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Audit: Billions in federal COVID funds unspent as deadline nears
Billions in federal COVID emergency funds allocated to NC agencies have not been spent, according to an audit by state Auditor Dave Boliek’s office.
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Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina advances toward full federal recognition
The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has moved closer to achieving full federal recognition. On Tuesday, the U.S. House passed HR 1101 with a vote of 311-96. This legislation would grant the tribe full federal recognition and provide its members with complete federal services and benefits. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-NC, spoke in favor of the...
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Cooper’s Council of Indian Affairs echoes concerns with Stein appointment
Monday, Rep. Jarrod Lowery, R-Robeson, sent a letter to Governor-elect Josh Stein expressing concern about the appointment of Eastern Band of Cherokee (EBCI) Chief Michell Hicks to his administration. In press release Tuesday, Lowery pointed to similar concerns held by Gov. Roy Cooper’s Commission of Indian Affairs, expressed in a Dec. 6 letter sent by...
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Stein appointment draws alarm from lawmaker over fair tribal representation
NC House Rep. Jarrod Lowery, R-Robeson, released a letter Monday to Governor-elect Josh Stein expressing concerns over the appointment of Chief Michell Hicks of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) as chairman of the transition team for the Department of Administration. Lowery, a member of the state recognized Lumbee tribe, highlights the critical role...
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Trump promises full federal recognition for Lumbee Tribe
Campaigning in Wilmington Saturday, former President Donald Trump pronounced this weekend that, if awarded a second term, he would work to award full federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. “[T]oday I’m officially announcing that, if I am elected in November, I will sign legislation granting the great Lumbee Tribe federal recognition that...
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Cooper changes his tune on reading instruction law after previously vetoing similar bill
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt told Council of State (COS) members Tuesday, including Gov. Roy Cooper, that she credits the Excellent Public Schools Act with helping North Carolina’s kindergarten through third-grade students outperform the national average on end-of-year literacy assessments for three years in a row.
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Push for regulatory changes to DCM authority could stretch into 2025
Recent changes to House Bill 385 provisions dealing with the statutory authorities of state agencies as they relate to developers and archaeological finds could indicate a more comprehensive reform to come in the long session of 2025. In a housing affordability crisis fueled by supply restrictions, advocates say increased transparency and regulatory certainty are crucial...
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Native American bones, bureaucratic creep, and a stalled Carteret County housing development
In the town of Cedar Point, a subdivision development has encountered a major roadblock after the discovery of Native American artifacts and some human remains. State archaeologists believe these findings are of historical significance, which has halted the project after only about three dozen homes were built. This situation has highlighted the confusion and delays as the lines of bureaucratic jurisdiction become blurred.
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Judge rejects class-action status for race discrimination lawsuit against Asheville board
A federal judge has denied class-action status in a lawsuit challenging race-based membership qualifications for an Asheville advisory board. Plaintiffs had argued that the rules discriminate against white applicants to the Human Relations Commission.
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Elementary reading scores improve again in NC
Elementary school students are reading at a better level today than to a year ago, according to new data from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Since the enactment of a standardized early literacy assessment beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, reading scores in NC for grades 1-3 have outpaced national peers by more...
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Cooper issues executive order to rebrand NCDEQ environmental justice board
Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order Tuesday rebranding the Secretary of Environmental Quality’s Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board as the Governor’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council.
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Asheville human relations lawsuit could become class-action case
Asheville residents challenging membership requirements for the city’s Human Relations Commission hope to pursue a class-action case. Paperwork filed Friday in federal court seeks to extend the suit to anyone disqualified by race from
