VOLUME 5 ISSUE 46
|
WWW.NSJONLINE.COM
|
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2021
NSJ’s first annual auto awards, B5 the Wednesday
NEWS BRIEFING
Council of State swearing in to be held Jan. 9 RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper and the Council of State will be sworn in on Jan. 9, 2021, at 10 a.m. The swearings-in will be followed by Cooper’s second inaugural address. Due to the ongoing pandemic and Cooper’s executive orders limiting mass gatherings, attendance will be limited to participants, their families, staff and pool media. The inauguration will be broadcast by UNC-TV. The Raleigh Junior League previously announced that the 2021 Inaugural Ball will be delayed due to the pandemic. NSJ STAFF
Folwell applauds U.S. Court decision on healthcost transparency RALEIGH — State Treasurer Dale Folwell applauded a court ruling upholding the Trump administration’s executive order improving price and quality transparency in America’s health care. The order requires hospitals that take Medicare patients to disclose the rates for medical services that they negotiate with insurance companies. “This court decision gives us a real path forward to getting rid of secret contracts and pushing the power down to the consumer to make informed decisions when purchasing health care,” said Folwell. “Health care is the only thing in your life that you purchase that you really don’t know its cost or value. Having clear pricing will go a long way toward decreasing the cost of medical services in this country.” NSJ STAFF
US Air Force deploys airmen, drones to base in Romania BUCHAREST, Romania — The U.S. Air Force has deployed about 90 airmen and an unspecified number of drone aircraft to a base in central Romania, boosting its military presence in the region where there are allied concerns that Russia is trying to display its military strength. The Romanian Defense Ministry said the U.S. deployment in its Campia Turzii Air Base will be for “a few months” to conduct information gathering, surveillance and research missions in support of NATO operations. NATO-member Romania shares the Black Sea border with Russia, and Moscow has lately been arming its neighbor Serbia with military aircraft, tanks and other armored vehicles. The Pentagon has spent millions of dollars in recent years to upgrade the Cold War communist-era base. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Illinois teen pleads not guilty in Kenosha unrest MADISON, Wis. — An Illinois teenager who fatally shot two people and wounded a third amidst violent summer protests on the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin, pleaded not guilty on charges including intentional homicide. Kyle Rittenhouse, 18, entered his plea in a brief hearing conducted by teleconference. Prosecutors say Rittenhouse traveled to Kenosha after learning of a call to protect businesses in the wake protests over Jacob Blake, a black man shot by police two nights earlier, leading to protests and riots in the city. Rittenhouse has argued he fired in self-defense. Conservatives have rallied around the teen, describing him as a patriot who took up arms to protect people and property, and raised money to make his $2 million bail. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KEVIN DIETSCH | POOL VIA AP
Sen. Thom Tillis sworn into second term Vice President Mike Pence administers the oath of office to Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., as his wife Susan Tillis holds a Bible, during a ceremony in the Old Senate Chamber at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021.
NORTH
STATE
JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION
Paul Newby becomes 30th chief justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina He and seven other judges began terms with new year
Carolina’s original copy of the Bill of Rights, which was stolen after the Civil War. Newby has been the recipient of numerous awards and accoBy Matt Mercer lades, including the North CarNorth State Journal olina Bar Association’s Citizen RALEIGH — Paul Martin Lawyer Award in 2011, and in Newby became the 30th chief 2012 he received its John Mcjustice of the Supreme Court of Neill Smith Jr. Award, recogNorth Carolina at 12:01 a.m. on nizing his work in the area of Jan. 1, 2021. Chief Justice New- constitutional rights and reby holds the highest judicial of- sponsibilities. In further recognition of his profesfice in N.C. and heads sional service, Newby the Judicial Branch, received the James the third and co-equal Iredell Award and an branch of state govern“It is truly honorary Doctor of ment. The oath of office Law from Southern was administered by a sacred Wesleyan University. Superior Court Judge honor and Newby is originally Andrew Heath of Wake County. privilege to from Randolph County and attended high “It is truly a sacred serve as the school in Jamestown. honor and privilege to serve as the 30th Chief 30th Chief He graduated from Duke University with Justice of the Supreme Justice of high honors and the Court of North Carolina,” said Newby. “To- the Supreme University of North Carolina School of day, I took a solemn Court of Law. He has been maroath before God and North ried to his wife, Macon the people of this great Tucker Newby, since state to uphold the conCarolina.” 1983, and they have stitution and laws of four children. He and this land, so that jusChief Justice his wife attend Christ tice will be adminisBaptist Church in Ratered fairly without Paul Newby leigh, where he has prejudice for all North served as an elder and Carolinians.” Sunday school teachNewby held the senior associate justice position er. He is an Eagle Scout and has on the Supreme Court before the received the national Distinswearing-in, having first been guished Eagle Scout Award. Phil Berger Jr., who was electelected in 2004. In addition to his service on the court, Newby ed to the seat Newby vacated to is an adjunct professor at Camp- run for chief justice, was sworn bell University School of Law, in on Friday, Jan. 1 at the Suco-author of the North Caroli- preme Court chambers in Rana State Constitution with His- leigh. His father, Senate Leader Phil tory and Commentary (2d ed. 2013), co-chair of the Chief Jus- Berger (R-Eden), administered tice’s Civic Education Initia- the oath. In an interview with NSJ in tive and Judicial Branch Speakers Bureau, and former chair of November, Berger Jr. said, “The the Chief Justice’s Commission people of North Carolina said no activist judges, and yes to the on Professionalism. He previously worked as an rule of law. I’m thankful that the assistant United States attor- voters of this state have put their ney for the Eastern District of trust in me to serve them.” A ceremonial investiture for North Carolina in Raleigh for over 19 years. During that time, the new Supreme Court justices he played an integral role in con- will be held on Wednesday, Jan. ducting an undercover sting op- 6 and broadcast from the court’s eration that recovered North website.
State COVID-19 vaccination rate lags behind all but 9 other states By Matt Mercer North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign is off to a less than stellar start, according to information reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC says the state has received 498,450 doses of vaccine and has initiated vaccinations for 121,881 people as of Jan. 4. That equals a vaccination rate of 1,162 per 100,000 people. The rate plac-
es the state in the bottom fifth of rates per 100,000, along with Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, and Wisconsin. The state with the highest rate is South Dakota, which has vaccinated 3,231 people per 100,000. Over 4.8 million nationwide have received the first dose of vaccine as of data uploaded on Jan. 5. Healthcare providers report doses to federal, state, territorial See VACCINE, page A2
New faces in key legislative, executive branch roles headed into 2021 Gov. Cooper has multiple cabinet member roles to fill heading into second term By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — There will be some changes to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s staff and new legislative faces at the North Carolina General Assembly when it returns on Jan. 13 for the start of the 20212022 legislative biennium. As he enters his second term, Cooper will need replacements for several top cabinet roles, including Department of Environmental Equality (DEQ) Secretary Michael Regan, who has been tapped by the Biden Administration to become the next head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “I am proud that President-elect Biden has recognized the talent we have here to select Michael Regan, North Carolina born and educated, to be EPA Administrator,” said Cooper in a press release. “Michael has served as DEQ secretary with distinction, helping advance my climate change executive order and promoting creative solutions to some of our toughest challenges. He has important work ahead of him helping battle climate change on a national level.” If confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the next EPA administrator, Regan would be the first AfricanAmerican man to hold the post. Cooper named Regan as DEQ secretary early in 2017, and Regan has touted holding Chemours accountable on toxic PFAS pollution, regulation of the state’s large hog farms and the release of a plan to cut fossil fuel pollution from power plants by 70% within 10 years. Alternately, Regan’s faced criticism from various climate groups
and activists for his supportive role in the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Controversy surrounded the $58 million mitigation fund that was announced the same day the Regan’s department approved the associated Water Quality Permit. The $58 million mitigation fund was labeled by some as a “slush fund.” See NCGA, page A3