Published: 2020-06-24 17:30:00Updated: 2020-06-25 00:42:28NC CapitolTags:By Matthew Burns, WRAL.com senior producer/politics editor — Within hours of Gov. Roy Cooper , lawmakers failed Wednesday in their effort to bypass Cooper's order and open the businesses immediately.The House voted 66-53 in favor of overriding Cooper's veto on a bill that would have allowed bars and gyms to reopen, but that fell short of the three-fifths majority needed for the override to move forward.Gyms and bars have been closed since late March, when Cooper issued a stay-at-home order to limit the spread of...…Published: 2020-06-24 17:30:00Updated: 2020-06-25 00:42:28NC CapitolTags:By Matthew Burns, WRAL.com senior producer/politics editor — Within hours of Gov. Roy Cooper , lawmakers failed Wednesday in their effort to bypass Cooper's order and open the businesses immediately.The House voted 66-53 in favor of overriding Cooper's veto on a bill that would have allowed bars and gyms to reopen, but that fell short of the three-fifths majority needed for the override to move forward.Gyms and bars have been closed since late March, when Cooper issued a stay-at-home order to limit the spread of...WW…

Published: 2020-06-26 03:10:00Updated: 2020-06-26 03:37:18NC CapitolTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief, & Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter — Wrapping up their work for this year's regular session early Friday morning, lawmakers sent yet another reopening bill to the governor as they headed for the exits. But several others were abandoned amid tensions between the House and the Senate as the night wore on.The one bill that survived the end of session would reopen gyms and fitness centers.Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill containing similar language last Friday, citing a...…Published: 2020-06-26 03:10:00Updated: 2020-06-26 03:37:18NC CapitolTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief, & Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter — Wrapping up their work for this year's regular session early Friday morning, lawmakers sent yet another reopening bill to the governor as they headed for the exits. But several others were abandoned amid tensions between the House and the Senate as the night wore on.The one bill that survived the end of session would reopen gyms and fitness centers.Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill containing similar language last Friday, citing a...WW…

Published: 2020-06-15 19:05:00Updated: 2020-06-16 20:08:04NC CapitolTags:By Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter, & Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief — Bowling alleys and skating rinks could reopen despite pandemic restrictions under a bill that won preliminary approval in the House Tuesday, setting the General Assembly's Republican majority once again on a legislative collision course with Gov. Roy Cooper.The measure, pasted into Senate Bill 599 on Monday, comes with capacity caps: Bowling alleys and skating rinks could let in only 50 percent of the crowd normally allowed under...…Published: 2020-06-15 19:05:00Updated: 2020-06-16 20:08:04NC CapitolTags:By Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter, & Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief — Bowling alleys and skating rinks could reopen despite pandemic restrictions under a bill that won preliminary approval in the House Tuesday, setting the General Assembly's Republican majority once again on a legislative collision course with Gov. Roy Cooper.The measure, pasted into Senate Bill 599 on Monday, comes with capacity caps: Bowling alleys and skating rinks could let in only 50 percent of the crowd normally allowed under...WW…

Published: 2020-05-28 10:21:00Updated: 2020-05-28 20:14:06NC CapitolTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief, & Matthew Burns, WRAL.com senior producer/politics editor — State lawmakers voted Thursday to allow bars to reopen in outdoor spaces, overriding Gov. Roy Cooper's executive order that has closed them since March.Legislation would , permanent or temporary, at 50 percent of the capacity of their indoor area, with social distancing guidelines from the CDC and the state Department of Health and Human Services.House Bill 536 would also allow restaurants to set up temporary...…Published: 2020-05-28 10:21:00Updated: 2020-05-28 20:14:06NC CapitolTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief, & Matthew Burns, WRAL.com senior producer/politics editor — State lawmakers voted Thursday to allow bars to reopen in outdoor spaces, overriding Gov. Roy Cooper's executive order that has closed them since March.Legislation would , permanent or temporary, at 50 percent of the capacity of their indoor area, with social distancing guidelines from the CDC and the state Department of Health and Human Services.House Bill 536 would also allow restaurants to set up temporary...WW…

Published: 2020-04-30 19:18:00Updated: 2020-05-01 18:30:09Local NewsTags:By Joe Fisher, WRAL multimedia journalist — A small group of demonstrators, some carrying guns, marched in downtown Raleigh Friday afternoon to protest coronavirus restrictions and the statewide stay-at-home order.Dozens of law enforcement officers were also downtown, anticipating a large protest . Legal gun owners were allowed to carry their weapons while they walked as long as they stayed off the State Capitol grounds.Some of the protestors were from American Revolution 2.0, part of a national movement to reopen...…Published: 2020-04-30 19:18:00Updated: 2020-05-01 18:30:09Local NewsTags:By Joe Fisher, WRAL multimedia journalist — A small group of demonstrators, some carrying guns, marched in downtown Raleigh Friday afternoon to protest coronavirus restrictions and the statewide stay-at-home order.Dozens of law enforcement officers were also downtown, anticipating a large protest . Legal gun owners were allowed to carry their weapons while they walked as long as they stayed off the State Capitol grounds.Some of the protestors were from American Revolution 2.0, part of a national movement to reopen...WW…

Published: 2020-07-17 17:36:00Updated: 2020-07-18 13:07:30EducationTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief — University of North Carolina students are expected to head back to Chapel Hill next month for the fall semester, but Chancellor Kevin signaled Friday that that plan may have to change."We know that our students learn and grow best when they're here on campus, in this in-person environment, where they have the benefit of their faculty and graduate students and each other, right by their side," Guskiewicz told members of the East Chapel Hill Rotary Club. "But we have to do...…Published: 2020-07-17 17:36:00Updated: 2020-07-18 13:07:30EducationTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief — University of North Carolina students are expected to head back to Chapel Hill next month for the fall semester, but Chancellor Kevin signaled Friday that that plan may have to change."We know that our students learn and grow best when they're here on campus, in this in-person environment, where they have the benefit of their faculty and graduate students and each other, right by their side," Guskiewicz told members of the East Chapel Hill Rotary Club. "But we have to do...WW…

Published: 2021-03-31 10:04:00Updated: 2021-04-01 19:58:33Local NewsTags:By Joe Fisher, WRAL reporter — The Robeson County Sheriff's Office has arrested a man in connection with a road rage shooting that killed a mother of six last week on Interstate 95.Dejywan R. Floyd, 29, of Lumberton, was arrested at the Parkview Terrace Apartments around midnight Thursday, officials said. He is charged with first-degree murder and discharging a weapon into an occupied property.Photos released by the sheriff's office on Thursday show Floyd being arrested at the apartment and his car being seized.Floyd...…Published: 2021-03-31 10:04:00Updated: 2021-04-01 19:58:33Local NewsTags:By Joe Fisher, WRAL reporter — The Robeson County Sheriff's Office has arrested a man in connection with a road rage shooting that killed a mother of six last week on Interstate 95.Dejywan R. Floyd, 29, of Lumberton, was arrested at the Parkview Terrace Apartments around midnight Thursday, officials said. He is charged with first-degree murder and discharging a weapon into an occupied property.Photos released by the sheriff's office on Thursday show Floyd being arrested at the apartment and his car being seized.Floyd...WW…

Published: 2021-03-09 11:47:00Updated: 2021-03-13 10:51:27Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham and Sarah Krueger, WRAL reporters — A FEMA-operated COVID-19 mass vaccination site opens in Greensboro on Wednesday morning. It's one of only 18 in the country.The federally-supported site at Four Seasons Town Centre is right off Interstate 40 and centrally located near the heart of the state. The site will start operation on Wednesday with intentions to vaccinate as many as 3,000 people a day.Volunteers conducted a trial run on Tuesday, vaccinating 500 people, the bulk of whom were frontline...…Published: 2021-03-09 11:47:00Updated: 2021-03-13 10:51:27Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham and Sarah Krueger, WRAL reporters — A FEMA-operated COVID-19 mass vaccination site opens in Greensboro on Wednesday morning. It's one of only 18 in the country.The federally-supported site at Four Seasons Town Centre is right off Interstate 40 and centrally located near the heart of the state. The site will start operation on Wednesday with intentions to vaccinate as many as 3,000 people a day.Volunteers conducted a trial run on Tuesday, vaccinating 500 people, the bulk of whom were frontline...WW…

Published: 2021-01-04 06:11:00Updated: 2021-01-04 19:24:15Health TeamTags:By Sloane Heffernan and Amanda Lamb, WRAL reporters — Although North Carolina remains focused on vaccinating health care workers and residents and staff in long-term care facilities against coronavirus, some area counties are also starting to vaccinate people ages 75 and older.But the move, as well as the state's overall vaccine rollout effort, is causing confusion and frustration.The Wilson County Health Department, for example, is using some of the 800 doses of vaccine it has for seniors, but officials told people...…Published: 2021-01-04 06:11:00Updated: 2021-01-04 19:24:15Health TeamTags:By Sloane Heffernan and Amanda Lamb, WRAL reporters — Although North Carolina remains focused on vaccinating health care workers and residents and staff in long-term care facilities against coronavirus, some area counties are also starting to vaccinate people ages 75 and older.But the move, as well as the state's overall vaccine rollout effort, is causing confusion and frustration.The Wilson County Health Department, for example, is using some of the 800 doses of vaccine it has for seniors, but officials told people...WW…