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Judges Back GOP In Partisan Elections Revamp
North Carolina judges are siding with the Republican-led legislature's decision to strip a substantial amount of election oversight from the state's new Democratic governor.
A three-judge panel needed only a few hours of deliberation Thursday before ruling the law is constitutional.
The Republican-dominated General Assembly started trimming Cooper's powers two weeks before he took office in January.
House Gives Final OK To Its Budget; Talks With Senate Next
The North Carolina House decided to meet in the wee hours to complete work on its version of the state budget.
The chamber convened early Friday just after midnight and quickly approved its two-year government spending plan by a vote of 80-31.
It was the second of two required votes on the Republican proposal. Preliminary approval came late Thursday after several hours of debate. About a dozen Democrats joined nearly all Republicans voting for the plan.
The bill now returns to the Senate, which approved its own plan last month.
Push To Move Up North Carolina Primaries Gaining Favor
North Carolinians could vote earlier than usual in future primary elections for president and statewide offices.
A House committee voted Thursday for a bill to permanently change the primaries from the Tuesday following the first Monday in May to the same time-frame in March.
The legislature shifted the 2016 primary to March 15 so the state could wield more influence over the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations.
The new proposed date would be used starting in 2018.
In April, the Senate passed the bill, which heads next to the House floor.
Mimosa With Sunday Brunch? Senate OKs Offering Option
North Carolina's cities and counties could let restaurant patrons order a cocktail with Sunday morning brunch in legislation that's cleared one chamber of the General Assembly.
The Senate voted 32-13 on Thursday for the bill, which would allow county commissioners or municipal councils to pass ordinances granting exceptions to the statewide ban on Sunday beer, wine and liquor sales before noon. Permittees, like restaurants, could begin selling alcoholic drinks at 10 a.m. Alcoholic Beverage Control stores would remain closed on Sundays.
2 Inmates Die At Forsyth County Jail In May
An inmate who died at a North Carolina jail last week was the second to die there during the month of May.
The Winston-Salem Journal reports 40-year-old Stephen Antwan Patterson was found unresponsive in a Forsyth County Jail cell on May 26. Chief Deputy Brad Stanley says an autopsy didn't reveal any evidence of trauma or foul play.
The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into Patterson's death.
The SBI is also investigating the May 2 death of 39-year-old Deshawn Lamont Coley at the jail. The sheriff's office says he died of a medical condition.
Duke Energy Unit Seeks 15 Percent Rate Hike On NC Customers
One of Duke Energy's North Carolina divisions wants to raise electricity rates by an average of 15 percent to pay for system upgrades, conversion to more natural gas and cleaning up coal ash pits.
The nation's largest electric company filed the request Thursday with state utilities regulators for customers of Duke Energy Progress, which operates in much of eastern North Carolina and Asheville. A separate request affecting Duke Energy Carolinas customers in Durham and western North Carolina could come before the state Utilities Commission later this year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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