VOLUME 10 ISSUE 9 | THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2025
NSJONLINE.COM
GREGORIO BORGIA / AP PHOTO
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica at the end of the Easter mass on Sunday. The pontiff died Monday at 88.
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Funeral for Pope Francis planned for Saturday
BRIEF this week
House bill would extend driver’s licenses to address DMV backlog Raleigh A bill filed in the North Carolina House would extend driver’s license expiration dates tied to long wait times at the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. House Bill 821, which has already received approval by the House Transportation Committee, would establish a temporary moratorium on the expiration of certain Class C driver’s licenses in North Carolina. The bill extends the validity of Class C driver’s licenses for up to two years beyond their expiration date. However, the extension does not apply to licenses that are currently canceled, revoked or suspended, nor to Real ID-compliant licenses that have been valid for eight years or more. The extension would be active upon the bill becoming law. The law would only be in effect through Dec. 31, 2027. In March, North Carolina’s Department of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) Chief Wayne Goodwin announced he was not seeking to keep his post. Goodwin made the announcement while testifying before the House Oversight Committee. Goodwin, a former Insurance Commissioner and Democratic Party chair, was appointed by thenGov. Roy Cooper in 2022 to improve the agency after pandemicrelated challenges. His departure coincided with increasing legislative scrutiny, long wait times and an announced audit of NCDMV spending by State Auditor Dave Boliek.
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Senate unveils $65.9B budget proposal The proposal includes salary increases, hurricane recovery, education spending, tax relief, CON law repeal and more By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The North Carolina Senate unveiled and passed its $65.9 billion budget proposal last week. The bill now goes to the House for consideration, and negotiations are likely. The 2025 Appropriations Act allocates $32.6 billion in the first year and $33.3 billion
Public viewings began Wednesday for the pontiff, who died Monday at 88 following a stroke By Nicole Winfield and Colleen Barry The Associated Press
in the second year. Gov. Josh Stein’s budget proposal has roughly $68 billion in spending over the biennium. Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) led the press conference rolling out the Senate’s budget proposal on April 14. Berger said the budget would likely not be finalized until June. After a flurry of amendments, the Senate passed the measure 31-16 on April 16. Four Democrats voted in favor: Sens. Dan Blue (Wake), Paul Lowe (Forsyth), Gladys Robinson (Guildford) and Joyce Waddell (Mecklenburg). “North Carolina’s economy is
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis will be laid to rest Saturday after lying in state for three days in St. Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met Tuesday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and May 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. U.S. President Donald Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend, and Argentine President Javier Milei is also expected. The Argentine pope died Monday at age 88 after a stroke put him in a coma and led his
See BUDGET, page A3
See POPE, page A2
Helene remains priority for NC’s DC delegation Reps. Tim Moore and Chuck Edwards have both led efforts to aid western communities By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina’s members of Congress have been actively advocating for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in Washington. U.S. Rep. Tim Moore (R-Kings Mountain) introduced the Disaster Relief Transparency Act aimed at bringing transparency to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in how it manages and allocates resources for its Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) and Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) programs. “Hurricane Helene taught us that
IZZY LAVALETTE FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL
A Swannanoa home bears search‑and-rescue markings made by FEMA in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Oct. 10. the way federal disaster relief funds are distributed and overseen needs serious improvement,” Moore said in a press See HELENE, page A3
“He truly gave everything he had, up to the end.” Sister Nathalie Becquart