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Bill With Class Fix, Items Aimed At Cooper To Become Law
Gov. Roy Cooper says he'll neither veto nor sign a bill fixing an upcoming public school class-size dilemma but also changing the state elections board and a natural gas pipeline agreement.
According to rules in the state constitution, the bill will take effect in mid-March based on the governor's decision. Cooper spoke to reporters on Wednesday regarding the bill approved by the Republican-controlled General Assembly the day before.
The Democratic governor says lawmakers heard the voices of parents and phased in lower student-teacher ratios in early grades. But he says their actions on other matters in the bill were purely political and threaten whether utilities developing the Atlantic Coast Pipeline will pay the state $58 million.
Daughter Of North Carolina Gov. Hunt Running For Legislature
A daughter of former four-term North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt now also wants to serve in Raleigh by getting elected to the state legislature.
Democrat Rachel Hunt announced Wednesday she would run for the state House in a Mecklenburg County district currently represented by Republican Bill Brawley, a senior chairman of the House Finance Committee.
Hunt is an attorney who operates a college counseling firm and a company that helps Charlotte parents locate school options. She said she's running because the state's public education system has been undermined by politicians in Raleigh.
North Carolina Democratic Party Rebukes Veteran Consultant
The North Carolina Democratic Party has rebuked a longtime political consultant for party candidates because it says he's forming a committee designed to back a Republican legislator seeking re-election.
The party is targeting Brad Crone, who's worked for decades with Democratic candidates. The party cited a document showing Crone involved in a proposed group to raise money to support GOP Rep. Nelson Dollar of Cary.
State Democratic Party Executive Director Kimberly Reynolds said Wednesday that Crone's efforts to create a "dark money" group are disturbing and should cause people working with him to question his motivations. Democrats are trying to eliminate the General Assembly's Republican veto-proof majorities.
Winston-Salem To Upgrade Minority And Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program
Winston-Salem wants to raise the number of city projects awarded to minority businesses.
The city has had a Minority-and Women-Owned Business Enterprise program since 1983, to give historically-disadvantaged businesses a leg up. But the percentage of minority companies providing the city with professional or other services remains in the single digits.
On Tuesday, city leaders proposed a new goal of ten percent, and discussed changes to the program. Currently, companies either agree to meet minority subcontracting goals—or demonstrate that they made “good faith efforts” to do so—on construction and repair projects of $300,000 or more.
Under the newly proposed plan, that threshold would be lowered to $100,000. New penalties would also be put in place to punish companies that fail to meet their goals for subcontracting with the businesses.
Former Wake Forest Golfer Bill Haas Survives Crash That Killed Driver
Former Wake Forest golfer Bill Haas survived with only minor injuries after a three-car crash that left one person dead, authorities in Los Angeles say. Actor Luke Wilson was involved in the crash but also not seriously hurt.
Haas was a passenger in a Ferrari driven by a man authorities identified as 71-year-old Mark Gibello, whose family Haas was visiting while he was in California for the Genesis Open. Gibello died after the car hit two vehicles then struck a tree.
The Ferrari struck two other cars. The driver of one of those cars was hospitalized. The driver of the third car was actor Luke Wilson, who was not injured. .
Haas is a six-time winner on the PGA Tour. He was an All-American at Wake Forest and comes from a family of Deacon golf greats. His father Jay also played for the Deacons and uncle Jerry Haas is the current men's coach.
Jay Haas says his son will withdraw from the Genesis Open and return to his home in South Carolina to recuperate.