Edwards Jury To Resume Deliberations Monday

Friday, May 18 2012 by Jeff Tiberii

Jessica Jones: Jury deliberations will continue into next week at the John Edwards trial. Jeff Tiberii reports from Greensboro.

Jeff Tiberii: After about four hours of deliberations there was no verdict and the jurors went home for the weekend. The jury requested about a dozen pieces of evidence, the transcript from one witness and some office supplies. Judge Catherine Eagles told the jurors to rely on their notes and memories, and denied the transcript request. The jury of 8 men and four women heard 17 days of testimony. The four alternates impaneled will also return on Monday but have not taken part in the deliberations. Edwards was indicted last June on six counts of campaign finance violations. The government alleges that, the former two-time presidential candidate used about one million dollars from two wealthy donors in an attempt to hide his pregnant mistress. The defense says Edwards has committed a sin, but no felony.

NC Unemployment Rate Drops Again

Friday, May 18 2012 by Gurnal Scott

Jessica Jones: North Carolina's unemployment rate is continuing to show improvement. Gurnal Scott reports.

Gurnal Scott: The state's jobless rate in April fell to 9-point-4 percent down three-tenths from 9-point-7 percent in March. This marks four straight months that the rate has gone down. Larry Parker is spokesman for the state Commerce Department's Division of Employment Security. He says while the decrease is good news, it doesn't mean the state's economic recovery is speeding up.

Larry Parker: The number of people unemployed dropped by just over 12-thousand-600 while the number of people employed only went up slightly and jobs overall were kind of flat so it was mainly that loss in the labor force that caused the rate to drop down.

Parker says retirement and people giving up the job search can contribute to a drop in the unemployment rate. North Carolina's rate is still above the national jobless rate of 8-point-1 percent.

Friday Improving

Friday, May 18 2012 by Dave DeWitt

Bill Friday (Photo: UNC-TV)

Jessica Jones: Bill Friday's condition is improving. But the former UNC system president still remains in critical condition at UNC Hospitals. Dave DeWitt reports.

Dave DeWitt: Friday has been in the hospital since Wednesday. The short statement released by his family today does not give a specific reason for Friday's illness, but does say his condition has improved slightly thanks to the placement of a permanent pacemaker yesterday. The 91-year old Friday received a heart valve replacement in 2009. The statement from the family thanks friends for their support and asks for privacy. Friday was president of the UNC system for 30 years - the longest tenure of any university president in the 20th century.

Runoff Elections Set

Friday, May 18 2012 by Gurnal Scott

Eric Hodge: The races are set for primary runoff elections in two months. Gurnal Scott reports.

Gurnal Scott: Several Council of State races, congressional contests and state legislative elections will take place in this 2nd primary set for July 17. Gary Bartlett of the State Board of Elections says he hasn't seen more than an eight-percent turnout for a runoff during his tenure. Bartlett adds the low turnout saves the state some money when it re-opens the polls

Gary Bartlett: The labor costs will be less for a 2nd primary than a regular primary election. However you're looking at anywhere from four-to-five million dollars statewide.

That compares to up to six million dollars for the initial primary. Bartlett says record participation in a North Carolina runoff was 19 percent in 1990. He thinks this year's G-O-P congressional races in western North Carolina could come close to that.

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