Committee OK's Pay Hikes for Winston-Salem Police and Firefighters
The Winston-Salem City Council will likely approve pay raises for the city's police officers and firefighters.
The council's finance committee ok'd a 2 percent pay hike starting February 1st.
The Winston-Salem Journal reports that projections show city revenues are growing fast enough to cover the cost of the pay hikes without increasing taxes.
There has been no opposition to the salary bump, and Mayor Allen Joines showed up for the finance committee meeting.
The pay increase seems likely to be passed at the next meeting of the City Council on Monday.
The finance committee also approved paying for an economic development grant to Kailo LLC, for an expansion that would create about 250 new jobs.
The company provides IT services to the health care industry.
North Carolina NAACP Leaders To Discuss Voter ID Trial
Civil rights activists are finally going to trial later this month to challenge North Carolina's photo identification mandate to vote just weeks before it gets implemented.
The state chapter of the NAACP scheduled a news conference today in Durham to discuss the voter ID portion of a broader lawsuit it filed challenging a 2013 elections overhaul law. The trial is Jan. 25. The U.S. Justice Department, League of Women Voters and citizens filed similar lawsuits.
Right now, the ID requirement before casting in-person ballots begins with the March 15 primary. Lawmakers last summer allowed more people to vote even if they have difficulty obtaining qualifying ID.
Portions of the lawsuits scaling back early voting and ending same-day registration went to trial last summer. The judge still hasn't ruled.
Judge OKs Duke Energy Plan As Part Of $102M Court Settlement
A federal judge is approving two Duke Energy plans describing how the country's largest electricity company says it will comply with environmental laws.
The statewide and nationwide environmental compliance plans were approved last week by U.S. District Judge Malcolm Howard. They were required under Duke Energy's $102 million settlement of criminal charges last year following its 2014 spill of coal ash into the Dan River.
The state plan includes annual audits of Duke Energy's North Carolina power plants with coal ash pits and record-keeping of how much ash those pits contain.
Duke Energy pleaded guilty in May to nine criminal violations of the federal Clean Water Act for its illegal pollution. The company was sentenced to five years' probation and is being monitored for compliance.
Study: North Carolina Agencies Fall Short On Private Contracts
A report says North Carolina state government is falling short in crafting private-sector contracts to ensure farming out work makes sense financially and rationally.
The study presented Monday to a General Assembly oversight committee by the Program Evaluation Division examined 133 contracts across state government valued at more than $1.2 billion. The division found private-contract solicitations by agencies consistently lack key elements to ensure the work will be successful and cost-effective.
The report also calculated full competition was lacking in awards totaling more than $500 million in the contracts reviewed. And there were contracts valued at $64 million in which agencies couldn't say how much was actually spent.
The panel asked for legislation based on the report's recommendations.
NC State Hires Boise State's Drinkwitz To Run Offense
North Carolina State has hired Boise State offensive coordinator Eliah Drinkwitz to run the Wolfpack's attack and coach quarterbacks next year.
The school announced Drinkwitz's hiring with a news release Monday, roughly a week after the dismissal of Matt Canada, who has been hired as offensive coordinator at Pittsburgh.
In a statement, head coach Dave Doeren called Drinkwitz "one of the bright and innovative offensive minds in our game" who has been able to "blend some of the most successful offensive styles in the game."
Drinkwitz had spent the past two seasons at Boise State. He coached tight ends in his first year and then worked as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach last season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
300x250 Ad
300x250 Ad