Pardon Our Dust
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Agriculture & Natural Resources
WRAL-NEWS: Auditors find NC milk cleanliness inspections too lenient
North Carolina milk inspectors showed excessive lenience by not penalizingdairy farmers, processors and transporters after finding hundreds ofsanitation violations, many of them repeat problems, a state reportreleased Wednesday said.
Budget Deal
NEWS & OBSERVER: Gov. Roy Cooper to veto state budget bill;override expected
Gov. Roy Cooper announced Monday that he plans to veto the budget billpassed by the Republican-led legislature, citing tax cuts and teacherraises that he says are inadequate.
Economic Development
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: 8,000 jobs? NC ‘on the cusp’ of landing majorproject, House speaker says
More than 8,000 new jobs could be lured to North Carolina under a newcorporate incentive program included in the state budget, House Speaker TimMoore said Thursday.
Health Care
NEWS & OBSERVER: State retiree health coverage to end for future NCemployees
People who go to work for the state beginning January 2021 will no longerqualify for state health insurance when they retire, a provision in thebudget that caught critics by surprise.
FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER: NC lawmakers earmark resources to fight opioidaddiction
Legislation moving toward the governor’s desk this week aims to knock downNorth Carolina’s opioid addiction crisis, but an advocate thinks leadersshould do more.
Justice & Public Safety
WCNC-NEWS: Supreme Court strikes down NC law that bars convicted sexoffenders from social media
The Supreme Court struck down a North Carolina law Monday that barsconvicted sex offenders from Facebook, Twitter and other popular sites.
WRAL-NEWS: Domestic violence homicide measure heads to Cooper
North Carolina House members overwhelmingly passed “Britny’s Law” Thursdayby a vote of 110-2.
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: Senate Oks bill to expand N. Carolina’s ‘revengeporn’ law
The Senate has approved a bill to expand North Carolina’s “revenge porn”law from cases involving former lovers to those involving strangers.
Local Government
NEWS & OBSERVER: Get paid to shoot ‘Powerball’ coyotes under new NClaw
A new program approved in the N.C. House Thursday would put a bounty oncoyotes in an effort to control the population in Richmond County.
ASHEVILLE CITIZEN TIMES: Asheville districts bill advances in NC House
A House committee on Wednesday passed a bill to elect most Asheville CityCouncil members by district, sending it on to consideration by the fullHouse.
Regulatory Reform
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: Sunday morning option for N Carolina alcoholsales advancing
North Carolina’s changing demographics and surging specialty beverageindustry are helping ease long-held reservations about expanding access toalcohol, including sales while many Christians are in the pews.
FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER: Bill cracking down on human trafficking advancesin NC House
A bill to regulate North Carolina’s massage parlors to crack down on humantrafficking has received preliminary House approval.
Transportation
GREENSBORO NEWS & RECORD: Senate agrees driver curriculum shouldinclude police stops
North Carolina House and Senate members agree that new drivers should betaught what’s considered appropriate if they are stopped by police on theroad.
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: NC Senate passes bill that identifies deafdrivers on license
The state Senate approved Thursday a bipartisan House bill that is designedto help provide better communication and interaction between deaf andhard-of-hearing motorists and law enforcement officials.
WRAL-NEWS: Tesla dealership bill pulled, for now
Legislation that would have opened the door to a half-dozen Tesladealerships in North Carolina has been put on hold less than 24 hours afterit emerged in a Senate committee.
GREENVILLE DAILY REFLECTOR: New DOT boss highlights priorities
The N.C. Department of Transportation has to speed up its schedule fordelivering transportation projects statewide if it intends to competeeconomically with neighboring states, the new department secretary saidTuesday at the Greenville-Pitt Chamber of Commerce Power Luncheon.