VOLUME 5 ISSUE 40
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WWW.NSJONLINE.COM
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020
the Wednesday
NEWS BRIEFING
State unemployment rate slightly down from previous month RALEIGH — The state’s seasonally adjusted October unemployment rate was 6.3%, decreasing less than a percentage point from September’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 1% to 6.9%. N.C.’s October 2020 unemployment rate increased 2.6% from a year ago. The number of people employed increased by over 79,000 over the past month. Since October 2019, total nonfarm jobs decreased by 238,200, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce. NSJ STAFF
GM to recall 7M vehicles globally to replace Takata air bags DETROIT — General Motors will recall about 7 million big pickup trucks and SUVs worldwide to replace potentially dangerous Takata air bag inflators. GM says it will not fight the decision, even though it believes the vehicles are safe. It will cost the company an estimated $1.2 billion, about one third of its net income so far this year. Exploding Takata inflators caused the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 63 million inflators recalled. The U.S. government says that as of September, more than 11.1 million had not been fixed. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. The recalls drove Japan’s Takata into bankruptcy and brought criminal charges against the company. Eventually it was purchased by a Chinese-owned auto parts supplier. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
March 2021 Bentonville Battlefield reenactment cancelled FOUR OAKS — The N.C. Dept. of Natural and Cultural Resources has canceled the Beltonville Battlefield reenactment for a second time, citing ongoing uncertainly due to COVID-19. The event had been rescheduled from its original date in March 2020. “As a state historic site, the safety of the visiting public is always paramount, which led us to cancel the event. That said, we are still extremely excited about future preservation, interpretation, and exploration of North Carolina’s premier Civil War battlefield,” says Bentonville Site Manager Colby Stevens. Taking place once every five years, the reenactments provide a large source of revenue to fund interpretation and preservation efforts. The Battle of Bentonville, fought March 19-21, 1865, involved 80,000 troops in one of the last major actions of the war. NSJ STAFF
Trump campaign appeals case to U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals HARRISBURG, Pa. — President Donald Trump is appealing a federal judge’s dismissal of his campaign’s effort to block the certification of votes in Pennsylvania. The president and other plaintiffs filed notice of appeal to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Sunday, a day after the judge issued an order denying the case. “Today’s decision help us in our strategy to get expeditiously to the U.S. Supreme Court. Although we fully disagree with this opinion, we’re thankful to the Obama-appointed judge for making this anticipated decision quickly, rather than simply trying to run out the clock,” said a statement from Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, who are leading the campaign’s legal effort. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHOTO VIA N.C. DEPT. OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Gov. Roy Cooper gives an update on COVID-19 from the Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh.
NORTH
STATE
JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION
Legislature left in dark after rural broadband funding redirected By Matt Mercer North State Journal RALEIGH — State legislators say Gov. Roy Cooper took more than $30 million appropriated to support rural broadband to use for other purposes — and didn’t notify them of the decision. A letter dated Nov. 20 was sent to Gov. Cooper asking for more information regarding the funding of the Growing Rural Economies through Access to Technology (GREAT) rural broadband grant program. A notice published on the Broadband Infrastructure Office says, “The 2020 Special Supplementary Round of the GREAT Grant Program was to be funded using an appropriation from the CARES Act. Unfortunately, it has been determined that these projects are not eligible for CARES Act funding under the current U.S. Department of Treasury guidelines.” The notice continues, saying, “Expansion of broadband infrastructure in underserved communities is critical and remains a top priority for Gov. Roy Cooper and the N.C. Department of Information Technology. The state is exploring all possible sources to fund qualifying projects in this special supplementary round. The Broadband Infrastructure Office has completed the GREAT Grant application review process, scoring and ranking each application. The applications will remain active and will be considered if and when funding becomes available.” A Sept. 14 press release from N.C. DIT makes no mention of the funds being contingent on additional approval needed to disburse the funds. “Internet service providers and electric membership cooperatives can now apply for $32 million in pandemic relief grant funding to help bring high-speed internet access to rural North Carolina,” part of the statement reads. “Gov. Roy Cooper signed House Bill 1105 into law, allocating more than $32 million for
rural broadband expansion from the Coronavirus Relief Fund created by the CARES Act. The Broadband Infrastructure Office will review applications and assign the funding through the GREAT Grant program.” State Sen. Jim Perry (R-Lenoir) said, “The people in our rural areas desperately need broadband access. Nothing has changed about the guidelines surrounding this funding, so it is troubling for this issue to come up now. I hope the governor will work with us to help these people. They are already expressing concerns that he is taking their funding for his pet projects. I hope they are wrong and he chooses to help us.” Cooper’s office announced on Friday what it called the “N.C. Education Corps” to help fund positions for college students and recent college graduates to provide wraparound services in N.C. public schools. The timing of the rural broadband funds reversal has been linked to the new initiative between the State Board of Education, the governor’s office, local school systems and the N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service. “In tough times, North Carolinians pull together to help each other out and this pandemic is no different,” Cooper said. “The N.C. Education Corps gives people a wonderful opportunity to help in local public schools at a time when students and educators really need it.” Nineteen school systems have signed up thus far to participate. The members hired will work from January through June. Compensation will be provided by local school systems, which can utilize funding provided to them from North Carolina’s share of the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, a part of the CARES Act. The timing of both announcements could appear to suggest the GREAT Grant funds were used to instead launch the N.C. Education Corps. See RURAL, page A2
Gov. Roy Cooper imposes stricter mask requirements NSJ staff RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper announced a new executive order which would enact a stricter face-covering requirement. “Our statewide mask requirement has been in effect since June, and it is still our best weapon in this fight. Today’s executive order will further tighten that mandate, making it clear that everyone needs to wear a mask whenever you are with someone you don’t live with,” said Cooper at Monday’s media availability from the Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh. Executive Order 180 goes into
effect on Wednesday, Nov. 25 and runs through Friday, Dec. 11. “I have a stark warning for North Carolinians today: We are in danger,” said Cooper. “This is a pivotal moment in our fight against the coronavirus. Our actions now will determine the fate of many.” In addition, the order adds the mask requirement to several additional settings: including any public indoor space, even when maintaining six feet of distance; gyms, even when exercising; all schools, public and private; and all public or private transportation when travelling with people outside of See MASK, page A2
ICE launches billboard campaign in Charlotte area aimed at sanctuary policies Billboards highlight atlarge offenders released by Mecklenburg Sheriff By A.P. Dillon and David Larson North State Journal CHARLOTTE — Immigration and Customs Enforcement have launched a billboard campaign along major Charlotte roadways to educate the public about the dangers of sanctuary and non-cooperation policies. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) billboards appear to target Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden, a Democrat, known for refusing to cooperate with ICE on detainers. “Too often sanctuary policies limiting cooperation with ICE result in significant public safety concerns,” said senior-official-performing-the-duties-of-the-director Tony H. Pham in a statement. “ICE will continue to enforce immigration laws set forth by Congress through the efforts of the men and women of ICE to remove criminal aliens and making our communities safer.” As recently as February of this year, McFadden stated in an interview on WBT Radio that he would not be changing his position and would continue to refuse to honor ICE detainer requests. In addition to McFadden, Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker and Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead have also made public statements about refusing to cooperate with ICE. The billboards feature at-large immigration violators previously arrested or convicted of crimes in the U.S. who were released from the Mecklenburg County Jail instead of being transferred to ICE custody pursuant to an immigration detainer.
Profiles of some of the offenders on the billboards provided by ICE include: Paul Chander Evans, 26, a Jamaican national illegally present in the U.S.: Evans was arrested by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department Oct. 6 for assault on a female, felony breaking and entering, communicating threats See ICE, page A2