NC man arrested in bomb threat standoff at US Capitol + NC mountain towns wrecked by deadly flood
Happy Friday Eve, Charlotte. It’s Caroline, filling in for Kristen today. Let’s jump right into this afternoon’s top headlines in Charlotte.
1. North Carolina man in custody after threatening to set off explosives near US Capitol, police say
Cleveland County sheriff’s deputies swarmed the home of a North Carolina man arrested today after threatening to blow up a truck full of explosives near the U.S. Capitol.
The details:
- 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry, of Grover, parked his pickup truck for several hours in front of the Library of Congress and said he had explosives, according to Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger.
A Facebook spokesperson confirmed the platform has removed a page with several livestream videos from Roseberry saying he was inside a truck outside the Library of Congress with explosive materials, McClatchy News reported.
A woman identified as Roseberry’s wife told NBC News that her husband had mental health issues and recently changed medications. She said her husband left the state Wednesday night, telling her he was going on a fishing trip.
Read the full story by Tyler Dukes and Joe Marusak here.
2. Charlotte-area malls ramp up safety after spate of gun violence
In the last few months, gunfire and shootings at three Charlotte-area malls left shoppers and employees on edge, just as more people were venturing out after a year under coronavirus restrictions.
As a response to the gun violence, some malls have taken steps to increase safety and security at their sites, including:
- Tightening teen curfews
- Increasing police presence and cameras
- Bringing in gun-sniffing dogs & more
How have crime rates at Charlotte-area malls changed over the years? For a detailed look at crime stats and more information on responses from malls, read Catherine Muccigrosso and Gavin Off’s article here.
3. NC mountain towns wrecked by deadly flood. Residents pick up the pieces.
Earlier this week, deadly flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred devastated North Carolina mountain towns.
In Haywood County, at least 500 families have been displaced, including some who lived in mobile homes that were swept away, officials said today. Efforts to find people are hampered by “significant damage to roads and bridges, especially in Cruso, with at least 10-15 bridges damaged or destroyed.”
So far, the flooding has killed at least two people and has left 20 more missing, according to officials. The identities of the deceased have not yet been released.
One woman watched the floodwaters knock down her 12-year-old great-grandson and briefly carry him off before he made it out.
To learn more about how the families affected are dealing with the aftermath of the deadly floods, read Will Wright’s article here.
4. Why Wells Fargo reversed itself and will now keep personal lines of credit after all
In banking news, Wells Fargo’s decision to cancel a personal lending product had ticked off many people, from bank customers to members of Congress.
What to Know:
Today, Wells Fargo confirmed that it has dropped its plans to shut down personal lines of credit.
The bank had informed customers last month that it had stopped offering the lines of credit and would close existing accounts to simplify its product offerings.
Wells Fargo will no longer offer the product to new customers, but account holders who have been using their lines of credit will now be able to keep their accounts open.
Customers who haven’t used the credit lines in the last 12 months can call the bank or use the line of credit to keep their account, the bank said. Otherwise, inactive accounts will be closed December.
To learn more about the backlash the company has received, read this story by the Observer’s Hannah Lang.
5. COVID-19 task force offers recovery solutions for marginalized communities in Mecklenburg
A local coronavirus advisory group has unveiled dozens of new recommendations to help remove equity barriers for marginalized communities as Mecklenburg deals with the number of hardships wrought by the pandemic.
Some of the strategies that could shape Mecklenburg after the pandemic include:
Combating misinformation or miscommunication when it comes to health information
Addressing transportation barriers for residents to access healthcare or get to medical appointments
Increasing diversity in healthcare, combined with training for “culturally sensitive and responsive practices”
Solutions for addressing mental health, particularly social isolation and heightened stress that Mecklenburg residents have faced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic
Improving housing relief efforts to provide urgent help for renters, homeowners, landlords and people experiencing homelessness across Mecklenburg
Curious to learn more? The Observer’s Alison Kuznitz reports here.
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This story was originally published August 19, 2021 at 4:11 PM.