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A former UNC & NBA player is one of six charged in a federal sports betting indictment

Alyssa Vail — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 21:13:50 +0000

RALEIGH, N.C. (NCN News) – Ed Davis, a member of the 2009 UNC national championship team and former NBA player has been indicted in Brooklyn on federal charges related to sports bribery, illegal betting and money laundering conspiracies.

Davis was listed as a defendant by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. He and Malik Beasley were the two primary defendants, according to court records.

William Brown, Robert Gorodetsky, Ernesto Plascencia, and current NBA agent Paolo Zamorano were listed as co-conspirators. The six men were officially charged with “wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy.”

Update: Takeover at Bertie-Martin Regional Jail is over

Alyssa Vail — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 21:03:26 +0000

WINDSOR, N.C. (NCN News) —The SBI says this morning’s inmate takeover at the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail is over.

This morning’s inmate takeover at Bertie-Martin Regional Jail Board Commissioner officially ended just before 2pm. The SBI says inmates who were injured have received treatment, while others have been transferred to other facilities. Vivian Saunders, Bertie-Martin Regional Jail Board Commissioner, told WITN News, “Their living conditions – I hope they improve them significantly because it’s inhumane to treat people that way.”

The jail is closed while damage to the facility is being assessed. There is no word yet on what may have prompted Monday morning’s events.

Motivational Monday: The Law of Attraction!

Lanya Fletcher — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 20:00:03 +0000

What comes around comes back around!

Today’s Motivational Minute, Susan Hite tells us a story about how the law of attraction impacted her life.

Susan Hite Motivational Monday 06/29/26

US and Iran pause strikes but disagree over next steps on talks

Alyssa Vail — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 19:10:03 +0000

By Jon Gambrell and Josh Boak

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States and Iran on Monday separately announced they will send delegations to Qatar this week, though Tehran insisted it has not agreed to meet with the U.S. “at any level” after attacks across the Persian Gulf over the weekend challenged negotiations to end the war.

President Donald Trump said the Islamic Republic had requested a meeting with U.S. counterparts and that they planned to convene Tuesday in Dohar, Qatar.

But one of Iran’s senior negotiators denied talks had been scheduled. And the spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran was sending its delegation to Qatar, a key mediator in the negotiations, to discuss terms of the interim deal without involving the U.S.

The U.S. president has tried to preserve a fragile interim deal, but hostilities mounted in recent days in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil had been shipped before war began. After four days of trading strikes, both sides appeared to pause their attacks Monday.

The U.S. and Iran agreed to an interim deal earlier this month that calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of enriched uranium. It also waives U.S.-backed sanctions on the country, opens the Strait of Hormuz and gives each side 60 days to hammer out broader agreements.

Confusion mounts over next round of Iran-US talks

After Trump said Monday morning on social media that the U.S. and Iran planned to meet, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” that special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, were flying to Qatar.

Pakistan, also a key mediator, had said talks between Iran and the U.S. would resume Tuesday.

But Kazem Gharibabadi, a senior negotiator for Iran, said in comments published by Iranian state media that no talks had been confirmed. And Esmail Baghaei, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said that its delegation was traveling to Qatar this week to discuss the planned release of frozen Iranian assets and other issues related to the deal.

“There are no negotiation meetings with the U.S. side at any level scheduled in the coming days,” Baghaei said. “The fact that U.S. representatives are traveling to Qatar has no connection with the visit of the Iranian delegation.”

Increased tension in waterway vital to world energy supplies

During the war that began Feb. 28, Iran’s attacks and threats stopped cargo ships and tankers from moving through the Strait of Hormuz, creating a global energy crisis.

In recent days, Iran has twice attacked vessels in the strait — including a tanker filled with Qatari crude — following efforts to open Oman’s territorial waters to both inbound and outbound traffic from the Persian Gulf.

The attacks drew retaliatory American airstrikes and raised concerns that negotiations to reach a formal end to the war could be disrupted. Iran launched drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday.

The strait has long been considered an international waterway despite its location in Iran and Oman’s territorial waters.

The Trump administration was operating Monday on the understanding that the U.S. and Iran are standing down after the recent back-and-forth strikes and that vessels can move freely through the Strait of Hormuz, said a U.S. official who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations.

Iran’s president, U.S. official say $6 billion coming to Iran

The U.S. official also said that Qatar planned to release $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets that would be used to purchase U.S. food products for the Iranian people.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had announced the expected release of funds earlier Monday in comments published by the state-run IRNA news agency. He called it “a great victory for the Iranian people.”

Pezeshkian, a reformist within Iran’s theocracy, is the highest-ranking official within Iran to reference the release of the funds held by Qatar, a key mediator along with Pakistan in the negotiations.

Oman, Iran discuss possible fees for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz

Oman’s foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, said Monday that Oman and Iran are considering charging service-related fees for commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Albusaidi said services could include water safety measures, pollution prevention, navigational assistance and preparedness for incidents such as fires. He told Radio Monte Carlo while visiting France that there are “successful examples” of similar services being provided in compliance with maritime law.

Albusaidi said Oman does not support imposing transit fees on ships.

“This is internationally forbidden,” he said, “and we are abiding by these rules.”

Iran and France clash over clearing mines from strait

An Iranian official warned France against “provocations” Monday after French President Emanuel Macron posted on X that France and others were coordinating efforts to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz.

Kazem Gharibabadi, an Iranian deputy foreign minister, said on X that under the interim deal “demining is carried out solely by Iran and by no other country.”

Macron’s post came after he greeted Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman ahead of high-level diplomatic talks in Paris.

Lebanon’s president says it will deploy troops as part of deal with Israel

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Monday that Lebanon is determined to deploy troops along its entire southern border as part of a framework agreement with Israel signed Friday. He made the remark while meeting with Adm. Brad Cooper, the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East.

The deal was rejected by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, which triggered the latest war with Israel on March 2 when it fired rockets across Lebanon’s southern border and into northern Israel.

The Israel-Lebanon deal calls for Hezbollah to be disarmed before Israel will withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon. Israel agreed to withdraw initially from a couple of “pilot zones” where the Lebanese army would then deploy, but no details have been shared about how that will work in practice.

Hezbollah officials have warned that attempts to implement the plan could lead to civil war.

___

Boak reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran; Bassem Mroue and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.

Inmates take control of a North Carolina jail after overpowering correctional staff

Alyssa Vail — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 18:31:29 +0000

WINDSOR, N.C. (AP) — Inmates seized control of parts of a regional jail in eastern North Carolina on Monday after overpowering correctional staff, authorities said.

Three guards and 88 inmates were inside the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center in Windsor when the takeover began at about 5 a.m., prompting an immediate response from local, state and federal authorities, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said in a statement posted on social media.

There was no immediate threat to the general public, Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin said in the statement. Windsor is about 120 miles (190 kilometers) east of Raleigh.

Inmates took two guards captive and the third guard escaped. Negotiations led to the release of the two guards along with 80 inmates, leaving only eight inmates inside, Ruffin said later at a news conference. By early afternoon, the Bureau of Investigation had entered the facility and was working to take the remaining inmates into custody, Ruffin said.

Ruffin said without elaborating that the inmates who were released were taken to a “secure place.” He said the two guards who were released are undergoing medical treatment but he had no details about their injuries.

Authorities also did not address why there were only three guards overseeing the entire jail population at the time.

A secure perimeter was established around the detention center and the public was asked to avoid the immediate area, Ruffin said. More than 20 law enforcement agencies responded to the scene.

Ruffin did not indicate what caused the takeover.

“Right now we have a lot going on that we’re trying to get under control,” he said. “I will release that information to the public as soon as I can.”

Alex Murdaugh’s true crime saga continues as he’s back in court for hearing on his murder retrial

Alyssa Vail — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 18:18:19 +0000

By Jeffrey Collins

LEXINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Alex Murdaugh was back in court Monday on charges he killed his wife and son, appearing silently at a pretrial hearing that was mostly short on substance but long on spectacle as the true crime sensation continues to captivate.

Murdaugh’s murder convictions and sentence of life in prison were overturned last month by the South Carolina Supreme Court. On Monday, a new judge laid out a timeline for hearings set the retrial to begin April 5. She also nailed down deadlines for making sure the defense and prosecution have exchanged evidence, a process called discovery.

Dozens of media outlets, from international agencies and local TV stations to podcasters, were inside the 200-person Lexington County courthouse to again chronicle every forehead rub and quizzical look from the once-rich and imposing Southern lawyer.

“I see we have a full house,” Judge Debra McCaslin said as the hearing began.

For many, it was a rare glimpse of how life in state prison has changed the 58-year-old Murdaugh. After pleading guilty to stealing about $12 million from clients and his family’s law firm, he is serving a 40-year federal sentence at the same time as a 27-year state sentence.

Unlike just about everyone else in the courtroom, the judge said she was new to the story, which combines a grisly double murder with the fall of a powerful legal dynasty.

“I don’t know anything about the first trial, so when you tell me something please be complete,” McCaslin told the lawyers.

Prosecutors say Murdaugh shot his wife Maggie and younger son Paul, 22, because he believed sympathy over their deaths would buy him time to fix his problems. At that point in 2021, his financial crimes were close to being exposed by his law firm and the family of a teen who filed a wrongful death lawsuit after Paul crashed a boat while drinking.

A jury convicted Murdaugh of two counts of murder in 2023. While admitting he is a thief, insurance cheat, liar and bad lawyer, he has adamantly denied the killings.

Murdaugh wore an orange prison jumpsuit Monday, listening with his mouth set in a tight line.

At one point, as defense attorney Dick Harpootlian asked the judge to let Murdaugh wear civilian clothing in court, he told his client to stand.

“Chains around the hands, chain around the waist, chains on his feet,” Harpootlian noted, saying a jury would see Murdaugh shackled like a dangerous criminal when he’s only been convicted of financial crimes.

Prosecutor Creighton Waters said it’s important for incarcerated defendants to wear restraints and jumpsuits. “Every time someone is transferred out of court, it is a security risk.”

Defense lawyers want Murdaugh, who was disbarred during his legal troubles, to have access in prison to a laptop without internet, so his team won’t have to print and deliver evidence to him. Harpootlian said Monday there are more than 20,000 pages of documents.

“Well surely, Mr. Harpootlian, he reviewed those before his first trial, did he not?” the judge asked.

“Five years ago,” the lawyer replied.

Another pretrial motion asks prosecutors to turn over DNA found under Murdaugh’s wife’s fingernails for testing at a private lab. Investigators said it was from an unknown and unrelated man. The defense said they’d cover the cost of testing.

“I’m gonna let you pay for it,” the judge quipped, drawing a chuckle from the courtroom.

Murdaugh was grimacing and biting his lower lip during the exchange.

The defense also wants to hold the next trial outside Colleton County, where the killings happened and the first trial took place. That matter wasn’t decided Monday.

Investigators and armchair detectives alike have spent hours poring over alibis, timelines and digital breadcrumbs, including a cellphone video that prosecutors say cracked the case. They allege Murdaugh’s voice can be heard on the video, which was taken by his son shortly before the shootings at dog kennels on the family’s sprawling property. Murdaugh says he was asleep at the time.

During the first trial, a few jurors said the Colleton County clerk of court, who is assigned to oversee the evidence and the jury during the trial, told them to watch Murdaugh’s body language when he testified in his own defense and to not be fooled, confused or thrown off by what he might say.

The state Supreme Court ruled this was a suggestion Murdaugh was guilty, and overturned his convictions.

The justices were also concerned there had been too much testimony around how Murdaugh stole from clients, many of them in dire straits.

Cheesy Breakfast Casserole

Savannah Gunter — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:00:57 +0000

This hearty, make-ahead breakfast casserole is great for mornings, weekend brunches, or feeding a hungry crowd with minimal effort.

Ingredients

1 lb breakfast sausage
1 (30 oz) package frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
8 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

1. Brown the Sausage

Cook the breakfast sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and fully cooked, then drain any excess grease before setting it aside.

2. Sauté the Vegetables

Cook the diced onion and bell pepper in the same skillet for 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant.

3. Build the Base

Spread the thawed hash browns evenly into a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish, then layer the cooked sausage, sautéed vegetables, and both cheeses over the top.

4. Mix the Egg Custard

Whisk together the eggs, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.

5. Assemble the Casserole

Pour the egg mixture evenly over the casserole, gently pressing down with a spatula to ensure every layer is coated.

6. Bake Until Golden

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 45–50 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is lightly golden brown.

7. Rest and Garnish

Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing, then sprinkle with fresh parsley for a bright finishing touch.

It’s “No Way You’ll Play That!” Independence Day

Kim Saguinsin — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 03:59:21 +0000

We’re digging even deeper into the soundtrack of your life this 4th of July to move you. It’s “No Way You’ll Play That” Independence Day on 96.1 BBB. We’re reaching beyond the usual playlist with Adult Hits for Today’s Carolina—from the ’80s, ’90s and all the way through today—to surprise you with the songs you forgot you loved…and the anthems you know by heart.

Every 15 minutes, hear another “No Way!” moment that’ll light up your fireworks, backyard barbecue, beach trip, or road trip as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday. No Way You’ll Play Independence Day on 96.1 BBB!

Listen online, on the app, or wherever you go this Saturday. Celebrate freedom. Celebrate the music. Celebrate together. 96.1 BBB Moves You.

Brought to you by Kanki Japanese House of Steak and Sushi, your home for food, fun and a little fire!

Carolina Hurricanes follow Stanley Cup title by figuring out to how to improve a largely set roster

Alyssa Vail — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:59:55 +0000

By Aaron Beard

MORRISVILLE, N.C. (AP) — At first glance, Carolina Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky doesn’t have a ton to do with the roster as the Stanley Cup champs head into the offseason.

Then again, the Hurricanes have never been the type to just sit back, either.

They’re fresh off beating the Vegas Golden Knights to claim the Cup for the second time, the first coming 20 years ago when coach Rod Brind’Amour was captain. The team has most of its core locked up to long-term deals, though that won’t stop the Hurricanes from looking to bolster the roster all the same.

“There’s always room to improve, there’s always spots we can get better,” Tulsky said Friday night after the first round of the NHL draft.

“Our goal is to build a team that even when we’re not playing our best, even when we have some injuries, we still can win the Cup. … We need to keep taking steps to get to where we can be favorites year in and year out no matter what comes our way.”

What business is ahead on the roster?

The Hurricanes headed into the offseason with 36-year-old veteran Frederik Andersen — who anchored the net during Carolina’s 12-1 march through the Eastern Conference playoffs — as their biggest-name unrestricted free agent. Reserve forward Nicolas Delauriers and seventh defenseman Mike Reilly were the other unrestricted free agents, though the Hurricanes signed Deslauriers to a two-year deal on the stage of their downtown-Raleigh championship rally.

There’s another variable with defenseman Alexander Nikishin. The 24-year-old former top prospect became a lineup regular and worked in the third pairing through the playoffs, so the Hurricanes must decide whether to sign him — bridge or long-term — or potentially trade him.

Nikishin’s name has been popular for trade speculation. Tulsky said the Hurricanes had to pivot quickly to draft preparations and next week’s start of free agency, so contract negotiations for him hadn’t been a priority yet.

“It’s easy to punt for a little bit and let the dust settle and take care of the things that are pressing, then figure out where we’re going to go from there,” Tulsky said.

There’s another issue to monitor: the health of top-line forward Seth Jarvis. Tulsky said Jarvis is expected to be out up to six months after shoulder surgery, a timeline that would could linger into next season. That could open a lineup spot for rising prospect Bradly Nadeau or someone else.

The Hurricanes haven’t been afraid to take big swings

The Hurricanes had been aggressive before in trying to push a perennial playoff team over the top, notably by adding Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen to find more high-end finishers. But they ended up dealing Gutentzel’s rights to Tampa Bay in summer 2024 shortly before his expected departure in free agency, then had to move Rantanen after just 13 games in 2025 when it became clear he wouldn’t sign an extension.

The latter deal, however, worked in securing forward Logan Stankoven as the primary return from the Rantanen pivot. Stankoven centered the second line with Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake that scorched its way through the playoffs, with that trio combining for 25 goals and 55 points in the playoffs.

The question now is how much to tinker after rolling to a 16-3 playoff record en route to the Cup, especially with the roster set to return largely intact.

The motivation, though, won’t change.

“I promise you, we’re going to try to do it again,” Brind’Amour told fans during the team’s championship rally.

Carolina’s roster is filled with players locked up on long-term deals

Five of Carolina’s top nine forwards are signed through at least 2030-31, while physical forward Andrei Svechnikov is signed through 2028-29. Among the outliers, 37-year-old captain Jordan Staal — who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP — and Jordan Martinook each have one more year on their deals.

Staal wasn’t ready to retire on a high note, telling The North State Journal after the June 20 parade: “No, I want to win another one.”

As for defensemen, Jaccob Slavin and K’Andre Miller are notably lined up through 2032-33, while top-four defenseman Sean Walker is signed through 2028-29. Blue-liners Jalen Chatfield and Shayne Gostisbehere are each entering their final contract year.

Beyond Andersen in net, Stanley Cup Final hero Brandon Bussi is entering a three-year deal signed in February and reserve Pytor Kochetkov has one more year. on his deal.

“That can’t make you complacent,” Tulsky said of winning the Cup. “That can’t have you saying, ‘You know what? We’re fine where we are.’ Other teams are taking steps, things change year to year. We need to keep finding ways to get better every time we can.”

Dangerous weather hampers firefighters and leads to fireworks bans in western US

Alyssa Vail — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:56:19 +0000

By Susan Montoya Bryan

COTTONWOOD, UTAH (AP) – Hot, dry and windy conditions are fueling a fast-moving wildfire in Utah, forcing the governor to declare an emergency and restrict fireworks as critical weather across the West gives way to mounting concerns that anything could cause a spark.

Firefighters are facing more challenges on the ground from what fire managers and experts call unprecedented conditions.

Air tankers and helicopters were grounded Friday as winds picked up on the Cottonwood Fire, the largest blaze currently burning in the U.S. Gusts were clocked at 45 miles per hour (72 kph) and humidity levels were in the single digits, leaving crews with few options for slowing the flames, especially as they raced through the treetops.

“We are not expecting the weather to be kind to us for the next couple of days,” said Alyssa Mason, a spokesperson assigned to the fire. “We are seeing extreme fire behavior out there with some crown runs and definitely some spotting.”

Burning in a sparsely populated area of southern Utah, the Cottonwood Fire ballooned Friday to more than 112 square miles (290 square kilometers). One of several large wildfires burning in Utah, it severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County and forced evacuations. In the community of Marysvale, the smoke blocked out the sun Friday as ash rained down.

“We’re looking at a full 48 hours of critical weather that we have not seen in Utah in the last five years,” meteorologist Jason Straub told a community meeting in Beaver County Friday evening.

A cold front on Sunday will bring winds that could push the fire in new directions before the weather starts stabilizing next week, he said.

The smoke pushed mostly east, meaning air quality at popular vacation spots like Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks — located far south of the flames — hasn’t been significantly affected beyond some haze in the Bryce area.

Still, the plume was visible from miles away, even as far as Colorado.

It’s like nothing seen in recent memory, Utah state forester Jamie Barnes said earlier this week. She acknowledged that fires are spreading farther and faster “under conditions that defy historical expectations.”

Nationally, nearly 3 million acres have burned since the start of the year, pushing the U.S. ahead of the 10-year average. The National Interagency Fire Center said firefighters are making progress on containing fires from Alaska to Florida.

Red flag warnings cover the West

Conditions including low humidity and strong winds have triggered red flag warnings across a wide swath stretching from Idaho to southern Arizona and New Mexico. Some of the forecasts predicted winds of 25 to 35 miles an hour (40 kph to 56 kph), with the worst conditions expected from northern Arizona into central and southern Utah.

At Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, officials were preparing for a power outage on Saturday. The utility that serves the area had warned that it would likely initiate a safety outage in hopes of lessening the risk of wildfire in the area.

Visitors will be able to purchase park passes at entrance stations as long as backup power systems remain operational, but park officials said visitors should come prepared. That means downloading maps and other important information before arriving and ensuring that phones and other electronic devices are fully charged.

Power shutoffs have become more common in the West as wildfire risk has expanded. It’s usually a last resort after utility forecasters weigh factors like sustained wind and gust speeds, available fuels and topography.

With extreme fire conditions persisting, Rocky Mountain Power has issued a public safety power shutoff watch/warning for areas of central, southern and eastern Utah through the weekend.

As long as it’s hot and dry, the risk will be high

Tim Brown, a research professor and director of the Western Regional Climate Center, said the potential for extreme fire behavior will remain as long as it’s hot, dry and windy. He pointed to parts of the West that have been mired by persistent drought, including Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.

“I would not be surprised to see a lot of restrictions come out as we get closer to the July Fourth weekend,” he said. “People really need to be aware of their surroundings if they’re going to be out in the forested campground areas and grassland areas.”

Gov. Spencer Cox set the temporary fireworks restrictions through July 5 as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, saying “this year is different.”

While the Cottonwood Fire’s cause was unknown, the governor’s order noted that humans have been the cause of most fires in the state so far this year.

Even in Florida, where there have been multiple brush fires, authorities are urging people to skip the personal fireworks and instead leave the pyrotechnics to professionals putting on carefully planned shows.

Back at fire camp, Mason talked about Utah’s snowpack and steam flows peaking early in March, resulting in what she called extreme dryness. Then came the wind storms like never seen before, she said.

“If anything happens out there, any kind of spark hits fuels,” she said, “it is more than likely going to start a fire and more than likely going get pretty big pretty quick.”