Law

A gun-rights group is suing the city of Winston-Salem over what it claims are unconstitutional restrictions of concealed weapons.

Two years ago the general assembly gave cities the ability to regulate concealed handguns at county and municipal recreational facilities. Winston-Salem leaders defined recreational facilities as playgrounds, swimming pools, athletic fields and athletics facilities. Of the city's 69 parks, concealed handguns are prohibited in parts or all of 52.

Two same-sex couples are submitting applications for marriage licenses today, knowing they will be turned down. The couples are heading to courthouses in Wilson and Winston-Salem as part of a movement called "We Do" from the group Campaign for Southern Equality. The organization hosted a similar event last week in Asheville as a protest of North Carolina's constitutional ban of gay marriage. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara is the group's executive director and an openly gay minister in the United Church of Christ.

A company planning to bring nearly 500 jobs to Winston-Salem is being investigated by the federal government.

Just last month Herbalife announced plans to develop an east coast distribution center and create more than 490 new full-time jobs. Now the Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into the nutrition and skin care company, after claims by some investors that Herbalife is a well organized pyramid scheme. Mayor Allen Joines said the State Attorney General already looked into these allegations and found nothing illegal.

A new chief has been hired for the Fayetteville Police Department.

Harold Medlock accepted the job as top cop in Fayetteville today. He appeared at a news conference with his wife to be formally introduced as chief. Medlock comes to Fayetteville from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department where he served as deputy chief. He says he won't begin his new duties until mid-February.

There were 460 meth lab busts in the state last year. That's a record high. It's up from 344 busts the year before. State Bureau of Investigation agents attribute the rise to an increase in a simpler method of making the drug called "one-pot" or "shake and bake." Criminals cook the meth in a plastic soda bottle - using much smaller levels of the main ingredient, pseudo-ephedrine - commonly found in cold medicine.