VOLUME 8 ISSUE 4
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WWW.NSJONLINE.COM
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023
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BRIEF this week
Three Reps join ‘Problem Solvers Caucus’ in US House Raleigh Three freshmen U.S. Reps. have joined the Problem Solvers Caucus in Congress. Democrats Don Davis (NC01) and Wiley Nickel (NC13) and Republican Chuck Edwards (NC-11) officially joined the group, which now has over 60 members of both parties. Twenty-four new members joined the caucus this term. “I’m excited to join a group of colleagues who are focused on delivering real solutions to the kitchen-table issues that affect the day-to-day lives of Western North Carolinians,” said Edwards in a statement. Nickel added, I look forward to working with Democrats and Republicans on the Problem Solvers Caucus to get things done for the American people.” NSJ STAFF
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE N.C. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
Rep. John Torbett (R-Gaston), State Superintendent Catherine Truitt, Center for Safer Schools Executive Director Karen Fairley, and former Rep. Jamie Boles (R-Moore) at the Center for Safer Schools 10 Year Anniversary event in Raleigh.
Center for Safer Schools celebrates 10th anniversary
Supreme Court rules for deaf student in education case Washington, D.C. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday for a deaf student who sued his public school system for providing an inadequate education. The case is significant for other disabled students who allege they were failed by school officials. The case the justices ruled in involves Miguel Luna Perez, who attended public school in Sturgis, Michigan. Perez’s lawyers told the court that for 12 years the school system neglected the boy and lied to his parents about the progress he was making, permanently stunting his ability to communicate. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in a eight-page opinion for the court that the case “holds consequences not just for Mr. Perez but for a great many children with disabilities and their parents.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NC State discontinues coed rifle program Raleigh North Carolina State will discontinue its varsity coed rifle program at the end of this academic year. The school announced the decision Tuesday, with athletic director Boo Corrigan saying officials reached “this difficult decision” after a review of the program offered at the school since 1958. “Being able to provide a toplevel Division I experience for our student-athletes is our first priority and it is no longer feasible to do this for our rifle program,” Corrigan said. The school fields one of just 22 rifle programs in the NCAA and competes in the Great America Rifle Conference. The school said it would honor scholarships of impacted students on the roster throughout their undergraduate years by matching their current level, as well as provide continued access to services for academic support, sports medicine and sports psychology. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
US speeds up Abrams tank delivery to Ukraine Washington, D.C. The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, opting to send a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, with the aim of getting the 70-ton battle powerhouses to the war zone by the fall, the Pentagon said. Officials said the decision was made to send the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from Army stocks. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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tion. The purpose of CFSS is to make schools in the state safer by ofRALEIGH — At an event held fering training, resources and inin Raleigh on March 17, the Cen- formation to districts. CFSS staff ter for Safer Schools celebrated its focus on school climate, school 10th anniversary. The event also discipline and emergency prekicked off a 10-month-long series paredness concerns for the state’s of anniversary events which will K-12 schools. Torbett and Boles both spoke be detailed on the center’s social about the importance of mental media platforms. Various officials with the cen- health and staff training in makter gave remarks, including the ing schools safer. “If we can catch them now, we center’s executive director, Karen Fairley, House K-12 Education have done a great thing for sociCommittee chair Rep. John Tor- ety,” Torbett said of identifying kids who may be bett (R-Gaston), forstruggling. mer statehouse Rep. Boles praised Jamie Boles, N.C. Suthe training work perintendent Catherine Truitt and Deputy We have too many being done at the Superintendent Dr. superintendents temporary training center established Jerry Oates. N.C. Deand principals in Moore County partment of Public with sleepless and the work that Safety Secretary Eddie will be done at a Buffaloe was also in atnights.” permanent facilitendance. ty in Montgomery The various speakers recognized past State Superintendent County set to open in late 2024. The and current accomCatherine Truitt facilities allow for plishments and activirealistic emergenties of the center. The Center for Safer Schools cy and active shooter drills to be (CFSS) was formed through an conducted. “We have one goal: protect our executive order by former Gov. Pat McCrory in March 2013 as a children,” said Boles. In her remarks, Fairley highresponse to the tragedy that occurred months before on Dec. 12 lighted the history and work of at Sandy Hook Elementary School the CFSS. She and her husband in Newtown, Connecticut. The already have eight daughters, but CFSS was originally housed un- they immediately gained 1.5 milder the N.C. Department of Public lion children when she took up Safety but was later moved under the Department of Public Instruc- See EVENT, page A2 By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
Cooper’s $67B budget proposal dubbed ‘reckless’ by top lawmakers By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH —Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper unveiled on March 15 the final budget proposal of his tenure, one that totals $67 billion in spending over the biennium. “We are at a historic moment with unprecedented opportunity to make ‘once-in-a-generation’ investments in our future,” said Cooper in a press release. “North Carolina has built on our success to strengthen our place as first in opportunity, and we will continue that growth only by making sound investments in our families, workforce, schools and communities. Let’s take advantage of our unlimited potential to make sure every North Carolinian can thrive.” The governor’s press statement also claimed his budget, which
he has dubbed “First in Opportunity,” is a “responsible, balanced budget that does not raise taxes for North Carolinians,” but his proposal increases state spending over the next two years by 20%. His $67 billion plan would increase spending by 18%, or $33 billion this year and an additional $34.2 billion the year after, representing another increase of 3.9%. Earlier this month, General Assembly leadership announced an agreement to increase spending at around half that rate. That agreement proposes a 6.5% increase by spending $29.7 billion in 2023-24 and a 3.75% increase in 2024-25 by spending $30.8 billion. Top lawmakers called the proposal “reckless.” “Governor Cooper’s budget proposal takes the same reckless See BUDGET, page A3
Tillis tackles state of economy at small business event By Matt Mercer North State Journal RALEIGH — Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) headlined an event for small business leaders across North Carolina on Monday in downtown Raleigh — a stone’s throw away from the General Assembly, where he helped usher in multitudes of changes in taxes, laws and more. Making consequential change is also his goal in his second term as senator. That, though, has been more difficult. Still, Tillis said during his remarks to North Carolina’s National Federation of Independent Businesses chapter he stands by every piece of bipartisan legislation he worked on in the past two years. “I was involved in several bipartisan efforts in the last Congress,” Tillis said during the luncheon. “And I stand by every single one of them. I believe that they’re aging well. This is actually a time for people who are serious about governing to check some of their politics at the door and get something done.” At the outset of his speech, Tillis
NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) speaks at an NFIB Small Business Day luncheon in Raleigh on March 20,2023. told the crowd to scattered laughs you’d have to be “in the outer reaches of Mongolia” not to know about the Silicon Valley Bank failure. Tillis said forcefully it was not a major systemic threat to the banking system. Tillis sits on the Senate Banking Committee, and the fallout — and future — of the industry will be a
major part of the last four years of his second term. While saying it was not a systemic threat, he added that “there are some brushfires out there we have to work on.” But he mostly blamed the ineffectiveness of regulations keeping up with the indusSee TILLIS, page A2