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Why are flags flying at half-staff in North Carolina?

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Why are flags flying at half-staff in North Carolina?


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United States and North Carolina flags at state facilities are flying at half-staff in North Carolina to honor the lives of four officers slain in a shootout on Monday, April 29.

Gov. Roy Cooper made a statement on the lowering of flags in an April 30 news release.

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“Yesterday, North Carolina and our country lost four heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty working to protect our communities,” Cooper said. “Our prayers are with their friends and families as they navigate this difficult time and we remember and honor the lives of these law enforcement officers.”

Why are the flags at half-staff in North Carolina?

Cooper ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor four officers who were shot to death in a standoff in Charlotte, N.C., on Monday.

The news release named Samuel “Sam” Poloche and William “Alden” Elliott, both 14-year veterans of the N.C. Department of Adult Corrections who served in the Special Operations and Intelligence Unit. Poloche joined the unit in 2013, Elliott in 2016 after each served several years as probation/parole officers. Officer Joshua Eyer was a six-year veteran of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. A Deputy U.S. Marshal, who has not yet been publicly named, was the fourth officer killed. 

4 Charlotte, NC officers killed: Suspect named, two people being questioned after 4 officers killed serving warrant in NC

How long will flags be at half-staff?

The U.S. and N.C. flags will be flown at half-staff beginning immediately and will remain at half-staff until sunset on Friday, May 3.

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Why do flags fly at half-staff?

Usa.gov states that the American flag flies at half-staff when the country or a state is mourning. The president, a state governor or the mayor of the District of Columbia can order flags to fly at half-staff.

An American flag flying at half-staff generally indicates one of these three things:

  1. The death of a government official, military member or emergency first responder.
  2. A national tragedy.
  3. Memorial Day or another national day of remembrance.

Where will flags be flown at half-staff?

Cooper ordered all state facilities in N.C. to fly flags at half-staff.

While only state facilities are ordered to lower flags, the news release encouraged individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions to fly flags at half-staff for the duration of time indicated to honor the fallen officers.

Is it half-mast or half-staff?

Previous reporting from Memphis Commercial Appeal explained that flags are flown at half-mast on ships and at naval stations ashore, and at half-staff elsewhere.

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Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.



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13 shot at Halloween party, Attendance dips at N.C. State Fair

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13 shot at Halloween party, Attendance dips at N.C. State Fair


Good evening, North Carolina. We’re wrapping up the day for you with the most important stories you need to know and your weather outlook. 

Your Weather Planner

Charlotte, Triad and mountains

A soggy and chilly weather setup is established around the region. We will have rain at times tonight and tomorrow morning and then look for clouds and lingering drizzle at times tomorrow afternoon.

Another wave of showers is looking likely later Wednesday into Wednesday night.

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The bottom line is we are in a wet, raw, chilly period of weather. Highs will run well below average the next several days, and rain totals will likely be 1-3 inches in many areas. Overall flooding potential looks low.

Central North Carolina

Showers will remain dominant through Tuesday afternoon. Expect morning lows Tuesday in the upper 40s ahead of an afternoon high in the low to mid-50s.

Winds will be breezy through the day with 20 to 30 mph gusts possible. A break in the rain may be possible early Wednesday before another batch of showers moves in Wednesday evening and continues through early Thursday. 

Much of central North Carolina should see around 1 to 3 inches of rain this week.

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Eastern North Carolina

An area of low pressure will track up the coast through Tuesday. That will also make for a windy Tuesday. Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible at the Outer Banks, up to 40 mph for the Crystal Coast and up to 20-30 mph for the rest of eastern North Carolina.

Coastal flooding will also be possible at high tides through midweek. That could impact N.C. 12 along the Outer Banks, especially around Buxton and on Ocracoke. Some roads in eastern Carteret County may flood as well.

We may get a break in the rain Tuesday night into much of Wednesday before another wave of rain arrives for late Wednesday and early Thursday.

Much of eastern North Carolina should see around 1 to 3 inches of rain this week.

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Get your full forecast: Charlotte | Triad | Triangle | Coastal | Mountains


Today’s Big Stories

1. 13 shot at Halloween party in southeastern N.C., 2 killed

Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins’ office said in a news release that 13 people were shot. He said that homicide investigators and others were at the scene of the party in a rural area outside of Maxton, about 95 miles southwest of Raleigh near the South Carolina border. Deputies found Jessie Locklear Jr., 49, and Nehemiah Locklear, 16, both of Lumberton, dead at the scene.

2. Attendance dips at N.C. State Fair. A look at the numbers

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Food vendors and carnival workers are packing up their candied apples, cotton candy, games and giant stuffed prizes, marking the end of the 2025 North Carolina State Fair season. This year, there were 946,811 total fairgoers during the fair’s 11-day run, according to figures from the state’s Department of Agriculture. That is nearly 8,000 fewer than the past 10-year average and more than 50,000 less than last year.

3. Salisbury police chief says bystander likely saved officer’s life during knife-wielding assault

Salisbury Police Chief Patrick Smith is praising a bystander’s courageous actions that he says likely saved an officer’s life during an assault Sunday evening. The officer and bystander were injured by a knife-wielding suspect at a Cookout on East Innes Street, police said. The suspect faces multiple charges. 

4. Greensboro officer’s near-death experience highlights why impaired driving can be fatal

Looking back at photos of his totaled police cruiser, Greensboro police Cpl. Nicholas Walton says he’s lucky to be alive. Two years ago, a drunken driver traveling at 80 mph crashed into the back of Walton’s car as he was parked on the side of the road. He came away from the crash with no serious injuries and says he’s one of the lucky ones.

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5. Category 5 Hurricane Melissa will make landfall in Jamaica Tuesday

Hurricane Melissa is a powerful Category 5 hurricane in the Caribbean Sea. It’s expected to remain a powerful storm as it makes landfall in Jamaica Tuesday. Melissa formed on Tuesday, Oct. 21, becoming the 13th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. Melissa will begin to turn northward soon as it approaches Jamaica.

Your Notes for Tomorrow

  • Gotham Awards for film nominations announced
  • Monthly House Price Index/Housing Vacancies/Consumer Confidence Index
  • Senate Armed Services nominations hearing of Brendan Rogers to be Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment, James Caggy to be Assistant Secretary of the Defense for Mission Capabilities, Joseph Jewell to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology, and Marc Berkowitz to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy

 

In Case You Missed It

For most, the State Fair means delicious fried food, games and fun, but for workers behind the scenes, these long days can stretch from sunrise to beyond sunset. That’s where the North Carolina Campers on Mission comes in. It’s a group that has spent decades quietly working behind the scenes to make sure the people who make it happen are supported.



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What Virginia’s Close Win Over North Carolina Means for Duke

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What Virginia’s Close Win Over North Carolina Means for Duke


The Virginia Cavaliers escaped with a 17-16 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels, needing overtime to prevail. The Cavaliers stopped the Tar Heels on a two-point conversion, which would have given North Carolina the win if successful. However, running back Benjamin Hall was inches short of reaching the pylon.

North Carolina controlled the flow of the contest, but ultimately, three turnovers, including an interception in the end zone, proved to be too much for the Tar Heels to overcome.

Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers running back J’Mari Taylor (3) scores a touchdown in overtime as North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Gavin Gibson (5) and linebacker Mikai Gbayor (4) and defensive back Coleman Bryson (16) defend at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Not only was it a missed opportunity for North Carolina, but it also prevented the Duke Blue Devils from making up ground, despite being on a bye week.

Keeping all of that in mind, here is how the result of this game affects the Blue Devils’ chances of qualifying for the ACC Championship game later in December.

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Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Trell Harris (11) breaks a tackle and scores a touchdown as North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Khmori House (7) defends in the second quarer at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Obviously, it was not the end result that the Blue Devils were hoping for, but there are certainly reasons to feel positive from Duke’s perspective.

For one, the Cavaliers looked quite vulnerable in this contest, as they were outgained by nearly 100 yards, took six sacks, and were overall completely inept offensively.

Quarterback Chandler Morris’ performance was quite concerning, as he completed 20-of-35 pass attempts for 200 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He threw errant passes all game, including two consecutive misses near the goal line that were rudimentary throws.

Oct 18, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) passes the ball against the Washington State Cougars during the first half at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The win sends the Cavaliers to 7-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play. However, watching this game, it is apparent that Virginia is not as good as its record.

Despite the victory furthering the Cavaliers’ control of their own destiny, Duke’s confidence should not waver when considering Virginia’s current position in the conference.

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Virginia’s last three wins have come with a combined margin of victory of eight total points, which included a game-winning safety against Washington State last week and a game-clinching stop in overtime on Saturday against North Carolina.

Aug 28, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) throws a touchdown pass against the Elon Phoenix during the second half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images / James Guillory-Imagn Images

Additionally, the Blue Devils will have their chance to take matters into their own hands when they host the Cavaliers on Nov. 15.

If Virginia plays remotely close to how it did on Saturday, unlike North Carolina, Duke will take advantage of every opportunity the Cavaliers present. Darian Mensah is light-years ahead of Gio Lopez, who was putrid, despite having ample opportunities to take control of the game.

Oct 17, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Gio Lopez (7) evades tackle by California Golden Bears linebacker Cade Uluave (0) in the second quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images / Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Virginia was fortunate Lopez was the signal caller on the other side on Saturday. The junior quarterback attempted 5.8 yards per pass, and throwing two costly interceptions.

Duke is still within striking distance, and fortunately for the Blue Devils, they will have their opportunity to deal with Virginia themselves in a few weeks.

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North Carolina man arrested for vandalism, trespassing at Lynchburg Regional Airport

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North Carolina man arrested for vandalism, trespassing at Lynchburg Regional Airport


CAMPBELL COUNTY, Va. – A man from North Carolina has been arrested and charged with damaging property at Lynchburg Regional Airport, according to the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office.

Shortly after midnight Thursday, deputies found the suspect on airport grounds attempting to break through the glass doors to enter the building. Deputies approached and took him into custody without incident.

The suspect has been identified as 20-year-old Landen Ray Hayden of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Investigators determined that Hayden, who was intoxicated at the time, unlawfully entered airport property and caused significant damage. This included overturning several drums containing cleaning fluid used by airport staff in daily operations.

Hayden faces the following charges:

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  • Felony property damage

  • Trespassing

  • Underage possession of alcohol

  • Public intoxication

  • Contaminating waterways

The Campbell County Sheriff’s Office is working closely with Lynchburg Regional Airport officials as the investigation continues.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office at 434-332-9574, Central Virginia Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900 or www.cvcrimestoppers.org, or submit a tip online at www.p3tips.com. Tips may remain anonymous, and information leading to an arrest could be eligible for a cash reward.

Copyright 2025 by WSLS 10 – All rights reserved.



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