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Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis shutters North Carolina store amid giant flag dispute

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Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis shutters North Carolina store amid giant flag dispute


Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis has said he’s been forced to shutter one of his stores in North Carolina amid a heated legal battle about his massive American flags flying at his stores.

Lemonis told WITN this week that he closed the smaller of his two RV dealerships in Greenville on April 18 accusing council members of actively trying to disparage his business for refusing to take down the giant flags.

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City leaders in Greenville, North Carolina, voted to take legal action against the flags in March since they violate city ordinances and Lemonis has been hit with $15,000 in fines. 

Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis has said he’s been forced to shutter one of his stores in North Carolina amid a heated legal battle about his massive American flags flying at his stores. (Getty Images / Fox News)

RV RETAILER CAMPING WORLD DEFIES CALIFORNIA COUNTY ORDER TO TAKE DOWN GIANT AMERICAN FLAG

The flags are almost the size of a basketball court, spanning 3200 square feet while the pole it flies from is around 130 feet tall, almost double the current allowance.

“We think the ordinance is wrong,” Lemonis told local radio station WTIB, according to WITN. “They (the council) should probably do a little research on the statutes in the state of North Carolina.”

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“I think it’s also wrong council members have been working very actively to disparage my business and on [April 18] I had to consolidate modification of two dealerships in town… Our business which has been unfortunately impacted uniquely in Greenville North Carolina.”

The national RV dealer has more than 200 locations across the country and is known for proudly flying large “Old Glory” flags at its stores. Camping World has also been sued by other municipalities across the country over the size of the American flags it flies at the stores. Officials from Sevierville, Tennessee, for instance, take issue with the height of the pole, not the size of the flag. 

Lemonis for weeks has defiantly said the flags will not come down and argues that the city’s ordinance violates state law. 

In this undated handout photo provided by Camping World, an American flag blows in the wind at Gander RV, in Statesville, N.C.  (Jennifer Munday/Camping World, AP)

CAMPING WORLD CEO DEFIANT AMID LAWSUIT OVER HUGE AMERICAN FLAG: ‘THE FLAG WILL NOT COME DOWN’

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Greenville Communications Manager Brock Letchworth said after the city took legal action that the issue was never been about removing an American flag or the type of flag. 

“It is about bringing the flag into compliance with city code,” Letchworth said in a statement.

“We look forward to finding a resolution that will result in the continued display of the flag, but in a way that does not violate local laws.”

The closure of the store comes just weeks after Lemonis defiantly declared the giant flags. 

Lemonis told Fox & Friends earlier this month that he wouldn’t’ budge on the issue, and that the flags are his love letter to the United States, which allowed him to thrive there after he had to leave Beirut, Lebanon.

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WATCH: Cities file lawsuits against Camping World over company’s American flags

“I wasn’t born in this country. I emigrated from Beirut, Lebanon. Came here to Miami, Florida, and had an opportunity to live the American dream in this country,” he said. 

“I’ve put a lot of sweat and tears into building this business for my people, for the country. And it’s my love letter to tell everybody how grateful I am this country provided me an opportunity where it didn’t have to. To make money, to be a capitalist, to provide jobs in America.”

“From my perspective, the flag’s not a problem … It has FAA clearance, and for me, this feels like an opportunity for the city to say we want to control what’s happening there.

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An American flag against an idylllic sky. (iStock / iStock)

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Meanwhile, Hinton told WTIB that he proposed making $50,000 donation to Maynard Children’s Hospital in Greenville in lieu of fines and with the agreement that the council would change the ordinance to allow his flags. 

Lemonis then said he would make the donation but did not want it to be a quid pro quo in exchange for the ordinance change.

“The merits of the Children’s Hospital stand on their own and anytime an organization like that’s trying to do good things and actually doing good things, they’re deserving of a contribution.

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“So I’d be happy to make a donation but… I would prefer not to have it ……be a quid pro quo.”

Fox News’ Madison Colombo contributed to this report. 



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North Carolina

NC to receive nearly $70M in FEMA funds, Madsion County manager says $14M hasn’t arrived

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NC to receive nearly M in FEMA funds, Madsion County manager says M hasn’t arrived


Senator Tedd Budd’s office announced nearly $70 million in public assistance FEMA funds for Helene recovery toward the North Carolina Department of Transportation, cities and counties.

Madison County Manager Rod Honeycutt created a color-coded spreadsheet of projects, both paid and unpaid. Honeycutt said he sends the spreadsheet to federal leaders’ offices, including Budd’s, regularly to ensure staff are aware of what’s not reimbursed.

Honeycutt estimates about $14 million in reimbursements from FEMA haven’t come through.

As for the $1.9 million just approved for Madison County’s emergency protective measures, including laborers, equipment reimbursement, Honeycutt said the county doesn’t have it yet.

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NORTH CAROLINA TO RECEIVE $70M IN ADDITIONAL FEMA FUNDING AS NOEM FACES CRITICISM

“It’s coming back to our fund balance,” said Honeycutt. “And we know it will take six more weeks for it to get through the state and to the county.”

Honeycutt estimates that within six months, FEMA will resolve all reimbursements. He said debris removal jobs along the French Broad River have been delayed as FEMA continues to review the applications.

MARCH 5, 2026 – Madison County Manager Rod Honeycutt created a color-coded spreadsheet of projects, both paid and unpaid. Honeycutt said he sends the spreadsheet to federal leaders’ offices, including Budd’s, regularly to ensure staff are aware of what’s not reimbursed. (Photo credit: WLOS Staff)

In Marshall, the town has leased store spaces on Main Street, along with signs advertising leasing available. But longtime resident, artist and business owner Josh Copus is optimistic that Marshall and its community will thrive once again. He acknowledged that FEMA funds and reimbursements to clean up have been an important part of the area’s recovery.

MORE THAN $3.5M HEADED TO BURKE COUNTY FOR CONTINUED HELENE RECOVERY

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“I would say our town is 50% fixed and our town was 100% destroyed, so 50% is pretty good,” Copus said.

The awards include:

  • Biltmore Forest: $2.5 million for debris removal reimbursement.
  • Buncombe County Sewage District: $1.57 million reimbursement for line repairs, vacuuming, line replacements and riverbank restoration.
  • Old Fort: $1.15 million Westerman Street Waterline for potable water reimbursement.
  • Mitchell County: $11.9 million for debris contractors, tipping fees and debris monitoring reimbursement.
  • Buncombe County: $3.5 million toward labor costs for 836 laborers during and after Helene reimbursement.
  • Asheville: $5.6 million for North Fork Treatment Plant repairs reimbursement.
  • Lake Lure: $1.48 million for lake safety repairs reimbursement.
  • Madison County: $1.9 million for emergency protective measures, including laborers, equipment reimbursement.



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2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers

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2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers


Here are the voter turnout numbers for the 2026 primary election, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Hyde County had the highest voter turnout, while Onslow County had the lowest turnout. Check out what the voter turnout in your county was below:

BERTIE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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31.85% (3,911 out of 12,280)

CARTERET COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

29.06% (16,543 out of 56,931)

CRAVEN COUNTY

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Ballots Cast:

18.63% (14,119 out of 75,778)

DUPLIN COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

21.93% (6,981 out of 31,832)

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EDGECOMBE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

18.16% (6,428 out of 35,396)

GREENE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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19.70% (2,147 out of 10,900)

HYDE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

37.27% (1,123 out of 3,013)

JONES COUNTY

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Ballots Cast:

25.91% (1,805 out of 6,966)

LENOIR COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

16.73% (6,251 out of 37,371)

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MARTIN COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

17.61% (2,858 out of 16,228)

ONSLOW COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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11.44% (14,816 out of 129,537)

PAMLICO COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

24.03% (2,446 out of 10,180)

PITT COUNTY

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Ballots Cast:

15.71% (19,429 out of 123,705)

TYRRELL COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

30.49% (723 out of 2,371)

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WASHINGTON COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

28.66% (2,312 out of 8,067)

WAYNE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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21.49% (16,408 out of 76,358)



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Statewide tornado drill has NC schools and workplaces practicing safety

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Statewide tornado drill has NC schools and workplaces practicing safety


Wednesday, March 4, 2026 6:41PM

NC schools and businesses encouraged to practice tornado safety

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — North Carolina schools and businesses took part in a statewide tornado drill Wednesday morning as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week.

The National Weather Service led the drill at 9:30 a.m., broadcasting it on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System. Schools, workplaces and households across the state were encouraged to join in.

The National Weather Service didn’t issue a follow up alert to mark the end of the drill. Instead, each school or business wrapped up once they felt they had practiced the procedures thoroughly.

Wednesday’s drill also replaced the regular weekly NOAA Weather Radio test.

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SEE | New warning for parents amid new ‘fire-breathing’ social media trend

Make sure to download the ABC 11 Mobile App ABC11 North Carolina Apps for Connected TV, Mobile News, Echo

Copyright © 2026 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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