Triangle/Local
The winner of a North Carolina toss-up race could help decide who controls the US House
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s only toss-up congressional district could help Republicans keep the U.S. House or Democrats take control of it. First-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Don Davis and GOP opponent Laurie Buckhout have been engaged in a fierce battle to win North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District. It is one of the few competitive districts across the Southeast. The race has attracted millions of dollars from both parties. The district spans from Currituck County to a small portion of Granville County, in the northeastern part of the state.
North Carolina sees turnout record with more than 4.2M ballots cast at early in-person voting sites
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina elections officials say that more than 4.2 million voters cast ballots at early in-person voting sites, with turnout in western counties hit by Hurricane Helene outpacing the rest of the state. The State Board of Elections announced the record turnout Sunday. Early in-person voting, which ended Saturday, has become increasingly popular in the presidential battleground state over several election cycles. In 2020, a record 3.63 million people voted during the early-voting period. This year, the board said the state exceeded that total by Thursday, days before the period ended.
Early in-person voting in North Carolina exceeds 2020 total
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Early in-person voting in North Carolina ends Saturday, but the number of people who’ve cast ballots by this method already has exceeded the total from four years ago. State Board of Elections Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell said that 3.71 million people had cast early in-person ballots as of early Friday. The previous record was 3.63 million people voting in fall 2020. Early in-person voting has become increasing popular in the presidential battleground state over several election cycles. State and national Republicans this year have encouraged supporters to vote early. Brinson Bell said voter turnout in counties affected by Hurricane Helene continues to outpace turnout statewide.
A man dubbed ‘AK Guru’ has been charged with making and selling hundreds of machine guns
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Authorities say a North Carolina man nicknamed the “AK Guru” has been charged with making and selling hundreds of machine guns built from existing and deconstructed weapons. Court documents show that 72-year-old Earl Carter Jr. is being held by federal authorities on numerous charges. The FBI says a confidential informant told investigators that Carter makes machine guns “by either modifying legal firearms to make them into a machine gun or by piecing together parts.” Authorities say Carter was based in the small town of Hamlet, about 80 miles east of Charlotte. Carter’s lawyer has not responded to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
FACT FOCUS: A look at false and misleading claims surrounding the 2024 election
With early voting underway, false and misleading reports have emerged online. A woman who was shown in a video shouting at a young girl in a stroller outside the rally for Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday was falsely identified. She was not a former employee of the Harris County Democratic Party.
State/Regional
Harris and Trump make a furious final push before Election Day
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The presidential campaign comes down to a final sprint across a handful of states on the eve of Election Day. This year’s race has careened through a felony trial, an incumbent president being pushed off the ticket and multiple assassination attempts. Kamala Harris is spending all of Monday in Pennsylvania, whose 19 electoral votes offer the largest prize among the states expected to determine the Electoral College outcome. Donald Trump is making four stops in three states, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan. He’ll end in Grand Rapids, where he completed his first two campaigns.
Trump wants to narrow his deficit with women but he’s not changing how he talks about them
GASTONIA, N.C. (AP) — When it comes to women, Donald Trump has stuck to a worldview in the campaign’s final days that his critics consider to be dated and paternalistic. The former president himself even acknowledges that some of that language has gotten him “into so much trouble” with a crucial group of voters. Trump says he’ll be the “protector” of women, whether they like it or not. The Republican presidential nominee has campaigned with men who’ve used sexist and crude language. And Trump has expressed alarm at the idea that wives might vote differently from their husbands.
Trump will rally backers every day until the election in North Carolina, a swing state he won twice
GASTONIA, N.C. (AP) — Donald Trump will rally supporters in North Carolina every day until Tuesday’s election. That’s a flurry of late activity in the only swing state that he won in both his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. Late in the campaign, Trump has looked to expand the electoral map and project strength with trips to New Mexico and Virginia, two Democratic states not widely viewed as competitive. But he’s also putting considerable time into North Carolina, which last backed a Democrat for president in 2008. Trump’s hope for victory is significantly more complicated if he were to lose North Carolina. The fast-growing state gave Trump his smallest margin of victory over Democrat Joe Biden four years ago.
Survive or collapse: Small businesses in North Carolina struggle after Hurricane Helene
When Hurricane Helene tore through the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Pat and Charlie Gowan didn’t think twice about staying. The family, who had lived in their home for two generations and run Triple C Campground, had weathered plenty of storms. But no one expected anything quite like this.
Rescuers find body of worker swept away from Tennessee factory by Hurricane Helene flood
ERWIN, Tenn. (AP) — Rescue workers in Tennessee have recovered the body of the final person still missing after massive flooding from Hurricane Helene hit a plastics factory there. Twenty-nine-year-old Rosa Andrade was one of six employees killed after they were unable to escape the rising waters in Erwin, a small town in East Tennessee. Surviving workers have stated they were not allowed to leave Impact Plastics until water had flooded the plant’s parking lot and the power went out. The company’s owner has disputed that claim. The raging waters swept away 11 workers on Sept. 27 and only five were rescued. More than 200 deaths have been attributed to Helene.
World/National
The final day of voting in the US is here, after tens of millions have already cast their ballots
WASHINGTON (AP) — The final day of voting in the 2024 presidential election has arrived with tens of millions of Americans having already cast their ballots. Those include record numbers in battleground states like Georgia and North Carolina. As of Monday, Associated Press tracking of advance voting nationwide showed over 80 million ballots cast. That’s slightly more than half the total number of votes in the last presidential election. Despite long lines in some places and a few hiccups common to all elections, early in-person and mail voting has proceeded without major problems. Enthusiastic voters lined up early Monday, even braving pouring rain in Houston.
Stock market today: Wall Street drifts ahead of Election Day and a manic week for markets
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted ahead of a momentous week full of potential flashpoints, while oil prices climbed and Treasury yields dropped. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% Monday, even though the majority of stocks within the index rose. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.3%. Beyond Election Day in the United States on Tuesday, the Federal Reserve will also be meeting on interest rates later this week. Investors also hope the Chinese government may announce stimulus for the world’s second-largest economy. Crude prices rose after oil-producing nations delayed planned increases to their production.
Spain’s king stood his ground under a mud barrage. What will the iconic moment mean for his reign?
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain’s royals, prime minister and other politicians were greeted by crowds hurling mud and debris on Sunday when they tried to visit Paiporta, where over 60 people perished. It was their first visit to the area devastated by floods last week. Felipe VI repeatedly insisted that his bodyguards let him get close to talk to the angry residents. He was praised by many for his composure. But political experts also say the monarch may have given the impression that he actually has a say in the management of a crisis that doesn’t look like it will be resolved anytime soon.
Spain flood survivors hurl mud at the royals and top government officials
PAIPORTA, Spain (AP) — A crowd of enraged flood survivors pelted the Spanish royal couple with mud and rocks during their first visit to the epicenter of the nation’s deadliest natural disaster in living memory. Officials rushed Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez from the scene soon after his contingent started to walk the mud-covered streets. Over 60 people perished in the town of Paiporta and thousands of lives were shattered.‘ Get out! Get out!’ and ‘Killers!’ the crowd shouted, among other insults. Bodyguards opened umbrellas to protect the royals and officials from the barrage of muck. Police had to step in, with some officers on horseback, to keep back the crowd of several dozen who hurled mud and wielded shovels and poles threateningly.
Crashing waves in a hilltop village, a night of terror from Spain’s floods
CHIVA, Spain (AP) — Irene Cuevas says she has the roar of the waves produced by a flash flood burned into her memory. The resident of Chiva spent a night of terror when the gorge of her village in eastern Spain quickly filled with rushing water and unleashed a wave of death and destruction. She says that it was terrifying to hear the crashing waves just below her first-floor balcony during that fateful night. Chiva has so far accounted for seven of the over 200 dead from Spain’s worst natural disaster in living memory.
Entertainment
Quincy Jones, music titan who worked with everyone from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson, dies at 91
By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer Quincy Jones, the multi-talented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists, has died at 91. Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, says he died Sunday […]
Harris appears on ‘Saturday Night Live’ as mirror image of Maya Rudolph with election looming
By AAMER MADHANI, COLLEEN LONG, ZEKE MILLER AND WILL WEISSERT Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on “Saturday Night Live” in the final days before the election, playing herself as the mirror-image double of Maya Rudolph’s version of her in the show’s cold open. The first lines […]
Google Maps adds AI features to help users explore and navigate the world around them
PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) — Google Maps is heading down a new road steered by artificial intelligence. The shift announced Thursday will bring more of the revolutionary AI technology that Google already has been baking into its dominant search engine to the widely used digital maps service that the internet company launched nearly 20 years ago as part of its efforts to expand into new frontiers. Google Maps recently surpassed 2 billion worldwide monthly users for the first time, a milestone that illustrates how dependent people have become on the service. With the introduction of Google’s AI technology, the maps are now being set up to become an entertainment guide in addition to a navigational tool.
Heidi Klum’s Halloween costumes are always epic. See how she’s dressed up over the years
NEW YORK (AP) — Halloween has plenty of traditions, from candy to jack-o’-lanterns — and the annual spectacle of Heidi Klum’s costume. The supermodel-turned-TV personality is fond of surprising her guests with her elaborate costumes, like in 2022, when she arrived at the event on the end of a fishing line, encased in a slithering worm costume. “I just wanted to be something random,” she explained while lying on the floor for maximum worm-like effect. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone being a rain worm before.”
Teri Garr, the offbeat comic actor of ‘Young Frankenstein’ and ‘Tootsie,’ has died
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The quirky comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star of such favorites as “Young Frankenstein” and “Tootsie,” Teri Garr has died. She was 79. Garr died Tuesday of multiple sclerosis “surrounded by family and friends,” said publicist Heidi Schaeffer. “Young Frankenstein” established her as a talented comedy performer, with New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael proclaiming her “the funniest neurotic dizzy dame on the screen.” Although best known for comedy, Garr showed in such films as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “The Black Stallion” and “The Escape Artist” that she could handle drama equally well.
Sports
College athletes are getting paid and fans are starting to see a growing share of the bill
Winning at big-time college sports has never been free. But in a rapidly changing era in which players are allowed to earn money, it’s never been more clear that fans will be picking up a bigger part of the tab. Athletic directors are making that clear, by sending letters to boosters detailing the increase in expenses that will come once many schools start sharing revenue with players under the terms of a lawsuit settlement. At other schools, ticket prices could be going up while others are adding fees to tuition to help cover the costs.
Hampton scores 5 TDs, Brown gets first win over Florida State as North Carolina rolls to 35-11 win
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Omarion Hampton had four touchdown runs and a 49-yard TD reception as North Carolina cruised to a 35-11 victory over Florida State on Saturday. Hampton racked up 172 rushing yards and 93 receiving yards and now has 14 touchdowns for UNC. The UNC senior has seven straight 100-yard rushing games.
N.C. State blasts Stanford 59-28 behind explosive offense led by CJ Bailey
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Hollywood Smothers and Jordan Waters each rushed for two touchdowns, and quarterback CJ Bailey added three more while being nearly perfect through the air as North Carolina State crushed Stanford 59-28. Bailey, who took over the starting job in midseason after Grayson McCall retired because of head injuries, completed 18 of 20 passes for 234 yards. The Wolfpack ended a two-game home losing streak while handing Stanford its sixth consecutive defeat. North Carolina State scored three touchdowns on four plays, capped by Waters’ 94-yard run that was the second-longest rushing TD in school history. Stanford also lost quarterback Ashton Daniels to injury.
Bob Costas retiring from baseball play-by-play after 42 years
NEW YORK (AP) — After 42 seasons, Bob Costas is retiring from baseball play-by-play. Costas had done games the past couple seasons for MLB Network and TBS Sports. His final games were the American League Division Series between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals. Costas’ contract with TBS expired at the end of the season, but his plans to retire from baseball play-by-play had been in the works for over a year. The Athletic was the first to report on Costas’ baseball play-by-play retirement. Costas plans to address his decision at a future date.
Dodgers win World Series in 5 games, overcome 5-run deficit with help of errors to beat Yankees 7-6
NEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers won their second World Series championship in five seasons, overcoming a five-run deficit with the help of three Yankees defensive miscues and rallying on sacrifice flies from Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts in the eighth inning to beat New York 7-6 in Game 5. Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, Alex Verdugo’s RBI single chased Jack Flaherty in the second and Giancarlo Stanton’s third-inning homer against Ryan Brasier built a 5-0 lead for New York. But the Dodgers rallied, helped by a shaky defensive performance by the Yankees.