VOLUME 7 ISSUE 50 |
WWW.NSJONLINE.COM
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2023
Pistol Purchase Permit repeal bills revisited by House and Senate Two other bills filed address firearm storage safety and allowing armed security guards on certain educational properties By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — Legislators in both houses of the General As-
sembly had filed identical bills for the repeal of the state’s Pistol Permit Purchase laws. Senate Bill 40, titled Pistol Permit Purchase repeal, was filed by Sen. Danny Britt (R-Robeson), along with Senators Warren Daniel (R-Burke) and Jim Perry (R-Lenoir). The bill would repeal various statutes surrounding the issuance or denial of a permit for buy-
ing a pistol or similar firearm. It would also repeal statutes dealing with the confidentiality and record-keeping requirements related to such permits and related statutes for buying blank cartridge pistols. Additionally, if passed and signed, the bill would repeal GS 122C-54(d2), which allows a See GUNS, page A2
Burr joins DC law firm to lead health policy Washington, D.C. Former Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr is joining national law firm DLA Piper to head up their health policy strategic consulting practice. The firm also engages in federal lobbying. Burr said he’s joining the firm because he didn’t want to be on the sidelines during one of the “most exciting” times to be in health care and life sciences. He’s bringing former aides to the firm as well to help clients navigate regulatory and legislative channels related to issues such as healthcare and drug development, he told Bloomberg News. NSJ STAFF
Key Republican wants Ga. as early primary state — in 2028 Atlanta Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger wants his state to become an early presidential primary host — just not in 2024, as President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party are pushing. The Republican election chief said he’d back an early primary in 2028.
This image provided by the U.S. Navy shows sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recovering a highaltitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Feb. 5, 2023. The downing of the suspected Chinese spy balloon by a missile from an F-22 fighter jet created a spectacle over one of the state’s tourism hubs and drew crowds reacting with a mixture of bewildered gazing, distress and cheering.
Troxler: State of NC Agriculture is strong; announces 2023 priorities
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Former US Rep. Walker considering bid for governor Raleigh Former three-term U.S. representative and failed U.S. Senate candidate Mark Walker is considering a run for governor, according to news reports. A Greensboro resident, Walker said he was taking meetings with the Republican Governor’s Association due to his concerns that Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who is expected to make an announcement in the spring of his run for the job, can’t win a general election for the top spot. Winning the Republican primary would be a tall order for Walker: a poll by Differentiator Data in December 2022 showed Robinson a prospective matchup between the two by 50 points. NSJ STAFf
Intruder breaches base of Air Force One, shot fired Washington, D.C. Another intruder has breached the home of Air Force One, one of the nation’s most sensitive military bases, and this time a resident opened fire on the trespasser, Joint Base Andrews said in a statement late Monday. During the incident, which occurred at about 11:30 a.m. Monday, “a man gained unauthorized access to a JBA housing area,” Joint Base Andrews said in a statement posted to Twitter. “A resident discharged a firearm, security forces arrived on scene to apprehend the intruder and law enforcement is investigating the incident.” Joint Base Andrews is home to the fleet of blue and white presidential aircraft, including Air Force One and the “doomsday” 747 aircraft that can serve as the nation’s airborne nuclear command and control centers if needed. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
U.S. NAVY VIA AP
Chinese balloon recovered from the Atlantic near SC coast
AP PHOTO
A healthcare worker fills a syringe with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in this 2021 file photo.
Vaccine litigation lingers after lifting of military mandate The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS — Federal appeals court judges closely questioned a Biden administration attorney Monday on the consequences military personnel might face for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations, even though Biden’s vaccine mandate for military personnel has been rescinded. Lawyers for a group of Navy SEALS and other Navy personnel who refuse to be vaccinated for religious reasons told a 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel that federal court injunctions against the mandate are still needed, in part because decisions on deployments and assignments can still be made based on vaccination status. “Is there any assurance on the record, that there will be no deployment decisions based on vaccination?” Judge James Ho, one of three judges hearing the case asked Department of Justice lawyer Casen Ross. Ross said such questions were speculative and not at issue in
the case before the court. Ho and Judge Kyle Duncan noted that the administration had only reluctantly ended the military mandate after December congressional action, but Ross assured the panel that there are no plans to bring back the requirement. “Given the prevailing public health guidelines and the state of the virus, there is currently no intention to require universal vaccination of all service members,” Ross said. The Pentagon formally dropped the requirement in January following a December vote in Congress to end the mandate. However, vaccine opponents note that commanders can still make decisions on how and whether to deploy unvaccinated troops, under a memo signed last month by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Military leaders have long argued that to maintain unit health and troop readiness, troops have for decades been reSee VACCINE, page A2
Steve Troxler’s State of Agriculture address highlights need to preserve farm and forest lands By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — In remarks delivered at the 2023 North Carolina Agriculture Forum, Commissioner Steve Troxler said it was a good year for the state in terms of crop yields, commodity prices and overall trends. The forum was held on Feb. 2 in the Holshouser Building located at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. “I remain optimistic about the future of N.C. Agriculture and agribusiness, but I worry about people being able to afford it,” Troxler said, highlighting rising inflation and increasing input costs. He also said commodity prices are remaining strong. “If commodity prices dive before input costs, that is another thing that is difficult to deal with,” Troxler said, adding that high input costs represent financial risks for farmers. Troxler also warned that population dynamics is becoming a challenge that needs to be addressed with fewer people farming coupled with the loss of viable farmland amid a rapidly growing state population. Citing the American Farmland Trust, Troxler said North Carolina is predicted to be 2nd in the nation for potential farmland loss by 2040. He also noted that 135,000 moved to North Carolina in the last year, ranking the state at number 3 in the nation for population migration. Urban areas like Raleigh and Charlotte were
ranked number two and number six respectively for population growth. Energy resources will also be strained by the state’s increasing population growth, Troxler said while also mentioning the recent rolling blackouts that hit portions of the state last December. He also mentioned the possible political See NC AG, page A2
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