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Regional Briefs: First Edition
McCain will give talk at Wake Forest
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Published: April 30, 2008
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the presumptive Republican nominee for president, will speak at Wake Forest University on Tuesday, the day of the North Carolina primary.
Organizers say that McCain will speak about 10 a.m. at Wait Chapel. The doors will open at 8 a.m. for the talk, which is free and open to the public.
With McCain will be Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., and former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee. U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson will also be present.
Wake Forest President Nathan O. Hatch extended an invitation in 2007 to all presidential candidates. On April 18, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., spoke at Wait Chapel.
McCain will also campaign in Charlotte on Monday.
Automated phone calls giving bad information about voting
RALEIGH -- Some North Carolina residents are getting bad information through automated calls about how to register to vote.
The State Board of Elections says that an automated phone call to households tells the listener to wait for a voter-registration packet to come in the mail in the next few days. But the registration period has already ended, although people can go to early-voting locations statewide through Saturday and both register to vote and cast a ballot on the same day.
The election-reform group Democracy North Carolina said that the phone calls, which are reported to come from a "Lamont Williams," are designed to suppress turnout among black voters. The group asked the state Attorney General's Office to investigate.
Jury selection under way in trial of former sheriff
ASHEVILLE -- Jury selection is under way in the trial of former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford on charges involving an illegal-gambling operation.
Judge Tim Ellis told attorneys that he expected to have opening arguments by this afternoon, The Asheville Citizen-Times reported yesterday.
The federal charges accuse Medford of extorting money from illegal gambling operations from Oct. 1, 2000, to Dec. 3, 2006.
Last month, Jack W. "Jackie" Shepherd, a political supporter of Medford's, pleaded guilty to running an illegal gambling business.
Former Lt. Ronnie Eugene "Butch" Davis also pleaded guilty to all 11 charges against him.
Delay asked in paratrooper's trial in Fort Bragg shootings
FORT BRAGG -- Defense attorneys are asking for a delay in the trial of a paratrooper who is in court again on charges of killing one soldier and injuring 18 others during a shooting spree at Fort Bragg.
Defense attorneys for Sgt. William J. Kreutzer Jr. told a military judge yesterday that they needed more time to prepare for the case, which carries a possible death penalty. His trial is scheduled to start June 2, but his attorneys want it delayed until next year. No ruling was made.
Eighteen soldiers were injured and one killed Oct. 27, 1995, when a gunman fired at a formation of 82nd Airborne Division soldiers. Kreutzer was sentenced to death in 1996 at a court-martial, but an appeals court overturned the sentence in 2004.
WE WERE WRONG
Daniel Mosteller, 20, of Marion was reported missing last Wednesday. A news brief yesterday gave the wrong date for when the report was filed with the McDowell County Sheriff's Office.
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N.C. Politics
Federal Politics
The Downtown Summer Music Series will begin on Thursday. Ed Bumgardner talks to some of the organizers of the Downtown Jazz lineup, in which a form of music known as "smooth jazz" will play a more prominent role this year.
Thursday's relish stories will appear in the Entertainment section.
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