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Your weekly North Carolina political news report.
Publication of NC Politics in the News will resume in the new year.The team at McGuireWoods Consulting wishes you a happy holidayseason!
2018 Elections
NEWS & OBSERVER: NC Democrats announce new candidates, and they’realmost all women
State Democrats spent Monday announcing nine new candidates — includingsix women — in their 2018 effort to break Republicans’ veto-proof majorityin the state legislature.
Energy & Environment
COASTAL REVIEW: GenX bills expected during January session
Legislators are sorting through a list of potential environmentalprovisions ahead of the General Assembly’s return in early January, movingup the timetable for further state response to GenX and other emergingcontaminants.
Education
NEWS & OBSERVER: UNC free speech policy passed by Board ofGovernors
The UNC Board of Governors approved a new free speech policy that couldlead to punishment –warnings, suspensions or expulsions for protesters whodisrupt others at the state’s public universities.
State lawmakers could overhaul the way $9.4 billion in public schooldollars are spent annually, affecting the way that North Carolina’s 1.6million public school students are educated.
THE ROBESONIAN: Rowland yells no to school closure
Speaker after speaker implored Robeson County Board of Education members onTuesday to keep Southside-Ashpole Elementary School open during a publichearing at the school.
Health Care
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: New Cardinal board has three members from old one
New board members of Cardinal Innovations Healthcare said Friday they hopeto restore public trust in the beleaguered organization, though onelawmaker called the reappointment of three former members “bad optics.”
FAYETTEVILLE OVSERVER: New Hanover County sues opioid makers,distributors
New Hanover County government has officially filed a lawsuit against makersand distributors of opioids, claiming they “aggressively pushed” theirproduct, leading to the region’s opioid epidemic.
In the Courts
GREENSBORO NEWS & RECORD: Voters: ‘Time is of the essence’ inadopting redistricting recommendations
The North Carolina General Assembly is not entitled to another shot atfixing any remaining racial flaws in its most recent redistricting efforts,voting rights lawyers contend in newly filed court papers.
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: Democrats sue to try to restore 2018 judicialprimaries
North Carolina’s Democrats have gone to court to try to prevent theenforcement of a Republican-approved state law that would eliminateprimaries for judicial elections next spring.
U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles has refused a request to hold acrucial hearing in North Carolina’s racial gerrymandering case two weekssooner than scheduled.
Judicial Redistricting
NEWS & OBSERVER: House leader: Judicial deal may not be ready inJanuary
A key North Carolina legislator says chances may be fading for approvingdramatic changes to how judges are selected in the state when the GeneralAssembly reconvenes in a few weeks.
NEWS & OBSERVER: Democrats walk out in protest after Republicanssnub Roy Cooper
As North Carolina lawmakers debate whether to change how judges are picked,all the Democrats on a key committee protested Wednesday by walking out ofa meeting they said was unfair and not very transparent.
Justice & Public Safety
WRAL-NEWS: Local case pokes loophole in domestic violence gunprohibition
North Carolina may be the only state in the nation where a misdemeanordomestic violence conviction doesn’t trigger a lifetime federal ban onowning a gun.
ELIZABETH CITIY DAILY ADVANCE: Steinburg: Prison managers concealdangers
Rep. Bob Steinburg, R-Chowan, is blasting North Carolina’s prisonadministrators “from the top down,” citing claims from correctionalofficers that prison managers are allowing and concealing dangerousconditions, including threats and violence from inmates.