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Republicans Begin To Override Gov. Cooper's Budget Veto
Republicans have started overriding Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of state budget adjustments for next year.
The Senate voted 34-13 on Thursday to enact the nearly $24 billion spending plan despite Cooper's veto this week.
The veto still must be considered by the House, where Speaker Tim Moore says his chamber's override vote will occur early next week.
Voter ID Proposed Again, This Time As Change To Constitution
Republicans are poised again to advance a photo identification requirement to vote in North Carolina, despite their previous attempt getting struck down by federal courts.
House GOP leaders introduced Thursday a proposed amendment to the state Constitution that would add a photo ID mandate to the qualifications to vote. It would be on ballots this November if the referendum is agreed to by the Senate and House.
The GOP-controlled General Assembly passed a photo ID law in 2013, but a federal appeals court determined three years later that the mandate and other voting restrictions were passed with discriminatory intent targeting black residents. GOP legislators disagreed.
School Displays Of US, North Carolina Mottos Approved By House
Public schools would have to display the official U.S. and North Carolina mottos in prominent areas in legislation that's cleared one General Assembly chamber.
The House voted 95-14 on Thursday for the mandate for "In God We Trust" and the North Carolina motto, which is "Esse Quam Videri" in Latin, or "To Be Rather Than To Seem" in English. Both state motto translations would be displayed.
The state already requires the U.S. and North Carolina flags be hung in classrooms and the Pledge of Allegiance recited daily.
Push For More SROs Continues In Rockingham County
A plan to add more school resource officers in Rockingham County next school year has stalled. The board of commissioners has instead earmarked other funds to improve school safety in the county's new budget.
Dozens of people attended a public hearing this week to show their support for additional SROs in the school system. Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page was among them. He urged commissioners to approve around $350,000 to hire the officers. Currently, there are five SROs in the district.
The board did not approve his request, but officials say they are studying the issue. They're also looking into possible state and federal grant opportunities that could help pay for more SROs in the future.
2 Members Of Secretive NC Sect Charged With Fraud Conspiracy
Two members of a secretive church in North Carolina have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in an alleged unemployment benefits scheme.
Marion Kent Covington and Diane Mary McKinny were charged Thursday in U.S. District Court in Asheville.
Prosecutors say 63-year-old Covington and 65-year-old McKinney decided in 2008 to lay off employees at Covington's business so they could collect unemployment benefits. But the employees continued to work.
Most employees were members of the Word of Faith Fellowship in Spindale, North Carolina. Prosecutors say Covington used his leadership position in the church to force them to comply.
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