VOLUME 5 ISSUE 30
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WWW.NSJONLINE.COM |
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2020
the Wednesday
NEWS BRIEFING
Trump to campaign in Fayetteville on Saturday Fayetteville President Donald Trump will make a campaign appearance at the Fayetteville Regional Airport on Saturday. The stop is part of what the Trump campaign calls the “Great American Comeback Tour” and will be the President’s fourth appearance in the past four weeks. NSJ STAFF
Thousands in North Carolina incorrectly told they have COVID Charlotte Mecklenburg County incorrectly told nearly 7,000 residents they had tested positive for the coronavirus due to what officials say was a technical glitch. The county told residents that the messages were a “scam” and that their health department does not notify people of their COVID-19 test results through text message. A few hours later, the county said the messages had actually gone out due to a glitch “in the software system that has been addressed by the software provider.” County manager Dena Diorio told county commissioners that the messages were sent through HealthSpace Data System, a company based in Canada. The county has been using the company’s software since May to help with contact tracing efforts. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NC House Speaker accuses Democrats on police funding issue Raleigh House Speaker Tim Moore and Republican sheriffs accused Democratic legislative candidates of pushing to reduce police funding if elected this November, citing a liberal group’s policy platform. Moore cited a pledge promoted by the group Future Now. The group’s political arm gave $50,000 to the state Democratic Party in June and contributions in March to nearly a dozen House Democrats. “Our nation is in a time of crisis,” Moore said. “The last thing we need to be talking about is reallocating assets from law enforcement and defunding the police.” Future Now Executive Director Daniel Squadron said Moore was lying about the group’s policy goals. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mexico has a quieter independence celebration amid pandemic Mexico City Mexicans will celebrate their Independence Day without big public ceremonies for the first time in 153 years due to restrictions on public gatherings caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Each year, the president rings the bell that marked the call to arms during the 1810-1821 struggle to win independence from Spain, and shouts “Viva Mexico!” The event has not been cancelled since 1847, during the Mexican-American War, when U.S. troops occupied Mexico City. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Company withdraws application for seismic testing permit Raleigh WesternGeco withdrew its application for seismic testing in coastal N.C. last week, drawing “victory” comments from Gov. Roy Cooper and N.C. Dept. of Environmental Quality Secretary Michael Regan. The news of the company’s withdrawal comes days after the Trump administration’s assertion that Florida, Georgia and South Carolina will be protected from offshore drilling. “DEQ stands firmly with the coastal communities in the determination that seismic testing followed by offshore drilling is not consistent with our responsibility to protect our coastal resources and economy,” said Regan. NSJ STAFF
BRIAN BLANCO | AP PHOTO
Panthers lose home opener in empty stadium The Carolina Panthers mascot sits in the empty stands during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Charlotte, N.C.
NORTH
Tillis, Cunningham engage in first televised debate
JOURNaL
Tillis says Cunningham ‘irresponsible’ for vaccine comments
STATE ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION
Welcoming a baby during a pandemic An NSJ reporter’s experience becoming a parent during COVID
we woke up to start our day, the time had come to make use of all these details. Corey had been up much of the night counting her contraction intervals, and when they reached the magic numBy David Larson bers, we called for the go-ahead, North State Journal grabbed our pre-packed bags DURHAM — Since it was the and headed to the hospital. Upon arriving at Duke Rebirth of our first child, my wife, Corey, and I didn’t necessari- gional’s main entrance, we joined ly have a “normal” to compare an airport-style security line the birth of daughter Lucille with a nurse at the front taking with, but obviously we knew this people’s temperatures and asking them questions about wasn’t it. Every protravel and symptoms. cess had clearly gone We made it through through recent dramatthis line, Corey’s conic shifts. Despite all of After several tractions getting closer that, my wife and child and more painful, and passed safely through attempts, went up the elevator the life-changing (and and being to labor and delivery, creating) process, aidwhich they call “The ed by the capable staff told it was Birth Place.” at Duke Regional Hos- the last After a quick check in pital in north Durham. contraction an examination room, The COVID-19 panthey confirmed that, demic has changed vir- before yes, Corey was definitetually every area of life, moving to ly ready to be admitted. partly by making every Due to COVID, the hosarea of life virtual. This surgery, our pital only allowed each is true now for working 8-pound woman giving birth remotely, Zoom social one “support person,” gatherings, stream- little Lucille and thankfully, Coing church services, Elizabeth rey picked me. A nurse and also, apparentwas pulled came in wearing a full ly, for birth preparahead-to-toe protective tion. The usual in-per- into the suit and told us she was son birth classes were world there to give Corey the canceled and the hospidreaded “up-the-nose” tal instead sent us links against her COVID test. She did to multiple PowerPoint will at 7:38 not give me a test, but presentations. These said if Corey tested poswere informative, and p.m. itive, I would be prewe watched them all sumed positive and not from the comfort of our couch, but it certainly didn’t re- allowed to return if I left for any place a live back-and-forth with reason. Corey quickly passed into the a health provider or the chance to interact with other local soon- last stages of labor and took an epidural to deal with the pain. to-be parents. The hospital tour was also vir- But after 3 ½ hours of pushing, tual. Thankfully, my wife was Lucille was not joining us. Our born in that same hospital 31 doctor came in and broke the years earlier, also in late August. news that we had limited options This and the virtual tour gave us now, and they each came with a bit more comfort about how it risks. We could move to a surgery would all go down — like who to room for a C-section, or we could call, when to come in, and what use a vacuum device to assist Cowould happen when we got there. See BABY, page A2 And one morning, soon after
By Matt Mercer North State Journal RALEIGH — U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis and former state Sen. Cal Cunningham took to the debate stage on Monday night in the first debate of statewide candidates during the general election campaign. The hour-long debate, held in Raleigh, featured heavy discussion on the coronavirus pandemic. Tillis accused Cunningham’s company of applying for Paycheck Protection Program money while attacking the same program on the campaign trail.
But it was Cunningham’s response on whether he would take a vaccine for COVID-19 that raised many eyebrows during — and after — the debate. “As the senator from North Carolina, I would have a lot of questions of the FDA. I think the American people have questions,” Cunningham said. When pressed by the moderator if he would be hesitant to take a vaccine approved by the end of the year, Cunningham said he would be. “Yes, I would be hesitant. But I would ask a lot questions,” Cunningham said. He then criticized campaign donations to Tillis and said Washington needed reform. Tillis immediately respondSee NC SENATE, page A2
Parents in CharlotteMecklenburg district file suit over remote instruction Complaint says children are being denied their constitutionally guaranteed right to a sound, basic education
not done very transparently. Redding says he’s had a lot of parents contact him since the complaint was filed who want to hold the school board accountSee SCHOOLS, page A2
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal CHARLOTTE — Five parents have filed a complaint against Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools over the use of remote instruction only for the district’s 147,000 students. A preliminary injunction and declarative relief are being sought in order to restore in-person instruction. The plaintiffs, all parents, are Nicholas and Natalie Foy, Bryan Crutcher, Sandy Blakely White and Stephen Lonnen. The plaintiffs are being represented by David Redding of the Redding and Jones law firm in Charlotte. The complaint’s overarching allegation is that CMS did not “sufficiently prepare for active instruction for the 2020-21 school year.” They claim this lack of preparation speaks to a violation of the sound, basic education guaranteed by the North Carolina state constitution. “The main thrust of the complaint is really that the board of education did not fulfill its duties in making a determination as to whether or not they should provide for active instruction at all,” said Redding. He added later that the district’s decision making was