Senator Jim Perry (R-Lenoir) has been appointed as Chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee for the 2023-24 legislative biennium, by Senate President Pro Tempore, Phil Berger.
All in Politics
Readout from Governor’s Office Meeting with Duke Energy Officials Following Christmas Power Outages
Governor Cooper and staff from the Governor’s Office met with officials from Duke Energy to ask questions about the causes of power outages over the Christmas holiday, December 24, 25, and 26, and understand utility leaders’ plans to avoid similar outages and improve communications with customers and the public in the future.
John Hood: New Law Properly Checks Governor’s Power
When COVID-19 first struck North Carolina nearly three years ago, Gov. Roy Cooper responded with a series of executive orders that closed or limited the operations of schools, businesses, public amenities, and even churches.
North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice Releases 2022 Report
The North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice delivered its 2022 report to Gov. Roy Cooper. The report is available here. An overview of progress made in implementing the task force’s 2020 recommendations is available here. The task force is co-chaired by Attorney General Josh Stein and Supreme Court Associate Justice Anita Earls.
John Hood: Christmas Gets a Cheeky Defense
One of the ironies of the holiday calendar is that Christmas follows closely after Thanksgiving. Many of the Pilgrims and Puritans who helped make Thanksgiving an American tradition were appalled by and opposed to the celebration of Christmas.
Murphy to Co-Chair Congressional Academic Medicine Caucus
Reps. Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-NC) and Kathy Castor (D-FL) announced that Rep. Murphy will serve as the Republican co-chair of the Congressional Academic Medicine Caucus (CAMC) for the 118th Congress. Established in 2009, CAMC is a bipartisan group of lawmakers that promotes academic medicine in congressional policy discussions to ensure a healthier future for all Americans.
John Hood: Judges Cannot Amend the Constitution
Most of the nine justices on the United States Supreme Court espouse some version of the originalist school of constitutional interpretation. Starting early next year, most of the seven justices on the North Carolina Supreme Court will be originalists, too.
Lenoir County Public School Board swearing in ceremony
The Lenoir County Public School Board held a swearing in ceremony on Monday for W.D. Anderson and Keith King who retained their seats. Michelle Cash was also sworn in. She ran unopposed in the midterm election after beating incumbent Billy Davis in the primaries. Anderson and King were sworn in by Lenoir County Clerk of Superior Court Mary Alphin, and Cash was sworn in by Wayne County Deputy Clerk Rachel Turner.
Council proposes special meeting to address safety concerns
Concern for the safety of Kinston was the public sentiment at the city council meeting on Tuesday. After the public comments, Council members Chris Suggs and Felicia Solomon revisited a tabled agenda item on a town hall type discussion with the community to address concerns about recent crime.
Swearing in ceremony held for Mary Alphin, Lenoir County Clerk of Superior Court
Mary Alphin was sworn in today by outgoing Clerk of Superior Court Dawn G. Stroud at the Lenoir County Courthouse. Alphin won the November Midterm election for the position, beating out Brooketah Banks and Rachel Turner. Alphin followed up her ceremony by swearing in her clerks’ assistants and deputies.
Swearing in ceremony held for Lenoir County Commissioners Daughety, Rouse, and Best
A swearing in ceremony was held for Commissioners J. Mac Daughety, Eric Rouse, and Roland Best. Daughety and Rouse were unopposed in November’s midterm election, and Best beat out candidate Michael Chastain to retain his seat on the board.
Swearing in ceremony for Jackie Rogers, Lenoir County Sheriff
A swearing in ceremony was held at the Lenoir County Courthouse for Lenoir County Sheriff Jackie Rogers. Rogers was sworn in by Dawn Stroud, former Lenoir County Clerk of Superior Court. Rogers won the November midterm election against incumbent Ronnie Ingram.
Commissioner Burress appointed by Speaker Moore as Assistant for LiNC-IT and STEPs4GROWTH with NCBCE
The Office of Speaker Moore has appointed, Commissioner Derek Burress of Greene County, NC and Emma Friesen, Assistant for LiNC-IT and STEPs4GROWTH with NCBCE (NC Business Committee for Education and Duke School).
John Hood: States Should Take Lead on Welfare
I’m a fiscally conservative North Carolinian — and I think state taxes should be significantly higher. No, I haven’t lost my head, or my spine. And while I’m a committed supply-sider, I’m not referring here to projected revenues from a fast-growing economy.
City of Kinston announces new Planning Director; tables inspection discussion
At a recent City Council meeting, the topic of an agreement between Lenoir County and the City where the county would manage all inspections services including building, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing for the city of Kinston, was tabled until the new Director of Planning assumed their new role.