Gov. Cooper Vetoes Bill To Eliminate Judicial Primaries
Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed Republican-backed legislation that would eliminate judicial primaries next year.
The Democratic governor said Monday the legislation would erode voters' ability to choose judges. The bill would eliminate primaries for 2018 judicial races ranging from Supreme Court to district court. It left November general elections in place.
GOP legislative leaders have said eliminating the primaries would give them more time to study possible changes to judicial election districts.
The legislation also would have reduced requirements for unaffiliated candidates in state and local elections among other changes.
Elon University Board Picks Citadel Provost As New President
Officials at Elon Universty have elected the provost at a South Carolina military college to become its new president.
The school's board of trustees announced its selection of Constance Ledoux Book on Sunday to become the school's ninth president. Ledoux was introduced to faculty, staff and students on Monday.
Book will succeed President Leo M. Lambert on March 1, 2018. Lambert has served as Elon's president since January 1999.
Book joined the Elon faculty as assistant professor of communications in 1999. She was a member of Lambert's senior staff from 2008 to 2010.
Voters In Chapel Hill Defend Asian-American Council Candidate
Voters in Chapel Hill are defending an Asian-American candidate for city council following criticism on social media targeting her background and campaign platform.
The Herald-Sun of Durham reports Hongbin Gu was criticized on the Orange County Local Facebook group. One man posted that he found it "stunning" that "homegrown Americans" were facing opponents like Gu for political office in Chapel Hill. A woman criticized Gu for focusing on diversity in her campaign.
At least 14 people have responded, including one who said that, given the comments, people like Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright could not have been secretary of state.
North Carolina-Based Grocery Chain Named In Lawsuit Over Pay
A North Carolina-based grocery chain is being sued by a worker who says it failed to pay some employees for time worked.
The Charlotte Observer reports Terry Laurence is suing Harris Teeter on behalf of himself and other hourly paid employees who work as keyholders and are managers and assistant managers. Laurence has worked for Harris Teeter since 2011.
According to the federal lawsuit, which was filed last week, the company failed to pay some employees for the time spent driving to pick up keys from a manager to open a store. The lawsuit also said employees were required to clock out of work for an unpaid 30 minutes each shift even though they had to continue working.
Hornets' Jordan Donates $7 Million To Build Medical Clinics
Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan is donating $7 million to launch medical clinics that he hopes will help at-risk communities in Charlotte.
It's the largest philanthropic donation ever by the former NBA champion.
The donation will fund two Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Clinics, which are projected to open in 2020.
Jordan's spokeswoman Estee Portnoy told The Associated Press Monday that Jordan was motivated by a study that found poor children in Charlotte have the worst odds of those of any of the top 50 cities in the United States to lift themselves out of poverty.
A release from Novant stated the clinics will provide an avenue to affordable, high-quality care — including behavioral health, physical therapy, social work, oral health and family planning — to individuals in the community who have little or no health care.