Latest news with #NorthCarolinian
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Soldier with ties to Fort Bragg receives medal for actions in Fort Stewart shooting incident
An Army first sergeant originally from Fort Bragg was among six 3rd Infantry Division soldiers honored for their 'heroic actions' Aug. 6 following a shooting on Fort Stewart, Georgia, in which five other soldiers with the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team were injured. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll presented 1st Sgt. Joshua Arnold with a Meritorious Service Medal for providing immediate aid to the wounded soldiers, including stopping the bleeding of at least one. The other soldiers honored were: Master Sgt. Justin Thomas of Kingwood, Texas. Staff Sgt. Melissa Taylor of Winterhaven, Florida. Staff Sgt. Robert Pacheco of Amsterdam, New York. Sgt. Eve Rodarte of El Centro, California. Sgt. Aaron Turner of Farmington, New Mexico. Related: Who is Quornelius Radford? What we know about the Fort Stewart shooting suspect 'The fast action of these soldiers, under stress and under trauma and under fire, absolutely saved lives from being lost,' Driscoll said at a news conference that accompanied the award presentations. In an interview with MSNBC following the ceremony, Arnold said he was in a conference room at the unit when he heard a gunshot, then walked into a hallway filled with gunpowder smoke and heard someone say they'd been shot. "I immediately helped the person onto the ground, put the soldier on the ground, and one of the medics, Staff Sgt. Taylor, had came up and immediately started providing aid to that soldier, and that's when the soldier told me someone else was shot," Driscoll said. In total, he said, Driscoll rendered aid to three of the five wounded soldiers until medics could take over. When told he and the others were being hailed as heroes, the North Carolinian responded: 'I was doing my job ... As a first sergeant for these soldiers, my job is to take care of soldiers.' What happened at Fort Stewart? Officials allege that shortly before 11 a.m. on Aug. 6, Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, opened fire on his coworkers at the 703rd Brigade Support Battalion's company operations facility. Fellow soldiers who witnessed the shooting tackled the gunman and subdued him until authorities arrived, officials said. "These soldiers, without a doubt, prevented further casualties," Brig. Gen. John Lubas said. Two of the injured soldiers were transported to a trauma center, and three were treated at the Winn Army Community Hospital on the base. One underwent surgery. Lubas said a personal gun was used in the attack, not a military firearm. It wasn't clear how the gunman was able to bring the weapon through security and onto the installation, he said. Radford is in pretrial confinement awaiting charges in the Liberty County Jail in Hinesville, Georgia, jail records show. This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Soldier from Fort Bragg honored for heroics in Fort Stewart shooting
Metro
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Thoughts and prayers - the truth about politicians and natural disasters
Following catastrophic flooding in Texas, hopes of finding survivors have dimmed as the death toll passed 100 today. 27 of those who died were children at summer camp, including two twin sisters who had just finished the second grade. While some families have yet to recover the bodies of their missing loved ones, many of whom just days ago were having the time of their lives at Camp Mystic, the tragedy is already being manipulated by those in power. During a recent press conference, White House Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Democrats of turning the floods into a 'political game' – likely alluding to calls from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to investigate if 'preventable failures' contributed to the floods. She added: 'This is a national tragedy, and the administration is treating it as such. Blaming President Trump for these floods is a depraved lie, and it serves no purpose during this time of national mourning.' This isn't the first time a climate disaster has been exploited by politicians to serve their own interests, with little regard for those who have suffered and lost loved ones – and it probably won't be the last. Comparisons to the scale of disaster and response from political leaders have already been made to the devastation in western North Carolina last September, after Hurricane Helene swept through, killing 251 people and destroying thousands of homes. As walls of water moved quickly through small mountain towns, entire houses and businesses were wiped away in an instant, while hundreds of residents had little chance of escape. Almost a year later, the communities still haven't recovered. Immediately after the disaster, Trump, who was in the midst of his re-election campaign, began spreading well-documented public lies and conspiracy theories, blaming President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the flood and lack of help. During one visit to the small North Carolinian town of Swannanoa in January, which suffered unprecedented damage, he told victims that the Biden government 'failed' them with funding. While Trump's recent, sombre remarks following the floods in Texas are a far cry from his politically-motivated posts during Hurricane Helene, he still couldn't resist placing blame on another politician, like many leaders before him. 'Melania and I are praying for all the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. God bless the families and God bless Texas,' he posted, later adding: 'If you look at that water situation, that was really the Biden setup.' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Biden's response to Hurricane Helene was also slammed for the 'delayed' response in giving aide to the hardest-hit regions from the storm. He was harshly criticised for his lack of urgency to visit North Carolina after the storm. This delay from Biden infuriated Trump, who previously blamed Democrats for climate disasters. In early January, he blamed California's governor for the unprecedented wildfires which burned much of Los Angeles – accusing him of prioritising 'fish' over more water in the state. While comments like these could appear as good-old-fashioned political mud-slinging, the real-world consequences have been felt for decades, often by some of America's poorest regions. Months after claiming that Biden had let the people of North Carolina down financially, the Trump Administration denied a request for millions of dollars worth of Hurricane Helene relief. The question is, with extreme weather disasters growing more volatile as the burning of fossil fuels continues across America – and the globe – why do so many politicians prefer to point the finger rather than address the elephant in the room and actually do something? 'It's not a simple story, but it's a very American story. This is where we are,' Lawrence Hamilton, a Professor of Sociology at the University of New Hampshire, tells Metro. After all, climate change-related extreme weather events have been found to disproportionately affect lower-income areas, further exacerbating already tough living conditions when disaster hits. When it comes to floods, historically, residents who live on higher ground are often better off than those in lower areas, which see the most damage. During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, areas at higher elevations in Louisiana, such as the wealthier French Quarter, only more minor flooding and damage. Meanwhile, the lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans was severely damaged when the levees broke, sending historic levels of water spilling into homes and killing more than a thousand people. After Katrina moved through, the debris left behind revealed just how real the intersection between poverty and geography is when it comes to weather disasters. Despite tragic floods, wildfires and climate disasters seen in Texas, North Carolina, California and across the country, many Americans simply 'aren't perceiving' the patterns at play which worsen weather. 'For instance, out West, where wildfires are common, people know it's bad. They often perceive that they're getting worse, but they do not accept any of the science about why they might be getting worse, or they only accept the parts of it that fit with their sociopolitical views,' explains Professor Hamilton. 'There's a theory in social science called elite cues – it's the idea that you know what to believe because your leaders have told you that it goes with your identity. 'Some places are much harder hit, and the impact is harder to overlook, but in other areas, oftentimes, even just the perception of whether it happened or not is being disputed.' After Helene destroyed western North Carolina, rumours of 'space lasers' controlling the weather ran rampant online. In the aftermath of the Texas floods, some people began blaming the victims. In one viral TikTok, a woman suggested the campers (who were children) at Camp Mystic 'deserved' to die because the state voted for Trump. These warped perceptions of reality come from deep-rooted convictions, Professor Hamilton adds, that often change the person's view of what actually happened. 'People's belief systems can overwrite their perceptions of physical reality, so they remember things differently or interpret them in radically different ways,' he explains. 'The climate is changing, and there are layers of scientists who are studying and anticipating it. The National Weather Service was watching the storm develop and issuing warnings.' More Trending Yet, Professor Hamilton points out, at the same time, the National Weather Service lost 600 of its staff in the past few months due to budget cuts from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). It's unclear if cutbacks directly contributed to potential missteps in warning of the Texas floods, but Professor Hamilton adds: 'There's a whole layer cake of different things, different failures, really, in this cascade.' The issue is, when there's blame to aim at the expense of the competition, will American politicians ever take the literal higher ground and look at why this is happening and how to stop it, rather than who is at fault? Until then, the reality is that for every social media post filled with thoughts and prayers and a little dig on the side, the most vulnerable lives will continue to be lost, and our world will carry on burning, with victims picking up the pieces of their lives. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Grammy-winning star battling cancer fears 'cruel' deportation under new Trump law MORE: Country singer Pat Green confirms little brother and family were swept away in Texas floods MORE: Nato scrambles warplanes after Putin unleashes heaviest strikes of the war
Axios
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Sen. Thom Tillis won't run for reelection in 2026
Sen. Thom Tillis won't run for re-election in 2026, the North Carolina Republican announced Sunday. Why it matters: Tillis faced a brutal fight to keep his seat, both in the general election and with the potential of Trump-backed primary challengers. "It's not a hard choice, and I will not be seeking re-election," Tillis said in a statement announcing his plans. He was first elected to the Senate in 2014. Zoom in: Tillis voted against starting debate Saturday night on the " big, beautiful bill," and told lawmakers he'd also oppose the final version over its cuts to Medicaid. In response, President Trump said he'd meet with Tillis's challengers and accused the North Carolinian of grandstanding. What to watch: There's a large pool of potential GOP candidates for Tillis' seat, including RNC Chair Michael Whatley and RNC vice chair Lara Trump.
USA Today
10-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
North Carolina's David Glabicki leads Golfweek Senior National Championship at Grandover
North Carolina's David Glabicki leads Golfweek Senior National Championship at Grandover Even with a pair of heavy hitters highlighting the field at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, North Carolina, for the Golfweek Senior National Championship, a local North Carolinian is the one setting the pace. After 18 holes at the resort's East Course, David Glabicki from nearby Cary, North Carolina leads the field. Glabicki, who lives roughly 70 miles from Grandover, fired an even-par 72 in the first round. That included three birdies and three bogeys and was good for a single-shot lead on Kevin VandenBerg of Pulaski, New York. Glabicki finished in the top 10 at the Society of Seniors Jack Hesler earlier in the year and most recently was T54 at the Jones Cup Senior in February. Scores: Golfweek Senior National Championship His closest chaser, VandenBerg, is notorious for teeing it up nearly every week on the senior golf circuit. He has won Golfweek Senior Player of the Year honors the past two seasons. VandenBerg had a clean card on Monday but for a double-bogey on the par-4 11th. That canceled out a birdie on No. 9 and left him at 1-over par. Behind VandenBerg sits Bryan Hoops of Tempe, Arizona, who has won the last five senior events in which he has teed it up, including two Golfweek events in the California desert in April. Hoops had an uncharacteristically colorful card on Monday, going out in 40 on the front nine before coming home in 35 for a 3-over 75. In the Super Senior division, Stevie Cannady has the solo lead after a 2-over 74. Cannady, winner of the 2024 Golfweek Super Senior National Championship and a resident of Pooler, Georgia, is one shot ahead of Randy King of Horseshoe Bay, Texas, and Dub Huckabee of Midland, Texas. Both men posted 3-over 75 on Monday. Greg Goode of Salina, Kansas, and James Starnes of Ft. Myers, Florida, who are ranked No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in Golfweek's National Senior Amateur Rankings, are tied for fourth at 76. Jeffrey Knox of Jupiter, Florida, leads the Legends division after a 1-under 71. Knox went out in 40 but fired an impressive back-nine 31 that included birdies at Nos. 11, 12, 14, 15 and 18. Pete Allen of Southport, North Carolina, leads the Super Legends division with a 1-over 73.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
North Carolinians Against Gun Violence calls for policies after mass shooting
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCT) — North Carolinians Against Gun Violence is calling for policies to prevent gun violence after the Hickory shooting leaves 1 dead and 11 wounded. The mass shooting happened Sunday, June 1st at a house party in the Mountain View area of Hickory in Catawba County. 'One death due to gun violence is one too many, but according to CDC data, in 2023 one North Carolinian died every five hours and guns are now the leading cause of injury death of children in NC,' Becky Ceartas, Executive Director of North Carolinians Against Gun Violence (NCGV) said. 'We are tired of not feeling safe at parties and in our homes, schools, parks, shopping malls, movie theaters, hospitals, grocery stores, and places of worship.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
