Wrongly imprisoned 26 years, NC man is granted a full pardon
RALEIGH, N.C. — Dontae Sharpe was granted a pardon of innocence Friday by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper after spending more than a quarter of a century incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit.
Sharpe, who is from Charlotte, was released from prison in August 2019 after being arrested and wrongly charged with first-degree murder when he was 19. His arrest was largely based on the testimony of a woman who later admitted she lied.
“I haven’t soaked it in yet,” Sharpe said, visibly emotional, during an interview with reporters Friday afternoon. “It was a surprise.”
He has been advocating for a pardon since his exoneration, and gathered in July with activists in front of the state Capitol in Raleigh to urge Cooper to grant him a full pardon.
Sharpe said at the rally that his mother spent her whole savings sending him money and trying to prove his innocence, and the state failed to support him after his release.
Advocates have argued that Sharpe’s wrongful conviction is evidence of racism in North Carolina’s legal system, and have said that pardons are an important step toward changing that.
Sharpe is eligible now to file a claim against the state of North Carolina for compensation.
—The Charlotte Observer
Third-busiest hurricane season in history winding down
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — An active hurricane season that saw North America peppered with landfalls appears to have fizzled out early, with forecasters saying they don’t expect any more storms.
The disappearance of a potential subtropical storm in the middle of the Atlantic Friday left the ocean clear of any threats with less than three weeks to go before hurricane season ends Nov. 30. While no one will rule out late-season action, the season has been extraordinarily quiet since early October, with just a single tropical storm forming since then.
Cooler water and a high amount of wind shear — the high-altitude cross winds that can tear apart storms — have created a hostile environment for hurricanes.
“All signs so far are pointing to no additional activity over the next couple of weeks,” said Randy Adkins, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, the private forecasting service. “It does appear wind shear is going to remain relatively strong over the next couple of weeks. With that in mind, we’re not anticipating anything that could become a threat.”
The quiet end comes after the third-busiest season on record, with 21 named storms, exhausting the list of names designated for this year, from Ana to Wanda. Also high was the number of landfalls absorbed by the United States, with seven storms striking the country, well above the three seen in a typical season. Although Florida was hit three times, none of the storms came close to South Florida.
—South Florida Sun Sentinel
Death of Winter the dolphin saddens thousands in Florida
TAMPA, Fla. — Parents, movie fans and animal care workers are among those taking to social media to express their sorrow at the death Thursday night of Winter the dolphin, who was under treatment for a suspected gastrointestinal infection at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Rescued from crab-trap rope near Cape Canaveral, Winter was fitted with a prosthetic tail and became an inspiration to people with disabilities and fans worldwide at the aquarium where she lived for 15 years. Her story was told in the hit 2011 movie "Dolphin Tale" and a sequel featuring Hope, another dolphin cared for at the aquarium.
More than 20,000 people had posted their condolences at the aquarium’s Facebook page by 8:30 a.m. Friday. Many more posted on Twitter and Instagram, including people who tagged the stars of the movie — Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Harry Connick Jr.
Another star, Austin Highsmith Garces, who played the head dolphin specialist Phoebe in both films, posted on Twitter, “How can I put into words what Winter meant to me & to millions of kids and people … this one little dolphin changed the world.”
A public memorial service was planned for Saturday.
—Tampa Bay Times
Against CDC advice, Missouri county ends mask mandate
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The mask mandate in eastern Jackson County ended 10 days ahead of schedule on Friday morning when county legislators voted 5-4 to suspend the county's health order immediately.
The decision came despite statistics that health officials said warranted a continuation of mask wearing indoors in public places, according to guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.
But legislators have been under heavy pressure from constituents who opposed the restrictions, receiving many phone calls and emails asking them, and not always politely, to rescind the order, which was to have ended on Nov. 22.
County Executive Frank White, who wanted the mandate to continue until the deadline, said protesters had been outside his home. Legislator Jalen Anderson said the discourse on both sides of the issue has been uncivil and hurtful.
"What a time we live in that such anger controls the narrative," he said.
Anderson, Crystal Williams, Scott Burnett and Charlie Franklin had consistently voted to keep the mandate intact previously when the issue came up for a vote.
Sensing he was losing support for the mandate running its course, White asked the legislature to not end the restrictions immediately. He said it would create chaos and confusion in schools, which needed time to prepare.
But Galvin said school officials have had plenty of time to prepare.
"The people of Jackson County want this over with," she said.
—The Kansas City Star
