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    GENERAL ASSEMBLY NEWS 
 
Friday Wrap: TGIF
WRAL // @NCCapitol // June 15, 2018

Summary: Gov. Roy Cooper now has plenty of reading to keep him occupied over Fathers Day. After four late nights of legislating, lawmakers left town by 5:30 p.m. Friday after moving a few dozen more bills. Among the measures sent to the governor since late Thursday:
  • The controversial Farm Act, including a provision to insulate large hog farms from nuisance lawsuits filed by their neighbors.
  • Changes to the early voting schedule, including the elimination of voting on the Saturday before Election Day and the requirement that every early voting site in each county be open at the same time, which on a weekday would be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Numerous changes to judicial districts in various counties, although the legislation has been scaled back from an earlier statewide proposal.
  • Changes to funeral regulations, including allowing stillborn twins to be cremated together.
Legislature OKs changes to early voting
WRAL // Matthew Burns // June 15, 2018 
Summary: 
Changes to early voting schedules cleared the General Assembly on Friday, less than 40 hours after they were unveiled. The legislation now heads to Gov. Roy Cooper after party-line 61-40 and 23-11 votes in the House and the Senate, respectively. "The governor will review the final legislation, but he has concerns about anything that could result in fewer opportunities for people to vote," Cooper spokeswoman Sadie Weiner said in an email. The proposal sets up a 17-day early voting period that runs from mid-October to the Friday before Election Day, eliminating voting on the final Saturday before Election Day. It also would require all early voting sites to be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays during the period. Counties could set their own weekend hours, but all sites would have to be open those hours.

The surprise meetings, bill switches and last-minute power plays of NC lawmaking
Charlotte Observer // Lynn Bonner // June 15, 2018

Summary: Don't blink. And don't get tired. Switched bill language, late nights and surprise meetings are part of making laws in North Carolina. This week, the legislature changed an elections law in a way critics warned would hurt African-American voters more than others. The law passed less than two days after it appeared in committee.

Schools need backing, not signs with mottos
Greensboro N&R // Gertrude Pierce Royal // June 18

Summary: To state Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore et al: I am aghast! What a strange grasp of school’s needs: to propose a law requiring every classroom to display the state motto “Esse Quam Videri” and “In God We Trust.” Nonsense! I am a 93-year-old retired teacher. You have ruffled this old biddy’s feathers (again). Every teacher is teaching these precepts every day, whether in trig, civics or shop.

Don’t try to fool us with new voter ID ploy
Greensboro N&R // Nick Courmon // June 18, 2018

Summary: In July of 2016, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that North Carolina’s voter ID law looked to “target African-Americans with almost surgical precision.” Now, in June of 2018, North Carolina legislators have introduced a bill to make voter ID a requirement in the state constitution N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore announced that he was introducing the bill as means to keep the honesty and integrity in our elections. However, in the aftermath of the federal court ruling in 2016, we know this is far from the truth.

Suits against Smithfield could leave N.C. hog industry in doubt
Greensboro N&R // Greg Barnes // June 17, 2018
Summary: The people who live in a row of small homes on a dirt road leading to Billy Kinlaw’s hog farm don’t have a problem with him, and they don’t want to see him go out of business. Still, those neighbors appeared in federal court in April as plaintiffs in a lawsuit that says Kinlaw’s farm stinks, creates clouds of flies and lowers property values. The neighbors complain about the tractor-trailers that rumble past their homes and the buzzards that swoop in to feed on dead hogs. Some days, they say in the lawsuit, the stench is so bad from thousands of hogs that they can’t go outside. A federal jury sided with the neighbors in a $51 million judgment in late April. The jurors ruled that the farm is a legal nuisance and effectively put Kinlaw out of business. Only four of Kinlaw’s 12 barns still hold hogs. Soon, all of the animals will be gone.

NC may be first state to pay employees $15 an hour
WRAL // Travis Fain // June 16, 2018

Summary: Come July 1, North Carolina may well be the first state in the nation to pay its employees at least $15 an hour. North Carolina will do it this year – as part of a state budget approved by a Republican legislature over the veto of a Democratic governor. It plays against type for a GOP majority that has resisted a push from the left to increase the state's minimum wage above $7.25 an hour. "People are going to draw their own conclusions," Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger said this week. "I would just say that what we are trying to do is manage the resources of the state of North Carolina in a prudent manner. "Sometimes what that means is you need to pay your people more," Berger said. "Sometimes it just makes sense."
 
  GOV. COOPER NEWS  

Gov. Cooper: 'The I-77 contract is a bad contract'
Charlotte Business Journal // Erik Spanberg // June 15, 2018

Summary: This week, state lawmakers took two swings at solving the disputed $650 million Interstate 77 toll lanes contract and whiffed both times. No one knows whether strike three is on the way, but the governor and legislators spent much of Friday sharing their qualms over a discussion that remains bogged down after years of studies, commissions and extensive debate. Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, chided the Republican-led General Assembly for stipulating as part of the recently passed state budget that the legislature must approve any money spent to cancel or amend the 50-year contract. The 26-mile expansion of the interstate between exit 11 north of uptown and exit 36 in Mooresville is being built by an offshoot of Madrid infrastructure firm Cintra. It’s expected to open later this year. Cooper, after meeting with entrepreneur group Black Tech Charlotte on Friday, told reporters he still sees a way to resolve the contract, but only if the legislature doesn’t get overly involved. 'The I-77 contract is a bad contract, it should never have been entered into,' Cooper told CBJ and other media outlets. 'We have some viable options about how we can make this a whole lot better for the citizens there — and certainly (make it) less costly.' 

Cooper vetoes elections, judiciary bills
WRAL // Matthew Burns // June 15, 2018

Summary: Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed two bills late Friday, one dealing with elections laws and the other one of two judicial redistricting efforts passed by the General Assembly. Senate Bill 486 deals with various elections issues, from requiring criminal background checks on state and county elections workers to setting parameters for vendors of electronic poll books to barring any candidate who lost a primary election from switching to a third party to run in the general election. One section of the law outlines how judicial races will be handled on the November ballot after lawmakers canceled primaries for those seats this year. "Continued election meddling for partisan advantage weakens public confidence. Judges’ races should be free of partisan labels," Cooper said in a statement.

School And Church Threats A Felony in NC? Bill Heading to Gov. Cooper For Signature
WFMY // WFMY // June 15, 2018

Summary: North Carolina legislation now heading to Gov. Roy Cooper would give harsher punishments for threatening mass violence at a school or place of worship, but also give extra help to accused young people. The House and Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday for a measure making such threats a felony. They are currently misdemeanors.' House Bill 670 says first-time offenders under age 20 could reach an agreement whereby a judge would dismiss a charge in exchange for community service, probation and mental evaluation and possible treatment. The case ultimately could be removed from their records.
 NCDP NEWS & MENTIONS  

Filing for judges opens Monday. 'Katie, bar the door.'
Charlotte Observer // Taylor Batten // June 15, 2018

Summary: I am saddened to report the death of an admirable presence in this state, cherished and full of integrity: an independent, apolitical judiciary. Candidate filing starts Monday for the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and trial courts and all pretense of being above partisanship is officially out the window. 'Katie, bar the door.': The Democrats have their candidates, the Republicans have theirs and anyone who wants to be an objective jurist refusing to toe the party line need not apply. The North Carolina Code of Judicial Conduct says a judge “should conduct himself/herself at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.” Crucially, it also says: “A judge should be unswayed by partisan interests, public clamor, or fear of criticism.”

 OTHER 


Belcher, Western Carolina University chancellor, dies
N&O // Jane Stancill // June 17, 2018

Summary: David Belcher, the popular and exuberant chancellor of Western Carolina University, died Sunday from brain cancer. He was 60. He had led the university for six years when, in November, he announced he would go on medical leave. He had been diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor in April 2016, leading to surgery that was initially thought to be successful. By last summer, the cancer had returned. When he stepped aside last fall, he said he did not expect to resume his duties. He and his wife wanted to concentrate on family and living life, he said. "Western Carolina University has been a blessing for us both, and we love this place.," he said at the time. "I have been honored to lead this fine institution. The university has fed my soul and fulfilled me in immeasurable ways, and Susan has found a true home here amongst friends and avenues of service."

Opioid Crisis 

Opioid crisis drives increase in NC foster care enrollment, nonprofit finds
N&O // Caroline Metzler // June 15, 2018

Summary: The opioid epidemic is creating an increase in foster care enrollment in North Carolina, according to a report released this week by a child welfare nonprofit. NC Child is advocating for a closure of the health insurance coverage gap in the state – a topic currently being discussed in the state legislature – in order to counteract these issues. Whitney Tucker, research director at NC Child, said the organization was struck by the tragic nature of the opioid epidemic and wanted to assess its impact on North Carolina's children. "We just thought, what does this mean for kids? And when we dug into it, we saw that it was unsurprisingly resulting in higher foster care stays," she said.

Midterms

NC Influencers rank education, polarization among top election issues
N&O // Paul Specth // June 18, 2018

Summary:  An education system that fails to prepare students for a modern economy is the most crippling issue for North Carolinians, according to a new survey of some of the state’s most influential people. Compounding matters, they said, are tensions among voters across the political spectrum. "Too many people would rather win a debate (or election) by demonizing the other party. Instead, we should encourage civil conversation where people respectfully disagree, but can learn from each other and try to find common ground for solutions," said survey respondent Art Pope, a prominent businessman and donor to conservative causes. A group of 60 North Carolina Influencers — comprised of leaders in the state’s political, business, academic and faith communities — were asked about the importance of each of 16 topics to the state’s future. The topics included terrorism, the opioid crisis, gerrymandering, education, health care and immigration, among others.

Much feared Sen. Berger faces a fearless newcomer
N&O // Ned Barnett // June 15, 2018

Summary: Here’s the campaign matchup. Who should be afraid of whom? On one side, state Sen. Phil Berger, a nine-term Republican from Eden, leader of the Senate and a politician who plays hardball with those who oppose him, whether it’s the Democratic governor or an upstart in his own caucus. On the other, Jennifer Mangrum, a former third-grade teacher and now an associate professor of teacher education at UNC-Greensboro. She was opposed to HB2 and appalled by Donald Trump’s election. She switched her party affiliation from Republican to Democrat and is making her first run for elected office. As a political newcomer, Mangrum should be the jittery one, but she’s not. “I’m a third-grade teacher at heart,” she says. “I’ve dealt with playground bullies before.”

NC Health 

A case of measles has been confirmed in Wake County, and others may have been exposed
N&O // Martha Quillin // June 17, 2018
Summary: A case of measles has been confirmed in Wake County, in a patient who recently returned from international travel, and county officials said Sunday others may been exposed to the disease. Wake County spokesperson Kerry McComber said in a press release that the disease had been confirmed on Saturday, and warned that others may have been exposed to measles at the following locations, dates and times:
▪ WakeMed Physician Practices in the WakeMed Garner Healthplex on Friday, June 8 from 11 a.m. through 3 p.m.
▪ WakeMed Raleigh Campus: Children’s Emergency Department, Adult Emergency Department (D-Bay), Chest Pain Unit and Imaging, June 8 from 11 p.m. through June 9 at 7 a.m.

NC Highway Patrol 

NC Highway Patrol sergeant placed on administrative duty after two other troopers fired
N&O // Joe Johnson // June 16, 2018

Summary:  A state Highway Patrol sergeant was placed on administrative duty Friday, the same day the patrol fired two troopers charged last month with beating a Raleigh man. Highway Patrol spokesman Michael Baker did not say why Sgt. R.W. Goswick was placed on administrative duty. But the move came the same day the Highway Patrol fired troopers Michael G. Blake and Tabithia L. Davis, who have been charged with beating Kyron Dwain Hinton during an incident April 3 in Raleigh. A Wake County sheriff's deputy has also been charged. According to an SBI affidavit associated with the case, Goswick conferred with Blake and Davis at the scene. Goswick told the troopers that he had reviewed video of the incident and that no use of force was evident, according to the affidavit.

NC Economic Development  

Apple is planning on hiring 20,000 more people — possibly in North Carolina
WBRC // Lulu Chang // June 15, 2018

Summary: Apple is doubling down on its commitment to building a new campus, and it seems increasingly likely that the tech giant’s new home could be in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. Despite rumors just last month that the iEmpire was most interested in Virginiaas the location of its newest office, a recent interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook has folks believing that the company may be looking more closely at another southern state. Cook’s interview was held withDavid Rubenstein, the billionaire founder of private equity firm Carlyle Group, and was taped in Durham when Cook delivered the commencement address at Duke University in May. During the chat, Cook noted that Apple is planning on hiring 20,000 more people, many of whom could be in North Carolina. Sources have told WRAL and WRAL TechWire that the company is seriously considering sinking $1.5 billion into a campus worth $600 million. This would serve as a $900 million of Apple’s existing data center in North Carolina.

New research hub moving fast on hiring. CEO expects competition for talent to heat up.
Herald Sun // Ray Gronberg // June 14, 2018

Summary: Amazon, Apple, and the U.S. Army haven't weighed in yet, but the CEO of Conduent says he's confident the company made the right decision last year when it decided to open a new research hub in the Triangle. The region "has really lived up to its reputation and name so far," said Ashok Vemuri, CEO of New Jersey-based business-services giant. Vemuri traveled to Morrisville and its Perimeter Park office complex on Thursday to help open the new research hub, which already has 24 employees, a fast start on the 200 people Conduent pledged to employ in order to secure about a $2.5 million business-incentive package from the state and local governments. Another 20 workers should join the staff at the hub by the end of this month, Vemuri said during an interview conducted ahead of Thursday's opening ceremony. "We're happy with the kind of response and talent we're seeing and the ability to reach about 25 percent of our goal" this fast, he said. Conduent isn't necessarily a household name because it's a relatively new company, one that spun off from Xerox early in 2017 and specializes in providing back-end business-to-business services.

Federal News 

Trump's border policy is cruel. Republicans in Congress can stop it now
Charlotte Observer // Editorial Board // June 18, 2018

Summary: During the speech that launched his 2016 presidential election bid, Donald Trump s labeled most Mexican immigrants as criminals and rapists. Instead of immediately shooing him out of the race, Republicans vaulted him to the top of a crowded primary field. During the campaign, Trump called for a ban on Muslim immigrants and deemed a federal judge incapable of being fair because of his ethnicity. Instead of declaring him unworthy to lead the party of faith and family values, Republicans gave him the nomination and helped him win the White House. As president, Trump created a new office, Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement, that highlights crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, purposefully targeting a group research has shown commits a lower rate of crime than native-born residents. He labeled African countries as “shitholes,” said Nigerian immigrants would never want to go back to “their huts” after experiencing the United States.

'Shameful': Family separation facet of immigration policy starts dividing Republicans
Greensboro N&R // AP // June 18, 2018

Summary: The emotional policy of separating children from their parents is also starting to divide Republicans and their allies as Democrats turn up the pressure. Former first lady Laura Bush called the policy "cruel" and "immoral" while GOP Sen. Susan Collins expressed concern about it and a former adviser to President Donald Trump said he thought the issue was going to hurt the president at some point. Religious groups, including some conservative ones, are protesting. Mrs. Bush made some of the strongest comments yet about the policy from the Republican side of the aisle. "I live in a border state. I appreciate the need to enforce and protect our international boundaries, but this zero-tolerance policy is cruel. It is immoral. And it breaks my heart," she wrote in a guest column for the Washington Post Sunday. She compared it to the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, which she called "one of the most shameful episodes in U.S. history." Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she favors tighter border security, but expressed deep concerns about the child separation policy.

'America is better than this': What a doctor saw in a Texas shelter for migrant children
Greensboro N&R // Kristine Phillips // June 17, 2018

Summary: The small shelter along the Texas border to Mexico held 60 beds and a little playground where children could play. Rooms were equipped with toys, books and crayons. To Colleen Kraft, this shelter looked, in many ways, like a friendly environment for children, a place where they could be happy. But the first child who caught the prominent pediatrician's attention during a recent visit was anything but happy. Inside a room dedicated to toddlers was a little girl no older than 2, screaming and pounding her fists on a mat. One woman tried to give her toys and books to calm her down, but even that shelter worker seemed frustrated, Kraft told The Washington Post, because as much as she wanted to console the little girl, she couldn't touch, hold or pick her up to let her know everything would be all right. That was the rule, Kraft said she was told: They're not allowed to touch the children. "The really devastating thing was that we all knew what was going on with this child. We all knew what the problem was," Kraft said. "She didn't have her mother, and none of us can fix that." The girl had been taken from her mother the night before and brought to this shelter that had been redecorated for children under age 12, Kraft said staffers told her.

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