All in Politics
Raleigh - According to a press release from the NC Department of Commerce, the state’s seasonally adjusted August unemployment rate was 6.5 percent, decreasing 2.0 percentage points from July’s revised rate. The national rate decreased by 1.8 percentage points to 8.4 percent. North Carolina’s August 2020 unemployment rate increased 2.7 percentage points from a year ago.
“In the wake of several high-profile killings of black people by police, the Black Lives Matter Organization (BLM) has taken the world by storm in 2020. You can’t turn on the TV, watch sports, attend a meeting, or drive down the street without encountering BLM in every facet of society. I agree with the statement and belief that black lives matter, but I will never support the BLM organization. You may be shocked to find out what the organization is truly based upon, and I seek to inform fellow Americans, not to enflame, so hear me out.” - Seth Hobbs, Kinston
State employees can use up to three days (24 hours) of paid time off to volunteer with their County Board of Elections to help with this fall’s elections, the Office of State Human Resources announced today.
North Carolina Senator Harry Brown has been a member of the North Carolina State Senate since 2004 and became the Senate Majority Leader in 2011. His current term ends on December 31, 2020. As a small business owner who grew up in Jones County but worked in Onslow County, Brown’s initial motivation for running for office was to help other small businesses in his district and in the state.
Lenoir County School Board Write-In candidates Michelle Cash and Nancy Gilmore held an education town hall meeting at The Exchange in Kinston on Tuesday evening. The forum provided parents and teachers the opportunity to meet the candidates, ask questions, and voice concerns about the current state of Lenoir County Public Schools.
This pandemic has affected every corner of our state, including our state budget needs. For many families, it has also shifted their priorities. Last week, I proposed a budget that tackles the challenges we’re facing today while building for the promise of tomorrow. We can emerge from this crisis even stronger than before if we invest wisely.
In early August, Ward and Smith, PA sent a cease and desist letter to Wallace & Nordan LLP on behalf of Representative Chris Humphrey and the Chris Humphrey Campaign Committee. The letter was in response to a political advertisement sent out by the Conservation Votes PAC. Upon receiving the cease and desist demand, the Conservation Votes PAC declined the request.
Governor Roy Cooper today announced that after a summer of hard work to slow the spread of COVID-19, North Carolina will take a modest step forward move into Phase 2.5 starting this Friday, September 4th at 5pm. Mask mandates and other prevention methods remain in effect and are even more important to contain the virus, Cooper said.
While reporters and TV talking heads continue to refer to North Carolina as a swing state, they are largely mistaken. We do not “swing” between Republicans and Democrats for president and governor much to the media’s chagrin. Our selection of US Senators, however, would qualify for that designation. The reality is that NC tends to vote for Republican presidents, Democratic governors, and flip flops on US Senators.
There is probably only one way the violent rioters in Portland are going to stop their war against the city, and that will be when they are confronted by massive force. That actually might be close to happening.
Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order 158 to implement fair chance policies at state agencies to increase employment opportunities for people with criminal records. The Order is effective immediately and will be implemented by November 1, 2020.
Senator Thom Tillis’s representative Adam Caldwell, Commissioner J. Mac Daughety and Rep. Chris Humphrey presented a flag from the U.S. Capitol to Mrs. Hazel Bradshaw Sult for her 100th birthday.
August 17 marked the first day of school for most students in North Carolina. Public school systems across the state have implemented remote learning, with some planning to rely on it for longer than others. The transition from face to face education to remote learning has some asking about the impact of remote learning to school funding which can be based on attendance.
Thomas Taft Jr. has been reappointed as a member of the N.C. Board of Transportation.
He was reappointed this week by Gov. Roy Cooper and will represent Division 2, which is comprised of Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Pamlico and Pitt counties. He originally joined the Board of Transportation in 2018 as an at-large environmental member.
Congressman Gregory Murphy M.D., the representative for North Carolina’s 3rd congressional district, along with State Representative Chris Humphrey, State Senator Jim Perry, and County Commissioner J. Mac Daughety, toured the Sanderson Farms facility and observed the policies and procedures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
