All in Politics
The Social Security Board of Trustees today released its annual report on the long-term financial status of the Social Security Trust Funds. The combined asset reserves of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance (OASI and DI) Trust Funds are projected to become depleted in 2034, one year earlier than projected last year, with 78 percent of benefits payable at that time.
Governor Roy Cooper signed three criminal justice reform bills into law today, House Bill 436: Support Law Enforcement Mental Health, House Bill 536: Law Enforcement Duty to Intervene and Senate Bill 300: Criminal Justice Reform. These bills align with recommendations of the Governor’s Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice (TREC).
Governor Roy Cooper signed an Executive Order to make it easier for North Carolinians to access treatment for COVID-19. The Executive Order authorizes and directs State Health Director, Dr. Betsey Tilson, to issue a statewide standing order to expand access to monoclonal antibody treatment, which if taken early can decrease the risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death. The Order will be in effect through November 30, 2021.
Lenoir County quickly resolved a number of finance and bookkeeping issues, prompting the Local Government Commission (LGC) to remove the county from a state list for government entities battling financial and governance issues.
The Town of Pink Hill is in mourning at the loss of its mayor, Carol Sykes. Sykes has served as mayor of Pink Hill since 2009.
“I've known Mayor Sykes and her family for many years,” said Rep. Chris Humphrey. “She and her husband raised two super-smart daughters in Pink Hill. She was kind but firm. You didn't have to question where she stood on an issue. If she was your friend, she would help you in any way possible.”
Politicians throughout North Carolina have responded to the events that unfolded on August 26, 2021, in Afghanistan that left 13 US service members dead and 18 injured. President Joe Biden addressed the nation in a televised response.
It was heartbreaking this week to see videos of hundreds of people - men, women and children - in Afghanistan risking their lives trying to get onto a U.S. jet that was moving toward takeoff Some of them continued to try to hang on even as the plane began to ascend. Now there are droves of people - Many of them Americans sleeping in orchards and opium fields, moving from house to house just trying to stay alive. Freedom is a precious commodity, and we still have it here in America, but the events in Afghanistan should remind us that we can't take this freedom for granted.
The Honorable Sandra E. Beaman, Greene County Clerk of Superior Court, has announced that she will retire on September 30, 2021. Beaman has served as the elected Clerk of Superior Court for Greene County since November 2014.
Vaccine mandates have made headlines as cities and municipalities strive to combat the recent spike in COVID-19 cases. In recent news, as reported by WITN, City of Kinston Mayor Dontario Hardy gave his thoughts on if he would consider a vaccine mandate if COVID-19 cases continued rising. The other candidates, Mayor Pro Tem Felicia Solomon, Zac Holcomb, and Jeff Warren have also weighed in on vaccine mandates.
The North Carolina General Assembly has completed another phase of the multi-step budget process for the 2021 - 2022 biennium. The NC Senate and NC House have both offered budget options for the next biennium.
Today, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. provided an update on the state’s COVID-19 key metrics and trends. A representative from Live Nation Entertainment, Jeannine Beson, joined to share information on the company’s updated vaccination policies for concerts in North Carolina and their mission for keeping concert-goers safe. Additionally, the winners of the of the state’s final Your Shot at A Million Summer Cash Drawing and Summer Cash 4 College drawing winners were announced.
Governor Roy Cooper visited the Neuse Regional Library to explore bridging the digital divide and bringing Internet access to more people through its programs. In addition to the Neuse Regional Library, Cooper also visited the Lenoir County Health Department to encourage vaccine use.
Today, Governor Roy Cooper visited a vaccine clinic at the Lenoir County Health Department to encourage more North Carolinians get their COVID-19 shot.
Governor Roy Cooper has proclaimed Aug. 16–20, 2021, as Rural Broadband Week to call attention to the urgent need to improve broadband access and adoption across our state.
Today, Governor Roy Cooper, NC DHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen and State Health Director Dr. Betsey Tilson sent a letter to school boards that have failed to adopt the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit urging them to protect their students and staff in the new school year.
Earlier today, the 2021 Appropriations Act was passed out of the North Carolina House of Representatives with bipartisan support. In addition to pay raises for teachers and state employee, state employee retiree supplement bonuses, investments in agriculture, and funding for infrastructure improvements, S105 also includes several line items that will impact Eastern North Carolina.
North Carolina’s state government has a multi-billion-dollar surplus. Its enormity has multiple causes: past spending discipline, revenue growth from a resurgent economy, and gobs of borrowed federal money. Its enormity also presents North Carolina’s conservative-run legislature with a challenge.
Congressman Ted Budd, representing North Carolina’s 13th District, came to Pink Hill to a campaign reception. Budd is running as a candidate for the US Senate.
Today, amid higher COVID-19 numbers statewide, Governor Roy Cooper again urged North Carolinians to get vaccinated. He also announced the third winner of North Carolina’s Your Shot at $1 Million Summer Cash Drawing. Winston-Salem resident and incoming Fayetteville State University freshman Audrey Chavous received the $1 million prize as part of the cash drawing that includes North Carolinians 18 and over who have received a COVID-19 vaccine.
Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 99 of North Carolina’s counties in June and decreased in one. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 9.4 percent while Orange County had the lowest at 3.7 percent. All fifteen of the state’s metro areas experienced rate increases. Among the metro areas, Rocky Mount had the highest rate at 7.1 percent while Durham-Chapel Hill had the lowest at 4.1 percent. The June not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 4.9 percent.
