The U.S. Department of Justice reports that Charlotte misused more than $130,000 of the $50 million in federal funds the city received to host the DNC. "Overall, auditors for the Justice Department's inspector general's office said, the city used the federal funds appropriately and no evidence was found to suggest the city intentionally misled federal officials." The city will repay part of the money, "which it says [was] charged in error," but plans to dispute the rest.
The long-awaited coal-ash bill was introduced during the General Assembly's short session yesterday. "The problem with [the bill]," says Sam Perkins, the Catawba Riverkeeper, "is that it, almost verbatim, is a revival of the proposed settlement that was not only rejected by 5,000 people in comments, it was withdrawn by the state because it was so inadequate."
Fast-food workers are walking off the job today to protest the minimum wage. In Charlotte, the rally will kick off at 11 a.m. on Sunset Road.
About 10,000 gallons of oil spilled onto Los Angeles streets early this morning from a 20-inch pipe. "A geyser of crude spewed 20 feet high over approximately half a mile at about 12:15 a.m. and was knee-high in some parts of the industrial area of Atwater Village before the oil line was remotely shut off, said Fire Capt. Jaime Moore."