North Carolina Deal Would Expand Transgender Protections
Governor Roy Cooper launched a two-part strategy that could end protracted litigation over the state's so-called bathroom bill and its replacement.
Plaintiffs who had sued the state claiming discrimination asked a judge Wednesday to approve an agreement with the governor that they say will expand transgender protections.
The proposed consent decree would ensure that transgender people can use restrooms corresponding to their gender identity in facilities overseen by the executive branch.
Cooper also issued an executive order prohibiting Cabinet-level departments and agencies from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and preventing their contractors from doing so.
US Senate Panel Considers NC Lawyer For Judgeship
A U.S. Senate committee is deciding whether a North Carolina lawyer with a career of defending Republican causes in voting rights and redistricting litigation should become a federal judge.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a confirmation vote Thursday for Raleigh attorney Tom Farr, who was nominated by President Donald Trump and has the backing of both of North Carolina's senators. Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis say Farr is widely respected and points to his "well-qualified" rating from the American Bar Association. The full Senate also would have to vote.
National and state civil rights activists are urging committee members to reject Farr's nomination, pointing to his past representation of the late Sen. Jesse Helms' campaign and defending a state law requiring photo identification to vote.
NC's Blue Cross: Trump's Obamacare Move No Impact On Rates
North Carolina's largest health insurer says President Donald Trump's recent move to cut off "Obamacare" payments to insurers won't affect its average 14 percent price increase on the individual policies for next year.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina said Wednesday that the state insurance department approved the company's rate increase for 2018 Affordable Care Act plans.
The only insurer selling the plans in all 100 of the state's counties said in May it wanted to raise premiums by 23 percent, but lowered its request to 14 percent in August after new data showing that North Carolina's ACA market was stabilizing.
Triad Textile Plant Closes After 112 Years
A Triad textile plant which was once the largest in the world is shutting down.
Cone Denim announced in a news release Wednesday that its White Oak plant in Greensboro will close by the end of the year. The plant opened in 1905.
The company said in a news release that "changes in market demand in recent years have significantly reduced order volume at the facility."
Coach K Says Trump Should Know He's Accountable To Everyone
Duke University men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski says President Donald Trump "should realize he's accountable to all people."
The News & Observer of Raleigh reports that Krzyzewski's comments came Wednesday as he spoke about how the NCAA's authority structure affects college basketball. Coach K was explaining his accountability to university officials before mentioning Trump.
It wasn't Krzyzewski's first Trump reference this month. At a news conference Oct. 3, the coach discussed ways to influence change saying, "The biggest thing that you can pull, and I wish our president would understand, is economic pressure. You don't have to destroy everybody. You can make them hurt with economic pressure."
Krzyzewski is registered as unaffiliated on the state's voting records databases.
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