We wanted to learn more about the man who killed 4 law enforcement officers. So we talked to his friends and dug into his records. He was a traveling electrician and a father of 3. But his record was long - and he went to dangerous lengths to avoid arrest. charlotteobserver.com/news/local/cri…

Such illuminating and important reporting here about the NC lawmakers who quietly tuck big-ticket items into the budget at the 11th hour:
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If Tariq Bokhari gets his way, CMPD officers will get equipment designed to better protect them from gunfire. He has proposed that the city spend about $750,000 for new bullet-proof vests, ballistic shields and “active shooter kits”.
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For sure! We're especially proud of this investigation from McClatchy NC I-team reporter Ames Alexander The Charlotte Observer 🧵 1/5

Special report: Nowhere in North Carolina are construction worker deaths more common than in Mecklenburg County, where more than 40 died on the job over the past decade.
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We dug into public records to shine light on the lives - and deaths - of some construction workers who were killed on the job in North Carolina. One thing is clear: Simple safety precautions could have saved a lot of these people. charlotteobserver.com/news/local/art…

I wrote an essay about school segregation, the courts, public good, and why it all still matters for kids today. It's also about Charlotte, a place that means very much to me.

My latest for The Associated Press, on the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board:

apnews.com/article/school…

A year ago, an enormous fire in SouthPark killed two construction workers. Now there’s a push for more fire prevention.
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Latino workers face staggering risks on NC construction sites. Why are so many dying? We investigate the reasons.
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Once again Ames Alexander reveals a risk that all of us in North Carolina should know about. Great reporting The Charlotte Observer McClatchy

‘Officer down!’ Radio calls detail timeline of east Charlotte gunfight, rescue efforts.
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Kerrey Brindle was just 30 and had three young daughters who were the joy of his life. But in 2022, his life came to a horrific end. While laying sewer pipes in Albemarle, he was buried alive. charlotteobserver.com/news/local/art…

There’s a largely hidden cost to NC’s building boom. Once every 10 days, a construction worker dies on the job. Why is it happening? What we’ve learned may disturb you. Check out “Hard Hat Deaths,” our new investigation on construction site dangers. charlotteobserver.com/news/local/art…

The lawsuit recently filed by family members of those who died in the SouthPark fire provides a timeline of what happened that day, along with a number of new details.

Read more at: charlotteobserver.com/news/local/art…

A series of failures led to the deaths of two construction workers killed in last year’s massive fire in SouthPark, a federal suit filed by the families of the victims alleges. charlotteobserver.com/news/local/art…

Beyond proud of the deep work by The Charlotte Observer journalists this awful week. With more to come. #readlocal

Doing police work in North Carolina has become more deadly - and, some say, more thankless. What keeps so many officers doing it?
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Sam Poloche, one of the officers shot to death in Charlotte Monday, had been looking forward to watching his two sons graduate from high school and college in a couple of weeks.
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Multiple law enforcement officers have been shot in east Charlotte. An a U.S. Marshal has reportedly been killed in the gunfire.
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Some good news today: We've won second place for investigative reporting in the National Headliner contest for our stories about NC's severe autopsy backlog. These delays have created financial crises for too many families. charlotteobserver.com/news/state/nor…