VOLUME 11 ISSUE 13 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026
NSJONLINE.COM
ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO
Police in riot gear protect the State Capitol building in Raleigh on May 31, 2020.
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Officers say Cooper evacuated during 2020 riots
BRIEF this week
Edwards faces House ethics investigation Washington, D.C. The House Ethics Committee announced last week it is investigating Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards of North Carolina over allegations that he created a hostile work environment and engaged in sexual harassment. Edwards, serving his second term in the House, said he welcomed the inquiry and planned to fully cooperate with the committee. The investigation follows an Axios report stating that three sources told the publication that they witnessed conduct by Edwards, who represents North Carolina’s 11th District that includes Asheville and 15 counties, toward two female staffers in their 20s that they described as inappropriate. The sources said Edwards’ behavior crossed professional boundaries and created an uncomfortable work environment.
Board of Peace will ask UN to press Hamas to disarm Geneva The body overseeing the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza will ask the United Nations Security Council to press the Hamas militant group to disarm, The Associated Press reported Tuesday. The report by the Board of Peace, an international body set up by U.S. President Donald Trump and tasked with overseeing the fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, is expected to be discussed by the Security Council on Thursday when it meets on the situation in the Middle East. Hamas, in a statement, rejected the report and said it contains “fallacies.”
The former governor and his family left the Executive Mansion and went to the Emergency Operations Center
SCiLL to be UNC’s 15th independent academic unit The program has around 1,000 students taking courses, 90 of which are pursuing minors By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced last Wednesday that its School of Civic Life and Leadership will become the university’s 15th indepen-
See SCHiLL, page A3
RALEIGH — Protesting, chanting and marching. Property damage, arson and rioting. This was the oscillating pattern in downtown Raleigh over the weekend of May 30 to June 1, 2020 following the death of George Floyd. Each night, the protests gave way to riots, with businesses and government buildings damaged and looted, public property vandalized and arson. Congressman Tim Moore (R-Kings Mountain), who was House speaker at the time, livestreamed the rioting from his apartment’s balcony. Moore said the lawlessness fed on itself. “And you could watch it,” he said. “I mean, once the win-
Audit clears Randleman official of embezzlement “We hope that with the conclusion of this investigation, the public is reassured that the proper oversight now exists.” Eric Raper, Randleman city manager
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dent academic unit, effective in August. According to a press release, the move will shift the School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL) from inside the College of Arts and Sciences to its own dedicated academic home. Student interest in SCiLL has climbed sharply, with nearly 1,000 students enrolled in its courses this year, and the
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
The report also flagged the town over late financial reports By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — A recent investigative report from the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor found no evidence that the city of Randleman’s former finance director embezzled funds, misused a city-issued credit card or received a special payout to leave her job. The report also confirmed that Randleman, which has about 4,600 residents, is behind on its required annual financial audits for fiscal years
2024 and 2025. As a result, the city remains on the Local Government Commission’s Unit Assistance List. Key findings from the report included auditors finding no evidence that the former finance director, Elizabeth Sechriest, stole city money. When Sechriest left the job, the city paid her $59,183.96 for regular wages, insurance reimbursement and accrued vacation time after a mutual separation. The payment was not a severance to make her quit. The findings also showed no sign that Sechriest improperly used her city-issued procurement card. The report also looked at See AUDIT, page A3
dows were shattered, then they started wanting to burn things. You could hear gunshots. There were people driving cars down through there. It was like that video game Grand Theft Auto just came to life right there in real time. It was insane.” North State Journal (NSJ) has learned from former law enforcement officers who were in Raleigh helping to quell the rioting that then-Gov. Roy Cooper was evacuated from the Executive Mansion to outside the city during the unrest. The officers, including former members of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP), spoke to NSJ under the condition of maintaining their anonymity due to fear of reprisal for themselves, their families and fellow law enforcement. Former members of law enforcement told NSJ that sometime between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on May 31, Cooper and his family were evacuated from the mansion via a side See RIOTS, page A2