Local search for North Carolina

32+ min ago (339+ words) Piney Grove Baptist Church in Winston-Salem hosted a community Thanksgiving meal to provide comfort and companionship to those facing hardships during the holidays. Piney Grove Baptist Church in Winston-Salem opened its doors to the community this Thanksgiving, offering a warm meal and a sense of belonging to those facing hardships this holiday season. While many families gathered at home, Piney Grove Baptist Church sought to be a church beyond its walls, providing a warm meal to anyone who walked in. Senior Pastor Brandon Helton explained the mission behind the event. "Comfort, hope, encouragement, the shutdown really initiated the idea and certainly we're grateful that the government is open, but the lasting effects of it are still permeating throughout our community," Helton said. The church prepared enough food for up to 500 people, with plans to deliver any overflow to local shelters....

1+ hour, 26+ min ago (1053+ words) Pope Leo XIV encouraged Turkey to be a source of stability and dialogue in a world riven by conflict, as he opened his first foreign trip as pope on Thursday with a plea for peace amid efforts to end wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The American pope emphasized a message of peace as he arrived in Ankara, welcomed on the tarmac by a military guard of honor and at the presidential palace by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Speaking to Erdogan and the country's diplomatic corps at a library in the palace complex, Leo praised Turkey's historic role as a bridge between East and West, at the crossroads of religions and cultures. "May Turkey be a source of stability and rapprochement between peoples, in service of a just and lasting peace," he said, speaking in front of a giant globe. "Today,…...

1+ hour, 54+ min ago (211+ words) CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas " On a day when families across the country gather to celebrate Thanksgiving traditions, one Corpus Christi tradition continues to stand out for its generosity and community spirit. The 82nd annual Joe Salem Thanksgiving meal took place today, serving 600 traditional turkey leg meals to anyone who wanted to show up. The event represents a significant increase from the usual 500 meals, as organizers recognized a greater need in the community this year. Joe Salem was a local businessman who began this tradition in 1943 for people who might not have a Thanksgiving meal to look forward to. Salem passed away in 2001, but the tradition lives on through the dedication of community volunteers. A small army of volunteers began prepping the traditional turkey leg meals around 4 a.m. at Sokol Gym on Kostoryz. The event was open to anyone who wanted to participate. "The…...

2+ hour, 1+ min ago (294+ words) A feat before the feast: Why more than 1,500 people flocked to Downtown Greensboro on Thanksgiving morning for fun and family Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Greensboro this morning for the 25th annual Greensboro Gobbler 5K. It's a beloved tradition in the Piedmont-Triad that combines families and allows them to get in some bonding time while burning calories before the big Thanksgiving feast. Kari Hilton decided to run with her entire family. She brought 33 people, including her husband, kids and grandkids. "We have 20 kids and 13 adults." She pointed them out to us as they ran by, and she added, "They all came for Thanksgiving and my kids are runners, they just love to run." Hilton said her family is super competitive and there will be bragging rights by dinnertime. Organizer Tanya Fiello said that over its 25-year history, it's grown in popularity....

2+ hour, 16+ min ago (333+ words) CHARLOTTE, N.C. " More than one million adult North Carolinians live with some form of diabetes. Whether it's the autoimmune type 1 or the insulin-resistant type 2, Dr. Adam Spitz shares ways you can live a healthier life. "The longer you do nothing about it, the more it progresses," he said, "and the more it progresses, the harder it is to reverse." Dr. Spitz, a diabetes specialist at Novant Health, says your body will show you the signs early on. "More than double the people with diabetes have what's called "prediabetes.' That's an abnormal glucose, but you're not yet diabetic, and the importance of that is that that's your little warning light," he said. That warning light should encourage early detection, as well as a healthy and active lifestyle. "You can reverse it if you catch it early, and that's the important thing," Dr....

2+ hour, 25+ min ago (399+ words) CHARLOTTE, N.C. " While many families spent Thanksgiving gathered around their tables, one Charlotte nonprofit spent the day making sure hundreds of neighbors without housing didn't go without a meal or essential supplies. Thanks to an outpouring of donations, Champion House of Care expanded its annual Thanksgiving outreach to three locations across the city, marking its largest impact yet. More than 75 volunteers assisted, handing out hot meals, toiletries, coats, gloves, and even sleeping bags. At each stop, organizers said the need was clear, with lines forming before they even arrived. "We're grateful to know that we can give a child, seniors, unsheltered families a hot meal," said Janette Kinard, the Executive Director of Champion House of Care. But Kinard said this year also brought new challenges. Organizers added an additional stop at an extended-stay hotel, where more than 100 people experiencing homelessness had…...

2+ hour, 59+ min ago (133+ words) Two teens died in a crash on Highway 62, the State Highway Patrol said. On Thursday, Nov. 27, around 5 a.m. Highway Patrol said they responded to a single-vehicle crash on Highway 62 near Friendship Patterson Mill Road in Alamance County. Officers said a Dodge Ram pickup was heading south on the highway when it ran off the road, struck a pole shed, and overturned. Naraya Benjamin, 16, of Greensboro, and Briahna Victoria McCain, 16, of Liberty, were killed in the crash, officials said. The 17-year-old driver and the rest of the travelers, whose ages range from 15 to 18, were taken to the hospital, according to officers. Law enforcement said they believe speed and impairment were factors in the crash, and an investigation is underway to determine charges....

3+ hour, 9+ min ago (406+ words) CHARLOTTE, N.C. " The aroma of roasting turkey fills most homes on Thanksgiving, but at Medic headquarters, the only thing cooking is preparation for the next emergency call. For first responders across Mecklenburg County, Thanksgiving isn't a day off; it's another shift where lives hang in the balance. WCNC Charlotte spent time with Medic crews who are trading family gatherings for flashing lights and sirens, all while finding ways to keep the holiday spirit alive. "The holidays are a challenging time for us. We want to give time off for our employees, but also be prepared for emergencies that happen any time of the year," said Lester Oliva with Medic. The reality is sobering: Medical emergencies don't pause for turkey and stuffing. "Heart attacks, cardiac arrest and strokes don't take a break for the holidays," Oliva said. But the holiday season brings…...

3+ hour, 19+ min ago (1205+ words) An Afghan national has been accused of shooting two West Virginia National Guard members just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence at a time when the presence of troops in the nation's capital and other cities around the country has become a political flashpoint. FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the guard members were hospitalized in critical condition after Wednesday afternoon's shooting. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey had walked back his statement Wednesday announcing the troops had died, saying he received "conflicting reports" about their condition. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday morning declined to comment on the condition of the National Guard members who were shot, but said during an appearance on Fox News that they had "come through surgery." Bondi added that charges against the suspect would be based…...

3+ hour, 42+ min ago (487+ words) WASHINGTON " A passenger has gone missing after disembarking from a Caribbean cruise, police confirmed Wednesday." Ann Evans, 55, is a U.S. citizen who was cruising on the Rotterdam, a Holland America ship. When the ship made a stop at Port St. Maarten in Philipsburg on Nov. 20, she got off for a tour, according to the Police Force of Sint Maarten." "At approximately 10:00 a.m., she departed the ship on an organized island tour," the agency said in a missing person alert. "During the tour, Ms. Evans disembarked the bus in Marigot, French Saint Martin, during the tour but did not return to the bus or to the cruise vessel."" In a statement to USA Today, Holland America said that the company "notified local authorities immediately and we are working closely with them to confirm the guest's whereabouts." The Rotterdam left Fort Lauderdale on "Nov....