North State Journal Vol. 4, Issue 27

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VOLUME 4 ISSUE 27

Inside

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WWW.NSJONLINE.COM |

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2019

GMC launches new Sierra HD, C3

GERRY BROOME | AP PHOTO

College football is back This week marks the start of college football season and North Carolina has new coaches, new players and new stadium beverages. Dave Doeren’s Wolfpack opens their season Saturday against East Carolina and new Pirates coach Mike Houston. We preview the state’s seven FCS teams in Sports.

the Wednesday

NEWS BRIEFING

Cooper says Medicaid must be included in budget debate Gov. Roy Cooper held a press conference in Raleigh Tuesday and complained that the General Assembly has not taken up a vote on his veto of the state budget. Cooper added that Medicaid expansion must be included in any budget negotiations. Also on Tuesday, the House and Senate debated and voted on several bills that would increase pay for state employees and law enforcement officers, as well as for local school workers like custodians and other non-instructors. Other legislation would give one-time refunds to everyone who owed state income tax last year, with some couples getting $250, thanks to a large revenue surplus. Most of the bills passed came from the budget that Cooper vetoed June 28.

Federal judge blocks Missouri’s 8-week abortion ban A new Missouri ban on abortions at or after eight weeks of pregnancy won’t take effect Wednesday, after a federal judge temporarily blocked it from being implemented. U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs put a pause on the law as a legal challenge against it plays out in court, which could take months. He added that Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri likely will succeed in their lawsuit alleging that the law is unconstitutional. Similar laws have been struck down in North Dakota and Iowa.

Tropical Storm Dorian moving through Caribbean Tropical Storm Dorian was dumping rain Tuesday on the Windward Islands of the eastern Caribbean, gathering strength on a path to hit Puerto Rico and the eastern Dominican Republic as a hurricane on Wednesday. Forecasters predict the storm could reach Florida’s east coast by Friday.

NORTH

Trump declares, ‘We got along great’ at G7 summit

JOURNaL

By Darlene Superville The Associated Press

STATE ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION

BIARRITZ, France — President Donald Trump’s takeaway message from the Group of Seven summit in France was “unity.” During this year’s gathering of leaders of the world’s wealthiest democracies, Trump went to great lengths to portray it as something of a lovefest, papering over significant disagreements on major issues. “If there was any word for this particular meeting of seven very important countries, it was uni-

ty,” Trump said at a news conference Monday closing out the twoday gathering in the French resort of Biarritz. “We got along great,” he said. “We got along great.” French President Emmanuel Macron, the summit host, scrapped the annual practice of issuing a lengthy joint statement, or communique, at the summit’s conclusion. The document typically spells out the consensus that leaders have reached on issues on the summit

Planned Parenthood opts to defund itself, Raleigh mayoral leaves Title X program By A.P. Dillon North State Journal WASHINGTON, D.C. — Planned Parenthood has decided to withdraw from the federal Title X program instead of complying with a revived rule that, in part, prohibits clinics from making direct abortion referrals. Roughly 4 million patients are served under the program. Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, says it serves 40% of them. “I applaud our pro-life president for keeping his promises to protect all life and to ensure that taxpayers do not subsidize abortion providers like Planned Parenthood that have been receiving Title X funds for family planning services,” said Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) in a statement. Foxx’s statement included details on the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act that would take the next steps by codifying the rule so that Congress preserves the intent of the Title X Program “as restored by President Trump” and so that it “cannot again be undermined.” Planned Parenthood announced earlier this year it would refuse to comply with the Title X order, deciding instead to sue in March of 2019. Alexis McGill, Planned Parenthood’s acting president and CEO, has said that the organization was “forced out” of the Title X Act, calling it a “gag rule” that is “unethical and dangerous.” McGill replaced Dr. Leana Wen, who was ousted after only 8 months by the organization in July. Her statement says her departure was over “philosophical differences over the direction and future of the organization” with members of Planned Parenthood’s leadership. Planned Parenthood’s attempt to block the Title X rule was denied by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit on Aug. 16. Under the Title X program, $260 million in grants for family planning goes to clinics around the country. Planned Parenthood’s share of that See TITLE X, page A2

Foley’s remarks highlighted that the intent of the final Title X rule was to “ensure program integrity, consistency and compliance” with the original statutory intent of Title X, specifically that no funds for the programs be used “where abortion is a method of family planning.”

See G7, page A2

candidates meet as Oct 8 election approaches By David Larson North State Journal RALEIGH — As Raleigh’s 2019 mayoral race approaches its final month, the six candidates met for a debate at PNC Arena hosted by the Raleigh Durham chapter of NAIOP, an influential association of commercial developers. John Skvarla, a former cabinet secretary in Gov. Pat McCrory’s administration, moderated the discussion. Nancy McFarlane, the current mayor of the state’s capital, declined to run for another term after successful campaigns in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017. This cleared a path for a number of candidates to vie for the open seat. The election is set for Oct. 8. Charles Francis, the only candidate to have run in the previous election, in 2017, fought McFarlane to a run-off after neither earned a majority in the first round. In the run-off, Francis, who was a federal prosecutor and co-founder of North State Bank, was defeated by McFarlane, after receiving 42% of the vote. The name recognition gained from this high-profile race could be an asset, but Francis told North State Journal, he is still the “change candidate,” since he is from the private sector. Francis also wants to bring change to the city government by

expanding the city council by up to three members in response to the area’s massive influx of residents, and he wants to increase See RALEIGH, page A2


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