Every week I think the news cycle might slow down, and then it simply does not! Today’s edition is a testament to that, with not one but three new stories.

Included in there is our 48-hour attempt to figure out what actually happened between U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards and a Rotarian at an Asheville hotel over the weekend, and the addition of “allegations of assault-by-office-supply” to our linguistic repertoire.

And it’s only Wednesday!

–Kate Sheppard

☀️ In Today’s Edition

1. A Disturbance at the Peace in Action Conference
2. ReBuild, Repeat?
3. An Update on Our Records Case in Columbus County
4. What We’re Reading
5. Our Recent Stories

On Saturday evening, reporters’ phones began to buzz with rumors that there had been some sort of “disturbance” involving U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards at a regional Rotary meeting in Asheville.

There were allegations that Edwards had struck an attendee with a binder, or maybe a clipboard. There were jokes to be made about the theme of the conference, “Peace in Action.” And neither Edwards nor Asheville Police had much to say about what actually happened for more than two days.

In meantime, reporter Jessica Wakeman set out to sort rumor from fact.

U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards Accused of Hitting Man At Rotary Event

The rumor mill has been churning in Western North Carolina over allegations the congressman struck an audience member at the “Peace in Action” conference.

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Disaster Management

A company whose earlier disaster recovery contract in North Carolina was marked by serious communications problems will return to run the state’s disaster recovery program in western counties flattened by Hurricane Helene.

The N.C. Department of Commerce on May 9 awarded a project management contract to Horne LLP worth $81.5 million over the next three years, according to the terms. Four other companies bid on the project. 

Horne was the prime contractor for the N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency, also known as ReBuild NC, providing case management and other services from 2019 to 2022, when the firm’s contract was not renewed after many disaster victims complained about poor case management.

In a new piece co-published with Inside Climate News, Lisa Sorg looks at the contract and the concerns.

Despite Problems, N.C. Officials Choose Horne LLP to Run Disaster Relief Efforts

The Mississippi-based firm was cited for communications breakdowns when it ran ReBuild NC. A former top Horne executive is now advising N.C. Gov. Josh Stein on recovery.

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Record Scratch, Freeze Frame

A Columbus County Superior Court judge issued an order on Monday requiring the county and the sheriff’s office to release additional public records to The Assembly and Border Belt Independent concerning former sheriff Jody Greene and operations at his office.

The news outlets filed suit against the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office last September, alleging that the county’s handling of public records requests “evinces a pattern of ongoing and willful defiance of our state’s transparency laws.”

For two and half years, we’ve been trying to obtain records related to the sheriff’s office operations and Greene, who made national news after a local TV news station aired a recorded phone call in which he referred to deputies as “Black bastards” and “snakes.”

Our 2023 investigation revealed that dozens of people had been subpoenaed as part of a wide-ranging federal investigation into abuses of power in the department. Additional reporting last December shed a little more light on what we’ve learned even without the documents in question.

As Ben Rappaport reports, the judge’s order gives them until 5 p.m. this Friday to review and submit remaining documents. 

Have a news tip for our team? You can reach us at scoops@theassemblync.com.

What We’re Reading

Game On: Tim Sweeney, CEO of Cary-based Epic Games, was among the 32 guests at Donald Trump’s White House lunch with Saudi officials, per The Hill.

Transference: The GOP’s current focus on curbing rights and access to health care for transgender people wasn’t inevitable—or even likely. NOTUS profiles the activist who worked to move the issue to the mainstream of the party, including a pilot run in North Carolina.

Call Me Butter: Rhiannon Giddens shared her secret to perfect biscuits with the BBC, plus her vision for uplifting Black food and culture in the South.

Our Recent Stories

Jefferson Griffin Lost. The Reputation of State Courts Might Be the Biggest Loser.

The six-month challenge did more than rekindle long-simmering partisan debates over election administration. It also raised questions about the state’s judiciary.

Searching For Michael Jordan in Wilmington

The NBA superstar has become a global icon and billionaire. But you have to strain to find signs of him in his hometown.

Rising Tides and Raising Houses

As sea level rises, 79 percent of properties in Beaufort are at risk of flooding. Residents of coastal communities must adapt or relocate.