Opinion Roundup: Downsized monuments; UNC leadership changes; to mask or not; and more

Monday, June 22, 2020 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: downsizing Confederate monuments; NASCAR noose; masking or not; UNC board chances; speedway hits the breaks; 11th District GOP runoff; legislators want confidential child abuse records; and more.

Don’t point at the governor for NC monuments falling. Republicans are to blame. (N.C. McClatchy editorial) -- North Carolina’s Republican leaders are calling for law and order and blaming Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper for not intervening when protesters pulled down two Confederate statues at the State Capitol on Friday night and, in a ghastly echo of the lynching era, hung one from a light post. If anyone, the Republicans should be pointing the finger of blame at themselves.

75-foot-tall Confederate soldier monument removed from downtown Raleigh (WRAL-TV reports) -- The 75-foot-tall monument that served as a tribute to fallen Confederate soldiers was removed from State Capitol grounds by a crane Sunday morning. Saturday, Governor Roy Cooper released a statement about confederate monuments after a night of protests over the statues that said they were a tribute to white supremacy that didn't belong on state grounds.

While Confederate statues come down, other symbols targeted (AP reports) -- Spectators in North Carolina's capital cheered Sunday morning as work crews finished the job started by protesters Friday night and removed a Confederate statue from the top of a 75-foot monument. Across the country, an initially peaceful protest in Portland, Oregon, against racial injustice turned violent early Sunday: Baton-wielding police used flash-bang grenades to disperse demonstrators throwing bottles, cans and rocks at sheriff’s deputies near downtown’s Justice Center.

To cheers and music, workers dismantling 75-foot Confederate monument at NC Capitol (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- Raleigh’s tallest Confederate monument began coming down early Sunday, a gesture aimed at healing more than a century of racial division. Crews brought a crane, cherry picker and flatbed to disassemble the 75-foot obelisk on the Capitol lawn, which has stood for 125 years. As they worked, a crowd gathered on Hillsborough Street, cheering and giving thumbs-ups to the workmen. Shana Tucker brought a cello and played duets with Carly Prentis Jones, who sang “We Shall Overcome” over the noise of the construction machinery. “Finally,” said Tucker. “This is a big deal, and it seems like an authentic gesture. I’m proud of my city today.”

NC governor orders removal of Confederate statues in Raleigh (AP reports) -- Crews on Saturday removed two Confederate statues outside the North Carolina State Capitol in Raleigh on order of the governor, the morning after protesters toppled two nearby statues. “I am concerned about the dangerous efforts to pull down and carry off large, heavy statues and the strong potential for violent clashes at the site,” Cooper said. “If the legislature had repealed their 2015 law that puts up legal roadblocks to removal we could have avoided the dangerous incidents of last night. Monuments to white supremacy don’t belong in places of allegiance, and it’s past time that these painful memorials be moved in a legal, safe way,” Cooper said.

Governor orders Confederate monuments removed at Capitol after statues toppled (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- Gov. Roy Cooper ordered three Confederate monuments removed from the state Capitol grounds to protect public safety, he said in a statement, less than 24 hours after protesters pulled down two bronze soldiers from the 75-foot Confederate monument at the Capitol. The monuments include memorials that have stood at the State Capitol for more than a century: the remainder of the North Carolina Confederate monument, the monument to the Women of the Confederacy and the Henry Wyatt Monument. Crews removed the Wyatt Monument and the Women of the Confederacy statues Saturday morning.

Cooper orders crews remove two Confederate monuments at Capitol (WRAL-TV reports) -- Crews came out to Capitol Square on Saturday morning to remove the two Confederate monuments — the Women of the Confederacy Monument and a statue of Henry Lawson Wyatt, the first Confederate soldier to die in the Civil War. Gov. Roy Cooper shared a statement on Saturday afternoon explaining his order to remove two Confederate monuments at the State Capitol.

Officials explain lack of police intervention during height of Friday's protest, monuments' removal (WRAL-TV reports) -- One of the main questions about Friday's protest in downtown Raleigh -- where two Confederate statues were torn down by protesters -- was the lack of police presence at the height of it all.

Protesters pull down parts of Raleigh Confederate monument (AP reports) -- Protesters in N.C.'s capital pulled down parts of a Confederate monument Friday night.

Protesters tear down parts of Confederate monument at State Capitol (WRAL-TV reports) -- Protesters in downtown Raleigh on Friday night tore down two statues on a Confederate monument at the State Capitol. The monument has a statue on either side. At around 9 p.m., protesters used a strap to pull down one statue before quickly removing the second one. Both statues were dragged in the street and eventually tied to light fixtures and pulled up to mimic hangings.

Violent clash in Pittsboro over Confederate monument leads to warrant, assault charges (WRAL-TV reports) -- A protest in downtown Pittsboro turned violent on Thursday as people clashed over a Confederate monument that had been removed by Chatham County in late 2019. The Pittsboro Police Department has taken out a warrant against one individual, Tommy Parnell of Surry County, who was seen behaving violently. His charges include assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and assault on a female.

As Raleigh statues fall, calls rise for Charlotte to remove its Confederate monuments (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- Soon after agreeing in 1948 to help the United Daughters of the Confederacy erect a Tryon Street monument to Judah Benjamin, a Jewish cabinet officer of the Confederate States of America, Charlotte’s two Jewish synagogues took back their support. A letter written by the son of a UDC member to its Charlotte chapter had stunned their community. Local UDC members would “erroneously begin to think that our local Jews are good Jews,” the letter warned, Senior Rabbi Asher Knight of Temple Beth El said this week. “But be not deceived. The so-called ‘good’ Jews are good only because they are yet unrevealed, and even the good ones work hand-in-hand with the most objectionable of their race.” Generations of Charlotte Jews have asked the city to remove the monument to Benjamin, whose sole connection to Charlotte was fleeing capture here by Union forces in 1865, Knight said. Still it stands — right beside the new Black Lives Matter street mural — although spray-painted and battered by an attack this week. The Benjamin marker illustrates the durability of memorials to the more than 30,000 N.C. soldiers who died for the Confederacy and the growing frustration among critics that they still stand at courthouses, cemeteries and even churches.

Noose found in Bubba Wallace's garage stall at Talladega (AP reports) --  NASCAR officials have launched an immediate investigation to determine why a noose was in Bubba Wallace's garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday.

NASCAR 'Angered' After Noose Is Found In Wallace's Stall At Talladega (NPR reports) -- A noose was found inside Bubba Wallace's garage at Talladega Speedway. He is the only black driver in NASCAR's top circuit. Wallace led efforts to ban the Confederate battle flag at NASCAR events.

Noose Left In Black Driver's Garage Stall At NASCAR Race Track (NPR reports) -- A noose — among the most threatening and resonant images from America's long history of white racist violence — was left in the garage stall Sunday of NASCAR's sole African American driver in the Cup Series, its top stock car racing circuit. NASCAR said the incident took place at its race track in Talladega, Ala. The garage stall was assigned to Bubba Wallace, who had led the successful campaign to ban Confederate flags from NASCAR facilities and events.

Restraining order limits police crowd-control tactics (AP reports) -- A N.C. judge has granted a temporary restraining order prohibiting Charlotte-Mecklenburg police from taking certain measures against people protesting in the street.

Elon professor who researches right-wing extremist groups assaulted in Alamance County (WRAL-TV reports) -- As a result of civil unrest associated with Civil War monuments, the mayor of Graham has issued a State of Emergency for the city, initiating a curfew that took effect at 9 p.m. on Saturday night. According to officials, a professor from Elon University was assaulted during an anti-racism protest outside the Alamance County Courthouse in downtown Graham. Two members of the counter-protest group supporting the Confederate monuments were arrested and charged.

Raleigh police drop charge against protester, to investigate officers' actions (WRAL-TV reports) -- Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown said Friday that she has launched an investigation into the actions of several officers after two people were detained during a Thursday night protest in downtown Raleigh.

Wilmington enacts curfew to limit activity near Confederate statues (Wilmington Star-News reports) -- Wilmington has two Confederate statues in the downtown area.

Wilmington mayor imposes curfew around 2 Confederate statues (AP reports) -- The mayor of Wilmington has imposed a curfew in the narrow area surrounding two Confederate monuments to try to thwart any vandalism or destruction.

NED BARNETT: Josephus Daniels’ descendants wrestle with his statue and a legacy of white supremacy (N.C. McClatchy column) -- Josephus Daniels descendants, who erected the statue on the city square in 1985 and retained ownership of it, hired a crane and a flatbed truck to arrive at daybreak and cart it off to storage. They acted out of safety concerns and respect for the movement against systemic racism that might have forcibly brought it down. For all his accomplishments and contributions to the public good, Daniels’ legacy is forever stained by his advocacy of white supremacy.

UDC files new lawsuit over Confederate statue removed from downtown Winston-Salem (Winston-Salem Journal reports) -- A new lawsuit filed by the local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy brings forward for the first time the legal claim that the local chapter owns the Confederate statue that the city removed from downtown Winston-Salem last year.

COREY FRIEDMAN: Protest rights may outweigh cities' curfews (Wilson Times column) -- As they heaped praise on the Black Lives Matter movement, America’s big-city mayors were actively working to undermine it with harsh curfews that cut marches and rallies short.

Why won’t NC let bars reopen? Human behavior, the state’s lawyer argues at hearing (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- People behave differently in bars. That was the rationale presented Friday by attorneys defending Gov. Roy Cooper’s decision to keep North Carolina bars closed while allowing restaurants to reopen at half capacity. “It’s not just the facilities, it’s human behavior inside those facilities,” said senior deputy attorney Amar Majmundar, representing Cooper’s order. “Restaurants present a different environment.”

North Carolina still can't race while judge considers case (AP reports) -- A judge has left in place an injunction barring a North Carolina Stock car racetrack from holding races.

Ace Speedway owners argue to stay open, but judge will decide next week (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- With its future on the line, Ace Speedway sought Friday to run more races and argued in Alamance County court for the chance to reopen despite COVID-19 restrictions. On June 11, an Alamance County judge issued a temporary restraining order against the speedway, barring further races until Friday’s hearing. Friday, Superior Court Judge D. Thomas Lambeth Jr., said the restraining order would stay in effect until Wednesday afternoon, when his ruling will be made.

Second hearing in state health department case against Alamance speedway held (WRAL-TV reports) -- There was a second hearing in the case of the Ace Speedway in Alamance County Speedway against the state health department on Friday with familiar arguments going back and forth. At the end of the hearing, the judge stated his intent to reach a decision in the case by this coming Wednesday. ​

N.C. picks vendors to expand coronavirus testing, contact tracing (Triangle Business Journal reports) -- The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has chosen 26 businesses to form an "initial pool" of vendors to support the state's coronavirus response – especially in the areas of contact tracing and testing. The move is part of the state's strategy to lean on private businesses to build the state's infrastructure for responding to the pandemic.

Raleigh crowds disobeying mask requirement; mayor discusses response (WRAL-TV reports) -- Crowds on Glenwood South this weekend are mostly choosing to ignore Raleigh's new mask requirement. Crowded restaurants and streets last weekend on Glenwood South were a major contributor to Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin's decision to create a mask requirement. However, the crowds have returned this weekend -- without masks.

NC lawmaker’s post ‘inflammatory’ and ‘threatens the lives’ of protesters (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- The Seattle chapter of Black Lives Matter Friday asked state Rep. Larry Pittman to remove his “inflammatory” Facebook post, saying it “threatens the lives of thousands of peaceful protesters.” Black Lives Matter Seattle-Kings County was responding to Pittman’s post on Monday in which he lashed out at “the gutless wonders in public office who are bowing down to Black Lives Matter.” He specifically called out the mayor of Seattle. The Cabarrus County Republican called protesters “ignorant thugs,” “criminals,” “domestic terrorists” and “vermin.” If they resist and attack police, he said officers should “shoot them.”

GOP Legislators demand special access to confidential child abuse records (The Insider reports) -- An effort to give state legislators access to confidential Department of Social Services records prompted a heated debate and a mostly party-line vote in the Senate on Friday. Senate Bill 708 is primarily a series of non-controversial Program Evaluation Division recommendations for the Child Protective Services screening process. But the amendment giving legislators an unusual power to request confidential records was added to the bill in committee this week, prompting Democrats to call it an “abuse of power.”

Cooper vetoes 2nd reopen bill, this one for N.C. gyms, bars (AP reports) -- Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday vetoed another attempt by Republican legislators to accelerate the speed in which North Carolina commerce is being restored through his COVID-19 executive order.

Cooper vetoes second reopening bill (WRAL-TV reports) -- Gov. Roy Cooper has again blocked a legislative effort to undo his pandemic-related closure orders, vetoing legislation that would have allowed gyms to reopen and bars to serve customers outdoors.

Money, board overhaul at N.C. transportation clears Senate (AP reports) -- A proposed financial and governing overhaul for N.C.'s Department of Transportation received unanimous state Senate approval this week even though it would lessen Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's control of the DOT board.

Transportation bill guts state transit funding, shifts power at DOT (WRAL-TV reports) -- The measure has unanimous support in the Senate as lawmakers react to a budget crunch and a scathing audit.

Senators say pandemic not legitimate reason for cities to stop July 4th fireworks, parades (WRAL-TV reports) -- Cities cannot deny permits for someone to hold a July 4th parade or a fireworks display because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic under a bill that cleared the Senate on Friday.

New $200 million grant program proposed for businesses, local governments (WRAL-TV reports) -- The measure passed the Senate unanimously Friday and heads to the House.

N.C. Congress runoff pits Trump favorite versus young rival (AP reports) -- Western North Carolina voters in a congressional primary runoff are deciding whether to accept President Donald Trump's favored candidate for the seat recently held by his Chief of Staff Mark Meadows or choose her young rival.

Renaming Fort Bragg is personal in NC congressional race (AP reports) -- The fight over removing the names of Confederate generals from U.S. Army bases, like Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, has become a national debate. But in N.C.’s new 8th Congressional District, which includes Fort Bragg and Cumberland County, the issue is much more personal. Democratic nominee Patricia Timmons-Goodson, whose father served at Fort Bragg and who worked her first job on the base, joined the call to rename the base. It is named after Braxton Bragg, a Confederate general usually remembered as one of the South’s worst generals.

RICK GLAZIER & SHERRY YARBOROUGH: A crisis is coming for NC renters and landlords (N.C. McClatchy column) -- It is becoming increasingly clear that far too many North Carolina families are at risk of displacement as a result of an inability to pay rent, without any means of assistance. Unless Gov. Roy Cooper, the General Assembly and local governments act in a concerted and coordinated way, housing providers and the residential tenants who rely on them will face dire economic circumstances that could jeopardize the stability of the rental housing supply in North Carolina.

North Carolina unemployment rate neared 13% in May (AP reports) -- North Carolina's unemployment rate neared 13% in May, a state agency said Friday, matching last month's adjusted figure that had soared due to massive layoffs and furloughs from the COVID-19 economic shutdown.

Unable to get unemployment answers, she drove to Raleigh for a one-woman protest (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- Fed up with a lack of answers about why she suddenly stopped receiving jobless benefits in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, Catrice Otengo drove from Greensboro to Raleigh to stage a protest outside the state unemployment office.

'Time is running out.' People still desperate for unemployment benefits as NC plows through backlog (WRAL-TV reports) -- Some North Carolinians are still waiting for their first unemployment checks more than two months after losing their jobs. They say they’re still getting the runaround from the state, despite the Division of Employment Security bringing in hundreds of new call center workers and keying in on the oldest claims.

End-bail advocates brought $100K cash, freedom, to this NC jail on Juneteenth (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- Andréa “Muffin” Hudson arrived at the Durham County jail holding a large, beige purse weighed down with $100,000 in crisp $20 bills. While some marked Juneteenth protesting in the street, watching online programs, or attending other events, Hudson and her colleagues celebrated the end of slavery by freeing nearly 30 men from jail to spend Father’s Day with their family. “Today is Juneteenth, “ Hudson said. “We are buying back people’s freedom.”

Let justice be done for dreamers (Greensboro News & Record/ Winston-Salem Journal) -- These are good people who wound up here through no fault of their own. They contribute to the economy, to our tax base and to our culture. They deserve permanent relief from the threat of deportation. That’s not likely to happen without significant changes to our current field of representatives.

Three of New York’s first Black cops were ENC men (New Bern Sun Journal reports) -- Last week we spoke of of Sam Battle, a New Bern native who was the first Black cop to be hired by the New York City Police Department, back in 1911. He was inspired to take that job by his brother-in-law, Moses Cobb, a Kinston native

N.C. community college head Peter Hans to lead UNC system (AP reports) -- The head of N.C.’s community college network was named on Friday to lead the state’s 17-campus public university system.

With unanimous vote, UNC system names new president (WRAL-TV reports) -- Peter Hans, who for the last two years has led the North Carolina Community College System, was elected Friday as the next president of the University of North Carolina system.

Bob Rucho resigning from UNC System Board of Governors (Business North Carolina reports) -- Bob Rucho, the former N.C. state senator who played a key role as Republicans reshaped state fiscal policies, says he’s resigning from the UNC System Board of Governors effective June 30. The move is timed to the recent graduation from UNC Chapel Hill of his youngest of two sons, which the retired dentist says will free him up to focus on other commitments. Rucho says he’s planning to move from Raleigh to an undetermined location in the next few months, which will take away time he has spent on UNC work. “I give 150% to everything I do,” he says. Rucho told Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger of his decision last week.

Clark to take over for Fetzer on UNC board (The Insider reports) -- Senate Republican leaders have announced their pick to fill lobbyist Tom Fetzer’s seat on the UNC Board of Governors. A resolution filed Friday by Senate Majority Leader Harry Brown, R-Onslow, names Greensboro businessman Jimmy Dean Clark for the open seat. Clark is an engineer who owns Guy M. Turner, Inc., a crane and rigging company, and he currently serves on the N.C. State University Board of Trustees. The nomination will now go to the Senate Nominations Committee before a floor vote.

LIZ BELL: Here’s what to know about child care as North Carolina reopens and reports COVID-19 clusters (EdNC reports) -- Sixty-six percent of all licensed child care facilities are now open in North Carolina, compared with 43% in April.

MELBA NEWSOME: Are the kids really alright? (N.C. Health News reports) -- There is no playbook for what happens when children are separated from friends and peers for months on end, as they have been during the coronavirus pandemic. How are they really doing?

Emails reveal chaos as meatpacking companies fought health agencies over COVID-19 outbreaks in their plants (ProPublica reports) -- Thousands of pages of documents obtained by ProPublica show how quickly public health agencies were overwhelmed by meatpacking cases. One CEO described social distancing as “a nicety that makes sense only for people with laptops.”

Escapist ‘Outer Banks’ Confronts Real Issues (Coastal Review reports) -- Stars from the fictional Netflix series “Outer Banks” and its viewers who call the Outer Banks home recently spoke to Coastal Review Online about teenage stereotypes and other issues the show portrays.