NC Politics in the News

February 22, 2016

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2016 Elections & Congressional Redistricting

WRAL-NEWS: Democratic contenders for NC’s Senate seat to debate Feb. 25
The Democrats running to be North Carolina’s next U.S. Senator have agreed to participate in a Feb. 25 debate hosted and broadcast live on WRAL News.

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: NC House District 92: I-77 Toll lanes among top issues in GOP primary
Interstate 77 toll lanes are a top issue in the March 15 GOP primary for House District 92.

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: John Autry, Billy Maddalon tout experience for NC House seat
Democrats John Autry and Billy Maddalon debated Tuesday over who has the most experience to become the new representative for House District 100, which isan open seat.

US NEWS & WORLD REPORT: The U.S. Supreme Court won’t stop a lower-court order that demanded North Carolina legislators draw a new congressional map
The U.S. Supreme Court refused Friday night to stop a lower-court order demanding North Carolina legislators draw a new congressional map, meaning Houseprimary elections won’t occur next month as scheduled and are shifted to June.

NEWS & OBSERVER: US Rep. George Holding plans to challenge Rep. Renee Ellmers under new map
Republican Congressman George Holding of Raleigh, whose 13th District moves hundreds of miles west under new district maps approved Friday, plans to run inthe 2nd Congressional District against fellow Republican Renee Ellmers, according to his campaign consultant.

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: New districts shuffle voters, and lawmakers
North Carolina’s new congressional map could make some districts more competitive, at least on paper. Republicans in the General Assembly have said the mapthey approved last week should ensure their party continues to hold a 10-3 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation.

Economy & Economic Development

NORTH CAROLINA NEWS NETWORK Krystal Engineering launches new facility in Caldwell County, creating 82 new jobs
Gov. Pat McCrory, Commerce Secretary John E. Skvarla III and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. announced Tuesday that Krystal Engineering LLCwill open a production facility in Caldwell County, ramping up an 82-person workforce in the next five years.

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: Charlotte region should look to global trade, officials say
Economic development officials urged Charlotte leaders Wednesday to look toward international businesses and sources of capital to grow the region’seconomy, as foreign investors seek to put more money in the U.S. Chris Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, said nearly athird of the deals his public-private partnership is trying to attract involve foreign-owned companies.

ASHEBORO COURIER TRIBUNE: Report: N.C. startup funding doubled in 2015
A broad range of investors poured nearly $1.2 billion into North Carolina’s entrepreneurial companies last year — more than double the amount invested in2014 and nearly triple that of 2013.

Education

ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES: Teacher screening legislation expected
State elected and education officials are anticipating legislation to bolster North Carolina’s lackluster teacher screening system, one that has allowedteachers with troubled backgrounds to work in classrooms.

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: 4 Charlotte-area charter schools add new campuses
In another sign of the Charlotte-area charter school boom, four established schools have announced plans to open new campuses and add grade levels soon.

Energy & Environment

FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER: State Rep. Szoka promotes reforms to boost solar energy
Rep. John Szoka tried to get a bill passed last year that would have allowed power customers to buy electricity from someone other than a utility company.

In the Courts

NEWS & OBSERVER: Justices hear challenges to NCDOT’s hold over landowners
A lawyer for the state faced skeptical questions from N.C. Supreme Court justices Tuesday as he defended a law used by the Department of Transportation tofreeze development on property it might buy later — sometimes decades in the future — for a highway project.

GREENFIELD DAILY REPORTER: A three-judge panel has decided a new option for choosing members of the North Carolina Supreme Court is unconstitutional

A three-judge panel has decided a new option for choosing members of the North Carolina Supreme Court is unconstitutional.

WYFF-4 NEWS: NC high court weighs job security code for veteran teachers
North Carolina’s Supreme Court heard arguments Monday on whether legislators can strip away a key benefit for low-paid teachers — job security rules inplace for 45 years.

Transportation

NEWS & OBSERVER: Road Worrier: Light rail moves ahead in Durham and Orange
The Federal Transit Administration issued a pair of documents last week to signal that the environmental review is complete the planned Durham-Orange LightRail Transit project and the significant issues about where to lay the tracks have been settled.

WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: NC Transportation Secretary says growth comes with added transportation burdens
North Carolina’s population growth carries significant transportation improvement burdens and costs, Transportation Secretary Nick Tennyson said Tuesdayduring a presentation for Piedmont Triad Partnership.

WILMINGTON STARNEWS: Consultant to study moving rail out of Wilmington
Work will soon begin to study the specifics behind a vision to realign the rail line that winds through Wilmington on a more direct path to the Port ofWilmington.

WILMINGTON STARNEWS: Port awards $14M basin widening contract
The N.C. Ports Authority has awarded a $14 million contract to Burgess Corp. of Jacksonville to widen the Port of Wilmington’s turning basin.

MORGANTON NEWS HERALD: National Park Service Oks permit for NC 12 project in Buxton
A project to pump sand along an area of eroding beach on Hatteras Island is one permit closer to being a reality.


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