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Salisbury Post: Harrison Peel “Tillis owes voters real answers”

By Alanna Joyner / July 7, 2020 / Comments Off on Salisbury Post: Harrison Peel “Tillis owes voters real answers”

A few weeks ago in an opinion editorial by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, Tillis claimed that he will remain committed to,“my work of listening to the concerns, opinions, and experiences of North Carolinians”. But since 2014, the senator yet has demonstrated a pattern of dodging voters’ concerns during his town halls and in his decisions.…

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GOP lawmakers calling for reopening schools need to consider protections

By Alanna Joyner / July 7, 2020 / Comments Off on GOP lawmakers calling for reopening schools need to consider protections

As Republicans lawmakers are supporting an Aug. 17 opening date for the upcoming school year, a new poll finds North Carolinians are deeply divided about the best way to send students and teachers back.  Currently, the state has required each school district to have three plans with different levels of social distancing. One plan puts…

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N.C. Policy Watch: New research confirms presence of toxic “forever chemicals” in scores of NC water supplies

By Alanna Joyner / July 2, 2020 / Comments Off on N.C. Policy Watch: New research confirms presence of toxic “forever chemicals” in scores of NC water supplies

According to a new study, raw water supplies for at least 150 public utilities in North Carolina contained some level of toxic fluorinated chemicals, known as PFAS or “forever chemicals”, because they never break down in the environment. This comes after researchers from N.C. State University finding GenX chemicals in wells and water from 70 …

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WRAL: Legislative partisanship triumphs over real progress for N.C.

By Alanna Joyner / June 30, 2020 / Comments Off on WRAL: Legislative partisanship triumphs over real progress for N.C.

The North Carolina General Assembly concluded its session Friday without approving a proposal to increase weekly unemployment benefits, among other unmet needs. Amid the pandemic, the legislature refused to address vital needs such as Medicaid expansion, increasing teacher pay, public school funding, unemployment benefits and systemic racism.  Rather than address long-standing issues, Republican lawmakers have…

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Trump reiterates support to kill ACA — despite pandemic

By Alanna Joyner / June 29, 2020 / Comments Off on Trump reiterates support to kill ACA — despite pandemic

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration on Thursday urged the Supreme Court to overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The removal of ACA would result in more than 20 million Americans losing health insurance at a time of unprecedented unemployment. Protections for people with preexisting health conditions and extending parents’ coverage…

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Trump Administration targets immigration system, passes sweeping policy changes

By Alanna Joyner / June 25, 2020 / Comments Off on Trump Administration targets immigration system, passes sweeping policy changes

The Supreme Court just issued a ruling that will potentially allow the Trump administration to move forward in deporting tens of thousands of immigrants living in the United States with little oversight.  In a 7-2 decision, the justices found that newly arrived immigrants do not have the right to challenge their expedited removal in federal…

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Trump and his EPA dismantle environmental protections under cover of COVID-19 crisis

By Alanna Joyner / June 24, 2020 / Comments Off on Trump and his EPA dismantle environmental protections under cover of COVID-19 crisis

Last week, the federal government overruled North Carolina’s objection to seismic testing off the coast, saying the activity proposed by the company, WesternGeco, is in the national interest. Trump’s offshore drilling plan will allow the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management to issue permits for seismic testing on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf, from Maryland…

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Charlotte Observer: Are you serious about reopening the NC economy, Republicans? Then act like it.

By Alanna Joyner / June 22, 2020 / Comments Off on Charlotte Observer: Are you serious about reopening the NC economy, Republicans? Then act like it.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, the concerns of Republican lawmakers have not been towards the people of North Carolina, but rather corporate profits. Despite various public health safety measures implemented by Gov. Roy Cooper based on health officials and White House guidelines, Republican lawmakers have continued to push bills that undo months of…

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N.C. Policy Watch: North Carolina dreamers heartened for their futures after Supreme Court ruling

By Alanna Joyner / June 22, 2020 / Comments Off on N.C. Policy Watch: North Carolina dreamers heartened for their futures after Supreme Court ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Trump administration cannot carry out its plan to shut down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), which has allowed nearly 700,000 young people, known as Dreamers, who came to the United States as children, to live and work in the United States. In a 5-4…

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As communities fight for justice, Juneteenth sheds light on Black History and freedom

By Alanna Joyner / June 19, 2020 / Comments Off on As communities fight for justice, Juneteenth sheds light on Black History and freedom

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. But 155 years after, the nation is still struggling with the issues of systemic racism and injustice. The celebration of June 19, coined “Juneteenth“, marks a day in 1865 when Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and that…

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