Senate Bill 747 “has nothing to do with election safety and every little thing to do with Republicans maintaining and gaining energy,” mentioned Cooper. “It requires legitimate votes to be tossed out unnecessarily, schemes to limit early voting and absentee ballots, encourages voter intimidation and makes an attempt to offer Republican legislators the authority to resolve contested election outcomes.”
NC Newsline Editor Rob Schofield additionally blasted the narrative that has accompanied SBs 747 and 749, writing, “As has been detailed in quite a few locations in recent weeks, Senate Bill 747 is a proposal that can unnecessarily make voting tougher for a goodly share of the inhabitants and additional burden already burdened and burdened election officers — all whereas granting license to a small military of election legislation Barney Fifes to wander in annoying and intimidating trend by means of polling locations.”
NC Newsline, Kelcie Moseley-Morris, September 2, 2023
The first time Tina Marshall heard anti-abortion protesters name themselves “abolitionists,’” she mentioned she burst out laughing.
Marshall, a Black lady who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, was counter protesting at an abortion clinic when a principally white group — save one Black lady — surrounded her and instructed her they had been abolitionists.
“I rolled my eyes and said, ‘Can’t you people ever think of anything original? Do you guys have to steal everything?’” Marshall mentioned.
Anti-abortion demonstrators have instructed her she hates her personal folks. She’s seen the principally white women and men put their fists within the air and say, “Black Lives Matter.”
Marshall began volunteering as a clinic defender, as abortion rights teams name it, about two years in the past, so she was unfamiliar with among the rhetoric round abortion till lately. Much like the remainder of America, in her view.
“They’ve been doing this for years, and nobody cared, and it’s only because of Roe now that everybody’s antennas are up,” she mentioned of final 12 months’s U.S. Supreme Court choice that ended the federal proper to abortion. “Even before that, I’ve been out here over two years, and nobody cared about all the jeering and heckling of Black women.”
Half one million {dollars} in playing, marijuana marketing campaign donations flowed to lawmakers contemplating associated votes
North Carolina lawmakers legalized cellular sports activities playing this 12 months. They’re contemplating new casinos and legalization of the long-ostracized video poker trade
WRAL, August 30, 2023
Donors tied to playing and marijuana businesses gave North Carolina lawmakers greater than $500,000 throughout the first six months of the 12 months because the General Assembly weighed proposals to develop every trade, in accordance with a brand new evaluation by a marketing campaign finance watchdog.
Most of that money got here from out of state, in accordance with Bob Hall, a former govt director for Democracy North Carolina who analyzes North Carolina marketing campaign donations. Many of the donations got here from donors who’ve been sanctioned previously for questionable operations or from individuals who hadn’t donated to a North Carolina state legislator’s marketing campaign earlier than final 12 months.
“Suddenly, they’re writing checks for $2,000 or $5,000 to a legislator,” Hall mentioned in his report. “It looks like a lobbyist or somebody told them that this is a pay-to-play state — ‘You need to put in the money if you want your bill passed this year or next.’”
The $530,650 Hall cataloged in his report is along with $885,000 in video poker trade donations that Hall specified by May as a part of a criticism he filed with the State Board of Elections. Those donations got here between 2019 and 2022, with practically $100,000 of Hall’s whole arriving after final November’s legislative elections, suggesting donors’ curiosity past serving to sure lawmakers win elections.
After lead present in a number of metropolis parks, Durham affords free blood exams for youths, pregnant folks, beginning in the present day
NC Newsline, Lisa Sorg, August 21, 2023
People who’re pregnant and younger kids can have their blood examined for lead — without spending a dime — on the Durham County Health Department. The program begins in the present day; no insurance coverage is required. Children have to be between 6 months and 6 years outdated.
Lead is a neurotoxin. Children with very excessive ranges of lead of their blood can maintain irreversible mind harm, resulting in studying and behavioral issues.
Testing might be obtainable till additional discover on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. on the Durham County Department of Public Health, 414 E. Main St., Durham. Testing is offered by walk-in solely; no appointments are required or accepted. Parents may additionally contact their baby’s main care supplier to obtain testing.
According to the county, testing will contain a blood pattern drawn from the vein, with outcomes returned inside three weeks. Results and follow-up steering might be shared instantly with the kid’s main care supplier and/or with their father or mother/guardian, or instantly with pregnant girls receiving testing. Additional steps following preliminary blood lead testing, if crucial, might be offered in accordance with the state Department of Health and Human Services protocol.
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recommends kids with blood ranges of greater than 3.5 components per billion ought to obtain extra companies. These embrace discovering and eradicating lead from the kid’s atmosphere, feeding the kid a weight-reduction plan excessive in iron and calcium, connecting the kid to early academic companies, and scheduling follow-up blood testing. Early identification of lead within the blood is vital to decreasing the long-term results of lead publicity, in accordance with the CDC.
WRAL photographer rescues kitten trapped in automobile, offers her perpetually home
WRAL, September 1, 2023
WRAL Photographer Vinnie Boccanfuso bought fairly the shock after work Thursday. Vinnie’s spouse, Heather, was hopping in her automobile after work when she thought she heard a noise.
After driving the 35 minutes home, she heard the noise once more. Sure sufficient, when the couple began wanting round to see the place the sound was coming from, they bought their reply. Tucked in tight, within the stomach of the automobile, was a tiny pile of orange fur.
“So I bought beneath the automobile making an attempt to find this kitten,” Vinnie mentioned. “I assumed it was like, within the bumper. But it wasn’t, It was beneath the beneath stomach of the automobile, scared to dying, holding onto to the body above the rear passenger tire.”
After an hour of making an attempt to get her out, Vinnie was in a position to pull out the scared kitten. “Now we have now a brand new cat,” he mentioned. “And my different cat shouldn’t be very thrilled about it.”
The duo determined to call their new fur child Maple, like maple syrup.
Thanks for studying and contributing to this North Carolina Blue venture. Long time readers would possibly guess what you will note subsequent week on this closing house. Wishing all a superb week.
