Not all heroes wield blades. And many problems cannot be solved simply by hacking away at them. Their causes are complex and interconnected. They twist and turn. They are fabrics that must be unraveled, patiently and prudently, to be understood. Often, solutions come from following seemingly small threads in unexpected directions, and weaving them into something new.
President-elect Joe Biden has selected Michael S. Regan to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 2017, Governor Cooper named Regan Secretary of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. Regan has over twenty years of experience with environmental advocacy and regulation.
RALEIGH — The N.C. attorney general can’t keep and distribute money from a settlement over hog waste that leaked and overflowed from lagoons. A split 2-1 panel of the N.C. Court of Appeals, in an opinion issued Tuesday, Dec. 15, ruled money resulting from a settlement between Smithfield Foods and the N.C. attorney general must flow into the state treasury. The ruling effectively ends the attorney general’s hog settlement “slush fund,” says Mitch Kokai, senior political analyst for the John Locke Foundation. It could also end any similar deals in the future involving officials in the state’s executive branch.
Raleigh -- Congressman David Price (NC-04), Chairman of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, released a statement on President-elect Joe Biden’s decision to nominate former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg for Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT): "I applaud President-elect Biden’s selection of Mayor Pete Buttigieg to lead the Department of Transportation,” said Chairman Price.
On Friday, Governor Roy Cooper, Secretary Mandy K. Cohen and Secretary Erik Hooks wrote a letter to local elected officials imploring them to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in their communities by considering additional enforcement measures.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the first emergency use authorization for a vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 16 years of age and older.“Many believed it would take at least a year to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, but American innovation has exceeded expectations yet again,” said Congressman Greg Murphy, the only practicing physician in Congress. “I will be getting vaccinated next year once it is widely available to the American public and after those who are on the frontlines or are most vulnerable have already received it,” said U.S. Senator Thom Tillis.
Watch the live feed of today’s historic Electoral College vote for the State of North Carolina. NC Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall has convened the 58th meeting of the North Carolina Electoral College in the Capitol Building’s Old Hall of the House of Representatives at noon. The electors will cast their ballots for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States.
On Saturday, Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley conceded the race for Chief Justice to fellow Justice Paul Newby. The race came down to about 400 votes out of 5.4 million as recounts and court challenges delayed the victory declaration since the November 3rd election.
When I announced North Carolina had its first known COVID case on March 3rd, most of us didn’t expect to be living like this in December. Instead of preparing for beloved holiday traditions, we’re making virtual gathering plans and mourning the loss of more than 290,000 Americans from COVID-19.
North Carolina’s 2020 election was a mixed bag full of unexpected results. Most voters are confident in the outcomes, but others aren’t so sure, a new poll shows. Some things are known for certain. President Trump won 50% of the state’s vote, turning North Carolina red in the contest for the White House. Simultaneously, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper won another term in the Executive Mansion, collecting enough votes to edge Republican Dan Forest by more than four points.
When U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis narrowly won reelection against Cal Cunningham, the two candidates had collectively spent $78 million. That’s a large number. But it was dwarfed by the $221 million spent on the race by groups other than the two campaigns.