Triangle/Local
North Carolina budget plan advances as Senate Republicans double down on tax cuts
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Senate Republicans have advanced a two-year budget for the ninth-largest state. The proposal that received initial Senate approval on Wednesday spends less than what the new Democratic governor requested and doubles down on already enacted income tax cuts. Gov. Josh Stein’s budget pitch sought to spend roughly $1 billion more each year than what the Senate decided in part by halting broad tax rate cuts. But GOP senators are content with their spending, taxes and cost-cutting. The Senate bill locates another $1.3 billion for Hurricane Helene aid and seeks to eliminate hundreds of vacant state positions. The House will soon pass a competing measure.
Raj Mehta Day of Good returns for 5th year, encouraging kindness across NC
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – April 15 may be known as Tax Day, but for many in the Triangle and beyond-it has become a day dedicated to kindness, connection and community. The Raj Mehta Day of Good is held annually on April 15 in memory of Raj Mehta, organized by his sister, Pooja Mehta, to honor what would have been his birthday. Raj Mehta died of suicide in March 2020. He was an engineering student at Duke University who, according to his loved ones, left a lasting impact on the people around him. In the years since his passing, Pooja Mehta has led the effort to transform the day into one of positivity and action.
“Sober Operative Act” aims to cut drunk driving with tougher laws and lower BAC limits
A bill in the legislature seeks to crack down on drunk driving — in an effort to make driving safer. One key part of the bill would lower the legal blood alcohol limit while driving from point-oh-eight to point-oh-five. The bill also deals with increased enforcement and follow up for multiple offenders.
Proposed bill could remove thousands of books from NC public schools
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – Lawmakers in Raleigh are rolling out a bill that could affect what students can read in school. The bill will require the removal of books from public schools that contain material that is “harmful to minors” including material that “depicts or describes sexual activity.” State Rep. Neal Jackson (R-Moore, Randolph) says the bill is about protecting children from accessing inappropriate material based on their age.
Supporters rally for Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs amid legal battle
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – Supporters of Democratic Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs held a rally near the Legislative Building to criticize the ongoing legal effort to overturn Riggs’ less than 800 vote lead over Jefferson Griffin. Riggs spoke at the rally, criticizing the ongoing legal battle over overseas and military votes. The justices ruled that about 5,000 military and overseas voters must prove their identity within 30 days or risk having their ballots invalidated. A vast majority of 60,000 votes were allowed to stand. Riggs says she will take the issue to Federal Court.
State/Regional
Unsettled North Carolina election could be determined by which ballots are subject to court orders
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s Supreme Court decided recently that ballots from two categories should have been left out of the tally of an unresolved November election for a seat on the court. But there’s still legal friction about the number of ballots that must be scrutinized by election officials tasked with removing them from the count and giving voters the chance to provide information so their race choices can remain. The number is critical since Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs leads Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin by just 734 votes. Griffin hopes enough ballots are removed to flip the result. Riggs says federal law prevents these ballots from being removed.
North Carolina advances bill on book bans in public schools
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina House Republicans have advanced a bill that would create advisory committees to approve and remove books from libraries in public and charter schools. The legislation quickly moved through the House and passed Wednesday. It now moves to the Senate. The legislation outlines that advisory committees would be made up of parents and school employees. Those committees would then make recommendations to their school boards on what library material can be allowed. Supporters say the bill would protect students from explicit material. Opponents say the bill creates unnecessary censorship in schools.
NC health officials relaunch ‘Fight the Bite’ campaign as tick and mosquito season begins
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – With spring in full swing and summer right around the corner, public health officials are reminding North Carolinians to be cautious about ticks and mosquitos. In 2024 alone, the state has already reported more than 900 cases of illnesses tied to these pesky biters. To help curb the spread, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human services is relaunching its “Fight the Bite” campaign to raise awareness and promote prevention. April has been declared by the governor as “tick and mosquito” awareness month. If you start to feel symptoms after being bit by a tick or mosquito you should make an appointment with a healthcare professional.
North Carolina judges weigh GOP law shifting election board control away from Democratic governor
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina trial judges will soon rule if legislative Republicans’ latest method to attempt to wrest control of the State Board of Elections from a Democratic governor is lawful. A three-judge panel listened to arguments Monday in a lawsuit filed by Gov. Josh Stein against GOP lawmakers. A law approved last year and taking effect soon would give board appointments to the state auditor. Republican Dave Boliek is now the auditor. The legislature has sought to erode or eliminate a governor’s authority to appoint the board for nearly a decade. At least four laws have been blocked and a constitutional amendment was defeated. Any ruling will assuredly be appealed.
NC Attorney General settles with major landlord over AI-powered rent fixing
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced a settlement with a major landlord accused of illegally fixing rent prices using cutting-edge technology. Landlords were using RealPage, a property management software provider known for AI-powered solutions and services that has allegedly exploited landlords’ competitively sensitive information creating a pricing algorithm that inflated rent prices and violated antitrust laws. A settlement was reached with Cortland Management LLC, where they agreed to spot using sensitive data from its competitors.
World/National
Trump administration takes aim at Harvard’s international students and tax-exempt status
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration has escalated its ongoing battle with Harvard, threatening to revoke the university’s ability to host international students, who make up 27% of the campus. The threat emerged as the president called for withdrawing the school’s tax-exempt status. The Department of Homeland Security ordered Harvard late Tuesday to turn over detailed records of the school’s foreign student visa holders’ “illegal and violent activities” by April 30. The move deepens the crackdown on Harvard. On Monday, it became the first university to openly defy the administration’s demands related to activism on campus, antisemitism and diversity. The federal government has already frozen more than $2 billion in grants and contracts to the Ivy League institution.
Tatooine-like planet outside the solar system may orbit two failed stars, scientists say
NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists may have found a new Tatooine-like planet outside the solar system that orbits two failed stars. Located 120 light years away, the planet appears to take an unusual path around two brown dwarfs, whipping around at a right angle. Scientists know of over a dozen planets that orbit twin stars like the fictional “Star Wars” desert planet Tatooine. More observations are needed to confirm this latest planet exists. The research was published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.
US judge presses Trump administration on its refusal to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia
GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — A federal judge says she will order sworn testimony by Trump administration officials to determine if they complied with her orders to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. He was mistakenly deported to a notorious El Salvador prison last month. The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to return him. But the administration has so far refused. It claims he’s in the MS-13 gang. Abrego Garcia’s attorneys deny the allegations and say he was never charged with a crime. The president of El Salvador also said he would not return Abrego Garcia, likening it to smuggling “a terrorist into the United States.”
Autism rates in US rise again to 1 in 31 kids, CDC says
ATLANTA (AP) — Newly released federal statistics show an estimated 1 in 31 U.S. children have autism, marking another jump in a long string of increases. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the numbers on Tuesday. Its data was from 14 states and Puerto Rico in 2022. The previous estimate in 2020 was 1 in 36. Boys continue to be diagnosed more than girls, and the highest rates are among children who are Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native and Black. The CDC’s estimate is considered the most rigorous and the gold standard.
A look at the universities with federal funding targeted by the Trump administration
Harvard University has joined the growing list of institutions targeted by the Trump administration for federal funding cuts. Seven universities have been faced with cuts so far. Six of them are Ivy League schools. The Trump administration has increasingly used funding cuts as a tool to influence campus policies to comply with his political agenda. Most universities were targeted due to allegations of antisemitism on campuses after a wave of pro-Palestinian protests last year. Trump’s strategy was mostly successful at Columbia University after the institution agreed to several of the administration’s demands.
Entertainment
Go inside the factory where Peeps are made
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — Love them or hate them, marshmallow Peeps are inescapable around the Easter holiday. Millions of the brightly-colored candies are made daily in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, by Just Born Quality Confections. The family-owned candy manufacturer also churns out Hot Tamales, Mike and Ike fruit chews and Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews. Peeps is the company’s most recognizable brand. It also evokes strong reactions — good and bad. Some say an Easter basket isn’t complete without the multi-flavored Peeps, while others deride them as being indestructible. On average, about 5.5 million are made each day. That adds up to 2 billion Peeps a year.
Wink Martindale, the genial game show host and an early TV interviewer of Elvis Presley, dies at 91
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wink Martindale, the genial host of such hit game shows as “Gambit” and “Tic-Tac-Dough,” has died. He was 91. Martindale began his career in radio and was did one of the first recorded television interviews with a young Elvis Presley before scoring hits as a game show host. “Gambit” started in 1976 but within a few short years was overtaken by “Wheel of Fortune” and other shows, but he bounced back in 1978 with “Tic-Tac-Dough,” which aired until 1985. Publicist Brian Mayes says Martindale died Tuesday at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage after battling lymphoma for a year.
Millions tune in for 24-hour live coverage of Sweden’s epic moose migration
Swedish slow TV hit “The Great Moose Migration” has become a phenomenon. The livestream began airing Tuesday, a week ahead of schedule. National broadcaster SVT shows the annual migration 24 hours a day for 20 days. Not much happens for hours at a time, and fans say that’s the beauty of it. The production hit 9 million viewers last year. Remote cameras capture dozens of moose as they swim across a river toward summer grazing pastures. An expert and fan calls the show “gripping because nothing catastrophic is happening.” Even the production crew says their stress eases.
Blue Origin launches an all-female celebrity crew with Katy Perry, Gayle King and Lauren Sanchez
Blue Origin has launched Jeff Bezos’ fiancee Lauren Sanchez into space with an all-female celebrity crew that included Katy Perry and Gayle King. The New Shepard rocket blasted off Monday from West Texas. Sanchez, a helicopter pilot and former TV journalist, invited the others along for the 10-minute, fully automated ride. Besides Sanchez, Perry and King, the crew included a film producer, a former NASA engineer who started her own companies to promote science education, and a scientist who now advocates for sexual violence survivors. Moved by the views of Earth below, Perry couldn’t resist singing “What a Wonderful World” in space.
So your home’s not social-media perfect? How to get over ‘house shame’ and invite people in
NEW YORK (AP) — Is your house something less than Pinterest perfect? Whose isn’t. Social media has fed a phenomenon called house shame. It’s that anxiety and dread that sets in when you think people coming over to your house will judge how it looks. It can also be internal — a self-shaming that sets in when you can’t achieve the perfection you see on Instagram. Home organizers and interior designers have suggestions on how to get over house shame. First, remember there’s no such thing as perfect. A space that’s cared for is more important. Light a candle and place some flowers to make the front hall welcoming. Use a rolling rack for coats if closets are crammed. And if someone does house shame you, don’t invite them back.
Sports
Duke freshman Kon Knueppel to take the 1-and-done route to the NBA draft
Duke’s Kon Knueppel is heading to the NBA after one college season. The 6-foot-7, 217-pound wing announced his decision Wednesday after a season that included him being named MVP of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. He also helped the Blue Devils reach the Final Four. Knueppel averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists as the team’s No. 2 scorer behind Associated Press national player of the year Cooper Flagg. Knueppel is the first member of Duke’s touted freshman class to go pro. He’s widely projected to be a lottery pick.
Rory McIlroy wins Masters playoff to complete the career Grand Slam
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Rory McIlroy turned another major collapse into his grandest performance of all, hitting a wedge into 3 feet for birdie in a sudden-death playoff Sunday to finally win the Masters and take his place in golf history as the sixth player to claim the career Grand Slam. What should have been a coronation along the back nine at Augusta National turned into a heart-racing, lead-changing jaw-dropping finish at golf’s greatest theater that ended with McIlroy on his knees sobbing with joy and disbelief. Right when it looked as though he would blow another major, he delivered two majestic shots when nothing less would do.
John Andrzejek won a national title with Florida to start the week. Now he’s Campbell’s head coach
BUIES CREEK, N.C. (AP) — John Andrzejek is finally done with juggling coaching duties as an assistant at Florida and Campbell’s new head coach. Andrzejek had his introductory news conference Wednesday with the Camels. That came less than 48 hours after Andrzejek sprinted onto the court to celebrate Florida’s win against Houston in the NCAA title game in San Antonio. Andrzejek said it had been a “whirlwind” that included the team’s campus celebration Tuesday before catching a charter flight Wednesday morning to North Carolina. Campbell is a Coastal Athletic Association program with one NCAA bid in its history.
Hearing begins for $2.8 billion NCAA settlement, could lock in seismic changes for college sports
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A federal judge has opened the final hearing for a landmark $2.8 billion settlement that will impact every corner of college athletics by saying she will not be granting formal approval on Monday. The settlement calls for paying more than $2.7 billion in damages to athletes who say the NCAA and five biggest conferences prevented them from earning money off their celebrity status. It also would clear the way for each schools to begin sharing up to $20.5 million with their athletes.
Duke’s push for 6th NCAA title falls apart in unlikely late collapse against Houston in Final Four
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Duke’s push for its sixth national championship ended abruptly and in unlikely fashion with the Blue Devils squandering a double-digit second-half lead. The Blue Devils led by 14 with about 8 1/2 minutes left before seeing Houston push back and score the game’s last nine points to win 70-67 in Saturday night’s national semifinals. Duke led by six with 1:14 to go before Houston’s winning push as the Blue Devils missed shots, couldn’t get stops and came up empty when the Cougars pushed ahead.
