YOU DON’T SAY

“There are very few moments in history like this.”

U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson, on President Joe Biden’s announcement that he will not seek reelection. (The News & Observer, 7/21/24)

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Biden Announcement

Danielle Battaglia, Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Tammy Grubb, The News & Observer, 7/21/24

President Joe Biden’s announcement Sunday afternoon on social media that he’s ending his reelection campaign left North Carolina’s Democrats praising his service, and the state’s Republicans calling for Biden’s resignation from office. Biden’s decision leaves the Democratic Party without a nominee for president, though Biden immediately threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.

U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross, a Democrat from Wake County, was among the first to second Biden’s call for Harris to become the new nominee. “The path forward is clear — we must unite behind Vice President Kamala Harris to defeat Donald Trump,” Ross said, in a news release. “Together, we can win in November and build on the historic progress forged by President Biden.”

Hillsborough Town Board member Matt Hughes, a member of the Democratic National Committee since 2020, said he supported Biden for a second term but stands completely behind Harris as the Democratic nominee. “President Biden’s decision today cements his legacy as someone who protected our democracy and pulled the economy from near-depression, and I think deciding to pass the torch to Kamala Harris will only strengthen and enhance his legacy as someone who has decided against putting personal ambition and politics ahead of our country and our party,” Hughes said.

Biden’s announcement comes after weeks of pressure from Democrats calling for him to drop out of the race after a dismal debate performance against former President Donald Trump that led many to question his mental agility and whether he could continue to lead.

Gov. Roy Cooper said he “thanks Biden from the bottom of his heart for his service.”

“President Biden has cemented his place among our nation’s finest Presidents,” Cooper wrote. “When our democracy faced danger, President Biden stood strong as the rarest type of leader who could help us forge ahead with a vision to repair our country’s soul.” Cooper praised him for his accomplishments in office, but didn’t mention rumors that Cooper could become the next vice presidential nominee with Biden out of the race.

Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat looking to succeed Cooper as governor, called Biden “a true patriot.”

“His decision today exemplifies his commitment to always putting the country before himself,” Stein wrote. “I thank him for his remarkable service to our nation.”

The Biden campaign has had a strong presence in North Carolina since announcing Biden’s reelection campaign. Biden lost North Carolina to Trump in 2020 by 1.3% of the vote, the smallest margin Trump won by of any other state.

For state Senate Democratic Whip Jay Chaudhuri, Biden “made a decision that reflected his values of putting the country over himself.” Biden is leaving “his presidency with an extraordinary legacy,” Chaudhuri said, “and I think President Biden gives Vice President Harris an extraordinary track record for us going into the November 2024 election.” Biden dropping out also makes Trump “the oldest presidential nominee in modern American history,” he said in an interview with The N&O.

Asked if Biden should remain through the end of his term, Chaudhuri said Biden made a decision to “complete his presidency. And that is his decision alone. And I respect that.” As for effects of the news, what Chaudhuri called a reset “is going to generate a lot of excitement among Democrats, Independents and even some Republicans,” he said.

Harris is “going to bring a lot of energy to the ticket” and all the new energy “will impact offices that Democrats contest up and down the ballot,” he said.

After Biden’s debate in June and ensuing calls for him to drop out, there was speculation that Cooper could be a potential nominee for vice president.

Chaudhuri said that is “Governor Cooper and his family’s decision to make. But I can’t think of a better vice presidential candidate for Kamala Harris than Roy Cooper.”

U.S. Rep. Don Davis, a Democrat from Snow Hill, and the only member of Congress facing a true competition to retain his seat in the House, said he “wholeheartedly supports” Biden’s decision. “My sincere prayers are with him and his family as I continue to focus on fighting for eastern North Carolina,” Davis said, in a written statement. And U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, a Democrat from Charlotte, the most senior member of the Democrats in the delegation, said Biden and Harris have presided over “one of the most successful, most accomplished presidential administrations.”

“President Biden has served our citizens well,” Adams wrote on social media. “I am thankful for his leadership and support his final decision. It is imperative that we keep this good governance going.”

U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning, a Democrat from Greensboro, called Biden “a true patriot” and said he made a difficult decision for the good of the country. “His legacy is secure, and we Democrats must keep fighting to protect all the progress we’ve made,” Manning wrote.

U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel, a Democrat from Cary, said Biden has served with “honor, integrity and unwavering commitment.” He added that Biden’s “willingness to do what’s right for our democracy will go down in the history books.”

U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson, a Democrat from Charlotte, focused in on the enormity of the moment. “There are very few moments in history like this,” Jackson said. “Relinquishing power before one must, doing so gracefully and solely out of concern for the country, is an act so profoundly rare that it deepens the honor of the presidency, not just the president. President Biden has earned his place among national leaders who showed true selflessness on behalf of our country, and he deserves our genuine gratitude.” He then called for unity and victory.

Republicans wasted no time responding to the news. U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican from Southern Pines who leads the Republican National Congressional Committee, called Biden’s announcement “a scandal of historic proportions.”

“If Biden is mentally unfit to campaign, he is mentally unfit to have the nuclear codes. Will Democrats now say he should resign?”

U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop, a Republican from Mecklenburg County, who is running for attorney general, immediately took to social media asking how he can remain president. “Yet another sign of devotion to ‘our democracy,’” Bishop said.

Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Republican from Banner Elk, also called for his resignation.

Biden said in his letter to the nation, posted on social media, that his focus is on fulfilling the remainder of his term in office. He also thanked Harris for being “an extraordinary partner.”

U.S. Rep. David Rouzer, a Republican from Wilmington, said that Washington liberals and the national media ignored three years of raised concerns about Biden’s cognitive and physical abilities. “The truth is, the only reason why the Democrat power brokers forced President Biden out of the race is because they had come to the conclusion that he could not win,” Rouzer wrote.

U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, who echoed his colleagues, honed in on Harris. “With President Biden now endorsing Kamala Harris, he is endorsing a woman who cannot keep executive staff members and who failed in her only job,” Murphy wrote.

Biden is currently undergoing treatment for COVID-19. He took a sixth dose of Paxlovid on Saturday, according to doctors. [Source]

 

Cooper Staff

The Associated Press, 7/21/24

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s only chief of staff during his two terms is leaving her post in the final months of the administration for a move to the private sector. She’ll be replaced by another longtime aide.

Kristi Jones will step down from the job overseeing Cooper’s office in mid-August, the governor’s office said in a Friday news release. Julia White, who has worked closely with Cooper since his time as attorney general, will succeed Jones. Like White, Jones’ tenure with Cooper dates back to him being attorney general, when she was chief of staff at the Department of Justice for over a decade.

Jones was a co-chair of Cooper’s winning 2016 gubernatorial campaign and was the first African-American woman to become a North Carolina governor’s chief of staff. Jones, a Wilson County native, began working for state government in Gov. Jim Hunt’s administration in the late 1990s.

“For almost three decades, Kristi Jones has served our state with distinction and extraordinary skill,” Cooper said in the release. “Julia has significant experience in state government as well as being one of my closest advisors for more than 25 years and I’m confident we will continue our progress under her leadership.”

White, who grew up in Alamance County, was the Justice Department’s chief of staff during Cooper’s first term as attorney general and later became a senior adviser — a position that she also currently holds in the gubernatorial administration following time as a deputy chief of staff. White also worked previously for then-Senate leader Marc Basnight.

Cooper’s release did not identify Jones’ pending private-sector position. The governor was term-limited from seeking reelection this year. [Source]

 

Summerfield Deannexation

Camdyn Bruce, Greensboro News & Record, 7/21/24

After the dispute between developer David Couch and Summerfield officials over a mixed-use residential and retail project culminated in the General Assembly voting to deannex over 1,000 acres of land, many have been critical of the move. Senate leader Phil Berger, who voted in favor of the deannexation, said his decision was driven by the shortage of housing in the area and Summerfield officials not using their zoning authority responsibly since Couch owned the land he was seeking to develop.

“You’ve got a tension there between an individual’s property rights and the authority that’s given to a local body to regulate land use,” Berger explained. “And so the question becomes whether or not the elected folks in a town are acting responsibly as far as that authority is concerned.”

Interestingly enough, Summerfield, incorporated in 1996 with just 1,400 residents, was founded to ward off annexation by the city of Greensboro. Since then, its population has grown to more than 11,000 as the town has sought to preserve its rural character.

“It became pretty apparent to me and quite frankly to a majority of folks in the General Assembly that what was happening with Mr. Couch was something where the elected officials in the town of Summerfield were not responsibly handling the land-use regulations authority that they’ve been given,” Berger said. “And that was exacerbating the supply issue as far as housing is concerned.”

Steve Luking, Berger’s Democratic challenger for Senate District 26 in November, sees the matter differently. He noted Couch’s previous donation to Berger’s campaign and claimed the deannexation set a bad precedent for other small towns in the state.

“To carve that land out of the heart of a town, that’s just plain wrong,” said Luking, a retired physician who formerly practiced in Reidsville. “And I think every other community is going to have fears going forward.”

Berger denied the idea that Couch’s donation had any influence on his vote. He added that he urged Summerfield officials and Couch to settle their disagreements before the General Assembly finally intervened.

“I had suggested that they get together and try to work things out,” Berger said. “I think all you have to do is look at the lack of progress as far as that’s concerned.”

Berger also said other small towns don’t have to worry about being deannexed because Summerfield was a unique case. He said the lack of services Summerfield offers to residents also partially played a role in the General Assembly’s decision to get involved. “What you see is a town unlike almost any other in the state,” Berger said.

Aside from the deannexation issue, Democrats are trying to use Berger’s previous support of a potential casino development coming to Rockingham as ammunition with Luking positioning himself as the anti-casino candidate in the race. “We’ve seen terrible things go on with Phil Berger trying to ram a casino through in our county,” Luking said.

While the plan for a casino to be built along U.S. 220 in Rockingham County ultimately fizzled out late last year, the issue was met with contention from residents and some prominent local officials. Since the beginning of this year, however, Berger has said he’s no longer pushing for the development to come to Rockingham County.

“I am not proposing that to take place and it is a dormant, if not dead, issue as far as I’m concerned,” Berger said.

Even with the change in stance, Kathy Kirkpatrick said she thinks Berger’s previous support for the casino and deannexing Summerfield has turned off some voters. “Berger has screwed people this side to Sunday,” said Kirkpatrick, who chairs the Guilford County Democratic Party. “So, yeah, I think Steve Luking has an amazing chance to win, and, of course, we’re doing everything we can to make that happen.”

Conversely, counterpart Diane Parnell — chair of the Rockingham County Republican Party — thinks voters will look at Berger’s record as a whole rather than select decisions. “I can tell you that this man has done so much for Rockingham County, and he continually does,” Parnell said. “So, anyone coming in behind him logically speaking, are they going to have the respect that Senator Berger would have in the Senate? No.” [Source]

UNC Settlement

The Associated Press, 7/20/24

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill must pay $25,000 and its trustees must affirm a commitment to follow the state’s open-meeting laws as part of a settlement that dismissed a lawsuit over the board’s handling of athletics discussions.

David McKenzie, a lawyer in Wake County, had filed a complaint in May in Orange County Superior Court accusing trustees of violating open-meetings laws in previous private-session discussions tied to athletics budgets. It came as UNC trustees weighed in on athletics to highlight growing national tensions with schools jumping from league to league seeking more money tied to TV deals in a football-driven market.

McKenzie told WRAL of Raleigh that he was “satisfied” by the settlement, which had him agree to dismiss the lawsuit and the university would pay $25,000 to cover McKenzie’s expenses and legal costs.

“If they’re gonna take the public’s money, they’ve got to do things in public,” McKenzie told The News & Observer of Raleigh. “And then those times that they don’t, they may be on the hook for attorneys’ fees.”

McKenzie’s original complaint came as trustees indicated they would discuss the UNC athletics budget in closed session at a coming meeting, as well as referencing private-session discussions on athletics matters in November. That came amid comments questioning the financial picture under the leadership of athletics director Bubba Cunningham, although UNC’s interim chancellor Lee Roberts publicly backed Cunningham in a public pushback against the trustees.

A judge granted multiple temporary restraining issues against UNC’s trustees going into closed session for athletics financial discussions that could include future conference alignment. [Source]

Weight Drugs

Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi, The News & Observer, 7/21/24

People on Medicaid in North Carolina will soon be able to have obesity management medications covered. The state’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced that effective Aug. 1, NC Medicaid will add coverage of FDA-approved obesity management medications for beneficiaries 12 and older.

This coverage includes glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists (GLP-1s).

The expanded access for low-income patients on the state and federal health insurance program comes as state government has cut back on access to the drugs for public employees and retirees.

GLP-1s exploded in popularity in recent years following the Food and Drug Administration approval of their use for people with obesity who do not have diabetes. These drugs, which work by making people stay fuller for longer, have been found to help people lose over 10% of their body weight.

The FDA has approved for weight loss GLP-1 drugs Wegovy and Saxenda, which are manufactured by Novo Nordisk, a Danish company. It’s also approved Zepbound, manufactured by Eli Lilly, a U.S. company.

“NC Medicaid is adding this coverage because of the substantial weight loss associated with these medications and the impact on comorbidities,” DHHS said in a news release. “Prescription obesity management medications are now playing a role in addressing the obesity epidemic, as they may provide additional weight loss benefits compared to lifestyle modifications alone,” the release says.

But these drugs come with a hefty price tag: A monthly supply of some of these drugs can cost more than $1,000 without insurance or rebates.

The State Health Plan, which covers hundreds of thousands of state employees, ended coverage of these drugs for weight loss in January, citing rising costs.

The plan spent a projected $102 million on the drugs in 2023, or 10% of its roughly $1 billion in net pharmacy spending last year, The News & Observer previously reported.

For the added Medicaid coverage, a public notice posted July 10 on DHHS’ website says that the change will cost the state more than $21 million in 2025 and over $15 million in 2026.

During a legislative committee meeting in early March, DHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley spoke on GLP-1 drugs and the potential of expanding NC Medicaid coverage of the drugs for weight loss.

Kinsley also told lawmakers that Medicaid already covered GLP-1 drugs, but only for people with diabetes. “It’s frankly so frustrating to me that they are so incredibly expensive relative to what we see in other countries,” Kinsley said. “I believe that they’re being held back from the people of North Carolina when they could be providing a great deal of value … so my desire is for us to go after this and figure out a way to both get increased coverage, but to figure out a way that it’s got to be cheaper,” he said. [Source]

POLICY COVERAGE IN NORTH CAROLINA SUPPORTED BY

Strengthening NC’s health care workforce

Each year, more than 20,000 military members return to civilian life in North Carolina. However, for veterans with medical training, there is no simple process to transition into civilian medical practice. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) and the University of North Carolina School of Medicine have created an innovative program that addresses our state’s provider shortage by training veterans to enter the medical workforce as physician assistants (PA). To date, Blue Cross NC has invested $2.4 million into the program to help our heroes connect to careers in health care and improve access to care across North Carolina. This program is one of many ways we’re working to make health care more affordable, easier to navigate, and accessible to all.

Marijuana Fight

Joel Burgess, Asheville Citizen Times, 7/19/24

Cannabis has been legal now for two weeks in parts of Western North Carolina, but the member of Congress representing the region is persisting in his fight against it. After a September referendum by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in favor of legalization, the tribe began sales on July 4 in its territory, the Qualla Boundary. The Eastern Band had already been selling medical marijuana and their region is the only place in North Carolina where any adult can purchase it.

Republican U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, who has made efforts to stymie legalization or easing of criminal enforcement, said he will continue to push back. “I remain steadfast in my opposition of legalizing recreational marijuana in the mountains of WNC. The data is overwhelming on the harmful effects of marijuana, and my views on protecting our youth have not changed,” he said in a July 18 statement to the Citizen Times.
On a larger scale, opposition has also come from the state’s two U.S. senators, Republicans Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, who sent a March 1 letter raising questions about the Cherokee’s legalization with top administration officials, including U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram.

Meanwhile, Democrat Caleb Rudow, a state House member running against Edwards’ for the 11th District congressional seat, said the congressman was pushing a “Reefer Madness” narrative about marijuana’s dangers that is “disconnected from reality” and science. “Cannabis can be regulated safely to keep it out of the hands of minors,” Rudow said.

In terms of Edwards’ efforts, he has had some success, but advocates of legalization say he is fighting a losing battle in a state and country that have grown increasingly accepting of the once-vilified plant.

The bill, technically known as House Resolution 5323, would withhold 10% of federal highway funds from governments that violate federal law under the Controlled Substances Act, which prohibits marijuana, classifying it as a Schedule I drug, a group said to be the most harmful of controlled substances without currently acceptable medical use. Edwards introduced the bill on Sept. 1, 2023, saying “communities are seeing unprecedented crime, drug addiction, and mental illness” and that if passed the bill would “help prevent even greater access to drugs and ease the strain placed on our local law enforcement and mental health professionals who are already stretched thin.” Four days later, the resolution was sent to the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, which has taken no action in the following 10 months.

Last month, Edwards helped strip language out of H.R. 8773, the 2025 Financial Services and Government Appropriations Act, that would have protected banks from adverse government action for lending to marijuana businesses, saying during a subcommittee hearing the country has never allowed anything illegal to be banked and that there was growing evidence pot can cause “irreparable harm, particularly to younger minds.”

Edwards was also among 14 GOP House members in 2023 to call on the Drug Enforcement Agency to reject the rescheduling of cannabis as proposed by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. Heroin is also in the Schedule I category. In the less restrictive Schedule II group are methamphetamines and cocaine.

Chief Michell Hicks and other Eastern Band leaders, who were targets of Edwards’ bill, have not responded to requests for comment, including on July 18. In a Sept. 6, 2023 editorial in the tribe’s official newspaper, the One Feather, tribal officials pushed back on his claims of societal harms, saying studies by entities such as the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health show a correlation with lower hard drug use and less crime. “Numerous studies have identified several other ways that adult use cannabis actually decreases crime and promotes public health and order,” they said.

Rudow, Edwards’ Democratic opponent, has criticized the bill as government overreach against tribal sovereignty. Rudow said he opposes all the congressman’s anti-pot efforts.

“The science and research doesn’t support his beliefs and there are many other substances, like alcohol, that do have negative societal impacts but we still allow for people to purchase them and make their own personal choices,” he said.

Banks should be protected when working with businesses in areas that have legalized marijuana, he said, adding, if legalized, cannabis “could be a boon” to the state’s economy and its farmers. Rescheduling would better align with marijuana’s “actual danger to society,” he said, and allow law enforcement to focus on more dangerous substances.

“Too many Americans that were not a threat to themselves or their communities have been imprisoned because of overregulation of cannabis,” Rudow said.

Edwards declined July 18 to elaborate on issues such as whether he thought marijuana was more dangerous than cocaine and methamphetamines − or if his efforts would succeed or had staying power.

Morgan Fox, spokesperson for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws said most of the country and its politicians are moving in the other direction. “I’m not particularly concerned about the Stop Pot Act,” Fox said, noting sponsors were not among those members of Congress with outsized clout and the penalty of withholding road funding actually hurts its chances. “There are 24 states comprising more than half of the population that have adult cannabis laws on the books, including many of them with representatives who are Republicans,” he said. [Source]

 

Employment Data

State Affairs Pro, 7/18/24

North Carolina’s unemployment rate held steady in June, as the state continued to fare better than the national average. The state’s seasonally adjusted June 2024 unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, unchanged from May’s revised rate, according to data released by the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The national rate increased 0.1 of a percentage point to 4.1 percent.

North Carolina’s unemployment rate increased 0.2 of a percentage point from a year ago. The number of people employed decreased 924 over the month to 5,079,026 and increased 18,096 over the year. The number of people unemployed increased 2,989 over the month to 190,408 and increased 14,764 over the year.

Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 23,100 to 5,031,600 in June. Major industries experiencing increases were Government, 17,900; Education & Health Services, 5,500; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 3,200; Financial Activities, 1,100; Manufacturing, 800; Construction, 600; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 400; Information, 200; and Other Services, 200. The only major industry experiencing a decrease was Professional & Business Services, 6,800. Mining & Logging employment remained unchanged.

Since June 2023, Total Nonfarm jobs increased 79,600 with the Total Private sector increasing by 51,100 and Government increasing by 28,500. Major industries experiencing increases were Government, 28,500; Education & Health Services, 23,100; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 22,000; Construction, 8,400; Financial Activities, 6,000; Other Services, 5,100; and Professional & Business Services, 400. Major industries experiencing decreases over the year were Manufacturing, 6,100; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 5,500; and Information, 2,300. Mining & Logging employment remained unchanged over the year.

The next unemployment update is scheduled for Tuesday, July 30, 2024 when the county unemployment rates for June 2024 will be released.

Democratic Fundraiser

Brian Murphy and Will Doran, WRAL News, 7/21/24

North Carolina Democrats and former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shied away from the greatest source of disunity — President Joe Biden’s status as a nominee — during Saturday’s “Unity Dinner,” instead focusing their ire towards Republicans and attempting to rally their own party.

Biden’s name was not mentioned often and the controversy over his candidacy was not mentioned at all from the main stage, even if it was the topic of conversation in the halls. Biden appeared in a short video early in the event that highlighted his accomplishments as president.

“This is not about Biden, this is about saving our democracy,” U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross, from Wake County, said before the dinner. “I understand it’s a messy time, but the choice is clear.”

The annual event, a fundraiser that in presidential years serves as a sort of pre-convention kickoff and get-out-the-vote bonanza, turned out more than 900 Democrats at the Raleigh Convention Center on Saturday.

Pelosi, Saturday’s keynote speaker, praised Democratic accomplishments during the Biden administration, paying particular attention to the House’s role, and attacked Republicans for their lack of support. She criticized “Project 2025,” a conservative agenda for America produced by former Trump administration officials. Trump has tried to distance himself from the document.

Dozens of Pro-Palestinian protesters outside the convention center called out Democrats over the Israel war in Gaza. Democrats have been divided over Biden’s response to the attack on Israel by Hamas in October. One of several chants was a warning to Democrats that they would not forget come November.

Before Pelosi came to the stage, Democratic speakers stressed the importance of the November elections, not just for president but for a slew of statewide offices and the entire state legislature.

Gov. Roy Cooper called it the “biggest election of our lifetimes,” while noting that many elections have been tagged with that same urgency. “This election is not just about what kind of leaders we want to have, it’s about what kind of state and country we want to be,” said Cooper.

Cooper has made appearances in recent weeks with Biden and Harris across the state. Cooper, gubernatorial nominee Josh Stein and elected Democrats characterized Republicans as too extreme throughout their speeches. [Source]

 

Charlotte Rally

Ely Portillo, WFAE Radio, 7/21/24

Former President Donald Trump plans to hold a rally in Charlotte at Bojangles Coliseum on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Trump was last in the area on Memorial Day weekend for NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600.

The Charlotte rally will be Trump’s first since Sunday’s announcement that President Biden is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.

Police haven’t discussed specific security plans, but traffic is likely to be disrupted along major thoroughfares between the airport and Bojangles Coliseum. With Trump’s arrival coinciding with rush hour, traffic woes could be pronounced.

Polling averages show Trump with a comfortable lead in North Carolina, up about 6 points over Biden and Harris. It’s unclear how that could change with Biden’s exit from the race. Harris — who Biden endorsed to become the Democratic nominee — has campaigned seven times in North Carolina this year, including twice over the previous two weeks with Gov. Roy Cooper. [Source]

 

Rally Language

Joe Marusak, The Charlotte Observer, 7/20/24

As he accepted his party’s third nomination for president Thursday night, Donald Trump pointed to North Carolina evangelist Franklin Graham and delivered the oddest, funniest thank you that’s ever likely to emanate from such a stage. Prompting laughter, Trump said he was trying his best to follow Graham’s recent plea to stop cussing at political rallies.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, Graham, the son of the late Billy Graham, on Friday posted a Fox News video clip of Trump’s nearly 2-minute spiel. The post drew 27,000 likes by Saturday afternoon. “I want to thank Franklin Graham for being here tonight, he’s an outstanding man,” Trump said, drawing applause at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. “He wrote me a note recently — I have a lot of respect for him,” Trump said.

Quoting Graham’s note, Trump said: “‘Sir, I love your storytelling. I think it’s great in front of the big rallies. But sir, please do me one favor. It won’t make any difference. Please, don’t use any foul language.” The convention erupted in laughter.

“I’m trying, I’m working so hard to adhere to his note to me.” The convention applauded. “But if the events of last Saturday make anything clear, it is that every single moment we have on earth is a gift from God,” Trump said, referring to being shot at a rally in western Pennsylvania. [Source]

 

Lead Poisoning

Rose Hoban, NC Health News, 7/22/24

Quick work from a local pediatrician and Catawba County public health authorities helped detect a mass lead poisoning event that has affected more than 500 children in at least 44 states. In a new publication from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, public health officials from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services detail how a couple from Hickory learned from their pediatrician that their two toddlers had tested positive for lead poisoning.

The pediatrician notified county health officials, who checked the home of Nicole Peterson and Thomas Duong for lead in their water, the paint, dust and soil in and near their home without finding the culprit.

Then the pediatrician suggested that the couple check what the children were eating. By process of elimination, they determined that pouches of WanaBana brand applesauce flavored with cinnamon purchased at Dollar Tree were the only foods the children were consuming that the parents were not. The cinnamon in the applesauce had been tainted with lead chromate, a chemical known to be added to cinnamon to increase its weight and volume to fetch a higher price on the market.

Since the winter, the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has been investigating the incident and the chain of food manufacturers and distributors stretching from Sri Lanka to Ecuador to Florida-based distributor WanaBana, to the national retail chain Dollar Tree.

In October 2023 Wanabana USA issued a voluntary recall of all WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree pouches and Dollar Tree was notified in writing on Oct. 29 to remove the products from their store shelves, according to the FDA. But some Dollar Tree stores continued to sell the tainted applesauce, according to the FDA, prompting the agency to send a warning letter on June 11 alerting the retailer that over the previous six months the product had been found on its shelves.

While the incident has demonstrated the effectiveness of local public health officials at fingering the culprit behind the poisoning, the episode has also displayed the limitations of federal regulators’ ability to address such incidents. 

When the children were first diagnosed with lead poisoning in June 2023 their blood lead levels were 12.4 micrograms/ deciliter of blood for the older child and 10.2 mcg/ dl for the younger child. By the time the source of their poisoning was discovered, those levels had risen to 24.1 mcg/ dl for the older child and to 20.8 mcg/ dl for the younger one.

Lead was more prevalent in the environment and in many consumer products in decades past and it was believed that children could withstand some small amounts of lead in their blood. But since the 1990s, the science has evolved and now health researchers believe that no level of lead is safe.

All children enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program — more than 1.4 million — are required to have lead testing of their blood when they’re one and two years old. Lead testing is not required, so is not as common for children who do not receive Medicaid.

Through the beginning of 2024, a total of 22 North Carolina children were either suspected of or confirmed with having lead poisoning from eating the applesauce.

A group of parents of other affected children from across the country, including another North Carolina couple, have also filed suit against some or all of the companies involved in the mass poisoning. In May, WanaBana filed for bankruptcy, listing dozens of lawsuits for damages that have been filed against it, against $566,160 in assets. [Source]

Confederate Statue

Wes Young, Winston-Salem Journal, 7/19/24

More than five years after it was removed from as a public nuisance, the statue of a Confederate soldier that stood downtown Winston-Salem for more than 100 years has been moved to a park in Davidson County near the town of Denton. Winston-Salem officials said the United Daughters of the Confederacy had the statue removed from storage in late June and placed in Valor Memorial Park on N.C. 8 in the community of Healing Springs.

The move came after the UDC, the city and other parties to a lawsuit reached a settlement that ended a controversy over the city’s removal of the statue, which took place during a period in which many similar statues were removed in various cities. At its new site, the statue stands among two others that have been relocated to the park: One formerly stood in downtown Lexington, while the other formerly stood in downtown Pittsboro, in Chatham County.

The park is owned by a nonprofit group called Commemorating Honor Inc. that was formed in 2020 to find a new home for the Lexington statue. A couple donated land for the park, which is open to the public during daylight hours.

“I’ll save every one I can,” said Toni London, the organizer and president of Commemorating Honor, when asked if she might add other statues to the park in the future. “You have to think about how those boys went to war and sacrificed their lives for their county and their state. I’ll save every one of them.” London said she doesn’t engage with people who argue the statues are monuments to a period of white supremacy here and elsewhere in the South. “I was taught that if you don’t like something, just walk on,” she said.

Meanwhile, folks with one of the groups that worked to get the statue removed said they are concerned that the statue could be used for “historical revision” to imply “that the statue and the Confederacy should be celebrated.”

“From a public history perspective, we think it’d be irresponsible for the statue to go up anywhere if it is not accompanied by a plaque that explains exactly where it came from, it’s history of activists demanding its removal, and the reason why it was put back up,” read the statement from the group Hate Out of Winston.

The group went on to question statements Mayor Allen Joines made earlier this year about relocation of the statue being a positive outcome. The group said the statue move also comes as “we see a resurgence of activity from groups like the Patriot Front marching around Southern city streets.” [Source]

 

Real Estate Disclosures

Catherine Kozak, Coastal Review, 7/19/24

As of July 1, prospective real estate buyers in North Carolina must now be provided the required North Carolina Real Estate Commission residential disclosure form by the seller that for the first time includes questions related to a property’s flood risk. The change in the form was requested in a petition for rulemaking filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center in December 2022 on behalf of the Natural Resources Defense Council, or NRDC, the North Carolina Justice Center, MDC Inc., the North Carolina Disaster Recovery and Resiliency School, Robeson County Church and Community Center, and NC Field.

“Most of those are small, local nonprofits that respond to disasters,” Brooks Rainey Pearson, senior attorney with the law center, told Coastal Review in an interview, referring to petitioners. “So we really wanted to give a voice to the people on the ground who deal with the fallout from flooding.”

Pearson said that the Real Estate Commission had quickly granted the petition at the time and agreed to add the questions proposed by petitioners. It was then delayed by mutual agreement, she said, to adjust the law to allow the commission to merely make changes in the form. That would avoid having to go through a lengthy rulemaking process.

“It was a longer journey than it should have been, but not because of any pushback,” she said. “I think everyone understands that homebuyers deserve to know if the property has flooded before.” [Source]

POLICY COVERAGE IN NORTH CAROLINA SUPPORTED BY

Strengthening Primary Care

The nationwide shortage of doctors, nurses and other medical specialists has hit North Carolina especially hard, with 94 out of 100 counties unable to access adequate care. There is a need for a more robust health care workforce, especially in the rural areas of our state. We’re investing in technology, like Alo, that eases administrative work and provides clinical support for independent primary care providers so they can focus on their patients and grow their practices. At the same time, we’ve invested in scholarships and training to bring more North Carolinians into the health care workforce. And, we’ve expanded access to telehealth coverage to connect patients to a doctor, no matter where they live.  By strengthening access to primary care, we’re giving more North Carolinians the opportunity to be healthy. Learn more here.

Mill Closing

Kevin Ellis, Business NC, 7/19/24

Weyerhaeuser will close a lumber mill in Vanceboro in September, resulting in the loss of 73 jobs, according to paperwork filed with the state. “This closure is expected to be an indefinite curtailment, which will exceed 30 days, and will affect all employees at the New Bern Lumber Mill facility,” according to a notice filed with the state required by federal law.

The filing goes on to say that all workers have been notified that “their separation from employment will be permanent.” The mill will close Sept. 16, according to the company.

Ten of the affected 73 workers have been offered other jobs at other Weyerhaeuser locations. Those 10 work in management, superintendent and human resources positions. Some workers are represented by the United Steel Workers International Union.

The company provided the following statement: “We can confirm that in response to a combination of site-specific and market-related factors, we are indefinitely curtailing operations at our sawmill in New Bern, North Carolina. We did not come to this decision lightly given the significant impact on our employees, their families and the surrounding community, where we have a long history.”

Based in Seattle, Weyerhaeuser is one of the world’s largest private owners of timberlands, began operations in 1900 and today owns or controls about 10.5 million acres of timberlands in the U.S., as well as 14 million acres of timberlands managed under long-term licenses in Canada.

Weyerhaeuser has at least five operations in North Carolina, including a distribution center in Charlotte, according to its website. [Source]

 

Search Committee

WBTV News, 7/19/24

A 13-member committee that will search for the next chancellor of North Carolina State University has been formed.

University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans announced Friday that Ed Stack, a 1992 NC State alumnus and vice chair of the university’s Board of Trustees, will chair the search advisory committee. The committee was assembled after the recent announcement by Chancellor Randy Woodson that he would retire in 2025 in his 15th year as NC State’s leader.

The members of the committee are:

• Edwin J. “Ed” Stack III (’92), NC State Board of Trustees vice chair, chair of the search advisory committee
• Charles Hall, NC State Staff Senate chair, communications manager for electrical and computer engineering
• Peter Hans, UNC System president
• Timothy L. Humphrey (’96), NC State Board of Trustees secretary
• Ghazale Johnston (’96), NC State Board of Trustees member
• Allison Markert, NC State student body president, senior majoring in natural resources with a concentration in policy and administration from Charlotte
• Dr. Harold Martin, chancellor emeritus, North Carolina A&T State University
• Dr. Herle McGowan, NC State Faculty Senate chair, Department of Statistics
• J. Alex Mitchell (’95), UNC Board of Governors campus liaison
• Wendy Floyd Murphy, UNC Board of Governors chair
• David M. Powers (’83), NC State Board of Trustees member
• Dewayne Washington (’01), Partner at NSV Development
• Edward I. “Ed” Weisiger Jr. (’82), NC State Board of Trustees chair

Under UNC System policy, the search advisory committee is composed of up to 13 voting members, including representatives of the trustees, faculty, staff, students and alumni. The committee also calls for a current or former chancellor of a UNC System institution to serve, as well as members of the UNC Board of Governors and the president or his designee, according to a news release. [Source]

 

Chamber Honored

David Mildenberg, Business NC, 7/18/24

Greater Winston-Salem Inc. has been named the 2024 Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. The N.C. group was picked over two other finalists — chambers representing Phoenix and the state of Oklahoma — in a competition that rates organizational strength impact on key community priorities. The award also recognizes excellence in operations, member services, and community leadership.

Chambers in Orlando and Dallas have received the award in the previous two years.

“This is a remarkable achievement for our team and a definitive indicator of the transformative community impact we can make through leadership, vision, and collaboration, ” Mark Owens, president and CEO of Greater Winston-Salem Inc., said in a release.

Greater Winston-Salem Inc. launched four years ago through the merger of the city’s chamber and Winston-Salem Business Inc. Cathy Pace, CEO of Allegacy Federal Credit Union, is the group’s chair, while Mike Lancaster, CEO of Frank L. Blum Construction, is chair-elect.

“We are leading the way in changing how Chambers of Commerce serve and lead in their communities, shifting to meet the needs of today’s employers and workforce,” Owens said. [Source]

 

Shooting Extradition

Hunter Sáenz, WSOC News, 7/20/24

The man accused of shooting and killing Derrick Byas is now behind bars at the Mecklenburg County jail. Eric Watson was extradited to Mecklenburg County yesterday. This comes after he was arrested by the Lancaster County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday.

Watson has been charged with murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon. According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Watson shot and killed Byas, whose body was found not far from a disabled vehicle along Rea Road. Jail records show Watson is being held without bond. It is unclear when his next court date will be held. [Source]

Legislative Sessions, Studies and Meetings

LB: LEGISLATIVE BUILDING. LOB: LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING

HOUSE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Tuesday, July 23

• 9:00 A.M. | House Select Committee on Oversight and Reform, Auditorium.

HOUSE CALENDAR

Monday, July 29, 2024

• House Convenes at 12:00 P.M.

SENATE CALENDAR

Monday, July 29, 2024

• House Convenes at 12:00 P.M.

HOUSE & SENATE: Reconvening allowed under provisions of SB 916, if no sine die adjournment previously adopted.

• Monday, July 29 to Thursday Aug. 1
• Monday, Sept. 9 to Wednesday, Sept. 11
• Wednesday, Oct. 9
• Tuesday, Nov. 19 to Friday Nov. 22
• Wednesday, Dec. 11 to Friday Dec. 13

N.C. Government Meetings and Hearings

BOLD ITEMS ARE NEW LISTINGS

Monday, July 22

• 9 a.m. | Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission  – Executive Committee Meeting, 2211 Schieffelin Road Apex.

Tuesday, July 23

• 11 a.m. | Economic Investment Committee  –  Meeting, 301 N. Wilmington St. Raleigh.
• 1 p.m. | Governor’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council meets, Halifax County Community College, 100 College Drive, Weldon.

Wednesday, July 24

• 8:30 a.m. | NC Soil & Water Conservation Commission  – Business Session, Trinity Road at Martin Bldg, Raleigh.
• 10 a.m. | NC Joint Reentry Council meets, Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, 1924 Capital Blvd, Raleigh.

Thursday, July 25

• 9 a.m. | N.C. Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System & Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System  – TSERS and LGERS Boards of Trustees Meeting, 3200 Atlantic Ave, Raleigh.
• 9 a.m. | North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission  –  Commission Business Meeting, 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh.
• 1:30 p.m. | NC State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees  – State Health Plan Board of Trustees, 3200 Atlantic Ave, Raleigh.

Wednesday, July 31

• 10 a.m. | North Carolina State Board of Education meets, 1 South Wilmington St, Raleigh.

Thursday, Aug. 1

• 6 p.m. | The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality Public Hearing on Moriah Energy Center Draft Air Quality Permit, Vance-Granville Community College, 200 Community College Road, Henderson.

Monday, Aug. 5

• 9 a.m. | The Board Development Committee of The North Carolina Partnership for Children meets, The meeting will be held via Zoom. You may contact Yvonne Huntley at 984.221.1242 or email at [email protected] for additional information.

Tuesday, Aug. 6

• 9 a.m. | The Council of State meets. 1 South Wilmington St, Raleigh.

Monday, Aug. 19

• 2 p.m. | The Executive Committee of The North Carolina Partnership for Children meets, The meeting will be held via Zoom. You may contact Yvonne Huntley at 984.221.1242 or email at [email protected] for additional information.

UNC Board of Governors

23 S. WEST STREET, SUITE 1800, RALEIGH

Wednesday, July 24

• 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.: Committee on Educational Planning, Policies, and Programs, Board Room (17th Floor)
• 10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.: Committee on Budget and Finance, Board Room (17th Floor)
• 11:30 a.m. –  12:00 p.m.: Committee on University Governance, Board Room (17th Floor) 
• 12:15 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.: Committee on University Personnel,  Board Room (17th Floor) 
• 1:15 p.m. –   2:15 p.m.: Meeting of the Board of Governors, Board Room (17th Floor)

N.C. Utilities Commission Hearing Schedule

DOBBS BUILDING, 430 NORTH SALISBURY STREET, RALEIGH

Monday, July 22

• 2 p.m. | Expert Witness Hearing – Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC and Duke Energy Progress, LLC 2023 Biennial CPIRP | E-100 Sub 190
• 2 p.m. | Expert Public Witness Hearing – Joint Application of DEP and NCEMC for CPCN to Construct a 1360MW Electric Generating Facility in Person County, NC | E-2 Sub 1318, EC-67 Sub 55
• 2 p.m. | Expert Witness Hearing – Application for CPCN for 850 MW Natural Gas-Fired Combustion Turbine Electric Generating Facility Located at 8320 NC Highway 150 E, Terrell, NC 28682 in Catawba County | E-7 Sub 1297

Other Meetings and Events of Interest

BOLD ITEMS ARE NEW LISTINGS

Saturday, July 27

9 a.m. | North Carolina Federation of Young Republicans Convention, The Farm at 95, Selma.