the best indicator of a hurricane’s severity can be found at the local Waffle House. If the Georgia-based restaurant chain stays open in town, neighbors are reassured that the coming storm is unlikely to cause devastation. A closed location of the dependable diner chain has come to indicate impending disaster. What might sound like silly logic has become one of the most reliable ways for Southerners and even federal officials to gauge a storm’s severity and identify communities most in need of immediate aid. The Waffle House Index was created by a federal emergency management official and is still used today.
State/Regional
Far from where Hurricane Milton hit, tornadoes wrought unexpected damage
WELLINGTON, Fla. (AP) — Tony Brazzale expected Hurricane Milton would be a “nonevent” for his family. It was forecast to hit Florida’s west coast and track across the state well to the north of their home in Wellington, near West Palm Beach. But then a tornado hit his neighborhood. It shattered windows in their house, tore off roof tiles and ripped trees from the ground. It was one of at least 38 tornadoes that meteorologists believe were spawned by Milton, and there may have been more. The National Weather Service issued 126 tornado warnings across the state. One twister killed six people about an hour’s drive north of Wellington.
Residents repair their homes and clean up after Hurricane Milton tore through Florida
LITHIA, Fla. (AP) — Florida residents are repairing the damage caused by Hurricane Milton and cleaning up debris. The storm smashed through coastal communities, tore homes to pieces, flooded streets and spawned a barrage of deadly tornadoes. At least 10 people are dead and rescuers are still saving people from swollen rivers, but many are relieved Milton wasn’t worse. The hurricane spared Tampa a direct hit, and the lethal storm surge that scientists feared never materialized. The state’s vital tourism industry is beginning to return to normal. Florida theme parks including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld reopened Friday.
North Carolina maker of high-purity quartz back operating post-Helene
SPRUCE PINE, N.C. (AP) — One of the two companies that manufacture high-purity quartz used for making semiconductors from mines in a western North Carolina community harmed by Hurricane Helene is operating again. Sibelco announced on Thursday that production has restarted at its mining and processing operations in Spruce Pine. Customer shipments also are happening. Sibelco and The Quartz Corp. shut down operations ahead of Helene’s arrival. The Quartz Corp. said last week it was too early to know when it would resume operations. Spruce Pine quartz is used to manufacture the equipment needed to make silicon chips. It’s also used for making solar panels and fiber-optic cables.
Although Milton has moved on, at least 8 are dead and millions remain in the dark
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Rescue teams are plucking Florida residents from the flotsam of Hurricane Milton after the storm smashed through coastal communities. The storm tore homes into pieces, filled streets with mud and spawned a barrage of deadly tornadoes. At least eight people are dead. Arriving just two weeks after the misery wrought by Hurricane Helene, the system also knocked out power to more than 3 million customers, flooded barrier islands, tore the roof off a baseball stadium and toppled a construction crane. Despite the destruction, many people expressed relief that Milton wasn’t worse. The hurricane spared Tampa a direct hit, and the lethal storm surge that scientists feared never materialized.
FACT FOCUS: Online posts make unfounded claims about a helicopter delivering aid in North Carolina
A video showing a helicopter hovering over a Burnsville, North Carolina, aid distribution site has been viewed millions of times with some claiming that its aim was to destroy the supplies. But the North Carolina National Guard said in a statement that the helicopter, which blew items around the site and knocked over canopies, was attempting to make a generator delivery that had been requested by a local civilian organization. The statement said the helicopter’s crew has been grounded until an investigation into the incident is completed.
World/National
At least 22 killed in airstrikes in central Beirut, with Israel also firing on UN peacekeepers
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s health ministry says at least 22 people have been killed and 117 wounded in Israeli airstrikes that hit two areas in central Beirut. An Associated Press photographer who went to the scene Thursday evening said the first strike, in Ras al-Nabaa, appeared to have hit the lower half of an eight-story apartment building and explosions were ongoing inside the building. The second strike, in Burj Abi Haidar, collapsed an entire building, which was engulfed in flames. The Israeli military said it was looking into the reported strikes. Earlier in the day, a strike on a central Gaza school-turned-shelter killed 27 people.
Harris rips Trump for his criticism of federal storm response and calls for ‘dignity’
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris and the White House are criticizing Donald Trump for his attacks on the federal response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton and suggesting he is wrongly trying to turn the deadly storms to his political advantage. Attending a town hall sponsored by Univision in Las Vegas, Harris said, “I have to stress that this is not a time for people to play politics.” Those comments came after the former president spoke at the Detroit Economic Club, saying the Biden administration’s response had been lacking, particularly in North Carolina after Helene. “They’ve let those people suffer unjustly,” said Trump, who has for several days promoted falsehoods about the federal response.
Stock market today: Wall Street edges back from its records
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged back from their record highs. The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% Thursday, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.1% after likewise setting an all-time high the day before. The Nasdaq composite edged down by 0.1%. In the bond market, Treasury yields swung after a pair of disappointing reports showed inflation failed to improve as much as expected last month and more workers filed for unemployment benefits last week. They left investors questioning how much the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by at its next meeting. Crude oil prices rose to regain their losses from early in the week.
Social Security recipients will get a 2.5% cost-of-living boost in 2025, smaller than in recent past
WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of retirees who receive Social Security benefits will see a 2.5% cost-of-living increase to their monthly checks beginning in January. That word comes Thursday from the Social Security Administration. Agency officials say the cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for retirees translates to more than $50 more on average per retiree every month. About 72.5 million people, including retirees, disabled people and children, get Social Security benefits. The agency’s commissioner says the cost-of-living adjustment will provide a measure of relief for recipients as inflation has cooled. But Martin O’Malley’s message to those who feel the increase isn’t enough is that “they’re not wrong.”
Trump offers prayers for people in hurricane’s path after lashing out at Harris and other women
SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump offered his prayers to those in the path of Hurricane Milton as it lashed Florida while continuing to insult his rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, and other women. “I don’t want to be nice,” Trump said at a Pennsylvania rally. “You know, somebody said, ‘You should be nicer. Women won’t like it.’ I said, ‘I don’t care.’” Trump was holding a pair of rallies as another hurricane threatened to overshadow the presidential campaign with fears that it would cause catastrophic damage in Tampa and other parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Harris was to fly to Nevada later Wednesday for a western campaign swing, but first attended a federal storm briefing.
Entertainment
Austin Stowell is emotional about playing stoic Jethro Gibbs in ‘NCIS: Origins’
LONDON (AP) — Austin Stowell’s extremely happy about winning the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs in “NCIS: Origins.” He says that since he got the job, it “has just been day after day after day of the greatest day” of his life. The actor puts light blue contact lenses in to portray the ex-Marine-turned-naval investigator Gibbs, 25 years before audiences first met “NCIS” star Mark Harmon, in the role he played from 2003 to 2021. Harmon and his son Sean are behind the idea of this origin story of the special agent, starting his crime-solving career at Camp Pendleton. “NCIS: Origins” premieres Oct. 14.
Las Vegas says goodbye to the Tropicana with a flashy casino implosion
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Sin City blew a kiss goodbye to the Tropicana in an elaborate implosion that leveled two hotel towers. The celebration in Las Vegas early Wednesday included a fireworks display. It was the first casino implosion in nearly a decade for a city that loves fresh starts. The Tropicana closed in April after 67 years to make room for a new baseball stadium for the relocating Oakland Athletics. Once known as the “Tiffany of the Strip” for its opulence, the Tropicana was a frequent haunt of the legendary Rat Pack. Its past under the mob has long cemented its place in Las Vegas lore.
In ‘Piece by Piece,’ Pharrell finds Lego fits his life story
TORONTO (AP) — When Pharrell Williams and Morgan Neville decided to embark on a movie about Williams’ life but animated in Lego pieces, they knew there would be culture shocks. But making “Piece by Piece” still led to some places that neither Williams, Neville or Lego could foresee. “Piece by Piece” did not come with any easy-to-assemble instructions. It’s part music biopic, part documentary, part family film. It is, like many things about Williams’ hit-making life, radiant with uplift, beats and idiosyncrasy. The film opens in theaters Friday.
Harris can’t point to anything she would have done differently than Biden in ‘The View’ appearance
NEW YORK (AP) — Kamala Harris has three media appearances on Tuesday in New York. She sat for a conversation with the women of “The View,” will speak with radio host Howard Stern and will tape a show with late-night comedian Stephen Colbert. During her appearance on “The View,” she did not identify anything that she would do differently than President Joe Biden besides appoint a Republican to her Cabinet. Harris’ media blitz comes after she largely avoided interviews since replacing Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. Long past the midway point of her unexpected presidential campaign and with voting already underway, Harris is still introducing herself to Americans who will determine this year’s presidential election.
After years of finding the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame cold as ice, Foreigner now knows what love is
NEW YORK (AP) — The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is about to rectify a wrong that some rock fans may celebrate with their lighters up in the air — the band Foreigner will be finally welcomed in. The English-American rockers — with hits like “Cold as Ice,” “Hot Blooded” and “Waiting for a Girl Like You” — topped the charts in the ’70s and ’80s but never made it into the hall — much less a ballot — until last year, despite being eligible for more than 20 years. The belated embrace by rock’s establishment has a bittersweet taste, since two original members have died and guitarist Mick Jones has Parkinson’s disease. They’ll be inducted Oct. 19.
Sports
Jamal Haynes scampers 68 yards in final minute, lifting Georgia Tech over North Carolina 41-34
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Jamal Haynes ran for 170 yards and two touchdowns, including a go-ahead 68-yard score in the final minute, as Georgia Tech defeated North Carolina 41-34. Haynes’ second score came with 16 seconds left, just two plays after North Carolina had tied it on a Noah Burnette 26-yard field goal. The Yellow Jackets mustered 505 total yards, including 371 rushing. In addition to Haynes, quarterback Haynes King also had a big day with a season-high 107 yards and two scores on the ground. North Carolina pulled within 34-31 with 3:27 left on a 1-yard run by Jacolby Criswell, his second touchdown of the day and Burnette’s field goal tied it with 44 seconds remaining. However, it was all for naught as North Carolina’s much-maligned defense broke down one final time.
The ACC believes it should earn more NCAA Tournament berths. It’s time to make that happen
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Atlantic Coast Conference is trying to bolster its chances of getting more bids to the NCAA Tournament. League coaches and officials have spent months trying to change perception of the ACC’s strength. That comes after the ACC has managed just five bids in each of past three men’s tournaments. Yet the league continues to outperform every other league. That includes having four different teams reach the Final Four in the past three seasons. Some of the work includes having teams bolster their nonconference schedules to strengthen their NCAA resumes.
Former UNC great Danny Green, a 3-point sharpshooter, announces NBA retirement
Danny Green, the sharpshooting guard who won an NCAA championship at North Carolina before helping three different franchises win NBA championships, announced his retirement as a player on Thursday. Green won NBA titles with San Antonio in 2014, Toronto in 2019 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, and was a starter on all three of those clubs. He averaged 8.7 points over parts of 15 pro seasons. Green says “I’m at peace with it. I wasn’t at first, but I think it’s one of those things — once I turned 37, the body started reacting a little differently.”
2 teams suing NASCAR ask court to allow them to compete under new charter agreement as case proceeds
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The two teams suing NASCAR have asked for a court order to compete under the 2025 charter agreement as their antitrust case moves through federal court. 23XI Racing is owned by Michael Jordan, veteran driver Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk. Front Row Motorsports is owned by Bob Jenkins. The teams sued NASCAR and chairman Jim France last week, accusing NASCAR of being “monopolistic bullies” in the new charter system that they refused to sign.
NCAA’s $2.78 billion settlement with colleges to allow athlete payments gets preliminary approval
A judge has given preliminary approval to the $2.78 billion legal settlement that figures to transform college sports. U.S District Judge Claudia Wilken released an order Monday setting a timeline for a deal that would put millions of dollars into the pockets of college athletes, who can begin applying for payment on Oct. 18. A final hearing is set for April 2025. If finalized, the deal would allow the biggest schools to establish a pool of about $21.5 million in the first year to distribute to athletes, who would still be able to cut name, image and likeness deals with outside groups.