North State Journal Vol. 4, Issue 42

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VOLUME 4 ISSUE 42

SPORTS

WWW.NSJONLINE.COM |

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2019

College bowls, high school title games set

MARCO UGARTE | AP PHOTO

Mexico’s Treasury Secretary Arturo Herrera, left, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada Chrystia Freeland, second left, Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, center, Mexico’s top trade negotiator Jesus Seade, second right, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, hold the documents after signing an update to the North American Free Trade Agreement, at the national palace in Mexico City, Tuesday, Dec. 10. 2019.

the Wednesday

NEWS BRIEFING

Multiple killed in New Jersey shooting, including an officer Jersey City A police officer and multiple others were killed in a shooting in Jersey City Tuesday that authorities say is not believed to have been a terrorism attack. One officer was pronounced dead at a hospital and multiple other people were found dead at the scene, Mayor Steven Fulop said without indicating how many were killed. A second officer was struck in the shoulder by gunfire, and two others were injured by shrapnel, Fulop said. AP

Navy: Flight training suspended for Saudi students

AP

INSIDE N.C. Republicans hold Hall of Fame awards Jones & Blount

20177 52016 $2.00

STATE

JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION

Gov. Cooper calls on teachers to pressure legislature over budget NSJ Staff

Washington, D.C. The U.S. Navy says flight training has been suspended for about 175 Saudi Arabian students at three bases in Florida in the wake of the deadly shooting by a Saudi Air Force officer on Friday. Navy Commander Clay Doss says classroom training is going on, and flight training for other students will resume. He says its not clear how long the flight standdown for the Saudi students will continue. A Saudi student shot and killed three military members and injured eight others at a Pensacola naval base.

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NORTH

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RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper is telling North Carolina public school teachers his side of the story about why the extended state budget impasse means educators haven’t received meaningful raises this year. Cooper’s office on Friday said it sent a letter to public school principals across the state with the request that it be forwarded to teachers and staff. The letter was dated Dec. 5 and was received by teachers across the state on Dec. 6. In the letter, the Democratic governor urges educators to tell legislators to negotiate with him over a better pay plan for teachers and other school personnel. He said he offered a compromise in July and expressed willingness in October to work with Republican lawmakers on education pay separate from the budget. “Unfortunately, you haven’t been afforded the respect you deserve in the legislative budget process,” Cooper wrote, adding: “I am doing my part. Now we need them to do theirs.” Legislative leaders responded, calling the letter “inappropriate.” “Governor Cooper is using his office and taxpayer resources to email our state’s education professionals regarding a political matter, using misleading information,” said House Rules Chair, Rep. David Lewis (R-Harnett). “The truth is, Gov-

ernor Cooper has vetoed every teacher pay raise that’s been sent to him.” “Teachers need raises, not political rhetoric from the NCAE and Governor Cooper,” said Lewis. Lt. Gov. Dan Forest penned his own letter to teachers, saying “the governor has not provided a full picture of teacher pay raises and education spending in North Carolina.” Forest’s letter also said the N.C. Association of Educators was blocking teacher pay raises and education funding for “partisan reasons” and asked teachers if the NCAE really is representing teacher interests. “Does the NCAE really speak for all of you or would you rather like to have seen your 6th and 7th consecutive raises, school construction funds, school supplies and more school support funds released?” said Forest. The deadlock began in June when Cooper vetoed the full two-year budget in part because he wanted average teacher pay at more than twice what the GOP budget offered. Republicans say Cooper is to blame for the impasse because he won’t let go of his Medicaid expansion demand. They also point to a standalone educator pay bill that Cooper vetoed last month as proof he isn’t serious about helping teachers. In Cooper’s Dec. 6 letter, he claimed that he offered in OcSee COOPER page A2

Democrats, White House forge new North American trade deal By Andrew Taylor The Associated Press WASHINGTON D.C. — House Democrats and the White House announced a deal on a modified North American trade pact, handing President Donald Trump a major Capitol Hill win Tuesday on the same day that impeachment charges were announced against him. Both sides hailed the deal as a win for American workers. They said the revamped U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement was a significant improvement over the original North American Free Trade Agreement, with

Democrats crowing about winning stronger provisions on enforcing the agreement while Republicans said it will help keep the economy humming along. “There is no question of course that this trade agreement is much better than NAFTA,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in announcing the agreement, saying the pact is “infinitely better than what was initially proposed by the administration.” Trump said the revamped trade pact will “be great” for the United States. See TRADE, page A2

Certificate of need law will be tested in court By David Larson North State Journal RALEIGH — A trial court is allowing Forsyth County doctor Gajendra Singh’s case challenging the state’s controversial “certificate of need” laws to proceed. A late November ruling denying the state’s motion to dismiss the case moves Singh once step closer in his constitutional challenge. Singh and other opponents of certificate of need laws, which control who can operate certain medical equipment, have tried for years to get the rules repealed, saying allowing more health providers in the market would open up competition and lower costs. The state’s motion to dismiss argued that Singh needed to apply for a CON before challenging the process. The judge’s denial of this motion gives Singh standing to sue, allowing the case to proceed. “The injury itself is the entire CON application process,” Josh Windham, an Institute for Justice attorney who represents Dr. Singh, told NSJ. “Requiring someone to apply for a CON in the first place is the injury. It would make no sense See CON page A2


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