VOLUME 6 ISSUE 21
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WWW.NSJONLINE.COM
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2021
the Wednesday
NEWS BRIEFING
Biden pledges appeal of ‘deeply disappointing’ DACA ruling Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden said the Justice Department intends to appeal a federal judge’s ruling deeming illegal an Obama-era order that has allowed thousands of young people who were brought illegally into the United States as children, or overstayed visas, to live, work and remain in the country. He said in a statement that the decision was “deeply disappointing,” and although the judge’s order did not affect those already covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, it “relegates hundreds of thousands of young immigrants to an uncertain future.” Texas and eight other states sued to halt DACA, arguing that President Barack Obama lacked the power to create the program because it circumvented Congress. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
US border encounters of migrant families rise again Phoenix U.S. officials say the number of migrant families they encountered at the border in June increased by 25% from the previous month. According to new numbers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection tallied 55,805 members of families with children in June, compared with 44,746 in May. Overall, officials say they saw 5% more encounters with migrants trying to cross the border in June compared with May but attributed much of that increase to repeated attempts by people trying to get into the United States. The new numbers show slightly more than a third of the 188,829 people encountered at the border in June had unsuccessfully tried to cross at least one other time in the previous 12 months. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CDC: Delta variant accounts for 83% of US cases Atlanta Health officials say the delta variant of the coronavirus continues to surge and accounts for an estimated 83% of U.S. COVID-19 cases. That’s an increase from the week of July 3, when the variant accounted for about 50% of genetically sequenced coronavirus cases. “The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 variants is to prevent the spread of disease, and vaccination is the most powerful tool we have,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during a U.S. Senate hearing Tuesday. The delta variant, first detected in India, is a mutated coronavirus that spreads more easily than other versions. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HCA Q2 profit surges as patients return to hospitals Nashville, Tenn. The nation’s largest publicly traded hospital chain’s secondquarter profit jumped past analyst expectations as patients returned to operating tables and hospital rooms after staying away last year at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “With the effects of the pandemic moderating in the second quarter, we experienced a strong rebound in demand for services,” CEO Sam Hazen said. Last year, before vaccines were authorized for emergency use, patients stayed home or cancelled elective surgeries as the virus forced hospitals to shift their focus to treating COVID-19 patients. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COURTESY PHOTOS
Johnny Morris, CEO and Founder of Bass Pro Shops, is pictured here with Marine Sgt. Joseph Bartel of Aberdeen, Army Staff Sgt. Daniel Barnes of Waynesville, Missouri, and their families, after both men were brought out to Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters Store in Springfield, Missouri, for the surprise announcement.
NORTH
STATE
JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION
US Senate hopefuls report second-quarter fundraising totals Beasley leads Dems; Budd, McCrory neck-andneck for GOP By Matt Mercer North State Journal RALEIGH — The reports are in from the candidates running to become North Carolina’s next U.S. Senator. In the Democratic primary, former state Supreme Court chief justice Cheri Beasley raised $1.26 million. That amounts bests state Sen. Jeff Jackson, who raised just over $700,000. In his first quarter report, Jackson raised $1.3 million. Beasley said of her totals, “I’m so grateful for all of the support and enthusiasm we’re seeing across NC. For too long, our senators have been more focused on their own self-interest than serving our state. Together we’ll make that happen.” Jackson’s amount is half of what he raised in the first quarter, but in a release from his campaign, he insisted, “We’re seeing real momentum behind the movement we’re building, and we’re overwhelmed by the support we’ve received from folks across the state.” Jackson leads Beasley with the amount of available cash on hand, edging her slightly. Those totals, though, show Jackson spending at a much higher rate
than Beasley. Former state Sen. Erica Smith and the remaining announced Democratic candidates did not approach the level of Beasley and Jackson, who may turn fire on one another soon. Beasley appears to be the favorite among prominent Democrats, racking up a stunning number of endorsements from both state and national figures. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand endorsed Beasley on July 8 and that was followed by U.S. Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12) and a slew of elected Democrats across the state, many of which serve with Jackson in the General Assembly. In perhaps another sign of whom the state’s Democratic establishment favors, Dory MacMillan, a former aide to Gov. Roy Cooper, has moved to Beasley’s campaign. Cooper elevated Beasley to chief justice over senior associate justice Paul Newby in 2019. Jackson, a state senator, has made his “100-county tour” the centerpiece of his campaign, along with a significant social media presence that the Washington Post described as “inspired by Beto O’Rourke’s 2018 run in Texas.” Smith is also touring all 100 counties, but similar to her 2020 campaign against Cal CunningSee US SENATE, page A3
County school boards rebel against K-12 mask mandates Five counties have passed motions or resolutions to make masks optional this fall
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — At a meeting on July 12, the Rowan-Salisbury School Board voted to make masks optional for all students, staff and visitors.
The measure passed by a 5-2 vote. Chair Kevin Jones, along with members Travis Allen, Susan Cox, Dean Hunter and Brian Hightower voted in favor while ViceChair Alisha Byrd-Clark and member Jean Kennedy voted against. “I’m willing to take that opportunity to make an example to the rest of the school boards in the state,” Allen said of the vote to make masks optional. A second motion was passed by the Rowan board in support of the General Assembly’s Senate Bill 173,
Bass Pro Shops founder surprises wounded NC veteran with home Morris to fund 25% of next 100 homes through ‘Helping a Hero’ org By David Larson North State Journal RALEIGH — Johnny Morris, the founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops, recently announced he was donating heavily to the building of homes for veterans through the organization Helping a Hero, including a home for Marine Sgt. Joseph Bartel of Aberdeen. Meredith Iler, founder of Helping a Hero home program, told NSJ that the announcement was made in front of the Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters Store in Springfield, Missouri on Thursday. After inviting a number of veterans to spend a few days with him at a property in the Ozarks that Morris has set aside for conservation, Morris surprised them with the announcement that he will fund 25% of the next 100 homes that Helping a Hero builds. This is also when he surprised Bartel by announcing that his home would be the first of the 10 fully funded homes to be built. Earlier this year, Morris announced at a May 19 event at racing legend Richard Childress’ vineyard in Lexington that he would be fully funding 10 homes. With this subsequent announcement, Morris greatly increases his commitment. The earlier event was called the Lee Greenwood Patriot Awards Dinner, because Greenwood, the national ambassador for Helping a Hero, is giving out 40 Patriot Awards as he celebrates the 40th anniversary of his hit song, ‘God Bless the USA.” Morris was one of the six recipients at the Lexington event. The list included North Carolinians like former Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and Penny and Bob Barnhill of Rocky Mount, but also big nationally known names like Ainsley Earhardt of FOX News, celebrity chef Paula Deen and Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith.
the Free the Smiles Act,” which as currently written would give districts the power to make masks optional. Legislators established a conference committee to hammer out language regarding mask options in schools for the upcoming school year after the Senate failed to concur with changes made by the House. One of the reasons concurrence failed was that the Senate wants to add language about vaccinations to the bill, Sen. Joyce Krawiec (R-Forsyth) told North State Journal. On the House side, the conference committee includes Reps. David Willis (R-Union), Kristin Baker (R-Cabarrus), John Torbett See MASKS, page A2
The host committee included former Gov. Pat McCrory, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, Congressman Madison Cawthorn and other major state names in politics and business. “We have been around since 2006, and we did our first North Carolina home, I think, in 2011,” Iler said of Helping a Hero, which is based in Houston. “I actually founded the Wounded Hero program kind of by accident through my Rotary Club.” She said her Rotary Club was helping build two homes for wounded veterans for an episode of the television show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” and they decided to continue the work, merging with an existing group named Helping a Hero. The original Helping a Hero organization, Iler said, was founded by four men, “mainly to take veterans fishing,” but her organization was larger and they liked their name, so she requested a merger. “So I kind of went to them and said, y’all have a great name, and we have a lot of money in the bank and a great mission; let’s work together and start building homes together.” They were thrilled, she said, and they continued to do the recreation program, taking veterans fishing and other outdoor activities. “But our principal activity, and See MORRIS, page A2