WASHINGTON, N.C. (WITN) -Thursday was National Day of Prayer and several cities around the east came together to pray for the nation but one city took it a step further by also saying a prayer for the fallen officers killed in Charlotte Monday.

People from all walks of life could be seen belting out songs of praise at Mac Hodges Festival Park in Washington Thursday evening as they came together for National Day of Prayer.

The annual day of prayer is held on the first Thursday of May.

Washington Mayor Donald Sadler says the observance gives people a chance to pray for the nation as well as those protecting communities.

“It’s important for the community to come together and pray for the nation also law enforcement agencies,” Sadler said.

Sadler feels that National Day of Prayer is always a moment to pray for healing across the nation, but he says he prayed even harder this year as a former police officer following Monday’s shooting in Charlotte that killed four law enforcement officers.

“Today was great to have National Day of Prayer to show law enforcement officers that we do support them, love them and care them and their families,” Sadler said. “I’ve been there so I know what it’s like.”

Sadler says his prayers go out to the families of all four officers who died Monday.

CRAVEN COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - A spill at an Eastern Carolina hog operation has state officials warning people to keep clear of one creek.

A resident in Craven County notified the state Department of Environmental Quality about animal waste spilled into the Swift Creek. The state Department of Environmental Quality says the spill happened at St. John Farm, which is located on St. John Road outside of Grifton.

“The issue was reported early last week by a local citizen that noticed animal waste along her property,” said Taylor Register, a Water Quality Specialist with Sound River.

After the DEQ received the alert about the animal waste, they went out to investigate it. DEQ says people should not fish or have recreational activities on a portion of Swift Creek in Craven County.

The area of Swift Creek to stay clear of is Honolulu Rd and US 118, which is west of Vanceboro. However, what residents in Craven County want are answers.

“They need to find the hog farmer and then make sure it doesn’t happen again,” said Craven County resident Glenn Ewing.

The state says on Tuesday they were alerted to hog waste in ditches. An investigation shows the spill came from over-application of animal waste on fields, resulting in run-of.

Register says if it was not for the resident who called in, they would not have known about the spill. She explains it is important for the community to share insight on what they find.

“We compare it to upstream samples to see what normal limits look like for Swift Creek,” said Register. “Then we collect the samples downstream and compare what the degree of contamination is that is being discharged from the facility.”

DEQ says it is still investigating how much hog waste was discharged, the cause, and any corrective actions that should be taken.

Swift Creek flows into the Neuse River near New Bern. The state urges people to stay out of Swift Creek until further notice.

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH/Gray News) - A whistleblower who raised concerns over the Boeing 737 Max planes at Wichita’s Spirit AeroSystems has died.

Family members said Joshua Dean died this week from a sudden infection.

According to the Dean family, what started as breathing issues a few weeks ago turned into a serious bacterial infection.

Dean died Tuesday morning.

KWCH reports that Dean filed a complaint with the FAA alleging misconduct by managers on the 737 production line and claimed that Spirit AeroSystems fired him in retaliation.

In a statement, Dean’s attorneys, Brian Knowles and Rob Turkewitz, called his death a loss to the aviation community and flying public.

Dean began working at Spirit AeroSystems in 2019. He was laid off during the pandemic but returned in 2021 as a quality auditor, assigned to inspect a part needed to maintain cabin pressure in the 737 Max.

In October 2022, Dean raised concerns about mis-drilled holes in the rear fuselage, reporting those issues to managers. He said nothing was done.

This was about a year before Boeing publicly acknowledged the issue at Spirit AeroSystems.

A deposition Dean provided detailed the issues and claimed that the company failed to disclose those issues to investors. Dean is not named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit started Spirit AeroSystems fired Dean in April 2023 for falsifying paperwork concerning his audit.

Dean told CBS News at that time that he believed his firing was retaliation for raising quality issues.

Dean had filed a safety complaint with the FAA regarding the mis-drilled holes and with the Labor Department for wrongful termination.

Dean’s attorneys provided the following statement this week:

“He possessed tremendous courage to stand up for what he felt was true and right and raised quality and safety issues. Aviation companies should encourage and incentivize those that do raise these concerns.”

Spirit AeroSystems also offered a statement regarding Dean’s death:

“Our thoughts are with Josh Dean’s family. This sudden loss is stunning news here at Spirit and for his loved ones.”

With only a handful of red wolves left in the world, state wildlife officials say a vehicle has claimed the life of yet another.

Citing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Center for Biological Diversity said that a red wolf named Muppet was hit by a vehicle on April 15th on Highway 64. That highway runs through Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.

Muppet, who was less than 2 years old, was the fourth red wolf hit by a vehicle in the past 10 months.

The wolf’s father was also killed after it was hit by a vehicle six months earlier on the same stretch of road, according to the state.

Officials say fewer than 20 red wolves remain in the wild which makes them the most endangered on the planet.

“Muppet’s tragic death brings North Carolina’s beleaguered red wolves one step closer to extinction,” said Will Harlen, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. “The world’s most endangered wolves should not be roadkill, especially when we know that building wildlife crossings could save them from being hit by vehicles. We owe it to Muppet and his family to give red wolves a fighting chance.”

Harlan says that a coalition of 15 national and regional organizations is requesting $10 million in funds from the North Carolina legislature to fund wildlife crossings across the state and along Highway 64.

They say that the bipartisan Infrastructure Law authorized $350 million in federal funds to support these crossings nationally.

You can learn more about Muppet’s family and support wildlife conservation efforts by visiting saveredwolves.org.

KINSTON, N.C. (WITN) - For 73 years, events have been held nationwide on the first Thursday of May to observe the National Day of Prayer.

“Every county everywhere we should always be praying,” said the event’s host, Brenda Mclamore.

In Kinston, more than 50 people met in Grainger Stadium to pray.

“It’s important that we’re all one. It’s enough of you being in your church and you in your church. But coming together in unified prayer just in observance,” said Mclamore.

Those in attendance prayed over everything from wars, gangs, the military, abuse and law enforcement, especially after four members of law enforcement were killed in Charlotte on Monday.

“It’s such a tragedy. Law enforcement, who is supposed to protect us and serve, is being shot down? It’s these very community leaders that we need in the community. We have to color them in prayer every day,” said Mclamore.

Verna Blackwell came out to the event Thursday as another way to worship with her friends. “Number one prayer is just so prevalent to pray to our father and the lead of God’s people, and I’m always reminded that Jesus said man must always pray.”

Another attendee wanted to come together with her neighbors in good faith.

“It’s about time we had a joint community effort for positive,” said Andrea Kristiansen.

This year’s theme for the National Day of Prayer is Lift Up the Word, Light Up the World with many preachers and local leaders in Kinston leading the prayers.

There were 87 events held statewide for the National Day of Prayer, including the one in Kinston as well as in Greenville, New Bern, and Jacksonville.

BEAUFORT COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - Deputies in one Eastern Carolina county say more deadly fentanyl is off the streets.

Arthur Pippins, Jr. was arrested Wednesday on two counts of trafficking in opium or heroin, two counts of trafficking in cocaine, and two counts of possession with intent to sell/deliver fentanyl.

Beaufort County deputies say the 26-year-old Winterville man’s arrest ended a three-month-long drug investigation into Pippins selling fentanyl in the county.

Deputies say they seized nearly 270 fentanyl pills, about an ounce of cocaine, and just over $9,000 in cash.

Pippins was jailed on a $160,000 secured bond.

Deputies say since January 1st, they have seized enough fentanyl to potentially kill over 50,000 people.

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WITN) - The U.S. president is expected to visit North Carolina today, but plans have shifted after a deadly officer shooting in Charlotte Monday.

President Joe Biden will be visiting Charlotte and Wilmington. Officials say Biden was originally supposed only to visit Wilmington. However, after the deadly shooting Monday that killed four law enforcement officers, he will be visiting the families of those lost in the line of duty, according to WITN’s sister station in Charlotte, WBTV.

The four lost were Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Joshua Eyer, U.S. Marshals Task Force members N.C. Department of Adult Correction veterans Sam Poloche and Alden Elliott, and Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas M. Weeks Jr.

In addition to the president’s visit, a procession for U.S. Marshals task force member Elliott will also happen Thursday. Wednesday, a similar somber procession for Weeks went up I-77 as his body was escorted to Mooresville.

According to our sister station WECT, Biden is to discuss his “Investing in America” agenda, which includes an emphasis on job creation and rebuilding infrastructure.

The news station says Biden’s visit Thursday will be in his official capacity as president and not a campaign stop, and it comes just two weeks after Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, had to cancel a rally in Wilmington due to bad weather.

ONSLOW COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - Many cats and dogs are stuck in shelters and waiting for theirs to be empty.

Onslow County Animal Services is lowering adoption fees for the next two weeks in a move that could make that happen.

It’s all possible as the county is partnering with the Bissell Pet Foundation.

Through May 15th, all adult dog adoptions are reduced to $50 and all adult cat adoptions will be $20.

“By partnering with the Empty the Shelters program we are able to ensure that pet adoption is affordable for any family who wishes to provide a loving home,” said Animal Services Director Richard Gabbert. “This helps save the lives of animals who may not otherwise have found a home and helps to reduce pet overpopulation.”

This is the first time Onslow County has participated in the Empty the Shelters program, which since 2016 has helped more than 190,000 pets find their forever homes.

PITT COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - A new partnership in the East is working to highlight Pitt County and the opportunities the area has to offer.

Greenville ENC Alliance and Livability Magazine have launched a new print magazine as a tool to showcase Pitt County as a premiere place to live, work, and visit.

Josh Lewis, Greenville ENC Alliance President and CEO says, “We’re partnering with Livability Magazine, which is a publication that is super important to some of our goals. They track and rank communities, they put out publications about the news, and the quality of life that certain communities possess. We want to make sure we’re highlighted in their publication and make sure our story is getting out.”

The main goal is to showcase the outstanding quality of life that ENC offers for families moving to the area and organizations and businesses already in Pitt County and beyond.

Morgan May, Humane Society of Eastern Carolina Assistant Director says, “It really highlights some of the best parts of Greenville. There is so much going on, especially when you’re new to this area, it’s hard to know what’s good and know what’s going on so it really highlights the little gems of Greenville that a lot of people don’t know about. My hometown of Grimesland is a part of it which I was actually really surprised to see.”

The Humane Society of Eastern Carolina is just one of many organizations in the print.

“A lot of the things we do are by word of mouth. We can promote all day, every day but the more people share and tell their friends, the more people know the more fosters that we have, and the more lives we’re able to save. The more people that come to Greenville the better our economy is, it also helps us being that we are 100% donation-based. That does help support us,” May told WITN.

Some of the articles mentioned in this year’s copy are ‘Reasons to move to Greenville right now’, ‘Finding ways to get connected in the Pitt County area’, and ‘Where the best places to live in the area are’.

For more information on this year’s print and access to the digital magazine, visit the Livability website.

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Pineapple salsa is easy to make with basic fresh ingredients!

Here’s what you’ll need from the store:

• Pineapple
• Red bell pepper
• Red onion
• Jalapeño (if you are not a fan of spice, you can skip this ingredient)
• Cilantro
• Limes
• Beans

Chop up the pineapple, red bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno and throw into a bowl. Add cilantro, squeezed lime, and beans. Serve with tortilla chips or even on a taco!

MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WITN) - The 2024 North Carolina Shell Show is returning to Morehead City this weekend!

Shells gathered from the seven seas will come together at the Crystal Coast Civic Center!

Location:

Crystal Coast Civic Center 3505 Arendell StreetMorehead City, NC 28557 (located on the Intercoastal Waterway, just across the street from Carteret General Hospital )

Show hours:

Dealer’s Set-up: Thursday, May 2, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Exhibitor’s Set-up: May 2, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Judging: Thursday, May 2, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00. p.m.

Open to the Public:-----

Friday, May 3, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 4, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 5, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Banquet: Saturday, May 4, 6:30 p.m.

Show Strike: Sunday, May 5, 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Admission Charges

ADULTS - $5.00

SENIORS & MILITARY- $3.00

CHILDREN - ADMITTED FREE

BERTIE COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - Two teenagers were airlifted to a trauma center last night after a four-vehicle crash in one Eastern Carolina county.

The Highway Patrol says the accident happened around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Highway 305 and Hexlena Road, south of Aulander.

Troopers say a car on Hexlena Road ran the stop sign and was t-boned by a truck that was traveling on Highway 305.

The car then hit a third vehicle, which then struck a parked dump truck that was on the shoulder of the road.

The car that troopers say ran the stop sign was driven by an 18-year-old woman and her passenger was an 18-year-old man. Both were taken to ECU Health Medical Center in critical condition.

The intersection was shut down for four hours because of the crash.

Troopers have yet to release names of those involved and charges are pending against the driver of the car.

CRAVEN COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - There’s been another arrest in a cold case murder in one Eastern Carolina county.

Craven County deputies have charged Robert Simmons, Jr. with accessory after the fact in the death of Leon Carmen.

The 45-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday. Deputies say he and murder suspect Gerald Brimmer, Jr. live at the same address on Highway 55 outside of New Bern.

The body of Carmen was found in the back of his vehicle that was parked on the side of Woodrow McCoy Road on July 27, 2018. An autopsy said the 25-year-old man had been shot.

Deputies say the case got a break when Brimmer was charged with the man’s murder.

Simmons is being held on a $250,000 bond.

BEAUFORT COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - If you’re looking to shoot some sporting clays while also helping raise money for sick and injured children here in Eastern Carolina we have an event for you.

The 27th Annual Colony Tire & Pinnacle Trailer Sales Sporting Clays Miracle Shoot will take place May 3rd and 4th.

The shoot raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network and the James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital in Greenville.

It will take place at 506 Decoy Drive, Washington.

The event has increased contributions to CMN from $12,000 in 1996 to over $100,000 with over 600 people taking part in recent years.

For cost and registration information click here.

The event is hosted by the Eastern North Carolina Log A Load for Kids Campaign.

GOLDSBORO, N.C. (WITN) - A man is now in jail on charges that he killed a teenager more than three months ago in one Eastern Carolina city.

Goldsboro police say Kenyatta Sutton was arrested on Wednesday for first degree murder.

Marshall Wiseman, 17, was gunned down back on January 13th in the 900 block of North Madison Avenue.

Police say during the investigation they were able to develop the 21-year-old Goldsboro man as a suspect in the murder. He was taken into custody around 6:15 p.m. on North Berkeley Boulevard.

Sutton was jailed without bond and police say future arrests in the murder case are possible.

Wiseman’s family still has a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral expenses.

GOLDSBORO, N.C. (WITN) - There are more charges against a Goldsboro man who is accused of killing another man this past weekend in a store parking lot.

Goldsboro police have charged Hakeem Coley with attempted first degree murder, in addition to first degree murder.

Police say they learned there was a second victim in Saturday morning’s shooting on East Ash Street in the parking lot of Kim’s Beauty Supplies.

Julian Edwards, 55, was not injured in the shooting, according to police.

Killed in the shooting was Kristopher Faison, 26, of Goldsboro. Coley was arrested the night of the shooting but so far police haven’t released a motive.

Coley remains in jail without bond.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WITN) - A Jacksonville man won the first $1 million prize in a new lottery game.

The North Carolina Education Lottery announced that Joseph Mclamb won the first of six $1 million prizes of their new game, The Ultimate Dash.

Mclamb, according to the lottery, bought his $10 ticket from the Circle K on New Bern Highway in Jacksonville. He took home a lump sum of $429,003 after required taxes.

Five more $1 million prizes remain available. The Ultimate Dash debuted in April, according to a news release.

BEAUFORT COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - If you’re looking to shoot some sporting clays while also helping raise money for sick and injured children here in Eastern Carolina we have an event for you.

The 27th Annual Colony Tire & Pinnacle Trailer Sales Sporting Clays Miracle Shoot will take place May 3rd and 4th in Beaufort County.

The shoot raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network and the James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital in Greenville.

It will take place at 506 Decoy Drive, Washington.

The event has increased contributions to CMN from $12,000 in 1996 to over $100,000 with over 600 people taking part in recent years.

For cost and registration information click here.

The event is hosted by the Eastern North Carolina Log A Load for Kids Campaign.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Sheriffs would be required to temporarily hold inmates in jail that federal immigration agents believe are in the country illegally under a bill passed by the North Carolina Senate on Thursday.

But unlike two previous versions of the bill successfully shot down by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto in the last five years, the measure stands a strong chance of becoming law thanks to GOP seat gains.

The Senate voted along party lines for the measure in a 28-16 vote. Now the legislation returns to the House, where Speaker Tim Moore said Wednesday he supports the measure and that his chamber could vote on the Senate changes as soon as next week.

An affirmative House vote would send the measure to Cooper, who could veto it again. But GOP supermajority in both chambers since last year means Cooper’s veto could be overridden and the bill enacted if Republicans stay united.

The bill, sponsored by several key House leaders, centers around the issue of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers. Those are requests for local law enforcement to notify federal immigration agents about an inmate believed to be in the country unlawfully and maintain custody.

State Republicans have said the need for the bill is apparent as several sheriffs across the state, particularly from Democratic urban counties, haven’t cooperated with immigration agents.

“Most sheriffs comply, but we have a few who don’t want to,” said Wilson County Republican Sen. Buck Newton on Thursday. “This has been going on for years and years and years that it’s reached the point of critical mass.”

Under the proposed changes, all sheriffs or jailers are required to hold inmates accused of serious crimes for up to 48 hours if a detainer is issued. It also mandates the involvement of judicial officials to order law enforcement to hold the inmate in question, according to the bill.

A Senate amendment to the bill would allow anyone to file a complaint with the state Attorney’s General Office if they believe a jail administrator is not complying with the law. The legislation would go into effect on July 1.

Senate Republicans used a parliamentary maneuver to table another amendment from Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed, a Mecklenburg County Democrat, that would allow a district attorney to file an objection to a detainer on behalf of a crime victim who seeks prosecution against an inmate in North Carolina. A district judge would have the ultimate say over whether a jail administrator would comply with a detainer request.

“You need to join me in supporting victims of crime and victims of domestic violence and prosecutors across our state by allowing them to seek justice by voting no,” Mohammed said.

Current state law already asks sheriffs or other law enforcement officials to check an inmate’s legal status if they are charged with serious crimes. If the jailer cannot determine someone’s legal status, a query should be sent to ICE.

Two previous iterations of the bill failed to become law in 2019 and 2022 when Cooper vetoed them and Democrats held enough seats to block an override veto.

In response to the legislation, the governor’s office said Wednesday that Cooper was concerned if the bill was constitutional and effective in making communities safer. It would take away authority from sheriffs for “purely political purposes,” spokesperson Jordan Monaghan said.

As with previous bill versions, advocates for Latino immigrants spoke against the mandate in Senate committees this week and during a lobbying day on Wednesday.

They said the requirement would actually make communities less safe by instilling fear into immigrants, especially those who are undocumented, by discouraging them from reporting crimes or building trust with law enforcement.

“The Republican majority in this legislature continues to push forward extreme laws that target immigrants and punishes our community for merely existing,” Axel Herrera Ramos of Durham with the advocacy group Mi Familia en Acción said at a rally outside the old Capitol building. “Don’t tell me it’s about safety.”

At least six states broadly outlaw local agencies’ ability to restrict federal immigration law enforcement involvement, National Conference of State Legislatures policy analyst Jay Gideon said in an email. These prohibitions aim to strike down “sanctuary” policies that do not enforce local cooperation with federal immigration agents.

Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp also signed a bill Wednesday requiring jailers to check inmates’ immigration status and criminalizes the failure to do so.

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - WITN is teaming up with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive ahead of the summer season.

The blood drive will be held on the American Red Cross bus parked in the WITN parking lot on Thursday May 23rd. The blood drive will be held from 9am to 1pm.

Each donation will come with an exclusive Tetris and Red Cross T-shirt.

Visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter WITN to schedule an appointment.