Opinion Roundup: Booze bucks; Lewis' loan deal; pipe up on pipeline; and more

Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Lewis' loan deal; will Cooper's staff pipe up on pipeline issues?; FEMA 'no', SBA 'yes'?; Burr on Syria; NC Blue Cross merger off; booze bucks; and more.

Ethical Questions Arise In A Loan Deal, New Polling On The Impeachment Inquiry (WUNC-FM presents) -- A powerful state lawmaker borrowed $500,000 from a friend and political donor for a personal loan. Months later, that lender was indicted on federal bribery charges. The lawmaker - Rep. David Lewis (R-Harnett) - said he knew nothing of the investigation into his friend. And there is no evidence to suggest this loan was part of the federal investigation. That story is among the topics Rob Schofield of NC Policy Watch and others discuss in the latest review of the week in N.C. politics.

LYNN BONNER: Groundwork set for Gov. Cooper’s staff to appear at gas pipeline public hearing (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- Gov. Roy Cooper’s office said members of his staff will answer questions about the Atlantic Coast Pipeline permit at a public hearing. But they won’t meet privately with investigators the Republican legislature has hired to dig into any connection between the permit and an environmental mitigation fund.

Cooper rejects lawmakers' interview requests on pipeline (AP reports) -- Gov. Roy Cooper and staff members have rejected interview requests from investigators being used by a legislative oversight committee to examine a 2018 agreement between Cooper and utilities building the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

Cooper says NC will create program to help Dorian victims (AP reports) -- Gov. Roy Cooper aims to create a state-funded program to help residents in four counties recover from Hurricane Dorian after the federal government declined a request for assistance targeting them.

Cooper will not appeal FEMA denial, turns to SBA and state funds for Dorian recovery (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- FEMA’s denial caused anger and confusion on Ocracoke. Cooper said this new approach will provide aid “as quickly as possible.”

Baldwin wins Raleigh mayor's race after Francis decides against calling for runoff (WRAL-TV reports) -- Three days after finishing second in the Raleigh mayoral race, attorney Charles Francis said Friday that he won't call for a runoff against former City Councilwoman Mary-Ann Baldwin.

Burr Says Withdrawal Of Troops From Syria Will Destabilize Region (WFAE-FM reports) -- Sen. Richard Burr has weighed in on President Donald Trump's decision this week to withdraw United States troops from northern Syria, which is controlled by the Kurds, saying the move will destabilize the region.

State tech workers train to foil hackers (WRAL-TV/TechWire reports) -- At a meeting in Raleigh, government IT workers played the other side, solving hacking challenges to learn the latest tricks hackers are using to get into secure systems. Still, the weakest link in cybersecurity is the human user.

Election confusion means no one on ballot for mayor in Wilson County town (WRAL-TV reports) -- Elections in many area towns are set for Nov. 5, but in the Wilson County town of Lucama, no one is on the ballot for mayor.

CELIA RIVENBARK: Does Lindsey Graham still have Trump’s back? (Wilminton Star-News column) -- S.C. Sen. Lindsey Graham reports he’s feeling “fit as a fiddle” after spine surgery at the Medical University of S.C. last week. “See, I’d misplaced the ol’ backbone,” Graham told reporters while being wheeled from the O.R. into the recovery room.

BILL KIRBY: Former NC Transportation Secretary honored with I-295 highway marker (Fayetteville Observer column) -- Lyndo Tippett was the longest serving transportation secretary in state history.

Booze pushes UNC's concessions sales to new records (WRAL-TV reports) -- UNC-Chapel Hill is the one cashing in after the state legislature granted public universities the right to sell alcoholic beverages at sporting events.

Beach drownings: Deadly currents stalk swimmers (WRAL-TV reports) -- Hurricane Lorenzo may have spared the United States a direct hit, but its powerful currents and rough surf claimed at least four lives in North Carolina last week, including that of a top executive from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and two swimmers in Kure Beach.

Rough coastal weather closes Outer Banks' only highway (AP reports) -- Two storms have merged off the coast causing ocean water and sand to rush across lanes on the only highway connecting the barrier islands of the Outer Banks.

VALERIE BAUERLEIN, LESLIE SCISM & ANNA MATHEWS: Major Blue Health Insurers Drop Deal to Combine (Wall Street Journal reports) -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NN.C. and Cambia Health Solutions said they were dropping plans to combine, after the resignation of the N.C. insurer’s chief executive.

Talk to kids about vaping (Hendersonville Times-News) -- Henderson County should do everything possible to halt the spread of e-cigarette use that’s endangering young people, The place to start is with parents and the community educating ourselves and kids about the dangers of products that were until recently seen as a “safer” alternative to smoking. The Henderson County Board of Health is looking to get stricter policies in place.

TAFT WIREBACK: Duke Energy, state continue to wrangle over coal ash cleanup (Greensboro News & Record reports) -- Duke Energy is asking the state court system to overturn a recent administrative ruling that sided with government regulators in a dispute over coal-ash cleanup at the Belews Creek Steam Station and five other North Carolina power plants. The Charlotte-based utility asked the Superior Court of Mecklenburg County this week to scrap a decision by the state Office of Administrative Hearings that upheld regulators' authority to make Duke Energy dig up all coal ash at Belews Creek, near Walnut Cove, and the other plants for reburial in lined landfills.