How do you stop the unstoppable? Opponents discuss why Clemson’s DeShaun Watson is so difficult to defend. Sports, B4 & B5 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 24
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SUNDAY, August 7, 2016
the Sunday News Briefing
The United States women’s national soccer team celebrates a goal against New Zealand in the first round of matchups at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Tobin Heath, left, and Meghan Klingenberg, far right, are among the numerous UNC Chapel Hill alumnae on the national team.
Appeals court denies NC’s motion to stay decision on voter ID Richmond, Va. A U.S. appeals court issued an order Thursday denying North Carolina’s motion to stay the court’s decision last week striking down the state’s voter ID law. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said staying its ruling now “would only undermine the integrity and efficiency of the upcoming election.” On July 29, the court ruled the law, which required voters to show photo identification when casting ballots, intentionally discriminated against African-American residents. Attorneys for the state in a written motion earlier this week asked the court to put its ruling on hold while the state appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court and seeks to overturn the decision ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November.
SCOTUS blocks transgender bathroom choice for now Washington, D.C. A Virginia school board may temporarily block a student who was born a girl from using the boys’ bathroom while a legal fight over transgender rights proceeds on appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court said Wednesday. The case is the first time the fight over transgender bathroom rights has reached the Supreme Court. In a brief order, the country’s highest court put on hold an order from a lower court that had permitted the high school student to use the bathroom of his choice. The ruling led to CharlotteMecklenburg Schools holding off on new rules that would have allowed transgender students to use the locker room or bathroom of the gender they identify with. North Carolina’s House Bill 2, which was passed in response to a Charlotte ordinance that, among other things, allowed people to use the bathroom of their choice, is also being legally challenged and could be eventually decided by the Supreme Court. Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union sued on behalf of Gavin Grimm, 17, to challenge the Gloucester County School Board’s bathroom policy, which requires transgender students to use alternative restroom facilities.
INSIDE
2016 Olympic schedule and Team USA roster Sports B6
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US SENATOR
Burr spotlights military, opioid overdoses during Eastern Tour By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal NEW BERN — U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, (R-N.C.), completed tours across Eastern North Carolina this week in an effort to focus attention on the armed forces, highlight the opioid abuse health crisis and acknowledge the industries boosting the economy. Starting in Fayetteville, Burr sponsored the 15th Annual North Carolina Defense and Economic Development Trade Show at Fayetteville Technical Community College, which provides networking opportunities and government procurement workshops for both prospective and current federal contractors. “This enables me to go back and tweak legislation in a way that enhances the ability for the Department of Defense, Fort Bragg, Seymour Johnson, Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point, and Dobson, to do more of their procurement locally with North Carolina companies and to
“It goes without saying that every place we have a military footprint we match that with a community that values the military investment there.”
— Sen. Richard Burr
See U.S. SENATOR, page A3
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Kaine, Pence draw on similarities of their home states while rallying voter support By Liz Moomey North State Journal GREENSBORO and RALEIGH — Vice presidential nominees Tim Kaine and Mike Pence called upon their “neighbors” and “friends” to put their support behind them their respective running mates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. On Wednesday, Kaine, the U.S. senator from Virginia, toured AmeriFab International, which manufactures bedding and window equipment, and
later spoke to a crowd at the Greensboro Transit Authority. The next day Pence, Indiana’s governor, hosted a town hall event at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Former president Bill Clinton was in Raleigh Friday campaigning for his wife, but held private fundraisers and meetings that were not open to the public. The two running mates had opposing views of North Carolina. Pence compared the ecoSee CAMPAIGN, page A8 Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and his wife Karen take the stage during a campaign event at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, Aug. 4.
EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
COAL ASH
Water fight reveals bureaucratic power struggle RALEIGH — The leaked testimony by DHHS worker Ken Rudo has dredged back up an internal conflict over Rudo’s authority in the department which insiders say allowed him to send “do not drink” notices to North Carolinians based on arbitrary water testing thresholds. For 30 years Rudo has been tasked with notifying property owners of testing results in public water. However, when it came time to test wells around coal ash ponds, his co-workers say he set a “back of the envelope” notice threshold for
contaminants at a level that most say even bottled water and municipal water systems couldn’t meet. The result was 400 families getting “do not drink” notices that were later rescinded. This political football kicked off two years ago when Duke Energy’s Eden plant spilled coal ash into the Dan River. Fears about contamination near coal ash ponds intensified, and the legislature mandated testing of private wells near the ponds, which are scattered from Asheville to Wilmington across the state. Coal ash is left over when coal is burned to produce electricSee COAL ASH, page A8
EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Sen. Richard Burr takes questions from reporters after speaking in support of a brand new prescription medication disposal receptacle at a Walgreens pharmacy in New Bern, Tuesday, Aug. 2.
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VP candidates stump in North Carolina
By Donna King North State Journal
Join us in the treetops in Bertie County for a new way to vacation on the Cashie River C1 We talk with JeanPierre Bonnefoux, of The Charlotte Ballet on his vision, a special summer project, and the future. C3 the good life
Presidential campaign
More DNC resignations over email scandal, NC connections revealed On Murphy to Manteo, page A5