Chief Justice Wants Response To Redistricting Delay Request
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wants to hear from voters whose lawsuit led to overturning nearly 30 North Carolina state legislative districts before deciding whether to block an order that demands new boundaries quickly and a special election this fall.
The Supreme Court says Roberts has requested by midday Monday a response to the motion filed last week by lawyers for legislative leaders and the state to delay the order.
The order from a three-judge panel last month told the General Assembly to redraw boundaries linked to racial gerrymanders by March 15 and said elections would be held in altered districts later in the year. Attorneys for state officials say any action should wait until a separate pending case before the Supreme Court on congressional redistricting is resolved.
Cooper's DOT Secretary Choice Is Agency's Former Top Deputy
Gov. Roy Cooper's choice to lead the Department of Transportation was the agency's chief deputy less than four years ago and previously worked on road-building matters for the legislature.
Jim Trogdon was introduced Tuesday by Cooper at an Executive Mansion news conference.
Trogdon left DOT in late 2013 and most recently worked for the Cary-based SAS Institute. Trogdon also is a civil engineer and two-star general in the North Carolina National Guard.
Cooper's Environmental Pick A Contrast From Last 4 Years
The choice of an environmental advocate to lead North Carolina's Department of Environmental Quality represents a break from the previous Republican administration that critics often alleged was too cozy with business and utilities.
Gov. Roy Cooper tapped Michael Regan Tuesday as his top environmental regulator in a move that was praised by at least one environmental advocacy group. Regan worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Environmental Defense Fund for the last 18 years.
Morgan To Be Sworn In As NC Supreme Court Associate Justice
Judge Mike Morgan will be sworn in as an associate justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court during a ceremony in Raleigh.
Court officials say the ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Supreme Court courtroom.
Morgan has served as a judge for more than 27 years, most recently as a Superior Court judge in Wake County. His victory in November over incumbent Bob Edmunds gave Democrats a 4-3 advantage on the court.
Crime Rate Drops In North Carolina In 2015
The State Bureau of Investigation reports that the overall crime rate in North Carolina dropped in 2015.
But violent crime increased in 2015, while a drop in property crimes resulted in the improvement in the overall rate.
The report says the overall crime rate dropped 3.5 percent in 2015. That continues a downward trend that started a decade ago.
But the rate for murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault increased nearly 7 percent. The rate for burglaries, larceny, arson and motor vehicle theft dropped nearly 5 percent from 2014.
Twitter Video Shows NC Officer Slamming Student
Officials say the male police officer who slammed a female high school student to the floor in North Carolina has been placed on administrative leave.
Mayor Frank Eagles said the school resource officer at Rolesville High School was placed on administrative leave Tuesday after an eight-second video was posted on Twitter. The video shows an officer, surrounded by students, lifting and then dropping the girl to the floor on her left side, then pulling her to her feet and leading her away.
He says the officer has been assigned to the school since it opened in 2013.
Roseville is about 30 minutes east of Raleigh.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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