Posts

House passes bill to allow N.C. bars to reopen despite executive order, bill now headed to Gov. Cooper.

By Alanna Joyner / June 1, 2020 / Comments Off on House passes bill to allow N.C. bars to reopen despite executive order, bill now headed to Gov. Cooper.

On Thursday, the N.C. General Assembly voted to let bars serve customers outdoors, despite Gov. Roy Cooper’s recent executive order keeping them closed due to COVID-19. Spearheaded by the GOP and some Senate Democrats, the legislation goes against safety measures imposed by Gov. Cooper that help prevent further transmission of the virus.  Rather than adhering…

Read More

Amid the pandemic, racism & injustices must not be ignored

By Alanna Joyner / May 28, 2020 / Comments Off on Amid the pandemic, racism & injustices must not be ignored

The COVID-19 outbreak has taken a toll on the U.S., exposing not only the weakness in the health care system and economy, but the continued inequalities and injustices happening in communities across the country. During a time when the country needs direction and unity, Trump has only spread division and discord, ultimately pandering to an…

Read More

WRAL: Bipartisan election bill promised as others fight over NC’s ballot rules

By Alanna Joyner / May 26, 2020 / Comments Off on WRAL: Bipartisan election bill promised as others fight over NC’s ballot rules

House leaders in bipartisan support, have moved forward with a house bill containing changes to the state’s election rules due to the pandemic. House Bill 1169, contains many measures requested by the State Board of Elections and voting rights advocates to help the state prepare for conducting a safe election for voters during the COVID-19…

Read More

Trump threatens to pull RNC out of North Carolina unless Cooper allows mass gatherings

By Alanna Joyner / May 26, 2020 / Comments Off on Trump threatens to pull RNC out of North Carolina unless Cooper allows mass gatherings

On Monday, Trump threatened to pull the Republican National Convention (RNC) out of North Carolina if Gov. Roy Cooper doesn’t immediately sign off on allowing a full-capacity gathering in August. Trump’s tweets about the upcoming RNC come two days after North Carolina’s largest daily increase in virus cases yet.  Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the convention…

Read More

News & Observer: Judge said NC schools need more money. But Phil Berger says COVID-19 may limit that

By Alanna Joyner / May 26, 2020 / Comments Off on News & Observer: Judge said NC schools need more money. But Phil Berger says COVID-19 may limit that

Since mid-March, North Carolina’s public schools have been closed due to the pandemic, forcing schools to move to remote learning. The pandemic has put on display the inequities of the state’s education system. Decades of cuts has left the education system without the structure to assist students who are disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.…

Read More

WRAL: Long-standing, unmet priorities are even more critical now

By Alanna Joyner / May 20, 2020 / Comments Off on WRAL: Long-standing, unmet priorities are even more critical now

Two weeks after meeting to approve a $1.6 billion package that distributed COVID-19 funds from Washington, the North Carolina General Assembly resumed its annual session on Monday.  Republicans in the N.C. Senate unveiled spending priorities on Tuesday for the coming fiscal year, rolling out more than 18 separate bills. The N.C. house has yet to…

Read More

N.C. Policy Watch: Senator Phil Berger’s calls to reopen are premature and irresponsible

By Alanna Joyner / May 18, 2020 / Comments Off on N.C. Policy Watch: Senator Phil Berger’s calls to reopen are premature and irresponsible

Republican Senate Leader Phil Berger recently called on Gov. Roy Cooper to relax specific executive orders on coronavirus-related closures. In Trumpian fashion, Berger has been pushing for the reopening of the state, despite COVID-19’s continuous spread around North Carolina.  While the coronavirus outbreak has taken more than 90,00 American lives, Berger is seeking out a…

Read More

After being raided by FBI, Sen. Richard Burr steps down from Intelligence Committee chair

By Alanna Joyner / May 18, 2020 / Comments Off on After being raided by FBI, Sen. Richard Burr steps down from Intelligence Committee chair

U.S. Senator Richard Burr is temporarily stepping down as Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee as federal investigators look into timely stock sales he and his wife made after receiving coronavirus briefings from U.S. public health officials. This comes after federal agents served a search warrant on the lawmaker and seized a cellphone on Wednesday…

Read More

Amid the pandemic, North Carolina needs to guarantee safe and fair elections

By Alanna Joyner / May 14, 2020 / Comments Off on Amid the pandemic, North Carolina needs to guarantee safe and fair elections

In late March, the State Board of Elections asked legislative leaders and Gov. Roy Cooper to make it easier for North Carolinians to vote absentee by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic. The State Board of Elections executive director Karen Brinson Bell, asked for voters to be allowed to request mail ballots through an online…

Read More

The New York Times: ‘Full steam ahead’ for Trump’s convention? North Carolina has doubts

By Alanna Joyner / May 12, 2020 / Comments Off on The New York Times: ‘Full steam ahead’ for Trump’s convention? North Carolina has doubts

Despite health officials concerns, Trump has made clear that he wants the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. to proceed in late August. With Mecklenburg County having over 2,132 confirmed coronavirus cases  — the highest cases in the state — the convention is scheduled to begin Aug. 24 at the 20,000-seat Spectrum Center. Yet, as…

Read More