The town on Thursday filed a notice to challenge a federal court's ruling that Cary's sign ordinance violated a resident's free speech rights.

The one-page filing is the first step toward taking the case to U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond, Va.

The case is expected to take months to argue with a decision possible late this year.

Cary is seeking to uphold the constitutionality of its sign rules after a lower court judge sided with David Bowden, allowing him to keep his "Screwed by the town of Cary" sign painted in large lettering on the front of his home.

The council cleared the appeal at a closed-door meeting last month, as first reported by The Cary News.

"This case is no longer about one municipality's decision to regulate one homeowner's sign," said Mayor Harold Weinbrecht in a statement. "If the Court rules that Cary's approach is unconstitutional, then many communities could also find their sign rules challenged."

Arrest made in break-ins

From Staff Reports

CARY An 18-year-old Cary man has been arrested and charged in a series of break-ins in downtown Cary, authorities said.

Michael William Bingham, 18, of S. West Street, is charged with six counts of felony breaking and entering and two counts of larceny from a motor vehicle, Cary police said.

Bingham is accused of breaking into businesses, a storage shed and unlocked vehicles along East Chatham Street during the overnight hours from March 15 through April 20.

Police said he took stereo equipment, satellite radios, GPS units, clothing and sports equipment from Salon de Belleza Jessica, Sports and Fashions, Methodist Children's Center, Gurkan Downtown Auto Repair and Rich's Style Shop.

Bingham was initially being held at the Wake County jail on a $20,000 bond.

Cary man faces porn charges

From Staff Reports

CARY A Cary man was arrested Tuesday after town investigators accused him of multiple counts of duplicating child pornography.

Edward Andrew Karpus, 40, of 1C 100 Arbor Way, was charged with 12 counts of second degree exploitation of a minor and three counts of third degree exploitation of a minor, according to a Wake County magistrate.

He duplicated several images and films depicting child pornography, according to an arrest warrant. Karpus was released on a $20,000 cash bond.