NC Highway Patrol Works to Fill 285 Vacancies

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is grappling with 285 vacancies statewide, averaging two to three openings per county, as it struggles to attract enough qualified applicants.

Low starting pay, ranking 49th nationally, has made it difficult to compete with higher salaries offered by local police departments and sheriff's offices. Gov. Josh Stein addressed the need for more Highway Patrol support in his critical-needs budget.

The next hiring process opens May 4, and the full process takes about six months. From there, recruits head to a 16-week paid training academy in Raleigh. Applicants must already be certified through Basic Law Enforcement Training or be in the process of getting that certification.

Amid the shortage, the Highway Patrol is participating in the statewide "Speed a Little, Lose a Lot" crackdown on speeding through April 5, featuring increased patrols and checkpoints coordinated with local agencies.

Wilkes County Fire Exceeds 600 Acres

A wildfire in Wilkes County that started on Sunday had burned more than 600 acres by Tuesday in the Cane Creek Church Road area near McGrady. The blaze stood at 50% containment Tuesday morning, with crews from the McGrady, Wilbar, and Mountain View fire departments, along with state forestry resources, helicopters, and out-of-state teams battling the flames.

Six residents voluntarily evacuated, but no structures have been lost or threatened. View photos here.

Meanwhile, McDowell County’s Jumping Branch Fire had grown to 275 acres with 30% containment as of Tuesday evening. The blaze, caused by “improperly discarded smoking material,” is burning in steep terrain north of Marion with heavy downed timber from Hurricane Helene, prompting structure protection along NC 80.

One storage building sustained minor damage, but no injuries or evacuations have been reported. A statewide burn ban remains in effect.

April Offers Key America 250 Events

North Carolina will mark key moments in the lead-up to America's 250th anniversary with several signature events throughout April.

From April 10-12, Halifax Resolves Days at the Historic Halifax State Historic Site will feature the original Halifax Resolves document on loan from the National Archives, living history, a new visitor center, colonial reenactments, food trucks, vendors, and a drone show. The multi-day festival commemorates North Carolina's bold 1776 call for independence.

Other events include the 1776 Musical at Raleigh Little Theatre, with performances beginning on April 2, and Caswell's Capital tours at Tryon Palace in New Bern on April 2 and 16.

Free tickets are available for the Dare A250 Faire on April 18 in Manteo, featuring music, reenactments, vendors, patriotic contests, and a Star-Spangled Spectacular finale at Roanoke Island Festival Park.

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➤ Statewide: In a rare alliance, the ACLU of North Carolina and libertarian Cato Institute filed a joint brief on Friday urging the North Carolina Supreme Court to strike down the state's lifetime felon-in-possession gun ban as unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. (More)

➤ NC Schools: Lawmakers met Tuesday to hear presentations on proposed revisions to math standards and teacher leadership initiatives, and to review a study showing that students use cellphones for about one-third of the school day. (More)

➤ NC State: NASA's Artemis II mission will launch four astronauts, including NC State graduate Christina Koch, on the first flight around the moon since 1972 between 6:24 and 8:24 p.m. tonight if Florida weather permits. (More)

➤ Mecklenburg County: A 22-year-old illegal immigrant, Angelvis Jesus Quintero Fernandez, confessed to two murders in Charlotte, months apart, after his arrest during a routine traffic stop. Fernandez was charged with two counts of murder and denied bond. (More)

➤ Apex: The town is notifying approximately 22,000 residents—about a quarter of the population—that their personal data may have been compromised in a July 2024 cyberattack on a third-party provider. (More)

➤ Outer Banks: A delegation returned from a Washington, D.C., summit with new opportunities for federal funding to protect and improve vulnerable N.C. 12 highway infrastructure against beach erosion and ocean overwash. (See Details)

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➤ A recent list ranked Charlotte as the worst U.S. sports city since 2000 based on the combined success of its professional teams. (More)

➤ A group led by Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon purchased the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers for $4.25 billion. (More)

➤ The Carolina Panthers expect running back Jonathon Brooks to be ready for offseason minicamp in June, assuming rehab on his torn ACL continues smoothly. (More)

Yesterday's Results: NBA | MLB | NHL | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | Tennis

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➤ Elon University and Queens University of Charlotte are advancing a two-step merger process, with full integration likely in June 2028, making Queens an additional location of Elon but retaining the Queens name as part of the schools' "combined future." (More)

➤ Duke Energy customers voiced frustration over sharply rising electric bills during a Utilities Commission public hearing Monday in Raleigh, as the company seeks approval for an 18% increase in residential electric rates over the next two years. (More)

➤ A new poll of 600 likely North Carolina voters shows eight of 10 believe data centers should generate their own energy rather than pass costs to rate payers. (More)

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➤ Wake County native Nikel Rodgers, a sophomore at Guilford Technical Community College, shattered the national junior college basketball record by making 17 three-pointers in a single game, scoring 54 points in the school’s 105-68 win over Pitt Community College. (More)

➤ A new roundup of North Carolina's top beer-centric destinations includes Asheville’s Wicked Weed and Asheville Brewing Co., Charlotte’s NoDa Brewing Co. and Divine Barrel Brewing, and Wilmington’s Front Street Brewery and Wilmington Brewing Co. (More)

➤ North Carolina’s Moravian Easter sunrise service, centered at Old Salem’s Home Moravian Church, celebrates its 254th year on April 5, a Christian tradition four years older than the United States. (More)

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