Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Top Stories

Article Icon 1Bus Driver Shortages Complicate Start of School

As North Carolina public schools kicked off a new academic year Monday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools were short 82 bus drivers while needing to provide transportation to 6,000 more students than the district had at this time last year.

CMS needs to fill 35 driver vacancies; another 47 drivers are on leave. The shortage is connected to the increase in students and district data revealing that half of recent crashes involving buses were preventable.

A WCNC Charlotte report reveals CMS fired school bus drivers last year for falling asleep at the wheel, testing positive for cocaine, and other infractions.

CMS transportation director Adam Johnson says the district is focusing on better training, retraining, and retaining new drivers—adding that most drivers come with “little to no experience.”

Bus driver shortages aren’t new to North Carolina. Last year, they prompted Gov. Roy Cooper to allocate $1 million in federal funding for enhancing driver training capacity.

Article Icon 1Stein Polls 14 Points Ahead of Robinson 

A new High Point University Survey puts Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, ahead of Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a Republican, by 14 points (48% to 34%). Another 18% of registered voters are undecided.

Among probable voters, Stein’s lead drops to 6 points. Of those who plan to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris for president, 88% plan to vote for Stein.

Meanwhile, 68% of those voting for former President Donald Trump say they’ll also vote for Robinson. Trump endorsed Robinson in March.

Robinson led Stein 39% to 34% in a May poll also conducted by High Point University.

Article Icon 1Asheville is the No. 2 City for Dog Lovers

A new ranking of America’s most dog-friendly cities lands Asheville at No. 2, just behind Scottsdale, Arizona.

Santa Fe, New Mexico; Tucson, Arizona; and Santa Monica, California round out the top five. Wilmington is No. 8, and Raleigh is No. 22.

The rankings are based on factors such as access to dog-friendly housing and businesses, friendliness of dog-related laws, and affordability of canine services.

In other North Carolina dog news, Carolina Beach hosted The Surf Dog Experience Saturday, which allowed dogs to surf for a cause. All proceeds benefitted Freedom Bridge Animal Rescue.


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Around North Carolina

Raleigh: A Native American on horseback helped a Raleigh couple hiking in the Grand Canyon escape severe flooding. (Watch Video)

Wilmington: Students at two Brunswick County middle schools will be required to place their phones in sealed magnetic pouches as part of a pilot experiment to keep students engaged in class. (More)

Durham: Some Duke students and alumni are eligible to receive compensation from the university’s $24 million settlement in an antitrust financial aid lawsuit. Duke was one of 16 institutions sued. (More)

Yadkin County: The Yadkin County Sheriff’s Office announced that 61 felonies and 20 misdemeanors have been charged in connection to multiple Triad-area break-ins. (More)

Hillsborough: Hillsborough Skate Spot, which cost $350,000 to design and build, opened at Cates Creek Park and is attracting a steady stream of skateboarders. (See Photos)

Matthews: Andrzej Kielbon won nearly $380,000 after buying a $2 entry in the digital lottery game Bison Bonanza. (More)

Texas Sports

➤ Duke men’s basketball recruit Cooper Flagg signed a shoe endorsement deal with New Balance. Flagg is the No. 1 ranked player in the 2024 recruiting class and will join Duke for the 2025 season. (More)

Greensboro Grimsley High School quarterback Faizon Brandon, the nation’s No. 1 prospect, is suing the state over its name, image, and likeness prohibitions for public school athletes. (More)

Eight new teams joined North Carolina’s high school football rankings—based on public school polls—adding two new teams to each class. (See Rankings)

➤ No. 6 North Carolina men’s soccer tied California Baptist 0-0. UNC will host Florida International University on Thursday. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | PGA | LPGA | US OPEN | NASCAR

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The Business Of Texas

North Carolina is one of eight states to join the U.S. Justice Department in an antitrust lawsuit against RealPage, alleging that RealPage software enables landlords to collude on raising rent. (More)

A 2024 list of the 300 best U.S. real estate markets ranks Cary at No. 3, Durham at No. 5, Charlotte at No. 7, and Raleigh at No. 18. (See Rankings)

The Duke Endowment awarded Duke University $30 million to create a new program and hire faculty in support of computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning research. (More)

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Et Cetera

A “fire rainbow” was recently spotted off the coast of Cape Lookout National Seashore. These horizontal cracks in the sky are filled with color and require ice crystals, making them unusual in summer. (See Photo)

North Carolina actors, get your portfolios ready. “Squatch,” an upcoming feature film, is casting in Raleigh; and “Cruise Control,” a short film, is casting in Charlotte. (More)

Edenton’s Lane House, built in 1718, is North Carolina’s oldest structure, according to a list of the oldest buildings in each state. (See Full List)

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The Polling Station

Do you think dogs should be allowed in restaurants? 

  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Just keep them away from my food
  4. Only if cats can join in the fun

Yesterday’s Results:

Which type of North Carolina barbecue do you like best?

  1. Vinegar-based: 37.5%
  2. Tomato-based: 23.6%
  3. None of the above: 14.9%
  4. Mustard-based: 13.7%
  5. I don’t like barbecue: 10.3%
Texas Trivia

What was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit North Carolina?

Show me the answer

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