News

Lawmakers vote to ditch masks as Cooper signals end to mask mandates

Gov. Roy Cooper on Thursday, Feb.17, called for an end to local mask mandates for schools and local governments, though state lawmakers are seemingly forcing his hand. Cooper, a Democrat, cited declining COVID-19 cases, vaccines and boosters, expanded testing, available PPE, and treatments. Kody Kinsley, state health secretary, echoed Cooper’s comments in a news conference...

Theresa Opeka
News

Republican lawmakers question Cooper over clean energy order

Three Republican lawmakers are questioning the legality and affordability of Gov. Roy Cooper’s latest executive action on clean energy, including how to pay for bridge and road repairs if electric vehicles replace gas-powered vehicles. Sens. Tom McInnis, R-Richmond; Paul Newton, R-Cabarrus; and Vickie Sawyer, R-Iredell; sent a letter to Cooper on Jan. 19 taking aim...

Theresa Opeka
News

In curious reversal, Cooper proclaims Jan. 23-29 N.C. National School Choice Week

Gov. Roy Cooper has been a stalwart opponent of school choice since securing the governor’s office in 2016. That makes a proclamation from his office declaring Jan. 23-29 National School Choice Week in the Tar Heel State all the more surprising. The proclamation affirms that North Carolina is “home to a multitude of high-quality public...

David N. Bass
News

Is state employment office equipped for onslaught of benefit claims?

Unemployment insurance benefits for workers affected by the coronavirus could flow as early as Monday, March 30, a spokesman for the Division of Employment Security told Carolina Journal. But is the agency ready to handle the volume of claims?  DES spokesman Larry Parker said his agency was staffed for only 3,000 claims a week. The...

Don Carrington

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