Cameras in court: 1 year in, new rule a success

Posted on by Rory Appleton

The Gist

For decades, Indiana courtrooms remained among the last in the nation to shut out news cameras. Anyone seeking information on a particular trial was forced to attend court in person or rely on written or dictated reports. 

That changed in 2023, when the Indiana Supreme Court opened courtrooms to true modern transparency through a simple rule change allowing cameras. 

“It was time,” Chief Justice Loretta Rush said. “I think the judicial branch is often the least understood, and transparency is really important and key to people’s understanding.”

In the more than one year since, the new rule is viewed by judges and journalists alike as a key success — something Rush attributed to a “mutual respect” between both parties. 

“People now have a chance to see it upfront,” Rush said. “There seems to be a decrease in public trust in public institutions and the judiciary, so it’s important that they see the hard work that goes into obtaining justice in these cases.”

Continue reading “Cameras in court: 1 year in, new rule a success”

Biden is unpopular with Hoosiers despite a robust economy

Posted on by Brian A. Howey

CHICAGO — When President Biden gives his political farewell address tonight at the Democratic National Convention, he will do so as one of the least popular modern commanders-in-chief from the Hoosier perspective.

But when it comes to the economic data sets, the notion of presiding over a robust economy while bringing billions of dollars to the state seemed to be consigned to a relic of a bygone era.

Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race on July 21, setting up this week’s DNC as the first time a nonincumbent nominee — Vice President Kamala Harris — becomes the standard-bearer since President Lyndon B. Johnson gave way to Vice President Hubert Humphrey in 1968.

In a Ball State/Bowen Center poll released in January, just 35.3% of Hoosier respondents approved of the job Biden was doing, compared with 58.2% who disapproved. 

“Many national polls have found that President Biden is not popular right now and, given he lost Indiana by a large margin in 2020, it is not surprising that he remains unpopular in the state,” said Chad Kinsella, director of the Bowen Center for Public Affairs.

Biden has never been popular in Indiana. Though he defeated President Donald J. Trump nationally in 2020, he lost Indiana 57.02% to 40.96%.

The economic data during Biden’s three-plus years in office tells a different story. Last week, Indiana’s unemployment rate increased to 4%, the first time it was over that threshold since September 2021. The state’s unemployment rate was 4.7% in January 2021 when Biden took office; it was as low as 3.1% in December 2022.

Then there are the billions of dollars that have flowed into the state via signature Biden agenda items: the Infrastructure and Jobs Act, the American Rescue Plan, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act. While Republican Sen. Todd Young was a driving force behind the CHIPS and Science Act, it was opposed by most of his GOP congressional colleagues.

In June 2022, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo notified Gov. Eric Holcomb that Indiana would receive $868 million to extend high-speed internet to the proverbial “last mile” in rural Indiana.

Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act in August 2022. Sen. Young noted that since the legislation was signed into law, the semiconductor industry has announced more than $240 billion in private sector investment for Indiana in the production of foundational and leading-edge microchips. 

“The CHIPS and Science Act also established the Microelectronic Commons program, under which my state of Indiana has been designated the leader of the Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Hub,” Young said in a March news release. “This regional partnership was designed to accelerate the prototyping of advanced microchips. This and other partnerships have already drawn more than $2 billion in publicly announced private investments into the state of Indiana alone. 

“Great things are being made in Indiana thanks to the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act,” Young said.

Then there is the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, where Indiana is expecting $6.9 billion over five years in federal highway formula funding for highways and bridges.

With the 2021 American Rescue Plan as part of COVID-19 pandemic relief, Indiana saw the following: 

  • $500 million in the first round of the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI), which has generated billions of dollars in additional investments. That has funded a signature program by Gov. Holcomb and General Assembly Republicans, though most at the congressional level voted against the American Rescue Plan.
  • Direct pandemic recovery funds benefited all 625 Indiana towns, cities and counties — avoiding cuts and adding investments in public safety, housing, workforce development and other critical areas.
  • More than 280 school districts in Indiana were provided funding to support academic recovery and student mental health and reopen safely.
  • 3,270 child care programs in Indiana received support to help keep their doors open, impacting some 157,000 children.
  • Working family tax relief through the expanded child tax credit totaled 822,000 for Indiana families with 1.4 million children.
  • 1,188 Indiana restaurants received vital relief through the American Rescue Plan’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
  • A record 170,000 new small-business applications were submitted in Indiana.

Many Republicans cite the high inflation rate with Biden at the helm as a political liability, but the U.S. inflation rate declined significantly from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022 to 3% in June 2024. 

And, according to analysis from U.S. Bank, the stock markets have all trended higher, though with significant volatility. The “benchmark S&P 500 generated impressive returns of 28.7% in 2021 and 26.29% in 2023,” U.S. Bank observed. “Sandwiched in between was a bear market, as the S&P 500, at its low point, dropped 25% in 2022. 2023’s stock market recovery was narrower in nature, driven primarily by a small group of S&P 500 sectors. In 2024, the S&P 500 repeatedly reached new all-time highs.”

Meanwhile, consumers have faced headwinds from Federal Reserve monetary policy, which featured significant interest rate hikes. “The Fed pursued this strategy to combat higher inflation that emerged in 2021,” U.S. Bank analyzed. “Through most of that period, the economy — as measured by Gross Domestic Product — has grown, though the pace of growth slowed in 2024’s first quarter.”

Axios observed on July 14: “If you spend your life looking at economic data, these look like the best of times: Inflation is a mere 3%. Unemployment is hovering near 50-year lows. But that’s not how the bulk of Americans see it. Americans’ views of the economy are colored by their politics as much as the actual state of the economy.”

Ditto for most Hoosiers.

DNC notes

Also on tonight’s DNC speaking bill are United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, first lady Jill Biden, and former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. She lost to Trump in 2016.

On Tuesday, former President Barack Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama, second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker will speak in prime time. Both Obamas and Hillary Clinton are Chicago natives.

On Wednesday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and former President Bill Clinton are scheduled to give prime-time addresses.

On Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris will accept the Democratic presidential nomination under the theme “For Our Future.”

Brian A. Howey is senior writer and columnist for Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs. Find Howey on Facebook and X @hwypol.

Primary winner urges House Republicans to dissuade state GOP from taking up challenge

Posted on by Andy Sher

As incumbent state Rep. John Ragan tries to overturn his District 33 primary loss in Anderson County, challenger Rick Scarbrough is urging fellow Republicans in the House not to take up the challenge.

In the letter obtained by The Tennessee Journal, Scarbrough wrote that he had become aware of Ragan’s plans to challenge the results as early as July 23. Ragan, the chair of the House Operations Committee, has since filed formal notice of a challenge before the 66-member executive committee, which is packed with party hardliners.

“While I am steadfast in my confidence in the election results and the outcome of any contest, I do fear the dangers this path may pose for our Party, our focus, and the faith all voters have in our election process,” Scarbrough wrote.

John Ragan and Rick Scarbrough.

Scarbrough cited the 2008 reversal of Democratic state Sen. Rosalind Kurita’s narrow primary win as a cautionary tale. Kurita was removed as the nominee after being a key vote in making Sen. Ron Ramsey the first Republican state Senate speaker since Reconstruction. Extensive litigation confirmed the power of state parties to determine their nominees regardless of the outcome at the ballot box.

“We cannot become that which we strive to defeat,” Scarbrough wrote. “Our shared Republican values call us to respect and uphold the rule of law.” 

Returns from the Aug. 1 primary showed Scarbrough won the contest over Ragan with 53% of the vote. It represented a 258-vote margin out of the nearly 5,700 ballots cast.

Ragan said he doesn’t have a problem with the tally of the votes, but rather with crossover voting, which he told The Tennessean represents “immoral, unethical, and illegal behavior”

Tennessee has no party registration law. But Ragan’s challenge rests on a controversial state law that says only “bona fide” members of a political party can vote in their party primary. He claims more than 1,000 voters who cast ballots in the contest had no history of voting in GOP primaries. The Anderson County Republican Party put the number of “Democrats and non-Republicans” who voted in the contest at between 300 and 1,100. Given the secrecy of the ballot box, it’s impossible to know which candidate any of them might have voted for.

A group of state voters, among them former Knoxville Mayor Victor Ashe, joined with the League of Women Voters of Tennessee to file a federal lawsuit challenging the state law that requires voters to be “bona fide” members of a political party to vote in the State’s open primary election or face prosecution. The lawsuit contends the law lacks any legal process to determine a voter’s bona fide party credentials leading to voter confusion.

Ragan argued to the Tennessean that the state Republican Party’s bylaws, which create bona fide definitions for candidates, support his election challenge. Efforts to reach State GOP Chair Scott Golden were unsuccessful Monday. 

But SEC member Ken Meyer, a former state representative, said he doesn’t see things the way Ragan does.

“There’s nothing really that can or will be done in my opinion,” he told The Tennessee Journal. “I talked to Scott Golden and he gave me the rundown on the numbers. Just do the numbers, it would have no impact on the outcome of the election, first of all. 

“But more importantly,” Meyer said, “to the core of the question, the whole issue of being ‘bona fide’ is really not a question of the voters, those who vote. It is a question of who is qualified to be a candidate. So it really has no bearing.”

Meyer also suggested candidates kick up their game a notch or two if they’re concerned about crossover voting, a rich tradition in Tennessee.

“You have poll watchers for a reason. If you believe somebody is voting that shouldn’t be voting, even under the rules as I understand it you can challenge that person and that person can then sign something saying, yeah, I’m a Republican. … That’s the time you challenge a voter,” he said. “You don’t come back days after the election and try to reconstruct it because you don’t like the outcome.”

Under the GOP bylaws, the party chair can determine whether grounds for a challenge exist. If so, the full executive committee acting as the state primary board will hold a public meeting on the matter. If not, the complaint will be dismissed.

Tennessee history is replete with battles regarding crossover voting. One of the more recent contests involved the 2022 Republican mayoral primary in Hamilton County. County Commissioner Sabrena Smedley challenged Weston Wamp’s 318-vote victory, claiming “illegal Democratic crossover voting” and charging Democrats with “raiding in our election.”

An analysis of the voting records of all 40,906 people who cast ballots in the GOP contest showed about 1,700, or 4%, had participated in three of the previous five Democratic primaries. 

Republican executive committee members nevertheless rejected Smedley’s challenge on a 34-10 vote. 

Other losing candidates have considered mounting primary challenges, including U.S. Rep. David Davis of Johnson City after he fell 486 votes short to Phil Roe. Davis abandoned his effort following a chorus of opposition led by Ramsey, the state Senate speaker from northeastern Tennessee.

Why State Affairs’ presence at the DNC matters for state government

Posted on by Alison Bethel

As the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago, the nation’s attention is once again turning to the grand stage where party platforms are set and the future direction of the country is debated. For some, it might seem like a spectacle of national politics — a parade of speeches, a cacophony of opinions and a sea of campaign promises. But for those of us at State Affairs, and for many of you — our subscribers — the DNC is much more than a national event; it’s a crucial arena for state government, and our presence there is vital.

While the DNC is often viewed through the lens of presidential politics, its impact resonates deeply within state governments. The policies debated and adopted at the convention often set the tone for legislative agendas at the state level. From health care and education to climate policy and economic development, the ideas that gain traction at the DNC can quickly make their way into statehouses across the nation. 

For State Affairs, attending the DNC is about understanding the undercurrents that will shape state policies in the years to come. By being on the ground, engaging with key figures from each of our states, and reporting on the nuances of these discussions, we ensure that our readers — whether they are legislators, lobbyists or engaged citizens — are equipped with the knowledge they need to anticipate and influence state-level outcomes.

The Democratic National Convention is also a reflection of the concerns and priorities of the states themselves. The voices of state delegates, many of whom are deeply involved in their local governments, bring a unique perspective to the national conversation. They highlight issues that are critical to the people in their communities — issues like infrastructure, state education funding and local economic challenges. Next week in Chicago, delegates from every state will finalize the Democratic party’s platform and underscore what the party stands for, just as Republicans did at their national convention a few weeks ago.

Our role at State Affairs is to amplify those voices. By attending the DNC, we ensure that the concerns of state governments are not lost in the broader national discourse. We listen to the delegates, interview state leaders, and bring back stories that matter to our readers, providing them with a deeper understanding of how national decisions will ripple through state policies.

The DNC also offers a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between state and national politics. Often, the policies crafted at the federal level need to be implemented by state governments. Understanding the interplay between these two levels of government is crucial for anyone involved in state politics. Our presence at the DNC allows us to track how national policies are being shaped, who is influencing these decisions, and what this means for state governments down the line.

Moreover, the convention is a hub of networking and relationship-building. For State Affairs, it’s an opportunity to connect with policymakers, influencers, and thought leaders who play pivotal roles in shaping state legislation. These connections enrich our coverage and provide our readers with insider perspectives they can’t get anywhere else.

At State Affairs, we pride ourselves on being more than just a news outlet. We are the nonpartisan source of truth for all activities within state government, and our coverage of the DNC is an extension of that commitment. By attending the DNC, we ensure that our readers have access to comprehensive, informed and balanced reporting on the issues that will affect them directly. We attend the DNC not to advocate for any party or platform but to provide our audience with the information they need to navigate the complex world of state politics.

State Affairs’ presence in Chicago underscores our commitment to delivering the most relevant, timely and impactful coverage to our readers. By being there, we ensure that the voices and concerns of state governments are heard, understood and acted upon. In the ever-evolving landscape of American politics, this is not just important — it’s essential.

Follow along this week: Jeremy Alford on X; WisPolitics Convention Corridor; WisPolitics on X; Brian Howey on X; Jeff Mayers on X; State Affairs US

Why State Affairs’ presence at the DNC matters for state government

Posted on by Alison Bethel

As the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago, the nation’s attention is once again turning to the grand stage where party platforms are set and the future direction of the country is debated. For some, it might seem like a spectacle of national politics — a parade of speeches, a cacophony of opinions and a sea of campaign promises. But for those of us at State Affairs, and for many of you — our subscribers — the DNC is much more than a national event; it’s a crucial arena for state government, and our presence there is vital.

While the DNC is often viewed through the lens of presidential politics, its impact resonates deeply within state governments. The policies debated and adopted at the convention often set the tone for legislative agendas at the state level. From health care and education to climate policy and economic development, the ideas that gain traction at the DNC can quickly make their way into statehouses across the nation. 

For State Affairs, attending the DNC is about understanding the undercurrents that will shape state policies in the years to come. By being on the ground, engaging with key figures from each of our states, and reporting on the nuances of these discussions, we ensure that our readers — whether they are legislators, lobbyists or engaged citizens — are equipped with the knowledge they need to anticipate and influence state-level outcomes.

The Democratic National Convention is also a reflection of the concerns and priorities of the states themselves. The voices of state delegates, many of whom are deeply involved in their local governments, bring a unique perspective to the national conversation. They highlight issues that are critical to the people in their communities — issues like infrastructure, state education funding and local economic challenges. Next week in Chicago, delegates from every state will finalize the Democratic party’s platform and underscore what the party stands for, just as Republicans did at their national convention a few weeks ago.

Our role at State Affairs is to amplify those voices. By attending the DNC, we ensure that the concerns of state governments are not lost in the broader national discourse. We listen to the delegates, interview state leaders, and bring back stories that matter to our readers, providing them with a deeper understanding of how national decisions will ripple through state policies.

The DNC also offers a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between state and national politics. Often, the policies crafted at the federal level need to be implemented by state governments. Understanding the interplay between these two levels of government is crucial for anyone involved in state politics. Our presence at the DNC allows us to track how national policies are being shaped, who is influencing these decisions, and what this means for state governments down the line.

Moreover, the convention is a hub of networking and relationship-building. For State Affairs, it’s an opportunity to connect with policymakers, influencers, and thought leaders who play pivotal roles in shaping state legislation. These connections enrich our coverage and provide our readers with insider perspectives they can’t get anywhere else.

At State Affairs, we pride ourselves on being more than just a news outlet. We are the nonpartisan source of truth for all activities within state government, and our coverage of the DNC is an extension of that commitment. By attending the DNC, we ensure that our readers have access to comprehensive, informed and balanced reporting on the issues that will affect them directly. We attend the DNC not to advocate for any party or platform but to provide our audience with the information they need to navigate the complex world of state politics.

State Affairs’ presence in Chicago underscores our commitment to delivering the most relevant, timely and impactful coverage to our readers. By being there, we ensure that the voices and concerns of state governments are heard, understood and acted upon. In the ever-evolving landscape of American politics, this is not just important — it’s essential.

Follow along this week: Jeremy Alford on X; WisPolitics Convention Corridor; WisPolitics on X; Brian Howey on X; Jeff Mayers on X; State Affairs US

Twelve out of 15 ain’t bad? Lee tries to put brave face on primary results

Posted on by Erik Schelzig

Coming into the legislative primary season, Republican Gov. Bill Lee tried to make his efforts to expand school vouchers the focus of the campaign. He took the unusual step of endorsing candidates in three open state House races and traveled the state to headline fundraisers for GOP lawmakers who had supported his school choice efforts. The overall results were mixed at best.

With the aid of heavy spending by outside political action committees, two of Lee’s three chosen candidates won in the open House races. Most other contests weren’t particularly close, but three key voucher allies ended up going down to Republican primary challengers. Given the outcome, even supporters have serious questions about whether the governor will be able to complete his voucher quest before he leaves office in two years. But, as is his wont, Lee tried to put a brave face on the matter. He even declared he had been “pleased” with the results.

After all, Lee said in his first media appearance following the election, 12 of the 15 Republicans he had endorsed prevailed in their respective races. The losing candidates, he said, had fallen short due to campaign issues other than vouchers. But even in the races that saw heavy expenditures by school choice groups, that issue was rarely front and center.

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared in the print edition of The Tennessee Journal. Read the full edition here.

And Lee’s efforts on behalf of Senate Education Chair Jon Lundberg of Bristol had more to do with his position as a chief sponsor of the voucher bill this spring than any other issue raised by his primary challenger Bobby Harshbarger, the son of U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger. The governor’s heavy involvement also put him at odds with Donald Trump when the former president endorsed Harshbarger. Trump lashed out at Lee afterward as a “RINO governor, whose endorsement meant nothing.”

Harshbarger during the campaign expressed skepticism about Lee’s voucher plans, but the governor last week suggested there may be some wiggle room on that position.

Also on the losing end of her GOP primary was Rep. Patsy Hazlewood of Signal Mountain, the chair of the powerful House Finance Committee who had embraced vouchers after initially opposing Lee’s first steps into the arena with his 2019 Education Savings Accounts bill until her home county was excluded from the measure. A third pro-voucher incumbent to lose was Rep. John Ragan of Oak Ridge, who as chair of the House Government Operations Committee upset opponents by ignoring rules requiring a two-thirds vote to end debate on the bill when it was before his panel this spring.

Among those endorsed by the governor in open races, Attorney Lee Reeves and pastor Aron Maberry won their respective GOP primaries to succeed Reps. Sam Whitson of Williamson County (a voucher opponent) and Curtis Johnson of Clarksville (a voucher supporter). Meanwhile, attorney Jason Emert fell short in his bid for the Blount County seat vacated by Bryan Richey, who had upset school choice groups by voting against the voucher bill this year. The race was won by county commissioner and former teacher Tom Stinnett, a voucher opponent.

Tom Hatcher, a longtime Blount County clerk of courts, won the Republican nomination to succeed retiring Sen. Art Swann, a voucher opponent. Hatcher said during the campaign that he had been unsatisfied about a conversation he had with the governor about vouchers. “I was called to the governor’s mansion, and I sure didn’t get his endorsement,” recalled Hatcher, who said his main goal was to “protect” public schools. And in neighboring District 8, where longtime Sen. Frank Niceley of Strawberry Plains, a voucher opponent, lost to businessman Jessie Seal of New Tazewell, the challenger declined to say where he stood on the issue when pressed by The Tennessee Journal.

Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Paul Sherrell of Sparta, who had voted for Lee’s pilot voucher program and a subsequent expansion to Hamilton County, declared during his spirited race that he opposes Lee’s statewide plan. It remains to be seen where Sherrell winds up.

And Rep. Scott Cepicky of Culleoka, whom insiders considered to be seriously endangered by Maury County Commissioner Ray Jeter, in a candidate forum described the governor’s original voucher proposal as “terrible.” Cepicky instead touted the House version of the bill that would have included increased spending on traditional public schools — a position that was at odds with the Senate version championed by Lundberg.

Outside money

The School Freedom Fund, a political action committee linked to the Club for Growth and billionaire TikTok investor Jeff Yass, spent $3.3 million on five races late in the primary campaign. The PAC focused on the effort to defeat Niceley ($758,000) and Richey ($532,300) in their Senate races. And it backed the three candidates Lee had supported in the open House contests: Reeves ($790,500), Maberry ($681,700) and Emert ($556,600). Maberry won by 355 votes and Reeves prevailed by 95. Emert fell 222 votes shy of the nomination.

While most political observers remain in shock about the dollars involved in the School Freedom Fund’s campaign —just $600,000 less than the entire amount of independent expenditures made during the 2022 election cycle in Tennessee — there has been much head-scratching about its strategy to spend so heavily in its attacks on Richey, who had already suspended his campaign when the PAC’s ads started hitting the airwaves and mailboxes.

Perhaps the school choice crowd was in the mood for some vengeance after essentially installing Richey into office two years earlier, when groups like Americans for Prosperity, the Tennessee Federation for Children, Tennesseans for Student Success and Tennesseans for Putting Students First spent $143,000 to boost his chances against incumbent Rep. Bob Ramsey, a voucher opponent, compared with the $15,600 Richey spent on his own primary bid for the nomination. And given that its other races weren’t turning out to be quite the slam dunks the groups had been hoping for this year, perhaps they wanted to be certain they could claim at least one political scalp (even if he wasn’t going to win anyway).

Niceley’s team underestimated the impact of ads deriding him as “liberal,” assuming most voters would know the incumbent as one of the most outspoken conservatives of the upper chamber. But amid the barrage, Niceley managed to win only 47% of the vote in his home county of Jefferson and 49% in the portion of Sevier County he picked up as part of the 2022 redistricting process that now makes up the seat’s most populous area. Seal captured 66% of the vote in his home county of Claiborne and 77% in Hancock.

Other big spenders

The Tennessee Federation for Children spent $500,000, including $154,800 on targeting Niceley and $96,200 in trying to prop up Lundberg. Another $67,500 went to backing Reeves and $65,500 toward Emert’s unsuccessful bid.

The Team Kid PAC, which is funded by Tennesseans for Student Success, disclosed $424,700 in independent expenditures. In an unusual development, the PAC split with other school choice groups by backing challenger Jeter to the tune of $84,100 over incumbent Cepicky and $40,300 to support Rick Scarbrough in his successful campaign against Ragan. Tennesseans for Student Success has long stressed its support for charter schools and accountability standards, while professing neutrality on vouchers.

Americans for Prosperity spent $416,100 on primary races, including $65,700 to support Lundberg, $51,100 to back Rep. Chris Todd in his Republican primary against former Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris and about $29,000 each to support Cepicky and Ragan.

Senate GOP 

Senate Speaker Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, pulled out the stops in his efforts to keep Lundberg and Sen. Ferrell Haile of Gallatin from falling to primary challenges. His McPAC spent $809,600 during the primary, with $461,100 supporting Haile’s effort against Chris Spencer, a cofounder of the Sumner County Constitutional Conservatives. Haile ended up winning by a comfortable 18 percentage points. Another $344,500 from McPAC went toward trying to prevent Lundberg’s loss.

The Senate Republican Caucus made $627,800 in independent and in-kind expenditures, including $244,200 for Lundberg, $91,900 for Haile, $70,000 for Ken Yager of Kingston and $59,300 for Becky Massey of Knoxville. Johnson’s Jack-PAC poured in another $220,200, with most of it going to back Lundberg. On the other side of the equation, the Harshbarger-supporting East Tennessee Conservatives PAC made $591,200 in expenditures.

These high-spending ways contrast with two years ago, when McNally’s PAC spent just $39,300 to help Johnson turn back a primary challenge from conservative activist Gary Humble in a Williamson County nail-biter. The Senate Republican Caucus stayed out of that primary entirely. Other outside groups spent $106,400 to either attack Humble or promote Johnson. In 2020, McNally’s PAC spent $396,800 in an unsuccessful effort to keep Sen. Steve Dickerson of Nashville from being defeated by Democrat Heidi Campbell. The Senate Republican Caucus kicked in another $154,900 on Dickerson’s behalf.

A humbling experience?

Johnson’s close call in 2022 led Republican incumbents to be vigilant this cycle about candidates backed by Humble — who positioned himself against school voucher efforts this year — and his Tennessee Stands organization. But Humble found little success this cycle, as headlined by Spencer’s shellacking by Haile. Other losing candidates supported by Humble included Niceley, Michelle Foreman in the open House District 65 race, Monica Irvine for her GOP challenge of Massey and Larry Linton in the contest to succeed retiring Rep. Dale Carr of Sevierville. Humble did not appear to be involved in Michele Reneau’s defeat of Hazlewood.

House GOP

Unlike its Senate counterpart, the House Republican Caucus sat on the sidelines during the primary. But it has close to $1 million to spend on targeted races in the general election campaign. Two years ago, the caucus spent $772,100, including to support winning candidates Elaine Davis of Knoxville ($188,000) and John Gillespie of Memphis ($182,700). But expenditures aimed at beating Democrats Gloria Johnson of Knoxville ($197,000), Ronnie Glynn of Clarksville ($102,200) and Caleb Hemmer of Nashville ($61,600) did not result in the desired outcome.

Defending Gillespie and Davis will be top agenda items for the GOP caucus this year, while Republicans are hopeful about toppling Glynn in Montgomery County. Democrats Johnson and Hemmer are unopposed this fall.

Dance with who brung ya? 

It’s unclear what lessons lawmakers will take out of the primary. One takeaway might be that winning open House seats on a pro-voucher platform won’t be easy even if outside groups are spending obscene amounts in their favor. Another might be to avoid going against powerful interests who helped put them into their seats. And in Niceley’s case, it might be not to assume money can’t change public perceptions and reputations built over decades of serving in the Statehouse.

Meanwhile, school choice groups will hope the threat of a heavy-spending campaign against anyone who balks at future voucher efforts will create a more pliable Republican membership on their issues. Such concerns might also retroactively explain Senate Republicans’ insistence that this spring’s school voucher effort wasn’t really dead until potentially vulnerable incumbents were able to sign on as co-sponsors of the chamber’s doomed version of the bill.

That one vote… 

Votes in favor of a 2015 bill seeking to allow children brought to the country without legal authorization to qualify for in-state tuition at public colleges and universities were the subject of attacks in the successful campaigns against Niceley and Hazlewood, though other Republicans who had voted for the bill, like Haile, Massey and Sen. Todd Gardenhire of Chattanooga, didn’t meet similar fates in their bids. Ragan and Lundberg had opposed the bill but still lost their primaries.

The tuition measure gained broad support when it passed the Senate 21-12, but a 49-47 tally in the House was one vote short of the minimum number it needed to become law. Other current GOP lawmakers who may now be looking over their shoulders after voting for the measure include Reps. Bud Hulsey of Bristol, Sabi Kumar of Springfield, Pat Marsh of Shelbyville, Mike Sparks of Smyrna and Mark White of Memphis, along with Sens. Janice Bowling of Tullahoma, Richard Briggs of Knoxville, Ed Jackson of Jackson, Steve Southerland of Morristown and McNally.

Kansas Daily News Wire August 19, 2024

Posted on by State Affairs

Welcome to the Kansas Daily News Wire, your daily roundup of top state and political stories from newsrooms across Kansas. — Hawver’s Capitol Report/State Affairs

STATE

Meet 9 new lawmakers who won primaries for seats: While election season rages on, some have already completed the road to the Statehouse, including nine new lawmakers who won primaries this month. (Resnick, Richardson, Stover — State Affairs)

15-year-old  Shawnee Mission NW  football player dies from medical emergency: A 15-year-old Kansas high school student died two days after suffering a medical emergency. The player collapsed at practice, according to reports. It’s the third case to happen in the U.S. this month. (USA Today)

As new school year dawns, districts still hampered by faculty crunches: As students return to school from summer break, an existential threat looms over K-12 education: teacher shortages — an issue greatly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. (Resnick, State Affairs)

Kansas school employee locked teen with Down syndrome in closet, storage cage, lawsuit says: A paraeducator of a rural Kansas school district repeatedly shoved a teenager with Down syndrome into a utility closet, hit the boy and once photographed him locked in a cage used to store athletic equipment, a lawsuit claims. (CBS News)

Special committee assignments announced : A special committee meant to evaluate the state’s budget development process is scheduled to meet for the first time this week. (Richardson, State Affairs)

LOCAL

Kansans will soon be able to see a ‘super Blue Moon’: Stargazers will soon enjoy a once-in-a-Blue-Moon experience when they get to see a super Blue Moon. (Topeka Capital-Journal)

Kelly, Kobach pen letter opposing Nebraska water transfer: Gov. Laura Kelly and Attorney General Kris Kobach joined forces to oppose a proposed Nebraska water transfer they believe would harm Kansas’ waterways. (Stover, State Affairs)

WyCo, KCK officials warn of impacts to public services after sweeping budget cuts: Less than two months after a decision to cap property tax revenue, Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, commissioners passed budgets Thursday with significant cuts to city and county services that will take shape next year. (The Kansas City Star)

Possible explosive device discovered in El Dorado: The Wichita Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team and ATF responded in El Dorado after a possible explosive device was discovered over the weekend. (KSN)

Some Amtrak camp residents not surprised by City of Lawrence plan to vacate area: Some of the people living at the campsite behind the Amtrak station said Friday that they knew the City of Lawrence would likely soon close the camp. (The Lawrence Times)

Howey Daily Wire Aug. 19, 2024

Posted on by Howey Politics Indiana

Welcome subscribers!

Jarred Meeks of State Affairs reports Indiana’s unemployment rate increased to 4% last month, nearing a three-year high. And Brian Howey writes about the “pearls of wisdom” for future generations offered by Indiana’s four living governors during the State Fair Foundation’s Harvest. More news below. — Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs

Indiana’s unemployment rate hits highest mark since 2021: Indiana’s July unemployment rate was lower than those in neighboring Michigan (4.4%), Ohio (4.5%), Kentucky (4.7%) and Illinois (5.2%). (Meeks, State Affairs)

Election matchups 2024: Our elections spreadsheet lists all candidates who will be on Indiana’s general election ballot for federal and state offices including the latest analysis of all contested races. Watch for updates from State Affairs on the horse races.

STATE

Pearls of wisdom from Hoosier governors as cataclysm nears: Brian Howey of State Affairs writes that Indiana’s four living governors — Democrat Evan Bayh and Republicans Mitch Daniels, Mike Pence and Eric Holcomb — appeared onstage at the State Fair, where moderator Cindy Hoye asked them for “pearls of wisdom” for future generations.

Potential water project poised to deliver 25M gallons a day to LEAP District, Lebanon: A state agency took the first step toward providing financing for a new option to channel 25 million gallons of water a day to the LEAP Lebanon Innovation District and other Boone County developments through loans of up to $100 million. (Charron & Shuey, IBJ)

Federal appeals court lets porn website age verification mandate go into effect: A federal appeals court stayed an injunction blocking enforcement of an Indiana law requiring pornography websites to verify user ages. (Muñiz, Indiana Capital Chronicle)

103 farm families presented Hoosier Homestead: Recognized for their families’ longstanding commitment to agriculture, 103 Indiana farm families were presented the Hoosier Homestead Award at the Indiana State Fair from Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Don Lamb, according to a news release. (Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs)

State says South Bend schools must give former high school to charter school: The Indiana Department of Education has ruled that the South Bend Community School Corp. must make the former Clay High available to charter school Career Academy for a dollar. (Parrott, WVPE-FM)

Three DCS employees claim race, age discrimination: The employees were all connected in various roles to the “Doe case,” in which an infant was bitten by rats more than 50 times. (Loesch, Courier & Press)

Canceled: Tomorrow’s State Board of Finance meeting — A notice from the office of the State Comptroller announced the meeting planned for tomorrow has been canceled. (Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs)

ISP, local police launch ‘drive sober’ campaign: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, a national high-visibility enforcement campaign, will continue through Sept. 2 funded by a federal grant. Officers will increase patrols and sobriety checkpoints, according to an announcement by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. (Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs)

Central Indiana existing-home sales rise for second time in last 30 months: Central Indiana saw existing-home transactions rise 3.4% in July — only the second month out of the last 30 in which closed sales had increased on a year-over-year basis. (IBJ)

LOCAL

Vanderburgh County Council seeks to reduce proposed $139M budget without layoffs: Vanderburgh County department heads began sharing proposed 2025 budgets with the council during the two-day hearings. Many departments will have to make cuts before the budget is approved in October. (Jagielo, WNIN-FM)

Bartholomew County reports decline in number of homeless residents: The number of homeless residents counted in Bartholomew County declined this year, while the number of local homeless not staying in shelters slightly increased. (East, The Republic)

Bloomington to appeal annexation ruling: Mayor Kerry Thomson says the city will appeal a recent ruling in which a judge denied Bloomington the right to annex two areas west and southwest of the city, saying an annexation failure would hamstring the entire region. (Ladwig, The Herald-Times)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Roads task force to meet Aug. 27: The Funding Indiana’s Roads for A Stronger, Safer Tomorrow task force is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. in Room 156A at the Statehouse.

CONGRESS

Carson joins Citizens Energy to break ground on gas pipeline upgrade: U.S. Rep. André Carson, D-Ind., joined Citizens Energy Group to break ground to upgrade four miles of natural gas pipeline on Indianapolis’ eastside. According to a news release, the upgrade was made possible by a $7.5 million federal grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. (Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs)

House GOP investigators accuse Biden of ‘impeachable conduct’ in long-awaited report: House Republican investigators accused President Joe Biden of engaging in “impeachable conduct” as part of a long-awaited report. It’s unlikely to change a reality the party has faced for months: They don’t have the votes to impeach him. (Politico)

Congressional schedule: The Senate and House are out.

CAMPAIGNS

Tulsi Gabbard to keynote Hamilton County GOP Fall Dinner: Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will keynote the Hamilton County Republican Party Fall Dinner on Oct. 1 at the Embassy Suites in Noblesville, according to a notice emailed to Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs.

Charrie Stambaugh ousted by Johnson County Democratic Party: Charrie Stambaugh, campaign director for Indiana Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Valerie McCray, denies creating dissension in the party and engaging in a “course of conduct” that didn’t promote the party’s best interests. (Crenshaw, Daily Journal)

Independent and third-party candidates struggle to get on Indiana’s ballot: The electoral system “heavily favors” the Republican and Democratic parties through a series of rules that make getting on the ballot especially difficult, particularly in Indiana, according to Marjorie Hershey, Indiana University professor emeritus of political science. (Odendahl, The Indiana Citizen)

PRESIDENTIAL 2024

Today: Protests planned at Democratic National Convention — There are at least six major protests planned on the streets of Chicago during the Democratic National Convention, with the largest planned for today, when “tens of thousands” are expected to march just blocks from the United Center. (Politico)

Harris campaign announces $370M battleground ad push: Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign announced plans to spend at least $370 million on advertisements between Labor Day and Election Day. (Politico)

Trump and Harris duke it out on social media: Both Vice President Kamala Harris’s and Donald Trump’s camps are competing fiercely for young and online voters by courting social-media influencers, trading jabs online and trying out digital-first strategies. (The Wall Street Journal)

NATION

Homicides are plunging in Biden’s last year compared to Trump’s: Data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association shows a 13% drop in homicides among 66 cities from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2024, compared to those dates in 2020. (Fox)

White House schedule: President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Chicago. The president will deliver the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention at 9:45 p.m. CT. The first lady will also speak. The Bidens will then travel to Santa Ynez, Calif. Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Chicago where she will receive briefings and conduct internal meetings with staff before joining second gentleman Doug Emhoff to attend the president’s address at the convention.

SUNDAY TALK

Vance dismisses polls that show Harris ahead as ‘wildly inaccurate’: Ohio GOP U.S. Sen. JD Vance dismissed polling that shows Vice President Kamala Harris has taken the lead nationally and in key battleground states, arguing that the same polls were inaccurate in 2016 and 2020. (Fox)

Duckworth: ‘Momentum is continuing to build’ for Harris heading into DNC — U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., whose home state is hosting the Democratic National Convention, said Vice President Kamala Harris is on the upswing heading into the major political gathering this week. (ABC)

Lindsey Graham: ‘Trump the provocateur, the showman, may not win this election’ — U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said former President Donald Trump, “the provocateur, the showman, may not win this election.” (NBC)

Whatley defends Trump against criticism of Medal of Honor remarks: Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley defended former President Trump against backlash to his recent remarks denigrating the Medal of Honor. (The Hill)

Insider for August 19, 2024

Posted on by NC Insider

YOU DON’T SAY

“I have that 2008 feeling.”

Gov. Roy Cooper, referencing the last time North Carolina voted for a democratic presidential candidate while introducing Vice President Kamala Harris. (State Affairs Pro, 8/16/24)

Harris Event

Matthew Sasser, State Affairs Pro, 8/16/24

Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled her first major economic policy speech as the Democratic candidate for President of the United States at the Hendrick Center for Automotive Excellence at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh Friday. 

Harris pitched an “Opportunity Economy” targeted at the middle class with a focus on reducing costs in order for Americans of all backgrounds and opportunity levels to succeed. 

Among the proposals by Harris are a $25,000 down payment for first-time homebuyers, a pledge to build three million new homes, an expanded child tax credit and a vow to lower costs at the grocery store. 

Prior to the 30-minute address by Harris, which marked her 16th trip to the Tarheel State during her vice-presidency, North Carolina Democratic leaders said the room had an Obama-level energy that hasn’t been felt in over a decade. 

“I have that 2008 feeling,” Gov. Roy Cooper said, reminding the audience that also happened to be the last election North Carolina voted blue rather than red as a state.

“Kamala has the energy, the pump,” Rep. Allison Dahle, D-Wake, said. “For me this is as exciting as when Obama ran. We have somebody who our young children can look up to and say, ‘I can be president someday.’”

Attorney General and Democratic candidate for Governor Josh Stein remarked that North Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the entire country, but not everyone has a fair shot at success. 

“….Our economic success is not being evenly shared,” Stein said. “Too many people are struggling to pay rent, buy groceries and afford medicine, and that’s to say nothing of an unexpected auto repair bill or medical expense.”

Harris began her address by crediting the 16 million new jobs that have been created after the COVID-19 pandemic, and noted that inflation is now below 3% as of this week. Harris said it’s a foundation that can be built upon. “Still, we know that many Americans don’t yet feel that progress in their daily lives,” shesaid. “Costs are still too high, and on a deeper level, there are too many people, no matter how much they work, it feels so hard to get ahead.”

Harris stated that it will be a “laser-focus” of her administration to create opportunities for the middle class to advance their economic security. 

“Together we will build what I call an Opportunity Economy,” Harris said. “Where everyone can compete and have a real chance to succeed. Everyone, regardless of who they are or where they started, has an opportunity to build wealth for themselves and their children.”

Leaning on her background as a former California Attorney General, Harris said that she fought against companies that illegally increased prices, especially for prescription drugs, and she will do the same as President. 

“Many of the big food companies are seeing the highest profits in two decades, and while many grocery chains pass along these savings, others still aren’t,” Harris said. 

A final proposal by Harris outlined a plan to build three million new homes by the end of her first term, with an assurance that the homes will go to citizens, not corporate investors. Aspiring homeowners can save for years and still not be able to afford a home, Harris said. 

“In addition, while we work on the housing shortage, my administration will provide first-time homebuyers with $25,000 [in a down payment],” Harris said. 

Toward the end of her address, Harris referenced Trump’s visit to Asheville earlier this week. Harris said he planned to discuss the economy at his rally, but offered no serious plans to reduce costs for middle-class families and was more focused on personal attacks. 

“I think, for most of us, that was not surprising,” Harris said. 

An organic chant of “We’re not going back” broke out toward the end of Harris’ address when she said a Donald Trump presidency would repeal the Affordable Care Act. 

Sen. Sydney Batch, D-Wake, said many of the talking points paralleled bills that North Carolina lawmakers have filed, and that she loved the messaging behind an “Opportunity Economy.”

“I think that while we live in a world where the economy is actually getting much better, people don’t feel that,” Batch said. “We have to reassure them not only is the economy getting better, but we are actually putting things in place to make sure that we can lower costs.”

Batch said there has been a “kinetic energy” since Harris has succeeded Biden as the nominee and it was “wonderful to see in person.”

That’s a sentiment shared with Rep. Dahle, who said there has been a palpable, positive energy among those she’s interacted with since Harris has assumed the mantle as the Democratic nominee. 

“We have a lot of recovery to do,” Dahle said. “Economically, agriculturally — we have so many things that we can do that should be feasible on both sides of the aisle.”

“I thought she had a really strong economic message that focuses on the cost of living issues confronted by middle class Americans,” Sen. Jay J. Chaudhuri, D-Wake, said. “Just as importantly, she drew a strong contrast with the policies of Donald Trump.”

Chaudhuri said when Democrats embrace the values that Harris spoke about, they will win at the polls. 

“The speech reminded me of the way Bill Clinton communicated economic messaging in the ‘92 election,” Chaudhuri said. “I think the visual of a middle class American walking down the grocery aisle or paying bills at the kitchen table, those are really going to resonate, I think, with the voters.”

 

Faircloth Resignation

Kevin Griffin, Greensboro News & Record, 8/18/24

Republican N.C. Rep. John Faircloth announced his plans to resign from the legislature Thursday, becoming the third Guilford County legislator this year to make an early departure. Faircloth submitted a letter expressing his intent to resign from the 62nd District seat effective Sept. 6.

Faircloth’s resignation letter read in part: “I am eternally grateful to my family, friends, constituents, colleagues and legislative staff for supporting me throughout my time in public office. It has been my life’s work to serve the community and the people that I love.”

The letter did not address Faircloth’s reason for the resignation. On Friday, Faircloth’s legislative assistant declined further comment. Faircloth had already decided not to seek re-election this year.

The Guilford County Republican Party is tasked with appointing a new representative to fill out the last few months of Faircloth’s term. Chris Meadows, the chairman of the county party, said they will do so on Sept. 9. The party would have the option of giving former Rep. John Blust, the Republican nominee in the district, an early start.

Faircloth is a real estate broker and former High Point City Council member who has served seven terms in the N.C. House. At 85, he is the oldest member of the N.C. House, Principal Clerk James White confirmed Friday afternoon. His current district is located in western Guilford County and includes the towns of Oak Ridge and Stokesdale.

In a statement, N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore said Faircloth’s “dedication to our state and unwavering commitment to his constituents in Guilford County have set a high standard for public service.” Moore continued: “He has fought to protect and improve a free-market economy from excessive government control and public safety and education in North Carolina. While we will deeply miss his wisdom and experience in the legislature, I wish him all the best in this well-deserved retirement. His legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire future generations of leaders.”

This marks the third time in the last four months a state representative from Guilford County has chosen to resign.

Republican Rep. Jon Hardister left the N.C. House in April and the party appointed Alan Branson, who was seeking to the seat. In a Facebook post Thursday, Hardister praised Faircloth as “a true statesman who has dedicated the majority of his life to public service” and “a very effective member of the N.C. House” who had “a positive impact on North Carolina and on Guilford County.”

In July, Democratic Rep. Ashton Wheeler Clemmons announced her resignation. The Guilford County Democratic Party voted to appoint Tracy Clark to serve out Clemmons’ unexpired term and to take her place on the general election ballot. [Source]

 

Federal Education Funds

Laura Leslie, WRAL News, 8/17/24

In a new video obtained by WRAL News, Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson says he would reject federal funding for North Carolina schools. The video was taken at a private event near Asheville July 10.

Robinson was asked by an attendee what he could do to fight school bureaucracy at the federal level. He said he’d prefer to see the state opt out of federal education funds. “If I had my way about it,” Robinson responded, “they’d send the check and I’d say, ‘Oh, no, you can have it. I don’t want your money. Your money comes with too many rotten obligations. We don’t want it.’”

“Honestly, come on. There should be no federal department of education,” Robinson said.

Abolishing the federal department of education is an idea being pushed by some conservatives. It’s one of the plans outlined in Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s blueprint for a second Trump term in the White House.

“They have no business telling a state how to operate the education system, but they do,” Robinson told his supporters. “That’s why we need to cut their money off. That’s why it’s important for us to be fiscally responsible with our education dollars, cut the waste and cut the bureaucracy so that we can do what we need to do without their help.”

Republican state schools superintendent candidate Michele Morrow told WRAL she too would like to get the federal government out of North Carolina schools, saying teachers have complained to her about being “forced to do things” because of federal regulations.

“People need to recognize that the federal government, along with every dollar that they give us, there is an expectation that we are going to push an agenda that comes from them, and that comes with strings,” Morrow said.

Morrow said if she’s elected, her first step will be to “audit” federally funded programs at the Department of Public Instruction to see if they contribute to student achievement. If not, she said she’ll tell federal officials, “Back off. We don’t need your money, and we’re going to do it just as a state.”

Other states have considered turning down federal education funds, including Utah, Oklahoma and Tennessee. But so far, none have gone through with it. Earlier this year, Tennessee lawmakers issued a report finding that replacing federal funds with state money would limit their ability to make other investments. It would be a costly move for North Carolina, too.

According to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, in the 2023-24 school year, North Carolina received about $1.67 billion in federal support. WRAL asked the Robinson and Morrow campaigns where they would find the money to cover those expenses. Neither campaign answered.

In a statement, Robinson spokesman Mike Lonergan said, “Lt. Gov Mark Robinson believes education funding should focus on student achievement and not bloated bureaucracy or extreme political agendas like forcing women and girls to play sports with biological men, as Josh Stein, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are trying to do.”

Biden-administration changes to Title IX regulations – essentially, the administrative interpretation of the federal law based on recent legal cases – don’t address transgender athletes’ eligibility to play school sports. That’s something the Biden administration has said they’ll tackle at a later time. But conservatives argue the new regulations leave too much open to interpretation on whether schools can disallow transgender girls from sharing bathrooms or other facilities with cisgender girls.

Morrow has also blamed the federal education department for discouraging student suspensions, although North Carolina’s suspensions and expulsions have recently increased. Federal special education law places restrictions on discipline for students with disabilities, but those students are still suspended or expelled at some of the highest rates in North Carolina.

Robinson’s Democratic gubernatorial rival Josh Stein called the lieutenant governor “the anti-public education candidate.” Robinson “has already declared that he would ‘slash’ public education funding in North Carolina, and now he is pledging to forfeit billions of dollars of our own tax money that is used to educate our kids,” Stein said in a statement. “I’m in this race to defend public schools; my opponent just wants to defund them.”

Mo Green, Morrow’s Democratic rival in the DPI superintendent race, also criticized the idea, saying the state’s public schools need more funding for services, not less, especially for lower-income students. “Robinson and my opponent would support taking millions more of our taxpayer funds and funnel them into private and religious schools for the wealthy,” Green said. “Their goal is to defund public education, and I will never support that.”

The North Carolina Association of Educators provided a response to the plan, adding “Mark Robinson’s plan to turn down federal funding would slash North Carolina public school funding by more than $1 billion per year. It is a callous and irresponsible idea that directly harms students in need. North Carolina must reject this harmful idea that candidates like Robinson are suggesting. Nothing is more important than our children’s future and we need all the help we can get to invest in their success.” [Source]

Election Security

Sarah Michels, Carolina Public Press, 8/16/24

During a 2022 Trusted Elections Tour, hosted by the North Carolina Network for Fair, Safe and Secure Elections, a woman from Edenton said she received 14 absentee ballots. She was concerned about the potential for election fraud, but there was one issue. She didn’t actually receive 14 absentee ballots; she got 14 applications for absentee ballots, and didn’t understand the difference.

“You submit 14 applications, but you’re only going to get one ballot because they’ve got a system in place to make sure that you only vote once,” Bob Orr, former North Carolina Supreme Court justice and co-chair of the N.C. Network for Fair, Safe and Secure Elections, told Carolina Public Press in his retelling. “It’s that sort of kind of simple misunderstanding that generates mistrust in the system, but in most instances, there’s a pretty straightforward explanation for it.”

The Edenton woman wasn’t alone in her election skepticism. In 2022, a national Elon University poll found that 37% of respondents had little to no confidence in the fairness of elections, a six-point drop from its 2020 poll.

In North Carolina, a March 2024 WRAL News poll revealed that 29% of likely voters lacked election confidence. Mistrust is not uniformly distributed among voters. The same poll found that while 44% of 2020 Trump voters lacked confidence in election integrity, only 14% of those who voted for Biden in 2020 felt the same.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has a team of investigators who look into potential fraud each cycle. They receive tips from county boards of elections, watchdog and advocacy groups, private citizens, political parties and candidates, as well as the team’s own internal audits.

Pat Gannon, State Board of Elections spokesperson, said voters seem most unsure about voter list maintenance, electronic voting equipment and voting by non-U.S. citizens. Between 2015 and 2022, the investigations team looked into 674 cases, which amounts to 0.0024% of total ballots cast during the same timeframe.

Most of those cases occurred in 2017, when more than 400 potential felon voters were detected. Overall, 79% of all referred cases between 2015 and 2022 dealt with voting attempts by felons, who cannot legally vote in North Carolina until they have completed probation and parole. Just eight cases dealt with suspected non-citizen voters or registrants.

Furthermore, no credible evidence exists to suggest that North Carolina has ever been successfully targeted by a cyberattack, according to the State Board’s website.

Concerns about election fraud are “not totally ungrounded,” said Nadine Gibson, assistant professor of public and international affairs at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. For example, in 2018, a Republican operative in Bladen County conducted a ballot harvesting scheme that was caught, resulting in a second election for a North Carolina U.S. House seat. Those events don’t go unnoticed, Gibson said. “When voter fraud does happen, it is detected,” she said.

It’s not a perfect system, but it’s very secure and safe overall, Orr said. In North Carolina, about 5.5-6 million people will likely vote in the upcoming election. “I mean, that is a huge number of people in a very complex legal and regulatory system to process, and invariably, there will be mistakes made,” he said.

“(Somebody always) wants to try and game the system. Usually, that’s more in a very confined, local area. Technology has just provided far more security.”

Gannon listed several reasons why trust in elections may have declined in an emailed statement to Carolina Public Press: the spread of misinformation online, statements by candidates, politicians and high-profile individuals “denigrating the conduct of elections,” foreign operations to spread discord online and a lack of resources for local elections officials to share accurate information.

Orr said North Carolina is uniquely positioned for the spread of misinformation with its influx of new residents who may not understand why election processes are done a different way than they are used to. Also, the nationalization of politics has extended to elections, he said.

“You hear the national stories about the whole balloting process, including absentee ballots, and I think people just transpose those over to North Carolina,” Orr said. “If there was a problem in Arizona or Michigan, then there must be a problem here, (people think).” [Source]

Prison Reentry

Rachel Crumpler, NC Health News, 8/19/24

State leaders have crafted a detailed plan to boost support for people leaving prison in North Carolina over the coming years. It’s an ambitious plan — the most targeted effort at strengthening reentry in state history, according to the governor’s office.

Every year, roughly 18,000 people leave North Carolina prisons. For many of them, walking out of the doors of a prison marks the start of new hardships and challenges as they work to rebuild their lives outside of prison walls. 
Barriers such as employers refusing to hire people with a criminal record, limited housing options and lack of health care access can hurt people’s ability to land — and stay — on their feet. State leaders are taking action to make sure that by 2030 there are fewer obstacles that could derail that transition to the community. They say that’s critical, since 95 percent of the state’s incarcerated population will one day return home.

Gov. Roy Cooper’s Executive Order No. 303 kicked off North Carolina’s concerted effort to bolster support for this population. The January directive called for a “whole-of-government” approach to boosting reentry services for formerly incarcerated people across the state.

The Joint Reentry Council, created by Cooper’s executive order, immediately went to work brainstorming ways to tackle some common and pressing problems people face when leaving prison. The group, made up of representatives from every cabinet agency, approved on Aug. 7 a strategic plan that will guide the state’s reentry efforts through 2030.

The plan’s four overarching goals are:

  • Improve the economic mobility of formerly incarcerated people.
  • Improve access to mental and physical health care. 
  • Expand housing opportunities for formerly incarcerated people.
  • Remove barriers to successful community reintegration, especially for those returning to historically underserved communities.

To meet these goals, the state’s Reentry 2030 Strategic Plan outlines 26 more detailed objectives and 133 strategies to use. The plan also includes metrics to track progress.

“It’s a plan that’s got the key ingredients to work and really make a big difference,” said Todd Ishee, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Adult Correction. “North Carolina is not talking about rehabilitation and reentry, we’re doing it. I think this is going to change generations to come for the better.”

North Carolina’s work is part of Reentry 2030, a national initiative sponsored by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Council of State Governments that aims to dramatically improve reentry success. North Carolina was the third state to join the initiative, after Missouri and Alabama. To date, five states have signed on, including Nebraska and New York.

Cooper told the Joint Reentry Council on Aug. 7 that doing more for people returning home from incarceration has been on his mind since he served as state attorney general from 2001 to 2017. This increased momentum for the initiative is taking shape during his final year as governor. 

Cooper said boosting reentry support is “the right thing to do” to make communities safer and give people the second chances they deserve.

An April report by the North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission found a 44 percent re-arrest rate within two years from a sample of 12,889 people released from North Carolina state prisons in fiscal year 2021. That same sample had an 18 percent re-conviction rate, and when adding in those who return to prison for parole violations, fully 33 percent were sent back to prison within two years of their release. 

Cooper and prison leaders hope improved reentry support will translate into better outcomes in the community. [Source]

Trump Campaign

Danielle Battaglia, McClatchy, 8/17/24

Former President Donald Trump plans to return to North Carolina on Wednesday to give another policy speech, and this time he’s bringing his running mate, Sen. JD Vance.

A news release from the Trump campaign said Trump and Vance plan to visit the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame in Asheboro to discuss national security. The event will take place while Democrats are in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention.

In a news release Saturday night, the Trump campaign faulted Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, for problems at the southern border, a botched withdrawal of military troops from Afghanistan and the Hamas-Israel war.

“President Trump and Senator Vance know that America cannot take another four years of weak leadership and a careless approach to our national security,” the news release stated. ”A Trump-Vance Administration will Make America Great Again by stopping the migrant invasion and carrying out the largest deportation in our country’s history, curbing Chinese and Iranian threats, and making America strong again by restoring America’s rightful standing and respect on the world stage.”

Wednesday’s visit is Trump’s fourth to the state in 2024 and Vance’s first. Trump visited Asheville last week. Vance had planned to be in North Carolina on Aug. 8, in a bit of counter-programming against Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, but all three had to cancel due to Tropical Storm Debby. [Source]

 

Democratic Convention

Brian Murphy, WRAL News, 8/15/24

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper will have a speaking role at next week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, he said Thursday. Cooper was considered a potential vice presidential pick for Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris became the nominee after President Joe Biden decided to end his re-election bid in July. Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate. Cooper withdrew from consideration before Walz was selected.

The Democratic National Convention begins on Aug. 19 and concludes on Aug. 22. Biden, former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and former presidential nominee Hilary Clinton are all expected to speak in prime time slots. It is not clear when Cooper will speak at the convention.

North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson had a speaking role at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last month. [Source]

 

Tax Filing

WRAL News, 8/16/24

On Friday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that North Carolina will be the latest state to join IRS Direct File for the 2025 filing season. Twelve states saw 140,000 taxpayers claim more than $90 million in refunds and save an estimated $5.6 million in filing costs using the new free online filing tool. At least 1.25 million North Carolinians will be eligible to use the free online filing tool next Filing Season.

“Thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, more than 1.25 million North Carolina taxpayers will be able to file their taxes online for free, directly with the IRS this coming Filing Season,” said U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen. “Direct File will save North Carolinians time and money and help ensure they receive the tax benefits they are owed.”

Gov. Roy Cooper said this new system will help North Carolinians save money. “Filing taxes is often stressful, expensive, and time-consuming for North Carolina taxpayers and families,” Governor Roy Cooper said. “The IRS Direct File tool helps remove unnecessary hurdles and fees by allowing taxpayers to file directly with the IRS for free, keeping more money in their pockets. This resource will help ensure qualifying families receive tax credits.” [Source]

 

Island Ferry

Trista Talton, Coastal Review, 8/16/24

A request to bump Bald Head Island ferry hourly departures to every 90 minutes got a verbal thumbs down from nearly everyone who spoke at a state-hosted public hearing Tuesday night.

The schedule change proposed by the private company, Bald Head Island Transportation Inc., would disrupt ferry runs that coincide with start and end times of the only school on the island, increase commute times for workers going to and from the island, and force businesses on the island to shrink their hours of operation, opponents of the change argued.

A handful of those who spoke at Tuesday’s hearing the North Carolina Utilities Commission held in Brunswick County Courthouse Courtroom 2 said they did, however, favor a hybrid schedule that has been floated around, but not submitted to the commission for consideration.

Elizabeth Stephen, a 30-year Bald Head property owner and 8-year full-time resident, said she was 100% in favor of the hybrid schedule, one that purportedly would begin and end departures to and from the island on the current 30-minute schedule and shift to a 45-minute schedule midday. Stephen was among roughly 30 people scattered throughout the courtroom where utilities Commissioner Karen Kemerait, who headed the hearing, sat at the front of the room in the seat typically reserved for a judge.

Those who signed up to speak at the hearing were sworn in before taking a seat in the courtroom witness box, where they were allowed to give no more than a 3-minute-long statement and answer questions of commission members and attorneys representing various groups that have intervened in the application review process.

An expert witness hearing on the schedule change application is set for Nov. 5 in the utilities commission hearing room in Raleigh. [Source]

 

Guilford Appointment

Santiago Ochoa, WFDD Radio, 8/16/24

There has been disagreement among Guilford County Democrats after the party’s African American Caucus published an open letter criticizing the speedy appointment of Tracy Clark to the state’s 57th District.

Last Friday, the caucus’s executive committee released a statement voicing concern with how the Democratic Party handled filling the seat left behind by former Representative Ashton Clemmons, who announced her departure from the state House of Representatives in July.

The statement revealed the African American Caucus had urged party leadership to postpone the decision prior to now-Representative Tracy Clark’s Aug. 3 appointment.

In the letter, caucus President Byron Gladden said the request for a delayed decision was made following concerns from elected officials, candidates and party supporters. “A postponement would have allowed candidates and voters adequate time to understand the announced changes in the voting process, review their options, and complete outstanding requests for data from the local county chair,” Gladden said.

He also expressed “disappointment and surprise,” in Democratic Party Chair Kathy Kirkpatrick’s decision to go ahead with the meeting during which Clark was appointed. Kirkpatrick said her decision to do so was made with counsel from a party attorney, three parliamentarians and in accordance with the state’s laws and Democratic Party Plan of Organization. She says party decisions are usually made using weighted voting, but in the case of filling the district seat, the rules called for using a one-person, one-vote system.

Kirkpatrick added she understood the caucus’s concern and agreed with their argument.

“I personally think that the plan and the law need to be changed so that we can use a weighted voting system but my personal opinion doesn’t override how everything is currently written,” Kirkpatrick said. She also said should the appointment be found to have been done incorrectly, she will do it again.

The Guilford County African American Caucus did not respond to email and telephone requests for comment by deadline. [Source]

 

AT&T Strike

Brian Gordon, The News & Observer, 8/17/24

For the first time since 2019, thousands of AT&T workers across the Southeast are on strike, including hundreds in the Triangle area. Communications Workers of America says 17,000 union members in regional District 3 began striking Friday and will remain off work until they believe the major telecommunications company begins to bargain over a new contract in good faith.

Their previous contract expired on Aug. 3. District 3 covers every southern state between Louisiana and Virginia, including all of North Carolina.

“We’re pretty much showing them that we mean business for this upcoming contract,” said Kelvin Little, a wire technician in Raleigh who serves as a head organizer for CWA Local 3611.

The strike comes as some AT&T customers in the Triangle report prolonged internet outages. Saturday afternoon, AT&T also reported internet outages within a circle of northern Charlotte neighborhoods.

Since at least Wednesday, AT&T internet customers in Durham have reported being without residential service. According to the company’s website, outages have been detected across a wide section of the city, including downtown and around Duke University.

AT&T has alerted some affected residents in southwest Durham their internet service “should be online” by Tuesday morning.

“We have various business continuity measures in place to avoid disruptions to operations and will continue to provide our customers with the great service they expect,” company spokesperson Jim Kimberly said.

Local 3611 organized 10 rallies between Raleigh and Chapel Hill on Saturday, each held near an AT&T staff office.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel and Republican state Senate candidate Scott Lassiter stopped by the Morrisville picket line to show their support. CWA is the nation’s largest telecommunications union, and it’s part of AFL-CIO, the biggest U.S. union federation.

On Aug. 8, the AFL-CIO filed a federal unfair labor practice complaint against AT&T Southeast, accusing the company of engaging in “surface bargaining” without a legitimate intention to reach an agreement.

In an email, CWA communications director Beth Allen alleged AT&T sent negotiators who lacked “the authority to make decisions so we can move forward toward a new contract.” AT&T refuted this charge.

“CWA’s claims of unfair labor practices are not grounded in fact,” Kimberly said in an email. “We have been engaged in substantive bargaining since day 1 and are eager to reach an agreement that benefits our hard-working employees.” [Source]

Police Hire

Julia Coin, The Charlotte Observer, 8/18/24

John Joseph Carl barged through walls of officers and through the door of a U.S. senator’s office in the U.S. Capitol riots on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a criminal complaint filed this week. Then he became a cop.

FBI agents interviewed the 41-year-old in February 2021 but arrested him Thursday. He joined the Pinetops Police Department in December 2023 after graduating from training at an eastern North Carolina community college, according to the college’s website.

Carl’s case file was sealed, not available to the public, on Friday morning, but the United States attorney for the District of Columbia released the criminal complaint detailing FBI interviews with Carl and his riotmate. That person, whose name has been redacted from the documents, turned himself in three days after the insurrection. He then named Carl, too.

On February 17, 2021, FBI agents interviewed Carl, and he admitted to participating in the riot and showed footage he recorded as he pushed against Capitol police and breached the building. He’d come from former President Donald Trump’s rally on the National Mall, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.

The FBI says Carl “joined other aggressive rioters and held his ground against officers attempting to move him back.” Instead of listening to officers, he “raised his arms to push back against officers … and grabbed an officer’s arm and baton,” according to body worn camera footage.

Carl is charged with a felony offense of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, picketing, and demonstrating in a Capitol building.

Pinetops police referred an inquiry Friday from The Charlotte Observer to the town attorney, J. Brian Pridgen, who said in an email that Carl had been employed by town police since June 5, 2023. “At the time of his hiring and during his employment, the Town of Pinetops had no knowledge of Officer Carl’s possible involvement” in the Jan. 6 riot, the email said. “Based on the charges brought by the FBI, Officer Carl has been suspended pending an investigation.” [Source]

School Cuts

Tammy Grubb, The News & Observer, 8/18/24

Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools staff presented a plan Thursday to cover most of a $5.2 million budget gap by cutting or freezing several dozen jobs, including 24 positions in the district’s Central Office.

“It is designed in a way that we could break even and add a little bit of fund balance this year,” said Jonathan Scott, the district’s chief financial officer. While some changes could happen immediately, others would not take effect until the end of the school year in June.

The district will notify staff members that could be affected in individual and group meetings in the coming days. The CHCCS school board will hear more about the problem on Aug. 21, when it could vote on a “reduction in force” plan.

“I would be remiss if I did not say that this is certainly a challenging time for our district, and we recognize that this impacts people — this impacts real life in our classrooms across our district — and so this is something that we do not take lightly,” Superintendent Nyah Hamlett said.

The budget shortfall is not a surprise for board members or the Orange County Board of Commissioners, who were warned earlier this year — and in previous budget discussions — that the situation was becoming more serious.

The commissioners have increased the county’s per-student funding for the city and Orange County Schools districts each year, but have also encouraged the districts to spend more of their fund balance.

The fund balance is savings that results from the district not spending all of its allotted money each year. Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools implemented a corrective action plan in the spring that froze 32 of 34 identified positions as employees retired or left the district, saving roughly $2.4 million. But the costs have continued to grow, and the district now finds itself deeper in the hole.

Board Vice Chair Riza Jenkins said “tough conversations” with the community will be ongoing. “The burden of funding public education has shifted more and more to us locally vs. at the state,” Jenkins said. “Also the state allots below what schools need, even below what research and instructional best practices indicate, and that is that we need the presence of more student-facing roles, teacher assistants, more language teachers, and funding positions for the whole child, such as mental health specialists, at the state level, of course.” [Source]

OBX Collapse

Mark Price, The Charlotte Observer, 8/18/24

Another beachfront home has fallen into the Atlantic Ocean on North Carolina’s Outer Banks — the seventh in four years, according to the National Park Service.

The house at 23214 Corbina Drive in Rodanthe toppled Friday, Aug. 16, and quickly began to break apart in the surf, the park said in a news release. It was unoccupied and no injuries were reported.

“Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge strongly urges all visitors to avoid the beaches and stay out of the water around all areas of the beaches and surf in Rodanthe,” officials said. “Many other homes appear to have sustained damages in the Rodanthe area. Dangerous debris may be present on the beach and in the water for more than a dozen miles.” [Source]

 

Homeschool Classes

Liz Schlemmer, WUNC Radio, 8/18/24

Homeschoolers who want to take advanced courses not offered in their homeschool setting have always been able to enroll in their local public school. To make more families aware of that opportunity, Guilford County Schools is launching a new marketing strategy in an effort to also boost falling student enrollment. Starting this year, the district’s newly named “GCS Flex” program streamlines the process for homeschoolers to enroll part-time in high school classes at Guilford County Schools.

The school district produced a video to promote the program.

“What we’ve learned post-pandemic is that families want choice,” said Guilford County Schools’ Superintendent Whitney Oakley. “We realize we’re part of that choice continuum, and the more flexible and available we can make these options, the better it off is for all parties, right?”

Homeschoolers who enroll at least part-time in a public school can join sports and clubs, take career and technical classes and free community college courses alongside high school peers, and use the school district’s services like any other student.

“Really, the goal is to just raise awareness of the options that are available for all students in Guilford County,” Oakley said. Oakley said about 50 students have enrolled in GCS Flex for the upcoming school year, and the district is continuing to take registrations.

Homeschoolers who enroll in at least half of a full-time course load will also count toward the public school’s enrollment. That benefits the school, since state funding for public schools is based primarily on a school’s total students in attendance. “We think of it as a win-win for all parties,” Oakley said. [Source]

Charlotte Grants

Ely Portillo, WFAE Radio, 8/15/24

The city of Charlotte on Thursday announced the recipients for a million dollars worth of grants to revitalize historically low-income corridors. The business and community associations will split the money to advocate for areas in east, south and west Charlotte. The recipients are Charlotte East, Historic West End Partners, QC Family Tree, the Sugar Creek Business Association and the West Corridor Merchants Association. [Source]

 

Prisoner Capture

The Associated Press, 8/16/24

A prisoner serving a life sentence for murder was captured at a North Carolina hotel early Friday, three days after his escape on the way to a medical appointment, and authorities say he had help from at least one person. Ramone Alston, 30, escaped from a van Tuesday as it arrived at the UNC Gastroenterology hospital in Hillsborough, where he was being taken for a medical appointment. He freed himself from his leg restraints and fled into the woods with handcuffs on, according to the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.

Alston was taken into custody at about 2 a.m. at a hotel in Kannapolis, near Charlotte, about 110 miles southwest of Hillsborough, the department said in a news release, and no one was injured during the arrest. Alston will be charged with felony escape from prison, according to the release.

Alston was taken to the Granville Correctional Institution’s high-security maximum control unit, the state prison system’s most secure, to resume serving his life sentence, Department Secretary Todd Ishee said at a news conference Friday afternoon. Alston could face additional charges related to his escape.

“While we can’t provide specifics about how Alston was located, I can assure you it was the result of exceptional investigative work and dedication from the team that was assembled to work this escape,” Ishee said. “I’m grateful for the people standing here with me today and the hundreds of officers, deputies, agents and investigators who they represent that all worked so hard this week with great collaboration to bring Alston back into custody.”

Officials will evaluate whether anyone is eligible for the reward offered for information leading to Alston’s capture, Ishee said, adding that the department is conducting an internal investigation and review to identify areas for improvement. The officers who were transporting Alston have not been placed on leave but were reassigned to non-transportation duties.

Alston has been serving a life sentence at Bertie Correctional Institution in Windsor since his conviction in the killing of 1-year-old Maleah Williams, who was shot on Christmas Day in 2015 from a passing car while she was playing outside her family’s apartment in Chapel Hill. She died three days later. [Source]

 

Court Error

Glenn Counts, WSOC News, 8/17/24

A man is back in custody weeks after a fatal shooting at a nightclub in Uptown Charlotte. Despite facing serious charges, 31-year-old Laquan Hoe was initially able to post bond and leave jail.

On June 8, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responded to a shooting at the A1 Lounge on North Tryon Street. At the scene, police found four people with gunshot wounds. Each victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment, where one of them, Aundrey Brown, Jr., died.

Police said shortly after that shooting, Hoe was arrested in connection with this case. However, because multiple people handled the firearm used in the shooting, it took a while for people to charge him with murder.

According to court officials, Hoe was originally in jail without bond, but an error allowed him to become eligible for a $10,000 bond. “The clerk erroneously entered the 10,000 secured bonds for the earlier assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury charge. The $10,000 secured bond should have only been entered for the probation violation,” the court administrator’s office explained.

Hoe posted that bond and was free for weeks before police were able to officially charge him with murder. Hoe was then rearrested and charged with murder, according to police. He is currently in jail without bond. [Source]

 

Pride Parade

Nick de la Canal, WFAE Radio, 8/16/24

Charlotte Pride will allow members of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to march in this year’s parade. In an interview with WFAE, Liz Schob, a spokesperson for Charlotte Pride, said CMPD officers would be allowed to march alongside City of Charlotte employees.

“All city employees, including CMPD, are welcome to march with the city,” Schob said. “We work very closely with CMPD to make sure everyone is safe. So, yeah, you will see some CMPD officers there. And anyone who is a member of CMPD that wants to march in the parade is welcome to march with the city of Charlotte.”

It signals the end of a ban Charlotte Pride enacted in 2020 amid Black Lives Matter protests in Charlotte and around the country in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd.

At the time, Charlotte’s Pride’s board of directors released a statement saying law enforcement groups would no longer be welcome to march in the parade or serve as festival vendors until the community was confident that police “are committed to the meaning of Black Lives Matter and treat Black and Brown people with dignity and respect.”

A CMPD spokesperson told WFAE on Friday that command staff were unaware of the ban, and were unsure if any officers planned to march with the city on Sunday. [Source]

NC Insider Legislative Report

LB: LEGISLATIVE BUILDING. LOB: LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING

HOUSE CALENDAR

Monday, Sept. 9, 2024

House Convenes at 12 P.M.

SENATE CALENDAR

Monday, Sept. 9, 2024

Senate Convenes at 12 P.M.

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

  • Monday, Sept. 9 to Wednesday, Sept. 11
  • Wednesday, Oct. 9
  • Tuesday, Nov. 19 to Friday Nov. 22
  • Wednesday, Dec. 11 to Friday Dec. 13

Legislative Studies and Meetings

LB: LEGISLATIVE BUILDING. LOB: LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING

Thursday, August 22

  • 2 p.m. | America’s Semiquincentennial Committee, 1228/1327 LB

Thursday, August 29

  • 1 p.m. | Agriculture and Forestry Awareness Study Commission, Ed Emory Auditorium, Kenansville.

N.C. Government Meetings and Hearings

BOLD ITEMS ARE NEW LISTINGS

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.

Tuesday, Sept. 3

  • 1:30 p.m. | The Accountability 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.

Friday, Sept. 6

  • 10 a.m. | The Finance and Audit 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, Sept. 10

  • 8:30 a.m. | The Fund 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, Sept. 17

  • 10 a.m. | The North Carolina Partnership for Children Board of Directors meets. 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, Sept. 11

  • Meeting of the Board of Governors, TBA.

Thursday, Sept. 12

  • Meeting of the Board of Governors, TBA.

Thursday, Oct. 17

  • Meeting of the Board of Governors, TBA.

Wednesday, Nov. 13

  • Meeting of the Board of Governors, TBA.

Thursday, Nov. 14

  • Meeting of the Board of Governors, TBA.

N.C. Utilities Commission Hearing Schedule

DOBBS BUILDING, 430 NORTH SALISBURY STREET, RALEIGH

Tuesday, Aug. 20

  • 6 p.m. | Public Witness Hearing – Application for Transfer of Public Utility Franchise and Approval of Rates of HISCO East, LLC in Carteret County to HISCO I in Carteret County | W-1297 Sub 17, W-1344 Sub 0
  • 6 p.m. | Public Witness Hearing – Application for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity and for Approval of Rates to Provide Sewer Utility Service to Currently Served Cape Ponte Village Subdivision, Additional Phases for the National Park Service, Harkers Island RV Park and a Fe | W-1344 Sub 1

Wednesday, Aug. 21

  • 7 p.m. | Public Witness Hearing – Application for General Rate Increase for Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. | G-9 Sub 837

Thursday, Aug. 22

  • 7 p.m. | Public Witness Hearing – Application for General Rate Increase for Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. | G-9 Sub 837
  • Other Meetings and Events of Interest

BOLD ITEMS ARE NEW LISTINGS

Monday, Aug. 19

  • Gov. Roy Cooper will be in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention.

Friday, Sept. 6

Friday, Sept. 27

  • 2024 Lumbee Powwow, Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center, 638 Terry Sanford Drive, Maxton.

Insider for August 16, 2024

Posted on by NC Insider

“Ideally, you’d like to keep [increases] as close to zero as possible, but you have to look at the reality.”

Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, on an Oct. 7 hearing on a new proposed homeowners’ insurance rate increase. (The News & Observer, 9/16/24)

Insurance Rates

Chantal Allam, The News & Observer, 9/16/24

State Sen. Natasha Marcus has launched an attack website to spotlight her opponent’s record on rising homeowners’ insurance rates. And it comes with a special feature: it’s searchable. On RateHikeMike.com, the site paid for by Marcus’ campaign, users can see how much rates have increased by county under Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey since 2017. It also shows how much they could rise under a proposed rate increase; the percentage of homeowners subject to “consent-to-rate” notices; and how much Causey’s campaign has received in donations from insurance industry sources.

Two-term Republican commissioner Causey is up for reelection. His challenger, Marcus, a Democrat, is a three-term state senator from Mecklenburg County.

“We wanted to provide voters with the information they deserve, and why their insurance bills have jumped so much, ” Marcus told The News & Observer in a phone conversation.

For his part, Causey hasn’t viewed the website and doesn’t plan to, he told The N&O in a phone call on Monday. Under his watch, he also maintains that he’s worked to ensure that any proposed increases are “reasonable and actuarially sound.”

“Ideally, you’d like to keep [increases] as close to zero as possible, but you have to look at the reality,” he said. “The insurance commissioner doesn’t set insurance rates.”

The site’s launch comes less than a month from a scheduled Oct. 7 hearing on a new proposed rate increase and less than 49 days until the Nov. 5 election — a signal the campaign has entered a more aggressive phase. After a filings moratorium lifted on homeowners’ insurance in January, the N.C. Rate Bureau, which represents companies that write insurance policies, asked for a 42.2% average increase across the state.

It’s called for even steeper increases for storm-prone areas along the coast.

It’s been three years since the last rate increase — in November 2020, when the Rate Bureau asked for an overall rise of 24.5% and ultimately received 7.9%. On Feb. 6, Causey rejected the latest request, calling it “excessive and discriminatory.” He closed public comments and promised a “thorough review.”

Since then, the department’s actuaries, attorneys and consultants have been working to negotiate a new rate.

On May 15, The N&O filed a public records request seeking more information. The request is still undergoing “legal review,” said Barry Smith, a spokesman for the state’s Department of Insurance.

Seven months on, however, it appears talks have hit an impasse. Last week, Causey said his team met with the Rate Bureau, and they couldn’t agree on a new rate. “We’re so far apart,” he said. “We asked that they come back with another proposal. The door is still open, but so far that hasn’t happened.” At this point, he called an Oct. 7 hearing the “best solution.”

“That’s where we’re headed,” he said.

State law gives the insurance commissioner 45 days to issue an order once the hearing concludes.

The Rate Bureau declined to comment. [Source]

School Vacancies

Liz Schlemmer, WUNC Radio, 9/16/24

New data collected from public school superintendents show the number of teaching vacancies and total school employee vacancies across the state has improved this school year. For the past four years, the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association (NCSSA) has surveyed its members on how many teaching and staff vacancies their district has at the start of each school year.

This fall, superintendents reported 8,335 total school employee vacancies statewide. That figure includes 3,142 vacant teaching positions, of which 787 positions are in special education. Read the report here.

“The fact that many districts are still struggling with vacancies highlights the need for continued efforts to address these shortages,” said the association’s Executive Director Jack Hoke, adding his group will continue to advocate for raises to educator pay and school funding.

This was the first year all school districts in the state reported their vacancies to NCSSA, although Hoke said that the largest school districts have responded every year. Missing data from more than a dozen smaller school districts in past years makes it difficult to make direct comparisons over time.

But one thing is certain: even with more school districts reporting this fall than last year, vacancies for K-12 classroom teachers decreased across elementary, middle and high schools.

Compared to last year’s report, the total number of vacancies for special education teachers and bus drivers has increased. Superintendents reported 1,315 vacant bus driver positions, which is one more than last year.

NCSSA’s count of the number of teachers who are not fully licensed to teach in North Carolina long term has also more than doubled since four years ago. Residency license teachers are typically career changers who have a bachelor’s degree in another area and who still need to complete college courses and pass licensing exams to earn a renewable teaching license in North Carolina.

The rise in residency license teachers is supported by data from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI), although NCSSA’s tracking of “residency license” teachers appears to have been an undercount in prior years when compared to state data. NCSSA called its report “one of the most cumulative annual reports on school vacancies in North Carolina.”

The most comprehensive statewide report on teacher turnover and vacancies is the NC State of the Teaching Profession Report published by DPI officials. However, the most recent publicly available version of that report draws on data that is nearly two years old; it covers the 2022-2023 school year. [Source]

Vaping Policy

Matthew Sasser, State Affairs Pro, 9/16/24

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services held a virtual town hall Thursday to discuss evolving methods of preventing student vaping and tobacco use.

Raising the age for buying tobacco products to 21 would allow the state to track retailers that sell tobacco products, said Teresa Beardsley of Albemarle Regional Health Services. North Carolina is one of seven states that allow people under 21 to buy tobacco products. 

In 2019, Congress passed federal legislation that increased the age of sale for tobacco products to 21. 

“It’s very important that North Carolina passes a strong Tobacco 21 law that includes a tobacco retailer permitting system [to mitigate underage tobacco use],” Beardsley said. 

A recent initiative from statewide tobacco coordinators works with county and municipal governments to create zoning ordinances to decrease the density of tobacco shops near schools, churches and community centers. Beardsley said three counties and 19 municipalities have adopted ordinances in North Carolina as of last month.

According to data shared at the town hall, more than 12% of high school students use tobacco and more than 9% vape. One in four students vape daily. 

Chanda Battle, director of student support services for Edgecombe County Public Schools, said her district is shifting how it handles students who violate school tobacco rules. 

“We are now not suspending students with first, second or third offenses of possessing a vape at school,” Battle said. “Our response previously was to confiscate the device and suspend the student.”

Now the district handles a vaping infraction as an addiction issue. School staff notify parents and have conversations with the student about ways to handle vaping. Battle said this change stemmed from schools having to suspend the same students over and over again. 

After a second offense, students will be referred to substance abuse counseling or school support resources such as Catch My Breath and QuitlineNC A third offense will result in a disciplinary consequence, such as in-school suspension, that doesn’t completely remove the student from the learning environment. 

Many school districts have received funding for vaping prevention. 

Nnenne Asi, youth and young adult tobacco cessation coordinator for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, recommended as an alternative to suspension that school districts build capacity toward hiring counselors to directly support students or start clubs aimed at vaping prevention. Asi said one common recommendation schools should avoid is purchasing vape detectors, as they “encourage discrimination” and don’t align with a restorative justice model.

Coastal Flooding

Martha Quillin, The News & Observer, 9/16/24

Much of the towns of Carolina Beach and Kure Beach were underwater Monday as a still-unnamed coastal storm dumped as much as 15 inches of rain in the southeastern corner of North Carolina over a 12-hour period.

Over 72 hours, Carolina and Kure had officially received more than a foot of rain, and the National Weather Service said some residents’ rain gauges showed more than 18 inches near 2 p.m.

Gov. Roy Cooper’s office confirmed that Ocean Boulevard in Carolina Beach had received at least 18.32 inches of rain since midnight, according to a 6 p.m. news release. The southeastern region is under flash flood and tropical storm warnings through Tuesday morning.

More rain is expected across North Carolina overnight into Tuesday with an estimated 3 to 5 inches falling in the southeastern part of the state. Numerous roads are closed.

The State Emergency Response Team is monitoring conditions along the coast and has moved the State Emergency Operations Center to “Enhanced Watch Activation,” according to Cooper’s office.

The town of Southport, slightly further south, also had received more than a foot of rain in 72 hours by Monday afternoon, leaving roads there impassable. [Source]

DEI Reaction

Korie Dean, The News & Observer, 9/16/24

About four months after the UNC System Board of Governors repealed the public university system’s diversity, equity and inclusion policy, we got our first look last week at the changes colleges have made to comply with the new version of the policy. By Sept. 1, chancellors at each of the 17 campuses were required to submit a report to system President Peter Hans detailing the changes undertaken by their universities to comply with the new restrictions.

System officials did not make the reports public until 10 days after that deadline, despite requests from reporters. Instead, they posted the 17 documents online as a Board of Governors committee discussed them in a committee meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 11.

In all, campuses reported more than $17 million in “savings” from implementing the new policy. That money, per the policy, should be redirected toward student-success initiatives. “Our focus here, from the beginning, has been to get back to basics, which is our student success,” Hans told reporters last week.

Perhaps the biggest question that remains unanswered is whether any employees lost their jobs or were laid off from their respective universities as a result of the changes.

In some cases, jobs that universities eliminated were vacant at the time of the change, meaning no employees were terminated when the job was cut. That was the case at Western Carolina, for instance, where the now-eliminated chief diversity officer position had not been filled for more than a year. But the fate of other eliminated positions and the employees who held them are less clear.

For instance, UNC-Chapel Hill closed the School of Medicine’s Office of Rural Initiatives and eliminated several positions in the department, including its director role. That position, which appears to have been filled prior to the DEI changes, is not listed in the university’s report as a job that was “realigned” — making it unclear what became of the employee who held the role.

Asked last week why the office was closed and what might happen to its employees, UNC Vice Provost Leah Cox — who formerly served as the university’s chief diversity officer prior to these changes — said “it doesn’t look like it was closed yet, and some of the programs that you may see in the report may be being reworked, refocused, reallocated in different ways or moved to different reporting structures.”

Such changes to the Office of Rural Initiatives, if they are happening, were not detailed in the university’s report.

Other university leaders, including Hans, have generally characterized job changes resulting from the policy by saying that “most” affected employees were offered new jobs at their campuses.

Still, it remains unclear how many employees accepted those positions or how many were not offered new positions. “I can’t speak to individuals, and I don’t know that one would be allowed to do so under various employment laws,” Hans said Thursday when asked if any employees were laid off. “But most of the people most directly affected here were reassigned to open student-success positions.” Asked if he anticipated more positions to be eliminated as campuses continue to implement the new policy, Hans did not directly address the question, instead directing reporters to read the reports from campuses, which he said have “a great deal of detail in there.” [Source]

Prison Copays

Rachel Crumpler, NC Health News, 9/16/24

Prisons are constitutionally mandated to provide health care to incarcerated people, but that doesn’t mean it has to be provided for free.

And in North Carolina — along with almost 40 other states — the costs can add up when prison systems charge incarcerated people a copay for select health care services. 

The N.C. Department of Adult Correction charges $5 for medical and dental services that are initiated by an incarcerated person and $7 for a self-declared emergency visit, according to the prison system’s copay policy. The fee is not charged if staff determine that an actual emergency occurred.

While these fees may seem small, advocates say they can be a financial barrier in the context of low prison wages, leading some people to delay or even avoid care. 

In fiscal year 2022-23, 90 percent of incarcerated people assigned to work programs, worked inside prisons facilities, earning 40 cents to $1 per day. Those who worked in Corrections Enterprises earned up to $3 per day.

“I know a lot of people don’t want to call [for medical help] because of the copay,” said Kayla Dillard, executive director of NC-CURE, a prison reform advocacy group. “They’re limited with so much money they get each month, and if they have to do a copay, they have even less. You can work all week to get $5.”

Research shows that can be a problem for the health of incarcerated people and people who are trying to reenter society after incarceration — not just in North Carolina, but across the country. And some states are having second thoughts about the policy.

Some prison health care visits do not require a copay, including medical care initiated by prison facilities, such as initial screenings, physicals and emergency care, according to the N.C. Department of Adult Correction’s copay policy.

Dillard and other advocates would like this to be true of all medical care. “There’s already a struggle to get medical help in certain facilities,” Dillard said. “Copays just make it worse.”

Brad Deen, a N.C. Department of Adult Correction spokesperson, said in a statement to NC Health News that there is “no formal discussion surrounding copay policy at this time.” He explained that the intent of copays is to prevent overuse and abuse of health care resources. “We’re short-staffed in our health care positions, and we need to ensure their time is used efficiently and effectively,” Deen said.

Regardless of ability to pay, the N.C. Department of Adult Correction states that it does not deny medical care. If someone has insufficient funds for a copay at the time of medical care, a lien will be applied to their account and any funds later added will be automatically deducted to satisfy outstanding copay expenses. [Source]

Burnsville Campaigning

Asheville Citizen Times, 9/16/24

The heavy beats of “Believer” by Imagine Dragons, boomed as Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson walked to the stage to address the cheering crowd in the Burnsville Town Square for roughly 20 minutes. Billed as a “Faith, Family and Fun Night” was Robinson’s first appearance in Burnsville since becoming lieutenant governor in 2020. The crowd of about 250 people included all ages, from children to parents and grandparents.

The Republican candidate for North Carolina governor, Robinson made the stop the evening of Sept. 14 as a campaign rally ahead of the Nov. 5 general election. He faces Democratic gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Josh Stein.

Just more than a minute into his speech, Robinson called out Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who he called “a despicable individual.”

“What this election boils down to is just simple right and wrong,” Robinson said to the crowd of attendees gathered at the Burnsville Town Square, next to the Yancey County Courthouse. “We’re called The Right because we are right, folks. We’re right about everything.”

Throughout his term as lieutenant governor, Robinson has made headlines for what rival Democrats feel to be extreme viewpoints, citing Facebook posts dating back as far as 2014.

John Anglin organized the event. Anglin said the increase in home prices is one of the most important issues in his view.

Anglin serves as chair of the Reentry Council for Freedom Life, a Christian-based organization serving Avery, McDowell and Yancey County justice-involved individuals and their families with programs designed to help its clients begin a journey to a new life, according to its website.

Still, Anglin, who works as a contractor, said while the campaign appearances may be “fun,” the real work begins once a candidate is elected. [Source]

Weatherman Event

Chris Day, The (Elizabeth City) Daily Advance, 9/16/24

Republican candidate Hal Weatherman believes the federal government is the key perpetrator and advocate of ideologies that threaten to destroy the United States.

“It pains me to say that because I believe government at all levels is ordained by God,” said Weatherman, who is running against Democrat Rachel Hunt for lieutenant governor in the November general election.

Examples of those ideologies include the controversial hiring practice known as diversity, equity and inclusion, plus critical race theory and social-emotional learning, he said. Weatherman was speaking last week at a meeting of the Pasquotank Political Action Committee at Journey Christian Church in Elizabeth City.

The Wake County resident has spent the election cycle traveling in an RV to all 100 counties in the state because he says it’s important to meet and speak with voters. According to Weatherman, his campaign broke records for fundraising but didn’t spend any of that money on political advertising.

“I didn’t one spend one dime on TV,” he said. “I didn’t spend one dime on radio. I didn’t spend one dime on direct mail. We did exactly what we felt called to do: fuel the travel around the state meeting people one on one. That’s it and we chronicled it on social media.”

Weatherman earned his way to the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor by coming in first in an 11-candidate field in the March 5 GOP primary. More than a month later, he defeated fellow Republican Jim O’Neill in a GOP runoff election.

Weatherman previously served as chief of staff for Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and before that worked several years for Forest’s mother, Republican Congresswoman Sue Myrick of Charlotte.

Hunt, Weatherman’s Nov. 5 challenger, is a lawyer and state senator representing Mecklenburg County. She also is the daughter of former four-term governor Jim Hunt. [Source]

Arts Education

Laura Browne, Education NC, 9/16/24

Arts educators from across the state gathered at Meredith College on Sept. 7 for the Comprehensive Arts Education Conference to discuss best practices and resources associated with the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) updated standards for the arts disciplines. During the conference, educators participated in various sessions regarding ideas for lesson planning, arts integration across subjects, teaching resources, and more.

“As an arts educator, you shape well-rounded individuals who are not only academically capable, but also emotionally and socially aware, creative, and culturally literate,” said state Superintendent Catherine Truitt in a video message played at the event.

Many conference sessions allowed arts educators to participate in interactive lesson plans demonstrating how the new standards could be implemented in the classroom. Some sessions focused on interdisciplinary arts integration in subjects like math or history.

In July, the State Board of Education approved the new art standard courses of study for music, dance, visual arts, and theater. The current standards, approved in 2010, will remain in effect during the 2024-25 school year. The updated standards are expected to start being implemented during the 2025-26 school year, according to DPI, with full implementation taking place during the 2026-27 school year.

Lori Carlin, DPI section chief for social studies and arts education, said the updated standards provide minimum content guidelines for what educators should teach in the classroom.

DPI has identified three components of comprehensive instruction for all four arts disciplines, which include arts education, arts integration, and arts exposure. [Source]

Uninsured Survey

Sharryse Piggott, WUNC Radio, 9/16/24

There are more than 10 million North Carolina residents. According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 9.2% of the population were without health insurance last year, compared to 9.3% in 2022. But one year from now, the survey is expected to show a dramatic increase for people who are insured due to Medicaid expansion. In July, the State Department of Health and Human Services reported that over 500,000 people received health insurance in 2024 by enrolling in the state’s Medicaid expansion program, since it went live in December. Meanwhile, those living in poverty have remained unchanged for the population, but increased by about 15,000 for children 18 and under in 2023, compared to 2022. [Source]

Save the Date

Please plan to be our guest as NC Insider / State Affairs Pro welcomes subscribers to Caffe Luna once more for delicious food and drink, great company and an interesting political conversation. Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, from 5:30-7 p.m. Caffe Luna, 136 E. Hargett St., Raleigh. Registration details to follow.

ENC Wildfires

Jack Igelman, Carolina Public Press, 9/16/24

On Wednesday, April 19, 2023, a campfire may have sparked a wildfire in a pine forest in the core of the 160,000-acre Croatan National Forest, about 20 miles southwest of New Bern. Known as the Great Lakes Fire, the blaze spread from its source to several dozen acres. Then it began expanding with fury. In just two days the fire rushed 16 miles towards the southern boundary of New Bern as smoke darkened skies and blanketed nearby housing developments.

The massive wildfire highlighted the challenges of protecting communities in North Carolina’s rapidly developing areas where the built environment intermingles with nature, known as the wildland-urban interface, or WUI. The Great Lakes Fire is a good place to see how all of North Carolina, not just the coast, is adjusting to wildfire and development in the WUI and offers a look at some of the efforts to address the problem.

By April 20, the sprawling Great Lakes Fire blossomed to thousands of acres and would eventually require more than 200 firefighters to battle and contain the threat. Public agencies mounted an effective response, however, they also had a bit of good luck. Rain showers and a shift in wind came just in time to stall the massive fire in which no structures or lives were lost.

“We don’t know what the outcome would have been if we had one more day of the same fire behavior and weather parameters,” Croatan National Forest fire management officer David Nelson told Carolina Public Press. While the Croatan fire was distinguished by its intensity and size, it also drew attention to the spillover of housing to the edges of wildlands, demonstrating the threat and cost of forest fires on the Carolina coast.

The location of the 32,156-acre Great Lakes Fire, however, wasn’t a fluke. Pocosin-fueled fires occur historically in five- to 20-year intervals. In the past, large wildfires have seared the Croatan National Forest, including the Pocosin Fire of 1955, which burned 73,000 acres; the Fish Day Fire, which consumed 25,000 acres in 1994; and the Dad Fire which covered 22,000 acres in 2012.

The next major coastal forest blaze will likely happen within the next two decades. But it could also flare up tomorrow. “We have 80,000 acres of pocosins, 30,000 just burned, but we have 50,000 that are available to go right now,” Nelson said.

One of four national forests in North Carolina, the 160,000-acre Croatan National Forest south of New Bern is bordered by the Neuse and White Oak rivers and Bogue Sound on the Atlantic Ocean along its southern boundary. The Croatan’s inland landscape includes native and restored longleaf pine habitat, hardwood forests, saltwater estuaries, Carolina bays and pocosins.

The Coastal Plain also includes a large swath of commercial timberland. Timber company Weyerhaeuser, for example, manages 118,000 acres in Craven, Carteret, and Jones counties, spokesperson Nancy Thompson said.

The areas in between these forested acres and protected lands, particularly near the coast, rivers, and sounds, are experiencing rapid development. Between July 2022 and 2023, North Carolina added more people than any other state except Florida and Texas, according to the US Census Bureau.

Unlike the state’s two largest national forests in the mountains, the Pisgah and Nantahala, Croatan isn’t as much a focus of recreational users. Hunting, freshwater angling, off-road vehicle driving, wildlife viewing, and illegal shooting ranges are among the draws in the forest interior.

The estimated cost of the Great Lakes Fire was $12 million. Had it spread to neighboring communities, the impact could have been far greater.

While the fire remains under investigation, the U.S. Forest Service alleges that the wildfire was human-caused, which, according to the North Carolina Forest Service, is the state’s leading cause of wildfires. Warmer summers and more persistent droughts may also contribute to longer fire seasons in the future that could include bigger and more frequent blazes.  The threat poses a problem if wildfire flares near a growing population that isn’t expecting it. [Source]

Charter Embezzlement

T. Keung Hui, The News & Observer, 9/16/24

Two employees of a now-defunct North Carolina charter school have pleaded guilty to embezzlement charges that cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Bridges Academy in Wilkes County closed in 2021 amid what it called “insurmountable financial challenges.”

Federal court records show Shannon Pruitt Caudill, the school’s executive director, and Kimberly Nicole White, the school’s finance officer, have agreed to plead guilty to theft of government property and to each pay $112,500 in restitution. The plea deals were reached earlier this summer and first reported last week by The Wilkes Record. Bridges Academy, located about 150 miles west of Raleigh, was one of the first charter schools to open in North Carolina in 1997.

Bridges closed amid investigations by the State Bureau of Investigation and the State Auditor’s Office. The Federal Bureau of Investigation also joined the investigation.

According to court records, Caudill and White falsified student enrollment records for the 2020-21 school year to report more than 60 students the school didn’t have. Court records say the duo kept the inflated figures secret from other school employees by keeping two separate systems for recording enrollment.

The falsified figures allowed Bridges Academy to receive an additional $404,971 in state funds and more than $80,000 in federal funds. The State Auditor’s Office also found Bridges misused $78,576 of charter school funding to support a preschool it wanted to open. Court records say White and Caudill used the inflated enrollment figures as documentation to help Bridges get a $2.6 million loan from Surrey Bank and Trust to build the new preschool. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development guaranteed 90% of the loan. The planned preschool died when Bridges closed. Surrey reported losing $121,000 and USDA reported losing $1.1 million after the foreclosure.

Caudill and White will be sentenced in federal court in February. [Source]

Mecklenburg Renters

Desiree Mathurin and Gavin Off, The Charlotte Observer, 9/16/24

While the number of people calling the Charlotte region home continues to rise, many current residents can’t afford those homes. About 102,000 households that rent in Mecklenburg County pay more than 30% of their income toward housing costs, according to recently released U.S. Census Bureau data. This leaves renters with less money for other needs.

What’s more, nearly 52,000 renters pay more than half their earnings toward housing. That’s about 1 out of every 4 households that rent in the county. In total, 47% of the estimated 215,400 households that rent in Mecklenburg are struggling to do so, a Charlotte Observer analysis of the census data found.

If people in a household spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs — which includes rent, mortgages, insurance and utilities — they are considered cost-burdened, per the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. If a household spends more than 50%, they’re considered severely cost-burdened.

The 30% threshold is based on the idea that a household needs to have a certain amount of money left over for other necessities such as food, clothing, medical needs and transportation.

There are additional ways to looks at how people in Mecklenburg and its neighboring counties are dealing with rent problems, the Observer analysis of the census data found. Between those who identify as White-only, Black-only and Hispanic, the Hispanic population rents the least amount of units, at a little over 29,700 households. Yet Hispanic renters pay the largest portion of their paychecks toward housing, data shows.

In the county, more than 16,600 Hispanic households pay more than 30% of their income towards housing. That’s about 56% of Hispanic renters. Black renters in the county are close behind. There are about 87,000 renter households who identify as Black and about 46,000 renters are considered cost-burdened, the data shows.

In comparison, households that identify as white rent about 80,962 units. About 42% and 20% are either cost-burdened or severely cost-burdened, respectively. [Source]

Retail Crime

Chloe Collins, The Gaston Gazette, 9/16/24

Federal, state, and local criminal justice organizations are coming together to launch a large-scale crackdown on organized retail crime. At a press conference Thursday, Gastonia Police Chief Trent Conard, Gaston County District Attorney Travis Page, and Assistant Special Homeland Security agent at the Charlotte office Ben Horton took to the podium to define ORC and operation, “Fed-Up.”

According to the speakers, ORC is not your average shoplifting. It is defined by the National Retail Federation as, “the large-scale theft of retail merchandise with the intent to resell the items for financial gain,” according to a press release from the Gastonia Police Department.

Information from the department said ORC cost retailers an estimated $100 billion in 2019, and that number has grown in subsequent years.

Along with a special focus on breaking up ORC rings, Page said the operation will come with harsher punishments for those involved, including seizure and liquidation of personal goods used in the crime to benefit public sectors of the community and prison time. [Source]

Food Manufacturer

Kevin Ellis, NC Health News, 9/16/24

Veetee Foods will invest $35.7 million and plans to eventually create 200 jobs at a new plant in the Johnston County town of Selma, company officials said Monday. Rochester, England-based Veetee Food Group was founded in 1986 with operations in India and the U.K., selling dry rice and ready-to-heat rice. It has since expanded into pasta, noodles and macaroni and cheese.

Veetee Foods’ project will be aided by a $996,750 Job Development Investment Grant, spread over 12 years. It was approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee on Monday. State payments only occur following the company meets job creation and investment targets.

Johnston County agreed to provide $2.28 million in incentives for the project. Veetee had narrowed its site search to locations in Selma and Chester County, South Carolina.

The project’s projected return on investment of public dollars is 90%, meaning for every dollar of potential cost, the state receives $1.90 in state revenue. [Source]

Latino Festival

Dan Kane, The News & Observer, 9/16/24

When El Pueblo held its first cultural festival 30 years ago in Chapel Hill, the state’s Hispanic population had yet to reach six figures. Now it’s more than 1 million, making up 11% of the state’s population. And on Sunday, as La Fiesta del Pueblo attracted thousands to downtown Raleigh with music, food, dancing and crafts.

A new voter-registration campaign sought to help them increase their clout with the government.  “Grita. Canta. Vota.” is a nonpartisan campaign started within the past year by the national nonprofit Includus Fund, which El Pueblo invited to register voters and provide information on voting locations and ballot access.

Their goal was to register 300 to 500 voters at the festival.

“We are the middle people, the ones who are integrating what they care about with the resources directly, so we are not taking stands on issues,” said Monica Sibri, a senior adviser for the Includus Fund.

Sibri said the campaign targets areas with rapidly growing Hispanic populations and will make future stops in Charlotte and Las Vegas.

The voter registration campaign was the festival’s strongest reminder that a major election is ahead in November, from the U.S. presidency on down to local offices. Despite that, there did not appear to be any candidates meeting and greeting people during the six-hour festival, and hardly anyone sported campaign paraphernalia. El Pueblo, like the Includus Fund, is also a nonpartisan nonprofit that can’t advocate for candidates. [Source]

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

House Calendar

Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024

  • House Convenes at 12 p.m.

Senate Calendar

Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024

  • Senate Convenes at 12 p.m. 

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

  • Tuesday, Nov. 19 to Friday Nov. 22
  • Wednesday, Dec. 11 to Friday Dec. 13

LEGISLATIVE STUDIES AND MEETINGS

LB: LEGISLATIVE BUILDING. LOB: LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING

Thursday, Sept. 19

  • 2 p.m. | America’s Semiquincentennial Committee, 1228/1327 LB.

Wednesday, Oct. 9

  • 9 a.m. | House Select Committee on Oversight and Reform, Auditorium LB.

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