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Tuesday, May 20, 2014
News / Politics Raleigh Round-up: Day Three
Posted By Erin Tracy-Blackwood on Tue, May 20, 2014 at 4:36 PM
Lawmakers probably experienced a serious case of the Mondays yesterday when Rev. William Barber showed up inside the legislative building with an army of Moral Monday protesters. They all had duct tape over their mouths to protest the new building rules passed last week, carrying signs that said "Silence can be loud." As I wrote in the previous edition of this series, the Legislative Services Commission, a committee of eight Republicans and two Democrats that hasn't met since 1999, came together and quickly passed new rules limiting protests at the legislative building. Such groups must now reserve space ahead of time at the building's main entrance, and groups expecting over 200 people will not be granted a reservation. Additionally, anyone who "disturbs" legislators via noises, mean signs or really anything else a lawmaker considers unpleasant (the rules leave it up to their discretion) will be forced to leave the building.
- Phil Fonville
- Barber
People appear to be listensing to the protesters; newspaper front pages across the state carried this story.
But what are legislators listening to?
Friday, May 16, 2014
News / Politics Raleigh Round-up: Day Two
Posted By Erin Tracy-Blackwood on Fri, May 16, 2014 at 11:41 AM
Legislators passed the first bill of the short legislative on Thursday. What was so urgent and sorely needed by our state that both sides of the aisle came together to make sure it moved quickly? Why, honoring NASCAR and NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees, of course!
Another item the General Assembly took quick action on was getting rid of those meddling Moral Monday protesters. The Legislative Services Commission, a committee of eight Republicans and two Democrats that hasn't met since 1999, came together and quickly passed new rules limiting protests at the legislative building. Such groups must now reserve space ahead of time at the building's main entrance, and groups expecting over 200 people will not be granted a reservation. Additionally, anyone who "disturbs" legislators via noises, mean signs or really anything else a lawmaker considers unpleasant (the rules leave it up to their discretion) will be forced to leave the building. And just as well. I'm not sure what these protesters ever thought gave them the right to assemble there in the first place. Incidentally, there were no rules written to limit lobbyist access to the legislature.
- -ted (Flickr Creative Commons)
- Look at this pesky protesters!
Thursday, May 15, 2014
News / Politics Raleigh Round-up: Day One
Posted By Erin Tracy-Blackwood on Thu, May 15, 2014 at 12:26 PM
Protesters were on their A game (A for annoy the crap out of lawmakers) on the first day of the short legislative session, banging on pots and pans with spoons and making a shrill noise that reportedly pierced the legislative building.
All while Gov. McCrory presented his $21 billion budget plan which would, among other things, give state employees and teachers raises, cut almost $50 million from universities and create 19 new positions at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which would focus on oversight of coal ash ponds.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
News / Politics A few things to expect from the short session
Posted By Ana McKenzie on Wed, May 14, 2014 at 10:52 AM
State legislators convene today for what is expected to be an action-packed short session. Short because they aren't allowed to raise money during the session but action packed because the issues they could take up include coal ash, teacher raises and fracking.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
News / Politics McCrory's teacher compensation plan a start, but it needs details, support
Posted By Bill Anderson on Thu, May 8, 2014 at 3:09 PM
As he rolled out a new, multi-phase teacher pay plan Wednesday, Gov. McCrory said the existing compensation model "is old, it's outdated, and it doesn't frankly work for the 21st century."
The governor is absolutely correct. By most measures, North Carolina has fallen behind our neighboring states when it comes to education funding. We lag our peer states on everything from starting teacher salary to average teacher salary to per-pupil expenditure. North Carolina ranks last among the states in teacher salary growth from 2002-03 to 2012-13.
For those of us advocating for a teacher pay raise, the governor's plan is a meaningful step in the right direction.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
News / Politics Tuesday's primary results proved it's all about the money
Posted By Michael A. Cooper Jr. on Wed, May 7, 2014 at 10:25 AM
North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis was the toast of Uptown's Omni Hotel Tuesday night, standing victorious on stage with teleprompters at each side and cable news cameras zoomed in on the butch businessman with a Boy Scout crew cut.
Tillis survived a crowded field of Republican U.S. Senate candidates and did so without a runoff, earning 45 percent of the vote. Up in Greensboro, state Rep. Alma Adams claimed a surprisingly easy victory, with 41 percent in the Democratic primary for North Carolina's 12th Congressional District. Given the demographics of her district, Adams is effectively a congresswoman in waiting.
- Wikipedia
- Tillis
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Politics / Environment General Assembly's attempt to block cities from regulating trees concerns more than just their huggers
Posted By Ana McKenzie on Tue, May 6, 2014 at 3:02 PM
A draft bill that would strip North Carolina municipalities of the authority to remove, replace or preserve trees on private property has more than environmentalists concerned.
Some on city council say the bill - expected to come up in the short session, which begins next week - is another overreach by legislators in Raleigh, those supposed defenders of limited government.
Politics Outside spending in N.C. Supreme Court race gets New York Timed
Posted By Ana McKenzie on Tue, May 6, 2014 at 11:54 AM
In 2012, a North Carolina super PAC had made its way into the race between Paul Newby, a sitting conservative justice, and Sam J. Ervin IV as they vied for a spot on the state's Supreme Court. The super PAC's influence was perfectly legal - the U.S. Supreme Court made it so in Citizens United. Still, the news was troubling. Political money was influencing a race that should be nonpartisan.
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Question the Queen City: An unsolved double murder 5
Did they ever catch the killer from the Mulberry Church Road murders?
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Question the Queen City: Who set fire to the nightlife? 3
From 1971 to 1976, 17 nightclubs in Charlotte burned to the ground. Who did it?
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Question the Queen City: The Richard Wearn House is saved 5
For years, the house has seemingly been on the chopping block.
