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A Durham couple's tragic story has sparked outrage and a wave of negative reviews against a Durham  wedding venue, The Cotton Room, which refused to refund a nearly $18,400 deposit after the groom's sudden death. 

Durham wedding venue faces backlash for refusing to refund couple after groom's sudden death

MONTHS. LITTLE 2025. >> FALLOUT FOR THE COTTON ROOM ONE DAY AFTER 5 ON YOUR SIDE REVEALED TO THE DURHAM VENUE REFUSED TO REFUND THE DEPOSIT OF A GROOM WHO DIED MONTHS BEFORE HIS WEDDING. HUNDREDS HAVE TAKEN TO SOCIAL MEDIA, REDDIT AND GOOGLE REVIEWS TONIGHT. ONLY ON WRAL NEWS, KEELY ARTHUR IS PRESSING THE VENUE ON WHETHER IT WILL RECONSIDER. SHE JOINS US NOW LIVE HERE IN STUDIO WITH REACTION KILLING. >> ACTUALLY, I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER HAD SUCH A STRONG REACTION TO A 5 ON YOUR SIDE STORY AT ALL STEMMING, OF COURSE, FROM THIS DURHAM COUPLE WHO BOOKED THE COTTON ROOM ON OCTOBER. 11TH FOR AN OCTOBER 11TH WEDDING. BUT TRAGEDY STRUCK MAY 12 WHEN THE GROOM AND KRIS PERRY COLLAPSED AND DIED. THE VENUE NOT RETURNING ANY OF THE $18,000 IN DEPOSITS. AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THE COTTON ROOM IS TECHNICALLY JUST STICKING TO ITS CONTRACT. BUT SO MANY OF YOU SAYING THAT'S NOT OK. >> A HUNDREDS OF SHARES THOUSANDS OF REACTIONS AND BLUNT COMMENTS LIKE THAT'S WRONG. AND WOW, THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO DO BUSINESS. KRIS PERRY DIED 152 DAYS BEFORE HIS WEDDING. HIS PARENTS SAY THE DJ PHOTOGRAPHER AND WEDDING PLANNER ALL REFUNDED THEIR DEPOSITS. >> THEY RECOGNIZE THE TRAGEDY AND REFUNDED THE MONEY. >> BUT THE VENUE DID NOT THE COTTON ROOM REFUSING TO PAY $18,382 IN NOT REFUNDABLE DEPOSITS INSTEAD OFFERING A PARTIAL REFUND AT THE SPACE WAS REBOOKED, WHICH HASN'T HAPPENED TODAY. I EMAILED THE VENUE AGAIN ASKING IF ITS POSITION HAD CHANGED AND EMPLOYEE DID NOT RESPOND TO THAT WRITING INSTEAD, QUOTE, WE ARE CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON THE SAFETY OF MICHELLE, THE COMMON ROOMS, OWNER, HER FAMILY AND THE WEDDINGS WE HAVE THIS WEEKEND AS SHE HAS NOW RECEIVED MULTIPLE DEATH THREATS. ADDING WE HAVE BEEN BOMBARDED WITH THOUSANDS OF HARASSING AND ABUSIVE THREATS. TONS AND MESSAGES VIA ALL FORMS OF COMMUNICATION AS A DIRECT RESULT OF YOUR STORY. THOSE CALLS SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE REFUNDED BECAUSE OF A FLAKE OWNER OF ELIZABETH FLAKE. EVENTS IS UNAFFILIATED WITH THE COMMON ROOM OR CHRIS'S FAMILY. >> I INTERVIEWED PLANNERS IN VENUES IN THE AREA FOR THEIR TAKE ON THE SITUATION THERE. SO MANY VENDORS AND VENUES RIGHT NOW ON THE BRINK OF CLOSING DOWN LIKE THINGS ARE REALLY TOUGH IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY THAT BEING SAID. >> I CAN IMAGINE THAT DOING WHAT THEY SHOULD DO HERE WOULD ALSO GIVE THEM. MUCH, YOU KNOW, BETTER REPUTATION. >> REVIEWING THE CONTRACT. THE COMMON ROOM-ONLY CLAUSE ALLOWING A REFUND. WAS IT THE VENUE CHOSE TO CANCEL AN EVENT ITSELF. OF COURSE, IT'S A NEW IS DIFFERENT. FOR EXAMPLE, THE BRADFORD IN NEW HILL HAS A SPECIFIC DEATH AND DEPLOYMENT CLAUSE ALLOWING FOR FULL REFUNDS IF A MEMBER OF THE COUPLE PASSES AWAY OR IS DEPLOYED REGARDLESS, COUPLES CAN TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS BY PURCHASING EVENT INSURANCE THROUGH AN INDEPENDENT AGENT OR FOR WHAT YOU GET. >> $250 CAN SAVE YOU $35,000. FOR A WEDDING CANCELLATION POLICY. >> AND EVENT INSURANCE DOES COVER UNEXPECTED DEATH. IN A STATEMENT TO US, THE COTTON ROOM SAID IT STRONGLY ENCOURAGES COUPLES TO OBTAIN EVENT INSURANCE. BUT CHRIS IS

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State lawmakers in North Carolina say they're responding to the killing of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte last month, including by trying to restart executions of death row inmates.

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Fort Pierce, Florida (CNN) â Ryan Routh, the 59-year-old accused of attempting to kill Donald Trump as the former and future president played a round of golf on his Florida course last year â the second attempt on Trumpâs life during his second campaign â has been found guilty on all charges against him.

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A Pitt County man who suffers from epilepsy is suing a state trooper, alleging the officer used excessive force against him after a car crash caused by a seizure.

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North Carolina state treasurer Brad Briner warned that he's preparing for what happens if Duke Health and Aetna can't agree on a deal.

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In reflection of the one-year mark since Hurricane Helene brought unimaginable devastation to western North Carolina, the state is measuring progress made in the recovery effort as the region tries to return to normalcy.

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The Raleigh Police Department is looking for the owner of a found sheep.


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Blue Ridge Power said regulatory changes affecting renewable energy companies and shifts in the capital markets prompted its decision to wind down the business. 

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A Durham resident died nearly five months before his wedding day. Now his grieving family is battling with a venue for a deposit worth more than $18,000.

Durham venue keeps $18K deposit after groom's sudden death

Bubble tea, or boba, has become a favorite, especially with young people. But new safety tests from Consumer Reports show the popular drink may come with a hidden serious concern.


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Claudette Childs is a lifelong resident of Pensacola, a tiny community in Yancey County. After living through the destruction and loss of life from Hurricane Helene, Childs and others like her are feeling abandoned by the federal and state governments.

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Kara Lawson will lead Team USA in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

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Medicaid cuts loom as North Carolina lawmakers fail to reach funding deal

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Johnston County man faces child sexual exploitation charges

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Carolina Ballet, Martin Marietta Center to offer free ballet classes for children

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Seven teens who escaped from a mental health facility in Raleigh are back in custody after allegedly attacking a staff member for keys.

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One year after Hurricane Helene, a new WRAL Documentary looks at the storm's devastating toll and the resilience of the people who survived it. "Helene: What We Lost, What We Found" airs Thursday, Sept. 25 on WRAL-TV and streams on WRAL.com, the WRAL News app and WRAL's YouTube channel.

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A lawsuit filed by seven former employees against CJF America remains unserved, while the company's president recently missed a court appearance. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies are continuing to investigate the Durham-based company.

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