NORTH CAROLINA POLITICS

'Victory': Confederates tout backdoor dealings of $2.5 million Silent Sam settlement

By Charlie McGee

In an email recently leaked by one of its recipients, Kevin Stone, leader of the N.C. Division Sons of Confederate Veterans Inc., detailed secret negotiations with UNC Board of Governors members that led to a "major strategic victory" for the pro-Confederate movement. Stone sent the email on the same day that the group filed and immediately settled a lawsuit against the UNC system and the board. That settlement won the Confederate group legal ownership of Silent Sam and $2.5 million in UNC system money, some of which may go towards a new headquarters for the group.

How the Republican takeover of the General Assembly changed the UNC System

By Anna Pogarcic and Maeve Sheehey

The General Assembly turned majority-Republican in 2010, and with it the Board of Governors experienced a significant turnover in membership. 

Chapel Hill ranks second statewide in LGBTQ+ equality index, falls behind national cities

By Suzannah Claire Perry

Chapel Hill has scored its highest score ever in the LGBTQ+ Equality Index, but due to limitations from HB2, it cannot meet all the needs it wants to.

Governor's office denies Republican allegation of misused natural gas pipeline funds

By Meredith Radford

The office of Roy Cooper denied allegations of misusing funds for a natural gas pipeline after Republicans in the N.C. General Assembly hired independent investigators to look into the matter.

Wake County court suspends candidate filing period to consider new congressional map

By Niharika Vattikonda

The Superior Court of Wake County issued an injunction to halt the candidate filing period for 2020 N.C. congressional primary races so that the court can consider new congressional maps drawn and passed by the General Assembly.

Column: North Carolina would benefit from the Dream Act

As with most immigration policy, the real change here has to come through Congress. But from my view here in the state, all North Carolinians would benefit from Washington stepping up to make dreams come true.

'I can’t afford to be a teacher': The battle for teacher raises continues

By Victoria Johnson

After years of what they deem as unreasonable salaries, teachers are starting to speak out, especially after Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill to raise average salaries for educators in North Carolina.

State Superintendent Mark Johnson announces run for lieutenant governor

By Jamey Cross

North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson announced Tuesday that he will forgo reelection in 2020 and instead run for lieutenant governor. 

North Carolina becomes last state in the U.S. to allow withdrawal of consent

By Sonia Rao

Newly ratified Bill 199 adds measures to protect sexual assault victims.

Lawsuit calls the legitimacy of the N.C. General Assembly into question

By Guillermo Molero

A lawsuit from the NAACP and Clean Air Carolina continues to challenge the authority North Carolina lawmakers had in creating ballot amendments in 2018. 

Court ruling mandates new congressional maps in N.C. before 2020 election

By Mark Morrison

In the midst of election season, the state court has ruled to prohibit further use of current congressional maps.

Sen. Tillis, N.C. congressmen are key figures in reviving an ICE immigration bill

By Guillermo Molero

This bill comes just months after Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill that would have forced local sheriffs to comply with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in holding individuals for whom the organization had issued a detainer. 

'It’s time for fair maps in North Carolina': Discussion continues on state district lines

By Ben Humphries

The state court agreed with the plaintiffs and declared the redrawn maps unconstitutional on Sept. 3, and ordered them redrawn again by Sept. 19.

Column: North Carolina needs nonpartisan redistricting

Verla Insko, the state representative for District 56 in the General Assembly, talks about the need for nonpartisan redistricting.

Column: Addressing campus sexual assault

Graig Meyer, the state representative for House District 50 covering portions of Orange and Durham counties, discusses campus sexual assault.

We looked into rumors that N.C. Speaker Tim Moore is going for UNC-System President

By Michael Taffe

After interim UNC-System President Bill Roper said he will not seek to serve in his role in a permanent capacity, the search for a new system president became even more uncertain. Though the names of candidates have not been released, one controversial public figure has been the topic of recent rumors: Tim Moore.  Moore, the speaker of the N.C. House of Representatives, has made his name by supporting fiscal prudence and controversial moves such as HB2. Some say Moore would be a poor leader for the UNC System given his history in the General Assembly, while others argue that he could be a viable candidate. 

Despite little movement on state budget, stand alone spending measures move to Cooper

By Hannah Correll

The majority of recent bills that the General Assembly has passed are above the continuation budget from the last fiscal year. Gov. Cooper has signed all but one of the mini-budget bills that were copied from the budget he vetoed in June. 

Another gerrymandering lawsuit filed in N.C. challenges congressional district lines

By Ben Humphries

The suit requests that the court order the 2016 congressional district lines unusable and enforce the drawing of new, compliant district lines before the 2020 elections.

New state legislative maps head to N.C. superior court for approval

By Brent Van Vliet

New legislative maps have passed in the N.C. Senate and N.C. House and now require approval from the three-judge panel in the Common Cause case to be finalized.

N.C. House Republicans hold surprise vote to override Gov. Cooper’s budget veto

By Brent Van Vliet

“Yesterday was incredibly disappointing. People hate when politicians lie, cheat and steal. I hate when politicians lie, cheat and steal, and that’s what we have this week,” said N.C. Rep. Graig Meyer, D-Caswell, Orange.