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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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GOP State Lawmakers to Public Educators: My way or highway. No compromise and so no pay raise.

By Eleanore Wood / January 21, 2020 / Comments Off on GOP State Lawmakers to Public Educators: My way or highway. No compromise and so no pay raise.

North Carolina is now seven months into a budget year. State lawmakers came back to the General Assembly in Raleigh last week in hopes of finally passing a full state budget. Instead, GOP leaders who control the legislature adjourned after only one day. They refused to compromise on a pay raise for teachers and other…

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King’s words ring true today

By Eleanore Wood / January 20, 2020 / Comments Off on King’s words ring true today

In the days leading up to Martin Luther King Day – the Raleigh News & Observer republished this editorial which was one of the newspaper’s most shared pieces in 2018 and again in 2019. It’s a reminder that the civil rights icon was not as appreciated during his lifetime as he should have been or as he is today.…

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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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Fox 46: Teachers protest decision not to increase their pay

By Eleanore Wood / January 16, 2020 / Comments Off on Fox 46: Teachers protest decision not to increase their pay

From Fox 46 Charlotte: NC teachers protest for pay raises North Carolina teachers are protesting because they are not getting a pay raise per lawmakers in Raleigh. Teachers in Charlotte protested Wednesday because they’re not getting pay raises from the state of North Carolina. Lawmakers failed to override Governor Roy Cooper’s veto of pay raises.

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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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The News & Observer 01/14 Letters: Deployment to Middle East will hurt NC towns, families, the economy

By Eleanore Wood / January 14, 2020 / Comments Off on The News & Observer 01/14 Letters: Deployment to Middle East will hurt NC towns, families, the economy

The idea that wars are always good for the economy is simply not true. It is likely that the emotional and economic impact of a war with Iran would be a heavy one, not unlike North Carolina’s experience during previous wars in the middle east. Our state simply can not afford another endless war. From…

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