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Stein encourages tourism, criticizes SB 382 [Video]
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Stein encourages tourism, criticizes SB 382 [Video]

North Carolina’s governor-elect encouraged tourism to return to western North Carolina to aid Helene recovery efforts while criticizing a bill that was recently made law. Josh Stein, D-North Carolina, visited four businesses in downtown Asheville on Thursday as the area continues to recover from the September storm. “Folks need to understand that Asheville, that the rest of western North Carolina, is open for business,” Stein said. “They’re not only open for business, they’re desperate for business. Folks are really struggling. We need to come here to support these businesses that we know we love and help boost their opportunity and their chance for success.”Explore Asheville officials said around 29,000 jobs in the area depend on tourism. Officials said tourism and hospitality make up around 20% of Buncombe County’s total economy. The governor-elect’s visit comes one day after the Republican-led North Carolina House overrode a veto from Gov. Roy Cooper on Senate Bill 382, which makes it law. The law provides more than $220 million in relief funds for western North Carolina while stripping power from the incoming Democratic administration.”We’ve got a legislature in Raleigh that doesn’t care about the people in Western North Carolina and the struggles they are experiencing in the wake of Hurricane Helene,” Stein said. “They would rather play political games and actually use people’s desperation as a smokescreen for what they were doing. It’s a despicable act.”Stein visited a restaurant, an art gallery, a general store and a glassworks during his stop.Lexington Glassworks co-owner Geoff Koslow was among several owners who said business following the storm is slower than usual.”We sell almost 100% retail direct through this gallery and our online store, and I would say 60% to 70% of our business is based on out of town,” Koslow said. “You got leaves in October. You got Christmas in December. This is when tourists come,” Stein said. “The tourists are not here and anywhere near the level they’ve been historically. Nobody was here in October.”In the meantime, Koslow said he is appreciative of the online support his business has received.”Just seeing that outpour of orders that we got, I mean, we were shipping work all over the country, which was incredibly flattering and heartfelt,” Koslow said.Explore Asheville said anyone who wants to support local businesses but cannot make it to the area can do so through its Love Asheville from Afar campaign.

Family of Reynolds High students recounts traumatic encounter with deputies [Video]
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Family of Reynolds High students recounts traumatic encounter with deputies [Video]

OVERRIDE THE GOVERNORS VETO YESTERDAY. THE 12 INVESTIGATES TONIGHT WERE WINSTON-SALEM MOTHER AND HER CHILDREN ARE LITERALLY PICKING UP THE PIECES OF THEIR HOME AFTER A FRIGHTENING INTERACTION WITH FORSYTH COUNTY DEPUTIES. IT COMES AFTER DEPUTIES SAID HER CHILDREN MATCHED THE DESCRIPTION OF THE SUSPECTS INVOLVED IN TUESDAYS SHOOTING ON R.J. REYNOLDS HIGH SCHOOL. I SPOKE WITH THE FAMILY WHO SAY THEYVE LOST A LOT MORE THAN JUST THE PEACE IN THEIR HOME. THIS IS ME EXPLAINING MY SIDE OF IT. THEY KICKED THE WRONG PERSONS DOOR DOWN. THE FRONT DOOR OF THE WILLIAMSONS HOME THAT USED TO LOCK PROPERLY. ITS LOCKED RIGHT NOW. BUT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN STILL OPEN. IT IS NOW ONLY STAYING CLOSED WITH THE HELP OF SEVERAL BOXES. I AM TERRIFIED EVERY TIME I HEAR A SOUND. IM LOOKING OUT MY WINDOW. NOW. I REALLY DONT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. DENISE WILLIAMSON RECALLS PUMPING GAS TUESDAY AT THE INTERSECTION OF BROAD STREET AND NORTHWEST BOULEVARD, BEFORE PICKING UP HER TWO SONS FROM R.J. REYNOLDS, ONLY TO GET A DISTURBING PHONE CALL FROM THEM. HE WAS SAYING THERE WAS A SHOOTING AND THEY WERE ON THEIR WAY, AND I SAID, OKAY. THE BROTHERS SAY THEY WERE WALKING OUT OF THE TUNNEL AT REYNOLDS WHEN THEY HEARD THE GUNSHOT. WHEN I TURNED AROUND, I SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING TOWARDS OUR WAY. SO ONCE WE SEEN THAT, WE JUST WE JUST RAN AND WE DIDNT STOP UNTIL WE GOT TO THE GAS STATION. WILLIAMSON SAYS THEY WENT HOME AND CARRIED OUT THEIR NORMAL EVENING ACTIVITIES. SHE LEFT HOME AT 6 P.M. FOR WORK, ONLY TO BE STOPPED IN HER TRACKS. THIS CAR JUST PULLS IN FRONT OF ME, AND THEN ALL THESE CARS JUST START SURROUNDING ME. GUNS DRAWN, TELLING ME TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. AND I SAID, WHOEVER, WHOEVER YALL THINK IT IS, YALL HAVE THE WRONG PERSON. YALL HAVE THE WRONG PEOPLE. WHEN I WAS WALKING DOWN THE STEPS, I SEEN A FLASHLIGHT POINTING AT THE WALL. SO I JUST WALKED DOWN WITH MY HANDS UP. THE BOYS AND THEIR MOTHER WERE TAKEN IN FOR QUESTIONING AND RELEASED SEVERAL HOURS LATER WITH NO CHARGES. AND ACCORDING TO MOM, AN APOLOGY. BUT ASIDE FROM A BROKEN FRONT DOOR AND THE TRAUMATIC ENCOUNTER, THE FAMILYS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG ODIN RAN AWAY DURING THE CHAOS. WE REACHED OUT TO THE FORSYTH COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE FOR THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY. SHERIFF BOBBY KIMBROUGH SENT US A STATEMENT THAT READS IN PART, I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION OF MISS WILLIAMSON AS IT RELATES TO HER RESIDENCE AND HER FAMILY. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MISS WILLIAMSON AND APOLOGIZE, AND ASSURED HER THAT THE FORSYTH COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE WILL FIX ANY DAMAGE DONE TO HER DOOR OR ANY OTHER PROPERTY. DETECTIVES WERE FOLLOWING LEADS, VIDEOS AND INFORMATION, AND SOMETIMES IN AN INVESTIGATION, IT TAKES INVESTIGATORS TO PLACES THAT DO NOT INVOLVE PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF THE INCIDENT. IM HANDLING THE DOOR. IM HANDLING ALL THE PIECES THEY LEFT BEHIND FROM BEING NEGLIGENT. I CALL IT NEGLIGENCE. I GET PROTOCOL AND ALL OF THAT. BUT I DONT GET THIS. AND AT THIS TIME, THE SHERIFFS OFFICE STILL HASNT IDENTIFIED A SUSPECT OR SUSPECTS YET. AS FOR WILLIAMSON, SHE PLANS TO SEND HER KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL TOMORROW. BUT ANOTHER BIG UPDATE THE

Missouri man rescued from Syria prison [Video]
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Missouri man rescued from Syria prison [Video]

An Urbana, Missouri, native was rescued from a prison in Syria after being missing for months.Travis Timmerman, 29, said he was released Monday after his rescuers broke down his single-cell prison door.I was happy, really happy and excited. And I had happy tears. I was glad, said Stacey Gardiner, Timmermans mother.She learned her son was alive from a phone call from her husband, Richard Gardiner, on Thursday morning.Stacey was on her way to a doctors appointment in Kansas City when she heard the news.She said the last time she saw her son in person was for her birthday in March.Richard and Stacey said Timmerman left for Europe to study churches and write a book about them.They said they had consistent contact with Timmerman until May when it suddenly stopped.His last known location was Budapest, Hungary.In July, Richard filed a missing persons report with the Missouri State Highway Patrol.About a month ago, he was told Timmermans bank card had been used at an ATM in Lebanon months earlier.I was really thinking the worst thoughts. And to see him alive on TV, it was really very good, Richard said.Timmerman is a 2013 graduate of Skyline High School in Urbana.He was a three-sport athlete in football, basketball, and track.Brandon Shelby said he was Timmermans football and track coach for four years.Coming into work, my phone started blowing up. I had calls from the former superintendent, former principal, and then some of Traviss classmates and teammates were texting me and sending clips and everything. It was just absolute excitement. Were elated, Shelby said.Timmerman was part of two state quarterfinal football teams.A highlight reel, among other plays, shows him returning a kickoff for a touchdown.He was with a really good group. And those kids were so dedicated and worked so hard in the weight room. We spent so much time together. Travis was an example of a kid that just made himself into a player through his hard work and coachability, Shelby said.According to his parents, Timmermans journey from Skyline High School took him to Missouri State University, where he earned a degree in finance.He then went to the University of Tennessee, where he earned a law degree.They said Timmerman passed the Illinois bar exam on his first try and went to work for a Chicago law firm.But he didnt like it and decided to come back to Missouri to become a writer.Even though he was released from prison, his family had not heard from him as of Thursday.In an interview after his release, Timmerman was asked if he wanted to contact the U.S. consulate and his family.His response was, Not at this time.I was upset about it because I feel like he needs to come home, and he doesnt need to stay over there. His family needs him the most right now, Stacey said. I just want to hug him and not let go.Stacey and Richard hope Travis can be back home in time for Christmas.