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Your weekly North Carolina political news report.
2018 Elections
For the first time in anyone’s memory, nearly all 170 state legislativeraces in North Carolina will feature both a Republican and Democraticcandidate.
Education
NEWS & OBSERVER: Average NC teacher salary exceeds $50,000 forfirst time
The average salary for a North Carolina has increased to more than $50,000a year for the first time.
ASHEVILLE CITIZEN TIMES: Don’t arm teacher, NC school chief MarkJohnson says
The state should not ask teachers to bring firearms to class but shouldinstead fund more trained law enforcement officers in schools, the head ofthe state Department of Public Instruction says.
Energy & Environment
WRAL-NEWS: How ‘North Carolina’ got erased from Atlantic Coast Pipelinefund
Over six weeks of negotiation, a deal to bring $57.8 million to NorthCarolina as part of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline project morphed from anagreement between the pipeline partnership and the state to a deal betweenthe partnership and Gov. Roy Cooper.
FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER: Have we been eating GenX in our food for years?
So far, nobody knows whether GenX may have been contaminating crops andlivestock for years around the Chemours plant, where the compound is made.
Health Care
NC HEALTH NEWS: Behavioral plan still needs refining
Sometime in the coming two years, North Carolina’s Medicaid program will gofrom being the fee-for-service plan that it’s been for more than 50 yearsto being run by large managed care companies.
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: Cardinal proceeds with health initiative worth$3.8 million
The state’s health secretary told legislators Wednesday that CardinalInnovations’ new board of directors is proceeding with an enhancedbehavioral health community initiative worth at least $3.8 million.
In the Courts
WRAL-NEWS: NC Supreme Court to consider Senate confirmation law
The constitutionality of another law that gave more power to the NorthCarolina General Assembly at the expense of Gov. Roy Cooper will be settledat the state Supreme Court.
NEWS & OBSERVER: Court: Medicaid providers didn’t exhaustgovernment appeals
North Carolina’s highest court has decided a lawsuit filed by medicaloffices that treat state Medicaid patients over a new billing system theysay failed to pay them can’t go to trial.
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: GOP defendants protest $124K bill from electionmap special master
Republican legislative defendants in North Carolina’s racial gerrymanderingcase say state taxpayers should not have to pay the full $124,125 bill froma special master in the federal lawsuit.
ABC-13 NEWS: Special election suggested for some House districts
An attorney leading another challenge to North Carolina legislativedistricts wants Wake County House boundaries changed for this year’selections, but a lawyer for Republican state lawmakers says it’s too latefor that.
Justice & Public Safety
Attorney General Josh Stein announced Wednesday that the state had 15,160untested sexual assault evidence collection kits, and is now recommendingthe General Assembly create a committee to determine how best to handle thekits and how to prevent such a backlog from occurring ever again.
NEWS & OBSERVER: NC lawmakers seek answers for jail inmate deaths
State lawmakers at a committee meeting Wednesday asked about ways NorthCarolina jails could reduce inmate deaths, particularly in cases whereevidence showed inmates were denied needed medications.
Local Government
Public notices will begin appearing on the Guilford County website insteadof on newspaper websites, county commissioners decided Thursday night.