Former Charlotte mayor Patrick Cannon is is out of prison. He had been in a Federal Correctional Institution since November, 2014.The Charlotte Observer reports that good behavior and participation in a substance abuse treatment program qualified Cannon for early release after serving about a year and nine months of his sentence.
The 49-year-old Democrat will be under home-confinement, and will have to wear an ankle monitoring device until January 25. That will be followed by two years of supervised release. Cannon pleaded guilty to public corruption charges after taking more than $50,000 in bribes, mostly from undercover FBI agents posing as out-of-town real estate developers. The FBI began its investigation in 2010, when Cannon was a member of Charlotte City Council.
Second GOP Lawmaker Calls For Changes to HB2
State Senator Rick Gunn of Burlington has become the second Republican lawmaker to express misgiving with North Carolina’s House Bill 2. Gunn issued a statement on social media Wednesday night saying that while he’s opposed to giving men access to girls’ locker rooms and bathrooms, he’s also concerned with the impact HB 2 is having on the state.
He says it’s time to “give serious consideration to modifying, or possibly repealing HB 2.” He’s also calling for federal courts to strike down President Obama’s mandate allowing transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their gender identity in public schools.
The first Republican lawmaker to call for a repeal of House Bill Two was State Senator Tamara Barringer or Wake County. She made comments to the Raleigh News and Observer Wednesday saying she wants to law repealed in order to “preserve the proud heritage of North Carolina.” Barringer originally voted for HB2. Barringer represents southwestern Wake County and the city of Cary, which is losing 6 college sports championship events due to the NCAA and the ACC decision to pull games in response to HB 2.
Duck Death Toll Rises to 48 in Indian Trail
Dozens of dead ducks have been turning up in Indian Trail over the past week in a number of private property ponds. Officials with Carolina Waterfowl Rescue say preliminary tests are suggesting the ducks were killed by botulism, a non-infectious disease that occurs from bacterium found naturally in soil and water, and can be a problem especially during warm weather. The USGS National Wildlife Center says outbreaks can occur nationwide and in Canada between July and September. A single outbreak can kill thousands of waterfowl at a time. In Indian Trial, the death toll has so far risen to 48 ducks.
