Lunch Break (10/3/16): Arrest made in Villa Heights murder; Greenpeace responds to Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas merger

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Daliamontray Strother
  • Daliamontray Strother
Police have arrested a man in the murder of William Phillips, 45, in the Villa Heights neighborhood last Friday. Phillips was brought to the emergency room by a family member on Friday after suffering trauma. He was later pronounced dead. On Saturday, police arrested Daliamontray Strother, 38, for Phillip's murder and announced they believe the original incident occurred on the 2500 block of Pinckney Avenue. 

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Greenpeace has responded to last week's announcement that the North Carolina Utilities Commission approved Duke Energy's proposed acquirement of Piedmont Natural Gas. Greenpeace has released a statement this morning citing the two companies' previous partnership in planning the construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which will transport natural gas along the Eastern Seaboard. 

“We are disappointed that the McCrory administration has yet again given his former employer Duke Energy whatever it needs to rake in more profits," wrote Greenpeace organizer Caroline Hansley. "The company's intent to expand fracked gas infrastructure is harmful to both the climate and North Carolinians, who have been demanding Duke switch to renewable energy. Instead of building a bridge to nowhere, Duke Energy can and should be leading the way to a renewable energy future. As one of the top political contributors in the state, Duke’s donations help elect officials who vote against distributed renewable energy policies and act in favor of preserving Duke’s monopoly.”

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Police believe a woman who was killed in a crash on Central Avenue on Saturday was suffering from a medical episode at the time of the accident. A CMPD release states that Karen Frierson, 54, "suffered a medical event" while driving on Central Avenue before ramming into a Ford Fusion that was slowing for traffic and then striking a CATS bus with 13 people aboard. Frierson's passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Nobody was else was injured in the wreck.