MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1963, golfer Cathy Johnston-Forbes was born in High Point. Johnston-Forbes golfed for the University of North Carolina in college and won her first LPGA tournament at age 26.

Today in Top Stories, you'll find heartwarming news about a World War II cargo plane that delivers gifts and candy to North Carolina kids. Also, let us know in today's poll if you'd drink a new beer made in Charlotte with recycled water!

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Duke LAX Rape Accuser Confesses to Lying

Convicted murderer and former stripper Crystal Mangum, who accused three Duke University lacrosse players of raping her at a team party in 2006, admitted Thursday she made it all up.

During an interview with Katerena DePasquale of Let's Talk With Kat, Mangum said she "testified falsely against them by saying they raped me when they didn't, and that was wrong."

Mangum, now 46, also asked for forgiveness from the men she accused.

The interview took place at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women in Raleigh, where Mangum is serving a 12-year sentence for killing her boyfriend.

In 2007, then-Attorney General Roy Cooper dropped the charges against all three men and declared them innocent. Case prosecutor Mike Nifong was disbarred and jailed.

Stephen Miller, recently named President-elect Donald Trump's incoming Deputy Chief of Staff, was the only Duke student to go on record 18 years ago defending the accused men.

UNC Releases Belichick Contract Details

The University of North Carolina posted the terms of incoming head football coach Bill Belichick's contract online Thursday.

The base deal covers five years at $10 million per year, with the first three years guaranteed. It also includes up to $3.5 million in annual incentives based on game wins, conference championships, final poll rankings, academics, and other measures of success.

It also gives the Super Bowl-winning coach $10 million per year for assistant coaches, $1 million for strength and conditioning staff, and $5.3 million for support staff.

NFL quarterback Tom Brady called his former New England Patriots coach a "great teacher" and said he thinks Belichick will "go in there and teach these kids a lot."

Vintage C-54 Delivers Toys and Drops Candy

One of only two C-54 cargo transport planes still flying in the U.S. delivered donated gifts from the Lincolnton School District to Toys for Tots organizers in Asheville last week and dropped candy down to Manteo kids yesterday.

The historic plane, named the Spirit of Freedom, carried out "Operation Air Gift" in Asheville, during which parents and caregivers of western North Carolina children in need drove up to volunteers, who unloaded gifts from the plane and put them into their cars.

Commander Tim Chopp then flew the Spirit of Freedom to the Outer Banks Sunday to drop Christmas candy down to kids in Manteo.

Chopp turned the C-54's interiors into a flying museum dedicated to the legacy of the 1948 and 1949 Berlin Airlift missions, which dropped survival supplies and candies down to U.S. troops.

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➤ Chimney Rock: Hurricane Helene-ravaged businesses in the historic downtown and Lake Lure area opened for one day only on Saturday and made more money than they had since Helene destroyed the area. (See Video)

➤ Raleigh: Former NC State basketball player Quentin Allen Jackson, 58, was sentenced to 84 months in prison and ordered to pay $3 million in restitution after pleading guilty to laundering funds from the COVID Paycheck Protection Act. (More)

➤ Western NC: Bill St. Pierre of Floyd, Virginia, used $750,000 from a GoFundMe account he started to deliver 20 campers to residents displaced by Hurricane Helene. (More)

➤ Apex: After assaulting two people, a man stole a tow truck from the Apex Inspection Center and drove it through Apex Coins & Currency. (See Photo)

➤ Warren County: Police have issued warnings about a social media hoax concerning a fake serial killer message with a mugshot of a Louisiana man. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: A federal judge for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has canceled plans to retire after North Carolina's U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis helped block the Biden administration's choice to replace him. (More)

➤ The Carolina Panthers fell to the Dallas Cowboys 30-14 Sunday, despite being favored to win. Quarterback Bryce Young committed four turnovers and got sacked six times. (More)

➤ Duke basketball star Cooper Flagg and his family donated $10,000 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Triangle. (More)

➤ The Charlotte Hornets and the Chicago Bulls made NBA history Friday night, combining for 75 missed three-point shots—the most in one game in NBA history. (More)

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➤ The State Supreme Court ruled 5-2 in favor of Philip Morris in a dispute with the North Carolina Department of Revenue involving an $8.7 million tax bill. (More)

➤ A recent cyberattack on Charlotte-based Krispy Kreme will likely have "a material impact" on the company's business operations and finances, according to a securities filing the company made earlier this week. (More)

➤ Town Brewing Co. debuted a pale ale called Renew Brew made with recycled water from a Charlotte wastewater treatment plant. The brew won best-in-show at the Queen City Brewers Festival. (More)

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➤ Topsail Airpark, a 130-acre private airport in Hampstead, was listed for $8.5 million and is receiving interest from residential builders and buyers who would continue using it as an airpark. (More)

➤ NASCAR legend Richard Petty donated 403 acres to Victory Junction, a year-round camp in Randleman that Petty's family helped start 20 years ago for children with serious illnesses and chronic medical conditions. (More)

➤ A senior dog named Sugarplum spent weeks at home alone after her family tragically passed away. She's now being cared for by a foster family as she awaits adoption. (See Photo and Details)

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