VOLUME 6 ISSUE 52 |
WWW.NSJONLINE.COM
|
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Redistricting review to end, candidate filing scheduled to resume Raleigh Barring a last-minute order from the N.C. Supreme Court, the 2022 primary election filing period for candidates is set to resume on Thursday, Feb. 24. Special masters appointed by a three-judge panel have until Wednesday, Feb. 23, to review remedial maps after the Supreme Court ruled in a 4-3 decision that the maps drawn in November 2021 were unconstitutional. The special master process was upended in a Monday filing by the legislative defendants to remove two assistants hired by the special masters after illegal communication took place between them and plaintiffs’ experts. NSJ STAFF
Robinson leads NC speakers at CPAC Raleigh Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is scheduled to speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, that begins Thursday. An agenda posted for the conference shows Robinson speaking on Thursday, following Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. In addition, U.S. Rep. Ted Budd and former U.S. Rep. Mark Walker, who are competing for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, will appear on panels at the conference. Also scheduled to attend is first-term U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn (NC-11). The Saturday night keynote address is scheduled to be given by former President Donald Trump.
Putin defies West, mounts Ukraine invasion
Russian President Vladimir Putin talks via videoconference with members of the Russian Paralympic Committee team on the eve of the XIII Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.
Cooper: Schools, local governments should end mask mandates Cooper questions bill to let parents decide on masks for kids as “unwise” and ‘irresponsible’
NSJ STAFF
Hong Kong orders mandatory COVID-19 tests for all residents Hong Kong Hong Kong will test its entire population of 7.5 million people for COVID-19 in March, the city’s leader said Tuesday, as it grapples with its worst outbreak driven by the omicron variant. The population will be tested three times in March, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said. She said testing capacity will be boosted to 1 million a day or more. “Since we have a population of some 7 million people, testing will take about seven days,” said Lam. Hong Kong has largely aligned itself with mainland China’s “zero-COVID-19” policy, which aims to totally stamp out outbreaks, even as many other countries are shifting their approach to living with the virus. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wild horse on North Carolina Outer Banks euthanized Corolla One of the wild horses on the Outer Banks has been euthanized, according to the group that helps protect them. The Corolla Wild Horse Fund said on its Facebook page Sunday that its veterinarian euthanized the stallion, named Tyler, last week. According to the organization, the horse was in its mid-20s and had been under observation by staff as well as the veterinarian. It was clear that the horse was approaching the end of its life, the post said. The horse “went down somewhere we could spot him,” according to the post, which also said he was buried “in a quiet place right where he lived his entire life.” The Corolla Wild Horse Fund manages the herd of wild Spanish mustangs that roam on the northernmost portion of the Outer Banks. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
5
20177 52016 $0.50
8
ALEXEI NIKOLSKY, SPUTNIK, KREMLIN POOL PHOTO VIA AP
NC Congressman Hudson champions national ‘Unmask Our Kids Act’ Appeals to counties in district to eliminate mandates
to mandate masking. On Feb. 8, the same day that Hudson cosponsored the “Unmask Our Kids Act” and spoke on it in Congress, the Cumberland County Board of EducaBy David Larson tion in his district decided to North State Journal make masks optional. HowevRALEIGH — When Rep. er, because the county’s health Ashley Hinson, a Republican department had a county-wide from Iowa, filed H.R. 6619, the indoor mask mandate, this polUnmask Our Kids Act, in the icy shift by the school board was U.S. House of Representatives rendered ineffectual. Dr. Jennifer Green, the Cumon Feb. 7, the first co-sponsor for the bill was Rep. Richard Hud- berland County health director, put an indoor mask son, a Republican mandate in place in representing N.C.’s August 2021, and it 8th Congressional has remained in place District. since then. Hudson The day after the “For hypocrite appealed directly bill was introduced, politicians who to Green in a letter Hudson took to the to rescind her mask House floor to ar- want to control mandate and allow gue for H.R. 6619. your life, it’s schools to be mask He said that there rules for thee optional in line with was hypocrisy evithe school board’s dent as celebrities but not for vote. and high-profile me. It’s time “In addition to folpoliticians are relowing the well-espeatedly photo- to scrap these tablished science, I graphed unmasked mandates and would further urge in crowds, while you to follow the parthey are unwavering give parents ents,” Hudson wrote in their insistence the freedom to in the Feb. 11 letter. that children, who choose what’s “Our local Cumberare at a much lower land County Board risk of being affect- best for their of Education made ed by COVID-19, children.” the decision to make are forced to wear masks optional based masks in school. His on both the existing press release specif- U.S. Congressman science and their curically called out for- Richard Hudson rent roles as parents, mer Georgia guber- (R-NC8) educators, and local natorial candidate leaders. I respectfulStacey Abrams, who ly urge you to follow supports masking children, for not wearing a mask their lead, and revise the August at a school visit where the stu- 2021 abatement order, in light of both the recent evidence and redents were made to mask. “For hypocrite politicians spected parental input.” A few days later, on Feb. 16, who want to control your life, it’s rules for thee but not for Green announced she would reme,” said Hudson. “It’s time to move the abatement order that scrap these mandates and give was blocking the school board’s parents the freedom to choose new mask-optional policy. Her what’s best for their children. decision would be effective at If it’s good enough for the poli- 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 20. In ticians, it’s good enough for our addition, with Green no longer enforcing this order, the schools kids.” Hudson is also taking his became mask-optional in Cumfight back to his district, where berland County that day, Feb. 16. A press release from Hudson he wants local school boards and health departments to after this development claimed eliminate any requirement for schools under their jurisdiction See HUDSON page A2
By A.P. Dillon and Matt Mercer North State Journal RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper cited his administration’s success in handling the omicron variant of COVID-19 and said at a Feb. 17 media briefing that schools and local governments should end their mask mandates. While encouraging the entities to do so, he stopped short of issuing an order on the matter, instead continuing to defer to them on enforcement. “We are taking a positive step on mask requirements to help us move safely toward a more normal dayto-day life,” said Gov. Cooper. “It’s time to focus on getting our children a good education and improv-
ing our schools, no matter how you feel about masks.” As of Feb. 17, 60 school districts – more than half of the state’s 115 districts – have gone mask optional. A proposed set of changes to the StrongSchools NC toolkit was made public, with an effective date of March 7. No clear reason was given for the choice of that date beyond continued attempts to push for citizens and children to get vaccinated. The proposed upcoming updates to the toolkit for K-12 schools include promoting vaccinations and boosters, continuing COVID testing in schools, and “considering moving to voluntary masking at the discretion of local authorities as universal masking is a less important tool in lower risk settings like schools.” The updates for schools also seem to link going mask-optional for students to vaccination status, stating, “Masks are recommended See MASKS, page A2
Grantmaking pass-through for dark money sets up shop in Durham By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — A organization with sub-groups that serve as a pass-through for dark money has set up shop in Durham. Arabella Advisors describes itself as a “philanthropic advising firm” that is a “Certified B Corporation that provides guidance and support to the world’s leading philanthropists and impact investors.” The organization opened its fifth office in Durham during the second quarter of 2020. The Durham location was originally slated to have a staff of 20. According to a press release, Arabella Advisors’ CEO Sampriti Ganguli said, “With this new office, Arabella Advisors will expand our geographic footprint to better serve the broad community of philanthropists, attract new talent, and retain the exceptional talent driving the firm’s growth and helping our clients achieve their diverse social-impact goals.” Tucked under Arabella Advisers’ umbrella are “grantmaking” organizations that redistribute funds from Dark money sources to other groups and non-profits that include the Sixteen Thirty Fund, The Hopewell Fund, and the New VenSee DURHAM, page A2