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Committee Recommends City Reconsider Name Of Dixie Classic Fair
The Dixie Classic Fair in Winston-Salem is one step closer to getting a new name. The fair planning committee voted unanimously to recommend that the city reconsider the event's name. It also wants more time to discuss what that would be, if city council approves the change.
The panel reviewed a breakdown of public input collected from several sources.
More than 11,000 thousand people participated. A majority said they wanted to keep the name.
City Council will vote on the issue in August. The change would go into effect next year.
Report: North Carolina Hurricane Fund Distribution Broke Law
The General Assembly's government watchdog agency says North Carolina's Department of Public Safety broke the law and didn't follow legislative directives when distributing $9 million after Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
The report released Monday determined a lump-sum, up-front payment of over $5 million to one grant recipient violated state law. The Program Evaluation Division also says some of that money intended for emergency shelter and short-term housing benefited private developers and landlords, rather than directly helping hurricane survivors.
The state emergency management director told legislators the violation was inadvertent due to ignorance about the law. Mike Sprayberry says the questioned spending was designated for affordable housing projects in hurricane-ravaged areas.
NC Teachers Group Unhappy With Legislative Budget Proposals
Leaders of North Carolina's largest teacher lobbying group will keep pressing for more public education funding because they say their pleas during a Legislative Building rally last month were ignored.
The North Carolina Association of Educators held on Monday the first of several news conferences across the state as part of its "Truth Tour."
NCAE President Mark Jewell says competing House and Senate Republican budget proposals left out sufficient funds for hiring more school social workers and nurses, for across-the-board teacher and support staff salary increases and for expanding Medicaid. Thousands of teachers pressed these items during the May 1 rally.
Regulatory Bill Passes Senate Absent TV Landfill Ban Repeal
The legislature's annual attempt to reduce or alter North Carolina regulations has advanced through the Senate, absent a provision allowing landfills to accept computers and televisions again.
The chamber voted 39-5 on Monday for the "Regulatory Reform Act of 2019" after a bill sponsor deleted language that would have repealed the landfill prohibition started in 2011. Supporters of such bans are worried about sheer numbers of TVs and computers and their chemicals. Recycling and disposal programs have declined and markets for such goods have taken a downturn.
Hundreds To Attend North Carolina Summit On Opioid Epidemic
Gov. Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein are among featured speakers at a two-day in-state gathering of experts in the fight against opioid addiction and abuse.
The state Department of Health and Human Services says 800 people are attending its Opioid Misuse and Overdose Prevention Summit starting Tuesday in Raleigh.
Participants will interact with local and national leaders in opioid treatment and medical training, as well as those who promote and communicate prevention efforts to the public.
The department held a similar summit in 2017, where Cooper announced an "NC Opioid Action Plan." An updated plan will be unveiled at this week's summit.
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