Feature

New poll: North Carolinians overwhelmingly oppose eliminating corporate income tax

By Alanna Joyner / July 28, 2021 / Comments Off on New poll: North Carolinians overwhelmingly oppose eliminating corporate income tax

Amid a time when corporations generated record profits during a pandemic that caused financial devastation for millions of Americans, NC Republicans passed a bill last month that would protect corporations profits further by eliminating the corporate state income tax. According to a recent poll, North Carolina voters across party lines overwhelmingly oppose such a bill,…

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Amid Medicaid’s 56th Anniversary, Red state Medicaid expansion momentum continues to grow

By Alanna Joyner / July 27, 2021 / Comments Off on Amid Medicaid’s 56th Anniversary, Red state Medicaid expansion momentum continues to grow

This Friday, July 30, marks the 56th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson signing into law the amendment that created Medicare and Medicaid. For 56 years, Medicaid has helped make health care affordable and accessible for millions across the country.  Despite the benefits, several states, including North Carolina, continue to halt the expansion of the…

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North Carolina GOP Energy Reform Bill Passes House But Faces Opposition

By Camilo Vergara / July 23, 2021 / Comments Off on North Carolina GOP Energy Reform Bill Passes House But Faces Opposition

Nothing says openness and transparency like a last minute midnight vote on a controversial energy bill that Duke Energy has been the driving force for with some legislators for months. A 57- 49 vote came just after midnight last week for the Republican-backed House Bill 951. HB 951 is legislation that would deliver a number…

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Bill Pushed By NC Republican Lawmakers Will Make Teachers’ Jobs Harder

By Alanna Joyner / July 19, 2021 / Comments Off on Bill Pushed By NC Republican Lawmakers Will Make Teachers’ Jobs Harder

At a time in which many North Carolinians are recovering from the financial impact of COVID-19, Republicans lawmakers are prioritizing legislation that aims to censor how educators teach American history to North Carolina’s school children. The Republican-backed House Bill 342, is one of over 22 censorship bills across the country that are a part of a well-funded, coordinated…

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Republican Bill criminalizes right to protest wrongs, injustice

By Alanna Joyner / July 13, 2021 / Comments Off on Republican Bill criminalizes right to protest wrongs, injustice

Legislation that aims to undermine the right of North Carolinians to speak out and assemble is quickly moving to the state Senate this week. House Bill 805, is an anti-democratic bill that would stifle free speech and discourage North Carolinians from exercising their constitutional right to assemble by imposing extremely harsh criminal penalties. If enacted,…

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Prior NC teacher and employee raises ranged from 0% to 10%. What will 2021 budget offer?

By Alanna Joyner / July 13, 2021 / Comments Off on Prior NC teacher and employee raises ranged from 0% to 10%. What will 2021 budget offer?

Over the past four decades, raises for North Carolina educators and state employees have ranged from zero to 10%, with most falling in the 5% area, according to The News and Observer.  In the latest Republican-led Senate budget bill passed last month, state employees and educators would receive the short end of the stick, with…

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A humiliating and damaging defeat for UNC and North Carolina

By Alanna Joyner / July 7, 2021 / Comments Off on A humiliating and damaging defeat for UNC and North Carolina

The Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones declined a tenured position at her alma mater, UNC-Chapel Hill. Hannah-Jones is set to create the new Center for Journalism and Democracy at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Her decision comes as after nearly six weeks of controversy, the UNC Board of Trustees voted to approve the tenure…

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No more excuses for lawmakers when it comes to public schools

By Alanna Joyner / July 6, 2021 / Comments Off on No more excuses for lawmakers when it comes to public schools

Recently, State Superior Court Judge David Lee issued the latest order in the Leandro v. State lawsuit – directing the state to address the longstanding violation of the constitutional right of North Carolina public school children to a “sound basic education”, by implementing a comprehensive funding plan developed by the state itself. The Comprehensive Remedial…

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Elections in many big NC municipalities delayed until 2022

By Alanna Joyner / June 29, 2021 / Comments Off on Elections in many big NC municipalities delayed until 2022

A new legislation passed on Monday will delay more than 30 municipal elections in North Carolina until 2022.  Under the new legislation, municipalities across North Carolina, including Ahoskie, Edenton, and Raleigh among others, will delay elections which were originally scheduled for later in 2021.  Due to delays in the census caused by the pandemic and…

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NC Senate Budget Gets Final OK; House Makes Own Plan Next

By Alanna Joyner / June 28, 2021 / Comments Off on NC Senate Budget Gets Final OK; House Makes Own Plan Next

The budget proposal the Republican-led state Senate passed last week, and which House members started formally reviewing Tuesday, is chock-full of proposals that fail to meet the needs of North Carolinians. Amid an influx of federal funding and billions in unreserved state funds, Republicans chose to prioritize tax cuts for the wealthy few and corporations…

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