What is an Ashanti Alert?

Answer: An Ashanti Alert is issued by the NC Center for Missing Persons when an adult between the ages of 18 and 64 is reported missing and there is evidence that his or her physical safety is at risk.

The Ashanti Alert is named after Ashanti Billie, a 19-year-old woman who was kidnapped and killed from Norfolk, Virginia in 2017. Her body was found 11 days after the abduction in Charlotte, near the parents’ home of Eric Brian Brown, the 45-year-old man accused of kidnapping her.

President Donald Trump signed the Ashanti Alerts Act into law on December 31, 2018.

“Ashanti Alerts enable rapid dissemination of information about adults reported missing to law enforcement, the media and the public, as well as information about suspects in cases of suspected abduction,” the state center’s website says.

The Centre is the only authority that can authorise an Ashanti Alert. The law enforcement agency investigating the disappearance must request activation if there is sufficient evidence to meet the criteria.

The criteria for activation:

*An adult between the ages of 18 and 64 is missing.

*There are indications that they may be in danger.

*It is possible that they did not leave the country voluntarily, for example because of a kidnapping.

Q: I seem to remember that about 10 years ago there was a bike race planned in Lexington, but it had to be cancelled because of a new road surface. I think it was too bumpy and unsafe for cyclists. I seem to remember that the roads were repaved a second time shortly after. Did that happen? GT

Answer: Yes, that’s right. Tabitha Jenkins of the City of Lexington said the race was part of the annual Lexington Barbecue Festival.

Jenkins said the race was scheduled for Main Street, but when the road was repaved before the festival, it was not properly sealed, causing the pavement to warp.

“The people who have these bikes have spent a lot of money on them and would not have wanted to ride them,” she said.

The road was later resurfaced without any problems.

Q: There was a display case in the lobby of the old Forsyth County Courthouse. It told the story of the county’s first two courthouses and displayed artifacts from those. The artifacts were uncovered during an archaeological field study in 1973. I did not see the display case in the new courthouse when I was serving as a jury. I also think the display case should be somewhere where local residents can see it. JM

Answer: Her wish was granted, said Todd Luck, a Forsyth County spokesman.

“The referenced artifacts were requested from the Central Library and handed over to them.

“They are currently housed in the North Carolina Room and can be viewed there as a temporary exhibition.”

The new Forsyth County Courthouse opened on October 23, 2023.