Senate Bill Protects Parents’ Rights

Senate Bill 442, which seeks to shield parents and caregivers from legal consequences for raising children according to their biological sex, passed the House Health Committee on Tuesday.

Known as the Parents Protection Act, the committee’s approval follows the Senate’s passage of the bill on May 7 after an amendment was added to cover foster care concerns.

The measure stipulates that parents or caretakers are not guilty of a misdemeanor or felony child abuse charge for raising a child consistent with his or her biological sex, including related mental health or medical decisions. It also maintains safeguards against acts that could cause serious physical or mental harm.

Additionally, the bill prohibits adoption agencies from denying or delaying adoption opportunities or placements based on a potential parent’s race, color, national origin, or unwillingness to support a child’s gender transition.

R. Kelly Rushed to Duke University Hospital

Disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly, who is serving a 30-year sentence for sex trafficking and racketeering at a federal prison in Butner, was rushed to Duke University Hospital on June 13 due to an alleged medication overdose.

Kelly’s attorneys claim prison officials plotted to have him murdered to prevent the release of damaging information, which prompted them to move him to solitary confinement.

On Monday, Chicago-based attorney Beau Brindley filed a motion in federal court stating Kelly was forced to take medication in solitary confinement the night of June 12, which led to dizziness, vision loss, collapse, and a need for surgery. Doctors allegedly found blood clots in both his legs and lungs, but he was released after two days and returned to solitary confinement instead.

Kelly’s attorneys say he is seeking a presidential pardon and that they “are engaged in conversations with multiple persons close to the White House and to President Trump.”

NC Leads in Snake Bites Per Capita

North Carolina leads the U.S. in per capita snake bites with 18.8 incidents per 100,000 people annually, compared to 14.7 per 100,000 in Texas. In terms of total venomous snake bites per year, North Carolina comes in second with 856, behind Texas’s 1,408.

The state also leads the U.S. in copperhead snake bites, with NC Poison Control reporting 10 times more calls for copperheads than for all other snake bites combined—most reports from Wake County.

According to NC Poison Control, American copperheads, cottonmouths, Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, timber rattlesnakes, and Carolina pigmy rattlesnakes are the venomous snakes responsible for a majority of snakebites in the state. Here are tips for what you should and shouldn’t do if you’re bitten by a snake.

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➤ Statewide: Lawmakers voted 70-44 to approve a bill shifting regulatory powers from the governor and executive agencies to state legislators by requiring legislative approval for new rules. Gov. Josh Stein is expected to veto the bill. (More)

➤ Catawba County: A judge denied bond for a ninth suspect arrested in connection with the June 1 house party shooting in Hickory that killed one and injured 11 others. Investigators say the attack was coordinated through group chats and social media messages. (More)

➤ Lake Waccamaw police confirmed a 12-foot alligator’s encounter with a 12-year-old girl on June 13 was not predatory and, as such, is considered an incident and not an attack. (See Details)

➤ Wake County Rep. Julie von Haefen, a Democrat, apologized to fellow lawmakers, constituents, and North Carolinians Tuesday for posting an image of a guillotine and a fake severed head resembling President Trump, but did not apologize to Trump. (More)

➤ Sanford: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is offering a $7,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of a masked suspect accused of killing a store clerk during a May gas station robbery. (See Details)

➤ Union County: The sheriff’s office charged six men with gang ties Tuesday for kidnapping and brutally assaulting a man in February, then leaving him beaten, naked, and tied up in freezing conditions. (More)

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➤ North Carolina A&T announced that home football tickets for games against other historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) will cost more than those for regular conference opponents. (More)

➤ In an ongoing antitrust case in North Carolina, NASCAR has accused Michael Jordan’s business partner of “willfully” violating the law by organizing collective resistance to the league’s new charter system. (More)

➤ Some sportsbooks have the Carolina Hurricanes as early favorites for the 2026 Stanley Cup, though most still favor the Edmonton Oilers or group them with other top contenders like the Panthers and Avalanche. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: MLB | WNBA | NCAAB | Soccer

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➤ The Golden LEAF Foundation awarded $60 million to pay for the construction of water and sewer infrastructure for JetZero’s $4.7 billion factory at Piedmont Triad International Airport, tied to the company’s pledge to create 14,564 jobs. (More)

➤ A Nash County woman is suing a Charlotte-based bank after her boss placed a Chucky doll in her seat at a Rocky Mount Truist Bank where she worked in June 2024, claiming the manager was aware of her fear of dolls and other medical issues. (More)

➤ Wells Fargo added 14-foot red letters spelling its name atop its Charlotte building on South Tryon Street this week. Formerly owned by Duke Energy, the building is Charlotte’s second-tallest at 786 feet. (More)

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NASA Turns to Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Deep Space Power

Batteries can’t survive the 14+ day lunar night or keep underwater drones running for weeks. That’s why NASA and the U.S. Navy are turning to Infinity Fuel.

Infinity’s regenerative hydrogen fuel cells are designed to deliver long-duration power where traditional systems fail—in areas without oxygen, too cold for normal batteries to survive. These fuel cells have already flown aboard Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos’ company) and are now being built for critical lunar and underwater missions.

With $50M+ in awarded contracts and a new Plug Power partnership targeting terrestrial markets, Infinity is scaling fast. Become an Infinity Fuel shareholder now.

➤ Lake Lure’s post-Hurricane Helene recovery efforts and dam repairs revealed century-old treasures as water levels dropped nearly 30 feet, including a 1920s truck and a water taxi named Poo Bear. (See Photos)

➤ A male peacock of unknown age was found wandering in Raleigh’s Hawthorne Park neighborhood on June 13. Wake County Animal Control staff are caring for the peacock and hope to reunite it with its family. (See Photo)

➤ Historic Yates Mill, which dates back to the 1750s and is Wake County’s last operating gristmill, is seeking to raise $400,000 to rebuild its waterwheel and replace its flume and fore bay. (See Photos)

➤ A comparison of 148 U.S. cities’ operating efficiency and management ranks Durham No. 15, Raleigh No. 21, Greensboro No. 37, and Charlotte No. 51. (See Rankings)

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Have you encountered a copperhead on your property?

1. Yes, at least one
2. Not yet
3. I don’t want to know!

Yesterday’s Results:

Do you take a book to read during beach vacations?

1. At least one: 33%
2. I don’t do beach vacations: 19%
3. I’m not much of a reader: 18%
4. I take one but don’t read it: 17%
5. I prefer magazines: 13%

Why did Sir Walter Raleigh want to establish the Roanoke Colonies?

Show me the answer