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Judge Tosses Complaint To Force Return Of Confederate Statue

A judge has dismissed a complaint which sought to have the city of Winston-Salem return a Confederate statue to the site from which it was removed almost two months ago.

A Forsyth County judge on Wednesday dismissed the complaint from the United Daughters of the Confederacy, adding that the group can't return to court with the same complaint.

In its lawsuit, the UDC claimed the city of Winston-Salem couldn't legally move the statue because of a state law regarding publicly owned monuments. The city countered that the statue is owned by the UDC, which had earlier claimed ownership.

Workers removed the statue and pedestal from the old courthouse grounds on March 12. Plans call for the monument to be relocated to a cemetery.

Court: Were North Carolina Lawmakers Sneaky Or Rights Violators?

A North Carolina appeals court will decide if state legislators were just sneaky when they took surprise action to cut incoming Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's powers, or if they violated the state constitution.

The state Court of Appeals hears oral arguments Thursday. On different sides are attorneys defending top Republican lawmakers and voters who claim that giving just two hours' notice before taking dramatic action violates the state constitution's right "to instruct" representatives.

Group Files Ethics Complaint Against North Carolina Legislator

A clean-energy advocacy group wants an investigation into whether a North Carolina legislator is violating ethics laws by doing legal work for a Duke Energy Corp. gas pipeline project while also pushing legislation the company wants.

The group NC WARN filed a complaint Wednesday with the State Ethics Commission asking for an official look at the connections between the country's largest electricity company and state Sen. Dan Blue, a Democrat from Raleigh.

Blue called the complaint baseless.

Grants Announced For Expanding NC Rural Broadband Access

About 10,000 North Carolina households and several hundred businesses and government buildings are expected to gain high-speed internet access through the first grants issued by a new state broadband initiative.

State leaders announced this week that nearly $10 million will be distributed to winning applicants in 19 counties through the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology program. These competitive matching grants are designed to lower financial obstacles to expand high-speed services in economically disadvantaged counties. Grant recipients include several North Carolina-based small businesses and utility cooperatives.

Moravian Cookie On Its Way To Being A State Symbol

With North Carolina lawmakers scrambling to finalize dozens of bills, there is one issue garnering strong bipartisan support. 

A bill endorsing the Moravian cookie as the state cookie has unanimously cleared the North Carolina House, and is now being chewed over in the Senate.

The legislation is co-sponsored by three Guilford County representatives.

Moravians settled in the Triad during colonial times. The bill cites the positive impact the Moravian community has had on the state's culture.

The popular thin spice cookies have been made in Winston-Salem since the 1950s and are now sold worldwide, boosting the local economy and tourism.

 

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