VOLUME 5 ISSUE 27
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WWW.NSJONLINE.COM |
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020
the Wednesday
NEWS BRIEFING
More arrests, 2 injuries after RNC in Charlotte Charlotte At least seven people were arrested and two were hospitalized during protests after official business session of the Republican National Convention concluded. CMPD officers used pepper spray on demonstrators and made two arrests after a crowd surrounded a burning American flag in the street after 10 p.m. Police accused a protester of pushing an officer off his bike as he tried to put out the fire, according to a statement from the department. Charlotte City Councilman Braxton Winston was present during the encounter and was hit by pepper spray, the Charlotte Observer reported. Monday night’s arrests followed about a dozen others in the days leading up to the convention, including one person who illegally entered a secure area before the event, and a protester who was accused of assaulting a woman and an officer. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Forest, Cooper to debate Oct. 14 Raleigh Gov. Roy Cooper has agreed to a mid-October debate against his gubernatorial opponent, Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, with the NC Association of Broadcasters. Cooper, who said at a press briefing last week he wouldn’t answer “political questions” at the briefings and said reporters should contact his campaign, did not answer Forest’s challenge for a period of 70 days. Forest responded to the news saying he would also keep pushing for two more debates with CBS 17 and Spectrum News, saying, “North Carolinians deserve a chance to see their leaders debate publicly.” NSJ STAFF
State pension fund reports 6.38% earnings in Q2 Raleigh State Treasurer Dale Folwell reported the state’s retirement plans under his management had gains of 6.38% for the 2nd quarter. Folwell said fund levels as of Aug. 14, 2020, are $107.3 billion, exceeding the Fund’s 2020 high of $106.9 billion in February prior to the COVID-19 economic shutdown. The North Carolina Pension Systems is widely regarded as one of the best funded in the nation. Moody’s Investors Service recently reported that North Carolina’s Retirement Systems, which includes state and local employees, is the best funded in the nation when looking at its Adjusted Net Pension Liability. NSJ STAFF
Lindberg defiant in letter after prison sentence Raleigh In a letter to his company’s executives, employees and customers, Greg Lindberg said he “never asked for any favors” from state Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey and he plans to appeal to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Lindberg, who was sentenced to more than seven years in prison, was indicted along with three others of trying to give over $1.5 million to Causey’s 2020 campaign in exchange for Causey removing an official from the department that regulated Lindberg’s business. Lindberg wrote that Causey, a Republican, went after him as political retribution because Lindberg supported thenDemocratic Commissioner Wayne Goodwin in the 2016 election. Causey and Goodwin are running again in November. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
EVAN VUCCI | AP PHOTO
President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks on the "Farmers to Families Food Box Program" at Flavor 1st Growers and Packers, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Mills River, N.C. Ivanka Trump, center and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, right, applaud.
NORTH
STATE
JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION
State Board of Education Board member called out for offensive tweet Supt. Johnson issues letter to James Ford, questions his ability to lead strategic planning committee
North Carolina Board of Education, Governor Roy Cooper has tasked you to represent all North Carolinians without bias.” In his letter, Johnson wrote that given Ford’s leadership role on the State Board “it is unacceptable to By A.P. Dillon equate middle-of-the-road North North State Journal Carolinians to being racists.” Ford was to the state education RALEIGH — A tweet equating swing and moderate voters to board in 2018 by Gov. Roy Cooper to backfill a seat vacan“white supremacy” by a cy. member of the N.C. State Johnson noted that Board of Education has Eric Davis, the board’s the state’s superintendent chairman, had apof schools questioning the “Many pointed Ford to lead member’s ability to serve of these the State Strategic all students impartially. Planning Committee The tweet in question centrists and that is the “very which contained refer- have other committee charged ences to white supremawith drafting a framecy also included masked titles, work of action to improfanity was issued on too, like opportunities Aug. 17 by board member educators or prove and equity for all stuJames Ford. dents and educators.” “Feeling pretty despon- parents. In Davis has not redent. Forgive the lan- appointing sponded to North State guage, but I’m not watchJournal’s requests for ing this sh*t. I’ll do my you to comment. job on Nov. 3rd, but a few the North “How can you conmins in, it’s clear the @ tinue to serve in this DNC have no idea what Carolina role when you have time it is...NONE! Still Board of equated a large group playing to “swing voters” Education, of sensible constituents aka “white moderates” to racists?” Johnson aka “white supremacy”. Governor asked. Johnson also Def. of insanity,” tweeted Roy Cooper said that Ford’s actions Ford. have “called into ques“Earlier this week, in has tasked tion his ability to consummarizing your disap- you to tinue to lead this compointment with the Demmittee and to serve on ocratic Party, you indicat- represent the State Board of Eded that you believe “swing all North ucation.” voters” and “white moderCarolinians Ford responded in ates” equate to “white suan article in Cardinal premacy.” While “swing without & Pine, which is an afvoters” might not share bias.” filiate of the liberal your political views, Courier Newsroom. they do share our deIn the article, Ford sires for positive changes State Supt. claimed his tweet was a for our communities and Mark Johnson reference to Dr. King’s schools,” N.C. State SuperLetter from a Birmingintendent Mark Johnson wrote in a letter to Ford about the ham Jail (1963), stating that “the text to which I alluded in my tweet tweet. Johnson continued, writing and well-known by those more that “Many of these centrists have than casually familiar with his other titles, too, like educators or parents. In appointing you to the See BOE, page A2
Trump visits Flavor 1st Growers and Packers in Henderson County The president was in North Carolina for the start of the Republican National Convention in Charlotte By Matt Mercer North State Journal MILLS RIVER — President Donald Trump visited Flavor 1st Growers and Packers, a food packing and distribution company in northern Henderson County on Monday as part of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, which supports American farmers and families through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. “Today we’re here to celebrate the incredible work of the farmers and faith leaders and amazing volunteers who are caring for their community through our high-
ly successful Farmers to Families Food Box program,” Trump said. “I just looked at a couple of those boxes, and I said, ‘I want to have something right now.’ The Farmers to Families Food Box Program was authorized by $3 billion in direct purchasing under the CARES Act and was spearheaded by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and adviser to the president, Ivanka Trump. Baptists on Mission, a mission organization and auxiliary to the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, was awarded a contract through the USDA to help distribute the boxes to 200 nonprofits, food banks and faith-based organizations. According to the White House, 70 million family-sized food boxSee TRUMP, page A2
Enforcement of Cooper’s Phase 2 restrictions cause confusion, raises questions Charlotte area clubs and bars received citations and bad instructions while in the mountains, Cooper shuts down an outdoor Alpine slide By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — Reports have arisen of various enforcement agencies issuing citations and conflicting orders to Charlotte-area pubs, clubs and bars in relation to Gov. Roy Cooper’s continued Phase 2 restrictions. Pubs and bars in Charlotte that have kitchens reopened their dining rooms on May 22 along with restaurants as part of Phase 2. Local bars could sell beer and wine to go did so as well, but some of those establishments allege they have been told they have to shut down entirely. There were reports that claimed the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Dept. (CMPD) was handing out citations while others reported Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) officers and Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) agents were involved. It turned out ALE was not involved in those inspections, but CMPD and ABC were. Charlotte television station WBTV reported that there were more than 50 establishments visited by CMPD’s ABC unit. Many of the establishments were private clubs, which were cited for vi-
olations by CMPD but should not have been if they were within the approved guidelines for restaurants detailed in executive order See COOPER, page A2