The North Carolina Beat

  Emergency medical personnel in Onslow County are facing scrutiny after screenshots of a private group chat allegedly show racist and homophobic conversations among staff members. The Messages The screenshots, submitted anonymously to The North Carolina Beat, appear to show a group chat labeled "Work GC" with participants identified as Onslow County EMS employees. Messages include references to "pure gene pools," racial slurs embedded in street addresses, and derogatory language about the Black Lives Matter movement and LGBTQ individuals. The participants are identified as Rebecca Davis (Paramedic Captain), Kyle Wenner (paramedic), and Joshua Mullin (EMT-Basic). The Conversations One exchange appears to discuss "muddying the gene pool" with participants clarifying whether this refers to incest or interracial relationships. Messages express disgust and end with "#puregenepool." Another screenshot shows someone using a homophobic slur in reference...

  A pet store in Jacksonville NC is facing serious legal trouble after a customer claims he was sold a sick puppy and then publicly defamed when he sought answers. Gerald Jackson filed suit against The Pet Warehouse and owner Cheryl Wyman this week, alleging fraud, unfair trade practices, and defamation stemming from a puppy purchase that went wrong. The Transaction Gone Bad Jackson bought a French Bulldog from The Pet Warehouse in October for $3,000. The store allegedly assured him the puppy was healthy and properly vetted. Days later, the dog tested positive for hookworms at a local veterinary hospital. Court documents state that when Jackson tried to resolve the issue, store owner Wyman became combative, called law enforcement, and later posted online that Jackson attempted to extort the business. State Investigation Confirms Problems Regulators with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture investigated the complaint and confirmed violations. The Pet Warehouse was cited for ...