Camp Lejeune, NC
-
N.C. lawmakers revisit land limits near bases
Property acquired in violation of the law could be placed in receivership and sold, with the proceeds covering costs and any remaining funds going to the state.
Read more +
North Carolina Republican lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a revised proposal to bar governments deemed adversarial to the United States, along with state-controlled enterprises, from buying, leasing, or holding controlling interests in agricultural land statewide or property within 50 miles of military installations.
Sponsors said the measure was a compromise between earlier House and Senate proposals that did not win full General Assembly approval. The bill updates the “North Carolina Farmland and Military Protection Act.”
The legislation uses a federal list tied to International Traffic in Arms Regulations to define adversarial foreign governments, including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela. It applies to installations including Fort Bragg, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, and other military and National Guard facilities.
A previous version passed the House unanimously last year but did not receive a Senate vote.
Sen. Bob Brinson, R-Craven, told a Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that he worked with bill sponsors to address concerns.
Brinson said lawmakers reduced the restricted zone around military bases from 75 miles to 50 miles after some objected to the earlier distance. He said the bill also expanded protections by adding National Guard facilities.
The proposal would authorize the attorney general to investigate suspected violations and ask a court to order divestiture of prohibited land holdings.
Senate Democrats said they appreciated the revisions but remained concerned about possible economic effects. Sen. Lisa Grafstein, D-Wake, asked sponsors to add protections for immigrants who moved to the United States years ago and started a business. She also said she would prefer a limit of 10 miles or less.
Republicans said national security concerns outweighed possible economic effects.
-
Coast Guard suspends Maui search for missing snorkeler
Police said Weems texted a family member at 1:30 p.m. saying he was going snorkeling. At about 3 p.m., a hotel guest reported seeing a man in distress in the ocean.
Read more +
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search at 6 p.m. Monday for a 75-year-old North Carolina man who went missing while snorkeling off Kaanapali Beach on Maui.
Crews searched 1,275 square miles for more than 77 combined hours for John Weems, the Coast Guard said.
“Following extensive search efforts carried out alongside our partner agencies, we have made the difficult decision to suspend the search for Mr. Weems,” Lt. Tyler Peterson, Sector Honolulu’s search and rescue mission coordinator, said in a news release. “We extend our deepest condolences to his family and all who are grieving, both near and far.”
Sector Honolulu watchstanders received a request for assistance from Maui Fire Department personnel at 6:38 p.m. Friday, according to the Coast Guard.
After issuing an urgent marine information broadcast, watchstanders launched a 45-foot response boat with a medium crew from Station Maui, and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Barbers Point. The fast response cutter USCGC Oliver Berry and crew joined the search Saturday.
The Air Force Civil Air Patrol, Maui Police Department, Maui Fire Department, and Maui Ocean Safety Bureau also joined the search.
According to Maui police, a family member reported Weems missing Friday evening after he did not return from snorkeling off 100 Nohea Kai Drive in Kaanapali.
Weems was described as about 5 feet, 9 inches tall and 170 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes. Police said it was unknown what he was last wearing.
Anyone with information about Weems’ whereabouts was asked to contact Maui police’s non-emergency number at 808-244-6400. In emergencies, callers should dial 911 and refer to report No. 26-012349.
-
50-year sentence in Eastern NC meth trafficking case
Officials said the convicted man sold at least 220 pounds of methamphetamine between 2020 and May 2023.
Read more +
A man convicted of leading a multistate methamphetamine trafficking operation that supplied drugs to Eastern North Carolina was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Homer Allen Faison III, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III after a Raleigh jury convicted him in November 2025 of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and 11 counts of distribution.
Prosecutors said Faison ran a drug distribution network from California to Sampson County, where methamphetamine was sold in the Clinton area.
Investigators said Faison took orders and collected money from co-conspirators in North Carolina before traveling to California to buy large quantities of methamphetamine. Authorities said he then arranged for the drugs to be transported to North Carolina for distribution.
The case involved multiple defendants, including six North Carolina residents, a customer in Virginia, and three suppliers in California.
The investigation spanned several years and involved local, state, and federal agencies, including the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Clinton Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
Quantico, VA
-
Virginia sets paid family, medical leave by 2028
Federal law requires companies with 50 or more workers to provide 12 weeks of leave, but it does not require that workers be paid.
Read more +
Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed two bills Monday that put Virginia on track to create a paid family and medical leave program by 2028.
Senate Bill 2 by Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, and House Bill 1207 by Del. Briana Sewell, D-Prince William, allow workers to take up to 12 weeks of leave to care for ill family members, address their own long-term health needs, or care for a new child.
The law also provides up to four weeks of safe leave for people facing domestic violence, sexual assault, or harassment. The leave can be used while navigating legal matters or other changes tied to leaving unsafe situations.
At a bill-signing event at the state Capitol, Boysko said the law would have helped when she experienced a pregnancy complication as a young mother. While she recovered and her daughter was in a neonatal intensive care unit 20 miles away, she said her husband could not take leave from work.
Spanberger said the new law could help small businesses attract and retain workers, while supporting larger employers that already offer similar benefits.
Virginia’s law applies to workers at companies with 10 or more employees. It allows them to receive up to 80% of their pay while on leave through a program that will require initial state funding and later be financed by contributions from most employers and employees.
The state Department of Planning and Budget estimated startup costs at $117 million over the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years.
Republicans have opposed state funding for the program. During the legislative session, Del. Michael Webert, R-Fauquier, said the policy might not work for some small businesses.
Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a similar proposal last year, calling it a “one size fits all government mandate.”
Spanberger, lawmakers, and supporters highlighted the policy’s effect on working mothers.
-
Manassas sets FY 2027 tax rate, ends vehicle fee
The budget takes effect July 1. It passed with one dissenting vote from Councilwoman Theresa Coates Ellis.
Read more +
Manassas City Council on May 11 approved the city’s fiscal year 2027 budget, setting the real estate tax rate at $1.24 per $100 of assessed value and repealing the $25 annual vehicle license decal fee.
City officials said it keeps reserves at about $33 million, or roughly 20% of the budget, above the city’s 15% target, while funding full staffing for Engine 501, competitive salaries and health insurance, schools, and state-mandated social services.
Finance Director Anna Bergeron said the tax rate fell from $1.26 and that each cent equals about $850,000 in revenue. Ellis proposed lowering the rate to $1.23 by using the $1.2 million contingency fund, but that motion failed.
The council also removed the vehicle decal fee. According to the commissioner of the revenue, the average household with 2.25 vehicles will save about $50 a year, for a citywide revenue impact of about $1 million.
The budget includes increases in water, electric, stormwater, and airport fees. Officials said those funds remain self-supporting. The personal property tax rate for data center computer equipment was set at $4.50 to match Prince William County.
Council members said the budget aimed to balance resident relief, staffing, infrastructure, and long-term stability. Officials said reserves and contingency funds would help manage risks, including appeals of data center assessments and possible federal cuts.
-
Virginia court voids redistricting amendment vote
“This violation irreparably undermines the integrity of the resulting referendum vote and renders it null and void,” one justice wrote.
Read more +
The Supreme Court of Virginia ruled 4-3 on Friday that the state’s redistricting amendment was invalid, leaving Virginia’s current congressional maps in place for the 2026 election cycle.
The decision nullified the results of the April 21 statewide referendum, which unofficial results showed voters approved by about 51.7% to 48.3%, or 1,604,276 votes to 1,499,393.
In the majority opinion, Justice Arthur Kelsey wrote that the General Assembly violated Article XII, Section 1 of the Virginia Constitution, which requires a constitutional amendment to pass in two legislative sessions with an intervening general election.
The ruling upheld a Tazewell County Circuit Court decision that had blocked certification of the referendum results during the appeals process.
The decision means congressional maps drawn by the Virginia Supreme Court in 2021 will remain in effect for the 2026 midterm elections. Those maps and election results produce a 6-5 Democratic majority in Virginia’s congressional delegation. Maps previously approved by the General Assembly were widely expected to favor Democrats in 10 of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts.
Chief Justice Cleo Powell, joined by Justices Mann and Fulton, dissented. They said the Oct. 31 legislative vote came before Election Day on Nov. 4 and met the constitutional requirement.
Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin wrote on social media that “justice has been served” and that “the constitution prevailed.”
The National Republican Congressional Committee said the amendment effort was an “illegal Virginia Democrat gerrymander.” Jason Snead, executive director of Honest Elections Project Action, called the ruling “an enormous victory” for the rule of law.
Attorney General Jay Jones said the decision “silences the voices of the millions of Virginians who cast their ballots in every corner of the commonwealth” and accused the court of putting “politics over the rule of law.” He said his office was reviewing possible next legal steps.
Pendleton, CA
-
ARC breaks ground on Palm Springs clinic rebuild
American Reproductive Centers aims to finish its rebuilt Palm Springs clinic by Dec. 31 after a 2025 bombing destroyed the original site.
Read more +
American Reproductive Centers broke ground Monday on a new fertility clinic and surgical center in Palm Springs, nearly a year after a bombing destroyed its original facility.
Founder and Medical Director Dr. Maher Abdallah was joined at the ceremony by Palm Springs Mayor Naomi Soto, City Manager Scott Stiles, Fire Chief Paul Alvarado, and City Council members. He hoped construction would be completed by Dec. 31, with full operations beginning in 2027. Abdallah said the new facility will include a new IVF lab, expanded patient services, and added safety and security infrastructure.
Since the bombing, the clinic has operated from the El Mirador building, where space has limited services, Abdallah said.
A key focus since the bombing has been the embryos stored at the clinic. First responders restored electricity after the blast, preserving frozen eggs, sperm, and embryos.
Abdallah said the clinic has thawed 60 frozen embryos that survived the blast, and 40 transfers resulted in pregnancies.
-
California seeks State Farm sanctions over fire claims
“Our investigation found that State Farm delayed, underpaid, and buried policyholders in red tape at the worst moment of their lives,” the Insurance Commissioner said.
Read more +
California insurance regulators said Friday they were seeking to suspend State Farm’s license for up to a year and impose millions of dollars in penalties, alleging the insurer mishandled wildfire claims in Los Angeles County after the Jan. 7, 2025, fires.
The Department of Insurance said it filed an administrative action against State Farm General, California’s largest home insurer, after a market conduct exam of 220 sample claims found 398 alleged violations of state law in about half the claims reviewed.
Department spokesperson Michael Soller said the action could result in State Farm losing its certificate of authority for up to a year, which would prevent it from writing policies during that period.
State Farm has handled about 11,300 residential claims, or nearly one-third of those filed after the fires, which damaged or destroyed more than 16,000 homes and killed 31 people.
The department launched the exam in June 2025 after complaints from fire victims in Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and nearby communities. The exam results, released Friday, said the company in some cases failed to conduct a “thorough, fair and objective investigation,” failed to reach “prompt, fair, and equitable settlements,” and made settlement offers that were “unreasonably low.”
The filing also alleged State Farm failed to respond to claims on time, provide a factual or legal basis for denials, or assign a primary point of contact after moving policyholders among three or more adjusters in six months. It also cited alleged problems handling smoke-damage claims, including denials of payments for hygienic toxin testing.
The company denied some allegations, admitted others, and often attributed problems to specific adjusters. It also said it held meetings with adjusters after learning of the alleged violations.
Each alleged violation carries a fine of up to $5,000, or up to $10,000 if found to be willful. The case will be heard by a state administrative law judge.
The department said the total penalties could reach millions of dollars.
State Farm said it had paid more than $5.7 billion to fire victims and, in an April 22 statement, outlined five commitments to policyholders, including single points of contact and improved communication.
-
California Pipeline Dispute Tests State, Federal Power
The Texas company’s pipeline system had been idle since a 2015 rupture caused a major oil spill that fouled beaches from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles and harmed marine wildlife and fisheries.
Read more +
Crude oil from the Pacific Ocean is flowing for the first time in more than a decade through a pipeline that crosses Gaviota State Park after the Trump administration ordered a restart of drilling off Santa Barbara, citing national security.
California officials say Sable Offshore Corp. is trespassing on state land and asked a Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge at a Monday hearing to order the company to stop using the 4-mile pipeline segment in the park and remove it.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright directed Sable on March 13 to restart production under the Defense Production Act, saying California relies heavily on imported crude, including oil that moves through the Strait of Hormuz. He said “more than 60% of the oil refined in California comes from overseas, with a significant share traveling through the Strait of Hormuz — presenting serious national security threats.”
The order escalated a legal fight over whether federal authority can override state objections. State officials say Sable lacked valid permission to use the state park land after 2016. Sable disputes that and says it has the proper permits.
A state judge in 2024 ordered the operation stopped until Sable showed compliance with state regulations. Santa Barbara County District Attorney also filed felony charges accusing the company of polluting waterways and harming wildlife during pipeline repairs.
The U.S. Energy Department said Sable could raise California oil production by 15% and replace nearly 1.5 million barrels of foreign crude each month. But Paasha Mahdavi, a University of California, Santa Barbara professor, said the projected 50,000 barrels a day would not affect domestic supplies or gas prices.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who filed two lawsuits over the project, said “the U. S. already produces significantly more oil and gas than we use — it’s a completely fabricated claim intended to curry favor with the oil industry.”
Sable Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Flores said April 20 that the pipeline had already produced more than 1 million barrels of oil. “We are working tirelessly to provide American oil from American soil to consumers in California and the U. S. military,” he said.
This month, Judge Donna Geck left in place an injunction she issued last year after the California Coastal Commission fined Sable $18 million. She wrote that case law “strongly implies that the (Defense Production Act) order, by itself, does not permit the violation of applicable state regulatory law.”
Hawaii
-
PFAS compound detected in Haleakala water system
The concentrations are not expected to pose a significant health risk, the department said.
Read more +
The Hawaii Department of Health said perfluorobutanoic acid, a type of PFAS, was detected in water samples from the Haleakala National Park water system on Maui.
The department said it was notified of the initial detection May 1 after multiple samples were collected from the Haleakala Park Rain Shed Chlorinator between Nov. 12, 2023, and March 31.
Perfluorobutanoic acid, or PFBA, is used in industrial applications and consumer products, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA said it is a breakdown product of PFAS used in stain-resistant fabrics, paper food packaging, carpets, and other consumer products.
The Department of Health said detected levels ranged from 3.1 to 7.6 micrograms per liter, below the state environmental action level of 15 micrograms per liter for surface water that may be used as a drinking water source.
The EPA said some PFAS compounds have been associated with potential health effects after sufficient exposure over time.
-
Coast Guard suspends Maui search for missing snorkeler
Police said Weems texted a family member at 1:30 p.m. saying he was going snorkeling. At about 3 p.m., a hotel guest reported seeing a man in distress in the ocean.
Read more +
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search at 6 p.m. Monday for a 75-year-old North Carolina man who went missing while snorkeling off Kaanapali Beach on Maui.
Crews searched 1,275 square miles for more than 77 combined hours for John Weems, the Coast Guard said.
“Following extensive search efforts carried out alongside our partner agencies, we have made the difficult decision to suspend the search for Mr. Weems,” Lt. Tyler Peterson, Sector Honolulu’s search and rescue mission coordinator, said in a news release. “We extend our deepest condolences to his family and all who are grieving, both near and far.”
Sector Honolulu watchstanders received a request for assistance from Maui Fire Department personnel at 6:38 p.m. Friday, according to the Coast Guard.
After issuing an urgent marine information broadcast, watchstanders launched a 45-foot response boat with a medium crew from Station Maui, and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Barbers Point. The fast response cutter USCGC Oliver Berry and crew joined the search Saturday.
The Air Force Civil Air Patrol, Maui Police Department, Maui Fire Department, and Maui Ocean Safety Bureau also joined the search.
According to Maui police, a family member reported Weems missing Friday evening after he did not return from snorkeling off 100 Nohea Kai Drive in Kaanapali.
Weems was described as about 5 feet, 9 inches tall and 170 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes. Police said it was unknown what he was last wearing.
Anyone with information about Weems’ whereabouts was asked to contact Maui police’s non-emergency number at 808-244-6400. In emergencies, callers should dial 911 and refer to report No. 26-012349.
-
Jury acquits man in 2022 fatal Chinatown shooting
The man on trial was released because he had no pending criminal charges, but is homeless.
Read more +
An Oahu Circuit Court jury acquitted 62-year-old Samuel Carter on all five counts in a 2022 fatal shooting in Chinatown, including second-degree attempted murder, second-degree murder, and three firearm and ammunition charges.
Prosecutors had accused Carter of targeting Michael Yonenaga, who was grazed by a bullet that killed 24-year-old pregnant woman Alize Agresor-Ayala at 11:16 p.m. Aug. 19, 2022.
Yonenaga, the only eyewitness in the case, testified that he could not identify Carter in the courtroom. He said the shooting happened a long time ago and that he did not know why anyone would want to kill him.
The state presented DNA evidence on a spent cartridge casing and video that placed Carter at or near the scene, but the jury found the evidence insufficient to convict.
Closing arguments ended at 2:21 p.m. on Monday. Jurors returned a unanimous verdict 22 minutes later.