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The jury is still deliberating in the first degree murder trial of Xavier Thomas. Thomas, now 26, is alleged to have shot and killed Julian Fipps in January 2022. The jury was charged Thursday and sent out to begin deliberations. They continued on Friday afternoon, and were dismissed just before 4 p.m. One juror was replaced today before the jury went back in to continue considering the case....
A federal grand jury returned a 35-count indictment, unsealed Friday, charging three Mexican citizens for trafficking Mexican farmworkers into forced labor and harboring them in the United States after their visas expired for the defendants’ financial gain. “Three individuals have been indicted for exploiting the H-2A visa program to lure vulnerable workers from Mexico to the United States with promises of legitimate employment, only to then confiscate their...
Much of the state, including Columbus County, is moving deeper into drought as the spring fire season begins, and the N.C. Forest Service is gearing up for a busy time. Officials are urging the public to apply best practices and common sense with all outdoor fire, especially yard debris burns. “With the recent rainfall combined with multiple winter storms earlier this year, some folks may not realize that...