Alanna Joyner

Emotions run high at a public hearing over Duke Energy rate hike request

By Alanna Joyner / February 3, 2020 / Comments Off on Emotions run high at a public hearing over Duke Energy rate hike request

Last Friday marked the first of several public hearings in Alamance County over the potential Duke Energy rate hike request. Numerous residents spoke out against the rate increase — emphasizing the financial hardships that Duke Energy’s rate increase would cause. If Duke has its way, ratepayers’ bills would go up by 6.8 percent — essentially…

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News & Observer: Sens. Burr and Tillis vote against calling witnesses at Trump impeachment trial

By Alanna Joyner / February 3, 2020 /

North Carolina’s U.S. Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis chose party over country on Friday evening, voting with their Republican colleagues to block the Senate from calling witnesses in the impeachment trial. The final vote of 51-49 with Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Mitt Romney of Utah joining 47 Democrats and independents, cleared way…

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The Sanford Herald: Teacher By Day / EMT By Night: Politicians put health of schools at risk

By Alanna Joyner / January 28, 2020 / Comments Off on The Sanford Herald: Teacher By Day / EMT By Night: Politicians put health of schools at risk

From The Sanford Herald: Like countless N.C. educators, I’m forced to work a second job to make ends meet. Unlike most of my colleagues, my second job isn’t retail, it’s saving lives. Every Friday after I finish grading coursework, I head to my weekend job as an EMT/firefighter in Harnett County and pull 12-hour shifts.…

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Winston-Salem Journal: Duke Energy is seeking rate hike costing the average residential customer $97 per year. Here’s how you can weigh in

By Alanna Joyner / January 27, 2020 / Comments Off on Winston-Salem Journal: Duke Energy is seeking rate hike costing the average residential customer $97 per year. Here’s how you can weigh in

Duke Energy is asking the NC Utilities Commission to raise electricity rates on its customers by an average of $8 / month for residents or almost $100 / year to pay for coal ash clean-up. The N.C. The Utilities Commission will hold public hearings in Alamance County on Wednesday and Charlotte on Thursday to take…

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Transylvania Times: Shortchanging Public Education

By Alanna Joyner / January 24, 2020 / Comments Off on Transylvania Times: Shortchanging Public Education

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and the Republican-led General Assembly have been at odds over the allocation of state money to public education. For the past three years, Cooper has asked state lawmakers to increase spending on education while Republican leaders continue to try to give tax breaks to large corporations instead of properly funding our…

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WRAL: Campaign finance complaint filed against Sons of Confederate Veterans

By Alanna Joyner / January 24, 2020 / Comments Off on WRAL: Campaign finance complaint filed against Sons of Confederate Veterans

On Wednesday, Bob Hall, a citizen watchdog, asked the State Board of Elections to investigate and discontinue the NC Heritage PAC, a political action committee connected to the NC Division of the Sons of Confederate Veteran.  Hall filed a complaint alleging that the SCV illegally financed the NC Heritage PAC that gave donations to individuals…

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Amanda Smith: State putting the squeeze on teachers

By Alanna Joyner / January 22, 2020 / Comments Off on Amanda Smith: State putting the squeeze on teachers

 From The Daily Reflector: It’s certainly not unusual for teachers to stay in their classrooms long after school ends to grade papers and plan for upcoming lessons. It’s part of the job I expected when I became a teacher. But something I didn’t expect was having to work a second job to make ends meet…

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NC GOP lawmakers support ‘Second Amendment sanctuaries,’ will attend Va. gun rally

By Alanna Joyner / January 17, 2020 / Comments Off on NC GOP lawmakers support ‘Second Amendment sanctuaries,’ will attend Va. gun rally

Republican state lawmakers showed their support for areas that declare themselves “Second Amendment sanctuaries” ahead of the Virginia gun rally against gun control proposals from the Virginia General Assembly’s new Democratic majority. Fifty members of the North Carolina House Republican caucus, including House Speaker Tim Moore, signed a letter circulated last Tuesday during the legislature’s…

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Pressure from citizens in coal ash communities credited for winning cleanup settlement

By Alanna Joyner / January 16, 2020 / Comments Off on Pressure from citizens in coal ash communities credited for winning cleanup settlement

For years, communities across North Carolina stood up to Duke Energy (as well as the energy giant’s enablers in the McCrory administration and the General Assembly) and fought to get coal ash pollution cleaned up in their neighborhoods. The tenacity of those communities reflects the true spirit of democracy and resilience, now that Duke Energy…

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WRAL: Growing number of conservative local leaders want Medicaid expanded in NC

By Alanna Joyner / January 16, 2020 / Comments Off on WRAL: Growing number of conservative local leaders want Medicaid expanded in NC

NC’s Republican-controlled state legislature remains calcified in its opposition to expanded Medicaid, which would bring down healthcare costs for everyone, even those with private health insurance.  But a growing number of conservatives are calling on lawmakers to finally allow expansion. From WRAL: “We believe we have a responsibility to look after our citizens. It’s a…

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