VOLUME 9 ISSUE 13 | THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2024
NSJONLINE.COM
inside Memorial Day marks the start of summer, and this week’s Murphy to Manteo map takes you across the state to enjoy events like Brevard’s White Squirrel Weekend starting Friday along with other must-see happenings. Tour the map on A6 and A7.
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Weatherman, Boliek prepare for Nov. election
BRIEF this week
Charlotte flight attendant pleads not guilty to bathroom recording Boston An American Airlines flight attendant from Charlotte who authorities say tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September on Monday pleaded not guilty to two counts in federal court in Boston. Estes Carter Thompson III was indicted last month on one count of attempted sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of images of child sexual abuse depicting a prepubescent minor. Police also allege Thompson, 36, had recordings of four other girls — ages 7, 9, 11 and 14 — using aircraft lavatories. Thompson was charged and arrested in January 2024 in Lynchburg, Virginia. He has been in federal custody since.
Citing new media law, Israel officials seize AP equipment Jersusalem Israeli officials seized a camera and broadcasting equipment belonging to The Associated Press in southern Israel on Tuesday, accusing the news organization of violating a new media law by providing images to Al Jazeera. The Qatari satellite channel is one of thousands of AP customers, and it receives live video from AP and other news organizations.
Guiliani pleads not guilty in Ariz. election interference case Phoenix Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani pleaded not guilty Tuesday to nine felony charges stemming from his role in an effort to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss in Arizona to Joe Biden. Giuliani appeared remotely for the arraignment that was held in a Phoenix courtroom. His trial will be held in October. Former Arizona Republican Party chair Kelli Ward also pleaded not guilty to nine felony charges. Ward and at least 11 other people were arraigned Tuesday for conspiracy, forgery and fraud charges. Arizona authorities unveiled the felony charges last month against Republicans who submitted a document to Congress falsely declaring Trump, a Republican, had won Arizona.
The GOP candidates won their respective run-offs last week
New State Crime Lab director announced “Amanda has been an integral part of the Crime Lab for more than two decades, and I know she’ll do incredible work as director.” NC Attorney General Josh Stein
Amanda Thompson has worked in the state DOJ laboratory since 2000 By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein announced the hiring of Amanda Thompson as the new director of the State Crime Lab. “Amanda has been an integral part of the Crime Lab for more than two decades, and I know she’ll do incredible work as director,” Stein said in a May 13 press release. “She will continue to lead the state’s efforts to use science to deliver justice.” Following a nationwide search, Thompson will replace Interim Director Leslie Cooley Dismukes. Thompson has served as the Crime Lab’s assistant director of administrative operations since 2016. Thompson joined the Crime Lab in 2000 as a DNA database analyst and has served in several roles including forensic scientist, forensic scientist supervisor and forensic scientist manager of the DNA Database section. Stein’s press release noted that while serving as assistant director, Thompson “helped lead the work to end North Carolina’s backlog of untested older sexual assault kits.” At a press event in April, Stein announced the backlog had been cleared. Stein, a Democrat, is near the end of his second term as attorney general and is running for governor in November. The backlog has a more than 20-year history tied to Gov. Roy Cooper, who served as state attorney general for 16 years before Stein was elected. When Cooper ran for governor in 2016, he claimed he had cleared a “5,000-deep” DNA testing backlog from when he first took office in 2001. However, when Stein took office as attorney general, North Carolina had more than 15,000 untested rape kits, the most of any state in the country.
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH —Hal Weatherman and Dave Boliek won their May 14 second primary runoff contests for lieutenant governor and state auditor, respectively, and now look ahead to November’s general election. While the results are still unofficial, Weatherman, the chief of staff for former Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, defeated Forsyth District Attorney Jim O’Neill with more than 74% of the vote. Weatherman won every county except for O’Neill’s home county. Weatherman will now face Democrat state Sen. Rachel Hunt in November. Hunt is the daughter of former Democratic Gov. Jim Hunt. Boliek, a member of the UNC Board of Trustees, defeated Jay Clark with more than 53% of the vote.
By Abby Cavenaugh North State Journal WALLACE — There’s no doubt that kids these days are spending a lot more time staring at screens on their phones, laptops and televisions than any other generation in history. In 2015, state legislators recognized this and decided to be proactive in getting more of North Carolina’s youth involved in the great outdoors.
Rep. Jimmy Dixon, a Republican who serves Duplin and Wayne counties in the 4th District of the N.C. House, introduced House Bill 640, also known as The Outdoor Heritage Act, creating what is now known as the North Carolina Youth Outdoor Engagement Commission. The commission held its first event on Tuesday at the River Landing Clubhouse in Wallace. It included awards for Dixon and other state legislators, a recap of the work the commission has done since its creation in 2019, and the induction of three individuals — Bob Barnhill, Richard Childress and Eddie Smith Jr. — into the North Carolina Outdoors Hall of Fame.
See PRIMARIES, page A8
CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO
Dave Boliek, who won the Republican nomination for state auditor in a run-off last week, speaks at a Roxboro rally in January.
Legislators, others honored for contributions to NC outdoors Richard Childress, Bob Barnhill and Eddie Smith were inducted into the North Carolina Outdoors Hall of Fame
Boliek will face Democrat Jessica Holmes, a former Wake County commissioner who was appointed to state auditor earlier this year by Gov. Roy Cooper after Beth Wood resigned following her indictment related to a 2022 hit-and-run accident that occurred while she was driving a state-owned vehicle. Weatherman said he hasn’t had a weekend off in 16 months but he’s “not going to take his foot off the gas.” “I think general elections, by definition, are a choice,” Weatherman said of facing Hunt. “You have a choice as a voter. What direction do you want to go? And so the burden is on the candidates themselves to spell out those differences. And I will run a positive campaign. I don’t believe in negative campaigning.” Weatherman said serving served two terms with Forest means he has no learning curve and plans to make Hunt compete on her record. “I will force her to compete
The commission is tasked with “the responsibility of producing statewide youth outdoor opportunity experiences that you and me are familiar with, such as shooting sports, archery, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, camping, hiking, kayaking and the list is even longer,” explained commission executive director Justin Burr. “By 2015, it had become evident that kids were spending less time outdoors and more time indoors on screens. Lawmakers knew that that couldn’t go unchecked.” N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore, a Republican who serves the 111th District, was honored first at the event. “One of the things we see far
too often today is young people who are stuck inside with electronic devices,” Moore said. “So the work that you all are doing is making a real difference in the lives of young people around North Carolina. Glad to be a small part of it.” Sen. Bill Rabon, a Republican who serves the 8th District in the N.C. Senate (Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover), was also honored for his work in getting the commission started. He was unable to attend the event. Dixon received the Founding Legislator Award. Sens. Brent Jackson (R-9th) See HERITAGE, page A3
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