VOLUME 5 ISSUE 12
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WWW.NSJONLINE.COM |
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2020
the Wednesday
NEWS BRIEFING
Randy Ramsey named permanent chairman of UNC Board of Governors Raleigh The UNC Board of Governors named Randy Ramsey, a Beaufort businessman, as permanent chair. He previously was the interim chairman following the resignation of Harry Smith. Ramsey was first appointed to the Board of Governors in 2017 and previously served on the N.C. State University Board of Trustees. Wendy Murphy of Wallace was named vice chair, and Pearl BurrisFloyd of Dallas was named secretary.
NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Local officials seek to exert more influence in reopening discussions A group supporting more local control of the Coronavirus response and elimination of restrictions on churches gathered outside the Randolph County Courthouse Monday night. The Randolph County Commissioners passed a resolution asking the governor to ease business and religious restrictions.
NSJ STAFF
Deadline delay, downturn hit state revenues Raleigh North Carolina revenue collections fell dramatically in April as tax filing deadlines were delayed and commercial transactions slowed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The revenue decrease means North Carolina has collected $731 million less during the first 10 months of the fiscal year compared to the same period a year ago. These reductions compound challenges that legislative budget-writers and Gov. Roy Cooper face in operating state government during the outbreak. The legislature’s top economist wrote in late March that overall revenue could fall $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion below forecasts through June 2021 due to the downturn. House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) suggested last week the revenue shortfall could reach $4 billion. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fauci testifies before Senate committee Washington, D.C. Underscoring the seriousness of the pandemic that has reached Congress and the White House, Dr. Anthony Fauci and other experts testified by video from their homes. Sen. Lamar Alexander chaired the hearing by video, though several members of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee did attend at the Capitol. Fauci’s testimony before a Senate committee came as more than two dozen states have begun to lift their lockdowns as a first step toward economic recovery. More COVID-19 infections are inevitable as people again start gathering, but how prepared communities are to stamp out those sparks will determine how bad the rebound is, Fauci told the senators. “There is no doubt, even under the best of circumstances, when you pull back on mitigation you will see some cases appear,” Fauci said. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION
Tillis, Cunningham take US Senate battle online Aaron Simpson, a spokesman for Cunningham’s campaign, told NSJ they are also full steam ahead RALEIGH — Primaries are with a virtual campaign. A May 11 long past, the general election press release from the campaign in November is only six months said Cunningham was “barnaway, and yet, both incumbent storming the state online” to keep his pledge to “go places North Carolina Sen. where Democrats don’t Thom Tillis and Demoalways win or even go.” crat challenger Cal Cun“Cal’s campaign ningham, a veteran and has always been about former state senator, are “While the meeting North Caronot giving speeches in COVID-19 linians where they are, front of large crowds or and that continues to be shaking hands at din- outbreak true during coronaviers. The candidates for has changed rus,” Simpson told NSJ. one of the nation’s most “While Cal and the camclosely watched rac- the way paign staff are following es, upon which control candidates the governor’s guidelines of the U.S. Senate may and working remotely, rely, instead are try- are camCal is able to continue ing to find ways to raise paigning, listening to folks across money and earn votes Senator the state through virtufrom behind computer Tillis is not al town halls and social screens. media.” “In addition to being a missing a The May 11 press reresource for North Carlease by Cunningham olinians on COVID-19, beat, as he said the candidate has our campaign has continues “shifted his entire camadapted to this new enpaign online. He has vironment reaching out to reach out held nearly 30 virtual to voters through vir- to North events, including countual events, like our re- Carolinians ty by county town halls, cent weekend of action roundtables with muwith RNC Chairwom- through nicipal and community an Ronna McDaniel, so virtual leaders, and discussions that we can continue to with agriculture and rubuild the resources and events.” ral community leaders.” organization that will Polling, as is usually be necessary to win in Tillis campaign the case in North CarNovember,” Tillis camolina’s U.S. Senate racpaign spokesman Anes, has been tight. A drew Romeo told NSJ. After the event with McDan- WRAL-TV poll taken from April iel, Tillis’ campaign released a 23-26 found Cunningham leadstatement saying, “While the ing 41% to Tillis’ 39% with 20% COVID-19 outbreak has changed undecided. Fundraising had favored Tilthe way candidates are campaigning, Senator Tillis is not missing a lis until this point — the incumbeat, as he continues to reach out bent having a long head start in a to North Carolinians through virtual events.” See SENATE page A2 By David Larson North State Journal
Rising pressure on Roy Cooper over church limits Legislators, law enforcement, churches question worship restrictions NSJ staff RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper received pushback on his multiphase reopening of the state over language in the current order which, critics say, unnecessarily restricts church services more than secular institutions. Those who have spoken out on the issue so far include state senators, the N.C. Sheriffs’ Association, the N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police and a number of churches. Phase one of Cooper’s reopening plan allows people to frequent retail establishments but instructs religious communities against indoor services unless it is “impossible” to have the services outside. On May 8, 18 state senators sent Cooper a letter asking him to clarify “what conditions make it ‘impossible’ for a worship service to take place outside.” The senators, all Republicans, said the clarification was needed so that citizens could exercise First Amendment rights “without fear of potential criminal penalties if they don’t reach the correct interpretation of ‘impossible.’” In a joint statement, Sens. Kathy Harrington (R-Gaston) and Carl Ford (R-Rowan) said, “Gov. Cooper’s absurd state order is unconstitutional on two grounds: it treats churches differently than commercial establishments, and it treats some religions differently than others. It’s plainly unconstitutional.” Sens. Harrington and Ford continued, “Gov. Cooper’s order also has content-based restrictions: The Governor has prevented more than 10 people from meeting in a chapel for a worship service, but he simultaneously allows 50 people to meet in that same chapel in the same pews if the worship service involves a funeral. There is no health and safety distinction between these two gatherings in the same chapel. It is a content-based restriction on the free exercise of religion, and it is unconstitutional.” Cooper has yet to respond publicly to the senators. However, in a letter to a church group, Cooper’s general counsel William McKinney said, “the decision to bring an enforcement action based on violation of the governor’s executive orders is a decision for local law enforcement, including the District Attorney.” On Friday afternoon, the N.C. Sheriffs’ Association’s executive committee issued a resolution asking for Cooper to amend his newest Executive Order 138 to allow indoor worship services.
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“Freedom of religious worship embodied in the U.S. and N.C. Constitutions is held dear by our citizens and cannot be diminished with unreasonable and unjustified disparate treatment in law.” N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police
The sheriffs said they believe that “the restrictions and recommended guidelines that apply to persons who gather to worship should be no more stringent than those that apply to businesses that are allowed to remain open.” The N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police also sent a letter on May 10 requesting a change in Cooper’s executive order. In language similar to the state’s sheriffs, the N.C. ACP’s letter said, “The North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police respectfully requests that Executive Order No. 138 be amended to allow worship services with restrictions similar to those applying to the operation of retail businesses.” The letter, signed by N.C. ACP’s president, Chief David Hess of the Roxboro Police Department, added, “Freedom of religious worship embodied in the U.S. and N.C. Constitutions is held dear by our citizens and cannot be diminished with unreasonable and unjustified disparate treatment in law.” A group backed by a statewide See CHURCH page A2