ECSU Shooting Kills 1, Injures 6

A shooting at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) killed one person and injured six others around 12:30 a.m. Sunday, according to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). No information about the suspect has been released.

The incident occurred at the center of campus following Yard Fest, a school spirit event that is part of the university’s weeklong Viking Fest celebration.

The person killed was a 24-year-old who was not an ECSU student. Four others—three of whom were students—sustained gunshot wounds. Two other students were injured in the subsequent commotion.

An SBI spokesperson said agents are investigating the scene with help from the Elizabeth City Police, Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, and Camden County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone with information, video, or pictures of the incident should contact the SBI at 919-662-4500 or ECSU Police at 252-335-3266.

NC-VA High Speed Rail Project Pushes Forward

NCDOT is moving forward with a high-speed rail project that will connect Raleigh and Richmond, Virginia, despite the Trump administration’s pause on a $1.1 billion grant promised under the Biden administration in December 2023.

Gov. Josh Stein and Secretary Joey Hopkins met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in February, who emphasized that grant reviews are standard when administrations change. NCDOT Rail Division Director Jason Orthner confirmed the grant paperwork is continuing without disruption.

The S-Line—a freight rail corridor owned by CSX that connects Richmond to Tampa, Florida—will form the backbone of the new passenger service, expected to cut more than an hour off the current route through Selma, Rocky Mount, and Wilson.

The grant will fund upgrades to outdated tracks and lay the groundwork for a future high-speed corridor linking Raleigh Union Station with communities to the north, including a new station in Wake Forest.

Rip Current Awareness Week Underway

As coastal towns prepare for the busy beach season, National Weather Service (NWS) offices along the Carolina and Virginia coasts have teamed up to promote April 27-May 3 as Rip Current Awareness Week.

Rip currents are strong, narrow flows of water that can move swimmers hundreds of feet away from shore.

Emergency management, public safety officials, local media, and Weather-Ready Nation Ambassadors are urged to spread the word about the dangers of rip currents, which caused 192 fatalities in the Coastal Carolinas between 2000 and 2024.

Throughout the week, NWS stations will share advice and facts about rip currents and beach safety. Critical tips include: stay calm, swim parallel to shore, and signal for help if needed, according to Oak Island Water Rescue Chief Terry Hoben. Find more tips here.

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➤ Statewide: The North Carolina Department of Information Technology named I-Sah Hsieh its first artificial intelligence (AI) governance and policy executive. Hsieh will focus on advancing the state’s use of AI while prioritizing ethics, security, and digital safety. (More)

➤ Raleigh: Lawmakers convened Monday to advance 22 bills through final committees, focusing on issues like car seat safety regulations, Bitcoin investments, POW/MIA flags, “forever chemicals,” and concealed knife carry. (More)

➤ Durham: Police charged 19 people Friday in connection with a February car club meetup that resulted in a street takeover, and are asking the public to help identify others involved. (Watch Video)

➤ Wake County’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’s 2025 budget shows a 32.4% increase over the previous year’s budget of $884,245, and a nearly eightfold increase over its first adopted budget of $131,008 in 2022. (See Details)

➤ Charlotte: More than 1,800 people attended the city’s annual Tunnel to Towers climb at Bank of America Stadium to honor four law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty a year ago during the Shannon Park shooting. (Watch Video)

➤ Chapel Hill: UNC head football coach Bill Belichick’s girlfriend Jordon Hudson reportedly shut down a CBS Mornings interview question about how the couple met, stating off camera, “We’re not talking about this.” (More)

➤ NC State basketball added former Florida State forward Jerry Deng, a 6-9 scorer with range who boosts the Wolfpack’s offense and becomes their fifth transfer pickup this offseason. (More)

➤ Duke freshman center Khaman Maluach declared for the NBA draft Sunday, a move influenced by both his rising draft stock and uncertainty over his student visa status following new U.S. immigration policies. (More)

➤ Pro Football Focus gave the Carolina Panthers an A+ for their NFL draft performance.  The Panthers are one of only three teams to earn the top grade. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: MLB | NBA | NHL | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer

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➤ American Airlines Vice Chair Steve Johnson said that although the airline is close to capacity at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, its second-largest hub, the company plans to maintain a significant presence there. (More)

➤ North Carolina ranks 39th in a comparison of the Best & Worst States for Working Moms based on 17 metrics centered around child care, professional opportunities, and work-life balance. (See Rankings)

➤ Charlotte will host a 31 Days of Biz campaign during National Small Business Month in May that includes a free networking event on May 5 at The Market at 7th Street. RSVPs are due tomorrow, April 30. (See Details)

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➤ Livability’s Top 25 Best Places to Live in the Southeast includes six North Carolina cities: Cary (No. 2), Concord (No. 10), Durham (No. 15), Asheville (No. 17), Winston-Salem (No. 18), and Wilmington (No. 22). (See Rankings)

➤ The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation received a three-year, $5.13 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to support regional strategies advancing cultural and recreational tourism, including infrastructure improvements and business growth. (More)

➤ A new mural at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site honors the Asheville native and author who died in 1938. (See Photo)

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Yesterday’s Results:

What’s your favorite book genre?

1. Mystery: 23%
2. History: 17%
3. Other: 15%
4. Not a book reader: 13%
5. Biography: 11%
6. Romance: 11%
7. Fantasy: 10%

What book is North Carolina author Thomas Wolfe best known for?

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