VOLUME 147 ISSUE 30 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2024
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
MARTIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE VIA AP
Under arrest
Ryan Wesley Routh, a Greensboro native, was arrested Sunday by law enforcement officers in Martin County, Florida, and is suspected in an apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump. Routh, who has several felony convictions in North Carolina, was held on federal gun charges after an initial court appearance on Monday.
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Thompson named new Chatham County Manager
BRIEF this week
Customer kills 18-year-old at N.C. Waffle House A Waffle House customer fatally shot an 18-year‑old worker in Laurinburg, police say. Officers responding to a report of shots fired at the restaurant early Friday found Burlie Dawson Locklear, of Red Springs, a 2024 graduate of Hoke High School, suffering from a gunshot wound. He later died at a hospital. Police say the customer ordered food, became verbally abusive to staffers and fired two shots toward the restaurant as he walked back to his vehicle with his order. News outlets report police were looking for the shooter and have obtained a warrant. The restaurant chain said in a statement that Locklear was a victim of an outrageous act of violence.
Court overturns Granville sheriff fraud conviction A state appeals court has overturned a former county sheriff’s fraud and obstruction convictions from late 2022. A three‑judge panel of the Court of Appeals ruled in favor of exGranville County Sheriff Brindell Wilkins on Tuesday. Wilkins served as sheriff for 10 years and has been serving time in state prison. The intermediate‑level appeals court said that allegations related to Wilkins falsifying his firearms training requirements didn’t meet the necessary elements for the obstruction and fraud charges. The ruling comes seven months after a subordinate to Wilkins had his obstruction convictions related to the training overturned. The ex-sheriff pleaded to unrelated crimes last fall.
JACQUELYN MARTIN / AP PHOTO
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte last Thursday.
Harris touts GOP endorsements in North Carolina visit The VP made campaign stops in Charlotte and Greensboro The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump launched campaign blitzes last
Bryan Thompson, the current assistant county manager, will take over when Dan LaMontagne retires By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record
Thursday with dramatically different approaches to attracting swing-state voters who will decide the presidential contest. Here in North Carolina, Democratic nominee Harris used rallies in Charlotte and Greensboro to tout endorsements from Republi-
PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Board of Commissioners has found its next county manager and it’ll be quite a familiar face. On Monday, Chairman Mike Dasher announced that Assistant County Manager Bryan Thompson would be getting a promotion. “Bryan’s contributions over the last several years have demonstrated his deep knowledge and understanding of the issues we face and the Board has every confidence in Bryan’s ability to lead Chatham County through the challenges and opportunities yet to come,” Dasher said in a press release. “My fellow Board members and I are delighted that we are able to hire the best person for the job from our existing leadership team and to provide our staff and community members with consistent,
See HARRIS, page A10
See MANAGER, page A10
Delayed absentee ballots to start mailing this week The sending was delayed by litigation over RFK Jr.’s presence on the ballot By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press RALEIGH — North Carolina’s first absentee ballots for the November election will now be distributed starting Friday, the State Board of Elections announced last week, days after appeals court judges prevented original ballots containing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name from being sent. North Carolina had been poised to be the first in the nation to send out ballots to voters for the fall elections. State law directed the first absentee ballots be mailed or transmitted to those already asking no later than 60 days before Election Day, or Sept. 6 this year. But on that day the state Court of Appeals granted Kennedy’s request to halt
the mailing of ballots that included his name for president. Kennedy had sued the board in late August to remove his name as the We The People party candidate the week after he suspended his campaign and endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump. The state Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision last Monday, left the lower-court decision in place. These rulings forced county election officials to reassemble absentee ballot packets, reprint ballots and recode See BALLOTS, page A2
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“I am honored and grateful to be given the opportunity to serve our community as county manager.” Bryan Thompson, assistant county manager