North Carolina
Black Bear Sightings Reported in Chapel Hill; Police Urge Caution – Chapelboro.com
Some Chapel Hill residents have had a bear-y good weekend.
According to the Chapel Hill Police Department, and video shared by one resident, there have been multiple sightings of a black bear off of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near Homestead Park overnight Friday and Saturday. Chapel Hill Police officers reported sightings at the intersection of MLK Boulevard and Blossom Lane and another sighting along Dixie Lane, which is across the street from Homestead Park’s athletic fields.
Additionally, one Chapel Hill resident shared a video he says came from his front door camera at the Riggsbee Mobile Home Park — just north of the areas where police officers reported seeing a black bear.
Black bears are native to the state, but are not typically found in the Piedmont, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The bears, which can be identified by their darker coats and tall, rounded ears, are known to use their strong sense of smell and hearing to search for food — which can often come from people’s backyards or driveways.
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission recommends that people secure any food, garbage, or recycling outside to prevent bears from smelling and being attracted to it. The group suggests not leaving any pet food outdoors, storing grills away, and removing bird feeders if there are bears active.
The state agency also says if a bear is spotted, do no approach or feed a bear. Staying calm and backing away slowly is recommended if you are close to the animal, while making lots of noise to frighten the animal is a tactic to scare it off if you’re far away.
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission says it does not trap or relocate black bears. Not only does the agency say capturing the omnivores is difficult, but bears often return to places they’ve been before and humans’ habits are easier to change than a bear’s.
More information on how to prevent or resolve bear issues in residential areas, visit the state’s Wildlife Resources Commission’s website. For the Town of Chapel Hill’s release on black bear sightings, visit the local government’s website.
Photo via Aaron Brewer.
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North Carolina
Vote: Who Should Be the North Carolina Boys High School Basketball Player of the Week? (1/20/2025)
Who was the North Carolina Boys Basketball Player of the Week last week?
Each week, High School On SI scours the state of North Carolina and compiles the top performances from the previous week.
Congratulations to last week’s winner: Jalin Sutton of Greene Central.
Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26. The winner will be announced in the following week’s poll. Here are this week’s nominees:
The 6-foot-5 junior guard scored 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting, grabbed 7 rebounds and blocked 4 shots in the Sabres’ 71-63 win over Myers Park. Houpt also had 15 points in a 65-56 win over White Oak.
Kerr, a top 100 national recruit, scored 24 points as the Cougars toppled nationally ranked and previously undefeated Christ School 73-66. The 6-foot-4 junior guard has 10 college offers.
Charles scored 27 points and got 8 rebounds in a 56-42 win over Southside. The 6-foot-4 senior also had 22 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists in an 84-38 rout of Pamlico County.
Blow scored 17 points and got 6 rebounds in a 67-59 victory over Ayden-Grifton.
Barron scored 19 points while getting 7 steals and 5 assists in a 77-57 victory over Northwest Halifax.
Edwards posted 27 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists in an 89-39 romp over Wayne Christian. He also had 17 points in an 84-57 win over First Flight.
Brewer dominated with 34 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals in a 66-48 win over Pisgah.
Parkins erupted for 39 points, tying a career high, in a 90-66 win over Asheville. The 6-foot-7 senior also had 17 rebounds. He had 27 points and 13 rebounds in an 81-65 win over Erwin.
Brown scored 30 points and had 5 rebounds in an 84-80 overtime win over Tuscola. In addition, he had 21 points in a 59-45 loss to East Henderson.
Fannon scored 31 points, including 9-of-14 from 3-point range, as the Mustangs beat St. Stephens 93-70.
North Carolina
North Carolina Democratic state lawmaker resigns after terminal cancer diagnosis
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A longtime Wake County Democratic state representative announced his resignation from the North Carolina General Assembly on Sunday.
Rep. Joe John, who represented northwestern Wake County, shared news of his resignation in a letter posted to his Facebook page, after he said he received a terminal diagnosis for throat cancer from his doctors. John, 85, first stated publicly that he was diagnosed with throat cancer in early December.
“I hope my legacy will be one of dedication to the common good — working to build bridges, advocate for the voiceless, and fight for justice,” he said.
John was first elected as a state representative in 2016 and served four consecutive terms. His upcoming term would have been his fifth. Before serving in the legislature, John spent a large portion of his life in the judicial field — as a state appeals judge, superior court judge and district judge. He also served as the State of North Carolina Crime Laboratory’s director.
The Wake County Democratic Party will be in charge of choosing someone to fill John’s vacant seat.
John said in his letter that he plans to focus on his health and spend time with his family after resigning.
“If my time in office has made even a small difference in your lives, then I will leave this world knowing I’ve done my part,” John said.
North Carolina
How will NC industries be impacted with Trump in office?
Republican President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House on Monday, vowing swift action on a host of issues that could impact nearly every American — and could have a particularly profound effect on North Carolina’s economy.
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