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North Carolina Lawmakers Still Shaping US House Map Proposals
North Carolina legislators are still shaping proposals for the state's congressional map as the General Assembly reconvenes in response to a judicial ruling encouraging approval of replacement lines.
A joint House-Senate committee will meet today after holding lengthy mapmaking meetings last week. Committee-room computers where lawmakers tried to carve the state into 13 U.S. House districts should be running again.
Bill Retooling North Carolina School Takeover Path Now Law
Legislation that retools the process by which low-performing North Carolina public schools can be taken over by outside operators has become law.
Gov. Roy Cooper provided neither his signature nor veto stamp to the bill by late Sunday, so the state constitution says it's now law.
Cooper says while the bill improved the Innovative School District concept, he's still "fundamentally opposed" to the idea and to giving control of a school over to a private charter school operator.
Credit Agency Concerned About North Carolina Budget Impasse
North Carolina's lengthy budget impasse is getting attention from a leading credit-rating agency, whose top score for the state allows it to borrow very cheaply.
Moody's Investors Service writes the lack of a final two-year budget agreement between Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and the Republican-led legislature "reflects governance weakness and is credit negative." The state still holds Moody's triple-A rating.
Moody's analysts pointed out last week that state law and several approved "mini-budgets" alleviate most spending limitations for now, but the standoff during healthy economic times doesn't bode well for when revenues and the economy stagnate or decline.
Guilford Schools Consider School Lunch Policy Change
A North Carolina school system is considering a policy change that would prevent high school students from being denied a meal because they can't afford it.
The News & Record reports that high school students in Guilford County would be able to charge their meals under the proposed change.
The current policy allows elementary and middle school students to charge up to five lunches and five breakfasts. Cafeterias then give them a pared-down meal if they still can't pay for it.
Many students already qualify for federally funded free meals based on family income. Anonymous donors in the county have also covered more than $46,500 in unpaid meal charges.
North Carolina Officials Vote To Reopen Island Damaged By Dorian
County commissioners on the North Carolina coast have moved to reopen an island ravaged by Hurricane Dorian.
Acting on a recommendation from the Ocracoke Control Group, the Hyde County Commissioners on Monday adopted the proposal to open the island to visitors on Nov. 22, or when N.C. Highway 12 is reopened to traffic.
An evacuation order has been in effect since Sept. 4, when Dorian approached the North Carolina coast.
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