Wendy's Franchises Post Signs: 'We Stand with Chick-Fil-A': PHOTOS

Jim Furmen, the owner of 86 Wendy's franchises all over North Carolina, has posted this sign on all of his restaurants according to Reddit users. These two photos reportedly come from Asheville.

They've also posted the contact info for the franchise, which I re-posted AFTER THE JUMP...

UPDATE: @Wendys tells us "We're looking into this."

UPDATE II: Wendy's responds that the franchisee responsible for the signs has taken them down and that Wendy's "proudly serves ALL customers".

Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Go Back in the Water: VIDEO

Here to stoke your summer swimming fears is a video from North Carolina's brackish waters.

Carolina Live explains:

William Moore of Franklinton, NC was filming his fiance Sarah Brame catching her first fish when a large Bull shark swooped in and snagged the Red Drum she was reeling in.

"I was actually kind of scared because I seen it jump and actually thought it could jump up here and get me," said Brame. "Because the tide was all the way up, and it was probably three feet below me."

"We couldn't believe how it actually happened," said Moore. "We keep watching the video over and over and over again."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

(via reddit)

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ACLU Sues North Carolina Over 'Second Parent' Adoption

There's no law explicitly prohibiting same-sex couples from adopting children in North Carolina. There is, however, a 2010 law saying unmarried couples, regardless of sexuality, cannot adopt children together. The ACLU hopes to change all that with a new lawsuit filed on behalf of six same-sex couples, the NYDN reports.

[The ACLU] said second parent adoptions are the only way a North Carolina family with gay or lesbian parents can ensure that both parents have a legal relationship with their child.

"Children who are prevented from having such a legally recognized relationship with both parents suffer numerous deprivations as a result, including exclusion from private health insurance benefits, public health benefits, veterans' benefits, disability benefits and social security benefits," the lawsuit said.

They also face uncertain futures about their ability to continue their relationship with their second parent if something should happen to their legal one, Brook said.

"We think that there should be a uniform policy for conducting adoptions in the state of North Carolina that focus entirely on the best interest of the child," he said.

Sharon Gladwell, spokeswoman for the state's Administrative Office of Courts, claims she has yet to even hear of the lawsuit. "This is the first that we have heard of it. The North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts has not yet been served with this lawsuit, nor has NCAOC been involved in any conversations regarding this matter," she said.

North Carolina Cult Leader Pleads Guilty to Murdering 4-Year-Old He Suspected Was Gay

Peter Lucas Moses, the leader of a North Carolina religious sect, pleaded guilty yesterday to the murders of Jadon Higganbothan, 4, and Antoinetta Yvonne McKoy, 28, WRAL reports:

Their bodies were found last June buried behind a house on Ashe Street in Durham where Moses' mother, Sheilda Harris, used to live. Both had been shot in the head, according to autopsy reports...

...Authorities have said Pete Moses led a religious group of women and children who called him “Lord” and feared him. They lived together in a home on Pear Tree Lane in southeast Durham.

A woman who left the group told police that Moses killed Jadon in October 2010 because he thought the child was gay. Prosecutors said in court that Moses became concerned that Jadon had touched one of his sons inappropriately, and they said that he took Jadon to the garage and shot him.

The informant also told police that Moses ordered that McKoy be killed two months later when he learned she couldn't have children and wanted to leave the group. Prosecutors said she was forced back inside the house as she tried to run away and was later killed in a bathroom.

Moses accepted a plea deal sparing him the death penalty for the killings.

Watch WRAL's report, AFTER THE JUMP...

John Edwards Reacts To Not Guilty Verdict, Mistrials On 5 Other Counts: VIDEO

A North Carolina jury found john Edwards not guilty on one count of campaign finance fraud today and a mistrial was declared for the other five charges, all of which stemmed from accusations that Edwards' 2008 presidential campaign knowingly took illegal contributions to hide a pregnant mistress from his terminally wife.

The jury originally told the judge they were hung on the 5 counts, but she ordered them back into deliberations, leading to the 5 mistrials. Edwards, a former senator and White House hopeful, expressed both relief and shame during his post-verdict remarks.

"While I do not believe that I did anything illegal, or even thought I was doing anything illegal, I did an awful, awful lot that was wrong," he said. "There is no one else responsible for my sins."

"I am responsible. And if I want to find the person who should be held accountable for my sins … it is me and me alone."

After thanking daughter Cate for her ongoing support and declaring his love for all of his children and his parents, Edwards told the gathered reporters, "I don't think God's through with me. I really believe he thinks there are still some good things I can do."

Watch Edwards' remarks AFTER THE JUMP.

California Church Buys Billboard For Amendment One Apology In NC

North Carolina voters earlier this month passed Amendment One, a piece of legislation banning civil unions and same-sex marriage. Horrified by the move and hoping to express their solidarity with equality-minded North Carolinians, an inclusive California church spent $3,000 to offer an apology for anti-gay actions taken in the name of Christianity.

"Missiongathering Christian Church is sorry for the narrow-minded, judgmental, deceptive, manipulative actions of those who DENIED rights and equality TO so many in the Name of God," says the billboard, which is placed strategically on a highway named after anti-gay crusader Billy Graham.