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The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County this morning will announce what leaders call its largest grant ever from a foundation.
The gift from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation will "improve technology access and help residents conduct job searches," according to a news release from the library system. It will target programs at four library branches: Main, ImaginOn, Freedom Regional and Mountain Island.
Today's announcement is set for 9 a.m. at ImaginOn.
Speakers include Susan Patterson, the Knight Foundation's Charlotte program director; library director Charles Brown; Mecklenburg County commissioners chair Jennifer Roberts; and Darrel Williams, chair of the library's board of trustees. -- April Bethea
Regional briefs
North Carolina
Raleigh
North Carolina's senators have introduced a bill to provide federal recognition to the state's Lumbee Indian tribe.
Republican Sen. Richard Burr and Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan jointly introduced the bill Thursday. There are 55,000 Lumbee Indians in Robeson, Cumberland, Hoke and Scotland counties.
The tribe began its quest for recognition in 1888, three years after North Carolina formally recognized it. Congress partially recognized the tribe in 1956 but denied the Lumbees federal benefits given to other American Indians.
The House approved federal recognition for the Lumbees in June. President Barack Obama has pledged to support recognition of the Lumbee Tribe. Other tribes have opposed congressional recognition of the Lumbees, questioning their ability to trace members to a historic tribe. -- Associated Press
North Wilkesboro
North Carolina's first "green" rest area will minimize traditional electric and water usage in favor of environmentally friendly alternatives.
Transportation Secretary Gene Conti and others held a ceremony Thursday at the new combination rest stop and visitor center on U.S. 421 North in North Wilkesboro.
Conti said the building will be about 40 percent more efficient than traditional rest areas. It uses natural light and solar panels to heat water and generate power. Rainwater collection and a geothermal heat pump also will reduce the need for outside water and energy.
There's a Web page where Internet users can track the savings attributed to the stop's environmental design.
Construction on the $12 million, 10,000-square foot building began in January 2008. -- Associated Press
South Carolina
Columbia
Regulators are giving an update on their investigation at a nuclear fuel plant in South Carolina where uranium pellets went missing.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Thursday is presenting results of an inspection at the Westinghouse Electric Co. plant near Columbia.
The company told regulators in May it could not find a small container of low-enriched uranium pellets.
NRC officials say they haven't found any evidence that the uranium ever left the site or that the public was ever at risk. -- Associated Press
The state Supreme Court told lawyers to prepare arguments as Gov. Mark Sanford challenges the State Ethics Commission's plan to make a report of its investigation of the governor available to legislators as they make impeachment plans.
The court Thursday told the Ethics Commission to respond to arguments Sanford filed by Monday.
Sanford's lawyers have asked the court to require secrecy of the commission's investigation and report until after it decides whether Sanford broke ethics laws.
The commission has said it will turn the report over to the House as soon as it is complete and the House begins work on impeachment.
House Speaker Bobby Harrell said legislators have a right to get the report. Associated Press
Charleston
A new program in South Carolina is designed to recycle oyster shells from coastal-area restaurants to plant in oyster beds.
The effort beginning this week involves The Nature Conservancy, the state Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as Fisher Recycling and College of Charleston students.
The effort will focus on recycling shells from restaurants serving more than 100 bushels of oysters monthly. An estimated 60,000 bushels of Gulf oysters are sold at S.C. restaurants each year and the shells are generally thrown away. -- Associated Press
Police digest
York County
Rock Hill
A crack and cocaine dealer in Rock Hill now faces life in prison after being convicted of federal drug trafficking charges.
After a three-day trial, Dwayne Roderick Ross, 37, of Rock Hill was convicted by a federal jury of drug conspiracy charges, according to a release issued by United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins.
Ross was a high-level cocaine and crack dealer in the Rock Hill area over the past five years, according to evidence presented at trial. Ross got the cocaine and crack from suppliers in Charleston and Houston that he sold around Rock Hill and Charlotte, the release states
Ross and his co-conspirators were selling so much cocaine and crack that they leased a townhouse in Charlotte from which to distribute the drugs, according to testimony.
Ross will serve at least 20 years in prison, the mandatory minimum sentence. The maximum sentence for the crimes is life in prison. United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie will sentence Ross at a later date. -- Kimberly Dick, (Rock Hill) Herald
Lincoln County
One person was injured overnight when fire destroyed a home in northern Lincoln County.
Lincoln County fire officials say a man suffered minor burns as he helped his wife and three children flee their burning home in the 4900 block of N.C. 16 North, near the Lincoln-Catawba county line. The fire was reported shortly after 3:30 a.m., according to Lincoln County officials. About three dozen firefighters battled the blaze for nearly an hour. Steve Lyttle
Gaston County
Gastonia
No injuries were reported early Thursday in a Gastonia house fire.
Gastonia fire officials say the blaze was reported shortly after 1:30 a.m. at a residence in the 1800 block of Archwood Drive. Authorities said the residents escaped safely, and firefighters rescued a Pomeranian dog which was still inside the residence.
Investigators said the blaze started near the stove, but the actual cause remains unknown. Damage was estimated at $25,000. -- Steve Lyttle
