Receive the morning news briefs delivered to your email inbox every morning. Click here to sign-up.
Vote On ‘Welcoming City' Resolution Postponed
The Winston-Salem City Council has postponed a vote on a "Welcoming City" resolution.
The resolution reaffirms Winston-Salem's commitment to provide a “safe and welcoming environment to immigrants, refugees and other newcomers.”
Over 100 people attended the Council meeting Monday night. Some voiced their opinions for and against the proposition.
But the sponsor of the resolution, Council Member Dan Besse, moved to continue the discussion until the group's April 17th meeting.
Council members will consult with the county legislative delegation in Raleigh this week.
Bill Beefing Up North Carolina Reserve Rules Clears Senate
It appears North Carolina legislators will soon send to Gov. Roy Cooper a more meticulous savings method to prepare for that next big state government fiscal emergency.
The Senate approved unanimously Monday night legislation that would direct how much money must be put annually into the state's rainy day reserve and restricts how money inside it can be spent. It also requires legislative supermajorities to spend reserves beyond a certain amount or for non-emergency uses.
A version of the measure already passed by a wide margin in the House, where it needs one more affirmative vote before heading to Cooper's desk.
Cancer Screening Is Proposed Tax Refund Option In House Bill
North Carolina individual income tax filers could have another option next year to share some or all of their refunds.
A House bill approved by a wide margin Monday would create another check-off box to send refund proceeds to a state initiative designed to provide free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings to uninsured or under-insured women.
The measure now heading to the Senate would add the option to individual 2017 returns, which get filed early next year. Individual and corporate filers already can earmark refunds for wildlife preservation and an endowment designed for merit-based teacher compensation.
Concealed Handgun Option For Church Services On Campus OK'd
Concealed permit holders could carry handguns on private K-12 school property in North Carolina, where church services also are held, in legislation moving through the General Assembly.
The House voted 82-34 on Monday night for the measure applying to religious-affiliated schools. Right now, guns are barred on such educational property and people arriving for church with lawful handguns must store them in cars.
Bill sponsor GOP Rep. Rena Turner of Iredell County said she's trying to address a situation of a local church with a security team and whose leaders feel the congregation is vulnerable after last year's Charleston, South Carolina church shooting.
FairPoint, Consolidated Shareholders To Have Say On Merger
Shareholders from Consolidated Communications and FairPoint Communications are set to vote on a proposed merger.
Consolidated announced in December it was buying Charlotte-based FairPoint for $1.5 billion, assuming its debt and offering dividends to stockholders.
Shareholder voting takes place Tuesday at Consolidated in Illinois and FairPoint in North Carolina.
The lion's share of FairPoint's business is in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Public utilities commissions in the three northern New England states will be holding hearings in April and May on the merger.
Panel Discussion To Focus On Portrayal Of Muslims In Media
Four national journalists and an Islamic studies scholar will discuss the portrayal of Islam and Muslims in the media during an event at Duke University.
Panelists for the discussion Tuesday include Abigail Hauslohner of the Washington Post; David Graham of The Atlantic; and Nermeen Shaikh of Democracy Now! Mehdi Hasan of Al-Jazeera will open the discussion with a keynote talk. Omid Safi is director of the Duke Islamic Studies Center, and he also will participate in the discussion.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.