Opinion Roundup: Duke Energy rate hike, GOP renews push to require 'supermajorities', water temps reach record highs and more

Monday, July 9, 2018 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Cooper promises full Hurricane Matthew recovery to Lumbees, GOP renews push to require 'supermajorities' for tax hikes, the lowdown on Duke Energy's proposed rate hike, new museum exhibit showcases African-American beaches, water temps reach record highs and more.

Paging Mark Harris; it's the 21st century (Charlotte Observer) — Mark Harris, a former Baptist minister and now Republican candidate for Congress, delivered a sermon a few years ago that shows how out of step he is with the role of women in the 21st century.

ANNE BLYTHE: Judge reprimands NC GOP candidate, his ex-wife and her new husband for poor parenting (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- Steve Von Loor, GOP candidate in the 4th Congressional District was in court on for a contentious hearing that ended with the judge reprimanding all involved for poor parenting. … At the end of the hearing, which lasted for more than two hours, District Court Judge Dan Nagle dismissed both cases, saying the conduct alleged by Loor and Adrian J. Robey did not rise to stalking, torment or harassment as defined by the law. But Nagle took a moment after hearing all the allegations, which included angry text messages and emails laced with profanity and "verbal abuse," to talk with the adults about the impact their squabbling and bitter bickering could have on their children.

Attempted power-grab in Raleigh is plain un-American (Wilmington StarNews) — Yes, it’s goodbye to those pesky checks and balances our founders cherished. Thanks to tinkering by North Carolina’s General Assembly, voters this November will face a virtual book of a ballot, chock full of somewhat bewildering constitutional amendments. Case in point: the separation of powers amendment, which will gut parts of the N.C. Constitution that have stayed intact since its creation in 1776, six months after our nation declared its independence and threw off a yoke of tyranny

BERNARD GROFMAN: This might be the way to prove partisan gerrymandering, according to the new Supreme Court standard (Washington Post analysis) -- Identifying exactly which districts have been "packed" or "cracked" is challenging, but doable.

Cooper promises full Hurricane Matthew recovery to Lumbees (AP reports) -- Gov. Roy Cooper is promising people in southern North Carolina he will do all he can to make sure they recover from flooding from Hurricane Matthew.

RALEIGH BAILEY & STEVE SUMERFORD: Why we were willing to risk being arrested in Raleigh (Greensboro News & Record column) -- We recently were arrested at the General Assembly in Raleigh, as part of a group of 14 that Monday, about half of whom were from Greensboro. We were charged with misdemeanor second-degree trespassing because we did not disperse or stop singing outside of the locked door of the Assembly Room (the People’s Chamber) after Capitol Police had directed us to do so. We were part of a group of nonviolent demonstrators who had come to Raleigh to communicate with our elected representatives. Specifically, we were there to share our concerns about a variety of issues that harshly impact the poor and marginalized people in our state.

Time for another battle against hatred (Fayetteville Observer) -- Members of the Lumbee Tribe last week dedicated a memorial that honored the Battle of Hayes Pond, the day 60 years ago when the tribe drove drove off a group of Ku Klux Klan members who had gathered there for a rally. The Lumbees showed up in greater numbers and heavily armed. Shots were fired, but no one was hurt. Klan members fled. It was a remarkable event, especially for 1958, when the Klan held more power than it does today.

CELIA RIVENBARK: Beware of coyotes Next Door (Wilmington Star-News column) -- In these fractured times, it’s nice to know there is one thing Americans agree on. No matter what region of this great country you live in, no matter what your political party affiliation, your skin color, your religion ... it turns out that when it comes to those neighborhood apps and websites, we all have the same shared obsessions.

JEFF STEIN: At state level, GOP renews push to require ‘supermajorities’ for tax hikes, imperiling progressive agenda (Washington Post analysis) -- "It's very clear that they're getting ready for when they're out of power, and trying to stack the deck now," one Florida Democrat says. Chris McCoy, state director of N.C. Americans for Prosperity says it just to make sure North Carolina taxpayers are protected.

RICHARD KARPEL: With public notice law, Guilford County is first in country to put foxes in charge of the henhouses (Greensboro News & Record column) -- Guilford County passed a law earlier this year moving all public notices required by state law from local newspapers to the county’s website. Four companies that publish newspapers in the county (including the News & Record) recently filed suit to have the ordinance — and the statute that enabled it — ruled unconstitutional. If the lawsuit fails, Guilford will become the first county in the U.S. to completely appropriate to itself the responsibility for publishing its notices. And there is a grave danger that the practice will spread to the rest of the state.

TIM WHITE: How did we fall into this cauldron of violence? (Fayetteville Observer column) -- It’s not about guns — not the one I don’t carry and not the one Jarrod Ramos did carry. It’s about society, really, and the breakdown in the norms that most of us accept and follow. It’s about civility and decency and respect for human life. Somewhere along the way, we’ve let those values ebb. For some of us, they’ve disappeared altogether. If our political philosophies differ, we can barely have civil conversations anymore. How did it come to this? And what will we do about it?

PAUL WOOLVERTON: Senator upset after legislature failed to pass tax break for veterans (Fayetteville Observer reports) -- Republican state Sen. Ron Rabin of Harnett County is unhappy with his fellow Republicans in the state House of Representatives for failing to pass an income tax break he sponsored for military veterans. But an upper-ranked Republican in the House said last week it was Rabin’s fellow senators who agreed to set aside Rabin’s proposed tax break. Now that the General Assembly has concluded its main lawmaking session for 2018, Rabin’s veterans’ tax cut bill is essentially dead.

MICHAEL GEBLEIN: Future uncertain for thousands of NC children in group homes (Carolina Public Press reports) -- A sweeping overhaul of the nation’s foster care system has North Carolina caregivers, social workers and advocates scrambling to figure out how the new laws will affect thousands of children currently living in group homes.

CATHERINE KOZAK: Bonner Bridge Replacement Work Continues (Coastal Review reports) -- Work continues on the long-planned replacement for the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet and is scheduled to open to traffic during the fall of this year.

DEREK LACEY: Courthouse rallies increase; Permit policy may get review (Hendersonville Times-News reports) -- A rally last Saturday protesting the separation of migrant families brought hundreds of people to the Historic Courthouse in downtown Hendersonville, but county officials say organizers failed to secure permission from the county to use the space.

ALLAN MAURER: Amazon HQ2 process turns site selection on its head, says NCEDA (WRAL TechWire) — The public way Amazon has carried out its process for choosing its coveted HQ2, “Has turned site selection on its head,” says Lawrence Bivins who manages policy and public affairs for the NC Economic Development Association. He says the state has to be ready for anything.

BRIAN SHRADER: UNC Chapel Hill team aims to preserve Rocky Mount Mills history (WRAL reports) — Capitol Broadcasting bought more than just an abandoned textile mill when the company purchased Rocky Mount Mills four years ago. The firm, which is also the parent company of WRAL TV, bought an iconic site near the Tar River that has loomed large and played a big role in the Triangle's history. But the site, which is located in Rocky Mount, is getting a new lease on life with a renovation that aims to turn the abandoned property into a thriving office and living space.

A great school system can break poverty’s grip (Fayetteville Observer) — Marvin Connelly Jr. took over as Cumberland County’s superintendent of schools last week. On Tuesday, at a special meeting of the Cumberland County Board of Education, he’ll be sworn in. He’s going to be a busy man. But busy is a standard part of life for the 55-year-old school leader who until recently was chief of staff and strategic planner for the Wake County Public School System. He’s also pastor of a church in Wake County. From all reports, he’s been remarkably successful at both those jobs.

Legislature undermines education again (Winston-Salem Journal) -- It’s not surprising at this point — disappointing, disturbing, angering, sure, but not surprising — to learn that the Republican-led legislature has once again short-changed our state’s educators, which ultimately affects the students in their charge.

MOSTLY TRUE: NC Democrat says Mike Pence expanded Medicaid in Indiana (PolitiFact/Durham Herald-Sun analysis) – N.C. Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen said Indiana expanded Medicaid while Vice President Mike Pence was governor. Though Indiana doesn’t refer to its program as Medicaid expansion, the state did expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act while implementing controversial conditions. We rate this statement Mostly True.

MICHAEL ABRAMOWITZ: Pitt County developing formula for pharma growth (Greenville Daily Reflector reports) — Recent growth and development in the prescription medication industry, along with success at two manufacturing facilities, is fueling a new effort by Pitt County economic developers to market the area’s growing reputation as a global pharmaceutical hub.

ALLAN MAURER: Duke-NUS commercializing discovery that delivers drugs across the blood-brain barrier (WRAL TechWire) — A new, Singapore based biotech start-up, Travecta Therapeutics, will commercialize the discovery of a Duke Medical School professor that can lead to new brain, eye, and central nervous system treatments.

TAFT WIREBACK: The lowdown on Duke Energy's proposed rate hike (Greensboro News & Record reports) — The North Carolina Utilities Commission recently made headlines by largely rejecting Duke Energy Carolinas’ proposal to increase revenues at customers' expense. Participants in the rate case are still doing the final math, so the exact impact on residential customers isn't fully known yet. But one thing is clear, the average customer is in a much better place than DEC's original proposal envisioned.

JEN WEISS: North Carolina, it’s time to hit reboot on grid modernization (Durham-Herald Sun) — At the heart of the initiative is Duke Energy’s stated desire to upgrade the state’s grid to make it more resilient, reliable and secure, while keeping rates affordable. But how much, how fast, and who should pay are key questions that have not been adequately answered. Given the scale of the investment and the long-term impact to ratepayers, now is the time for North Carolina to proactively restart the grid modernization discussion.

WILL HENDRICK & KEMP BURDETTE: Lawmakers trample on property rights (Fayetteville Observer column) -- Last month, the General Assembly again voted to prioritize polluters over people when it overrode Governor Cooper’s veto and enacted the NC Farm Act, SB 711. In the House of Representatives, the vote was incredibly close; advocates for healthy communities, clean water and clean air came up just three votes short of stopping a veto override. The passage of this legislation serves as a reminder of the importance of electing representatives who care more about communities than campaign contributions and, as we approach election season, how we got to a place where our legislators consistently protect corporate profits instead of citizens.

HUNTER INGRAM: Wrightsville hot tub? Water temps reach record highs (Wilmington Star-News reports) -- The ocean was 89 degrees Friday, a reflection of the sticky hot weather that has gripped the region for days

STEPHANIE CARSON: EPA's Transparency Rule May Muddy the Waters (Public News Service reports) -- The departure of EPA chief Scott Pruitt comes at as the agency is trying to implement a controversial rule. Opponents say it could reduce the amount of scientific data considered when drafting environmental regulations. The Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science rule purports to ensure that the regulation process is accessible. But Rachel McIntosh-Kastrinsky, medical advocate and healthy air manager with Clean Air Carolina, says although data transparency is a good idea, there are implications if it's required as part of a regulation. "If it is enacted as a rule from EPA, it can cause EPA to eliminate scientific studies and therefore, potentially, enacting this rule would eliminate the use of certain science and therefore impede environmental regulation," she states.

Goodbye, Pruitt (Winston-Salem Journal) — By the time he bowed to increasing pressure and resigned as the Environmental Protection Agency administrator on Thursday, Scott Pruitt’s outrageous behavior had made even some of his conservative defenders breathe a sigh of relief.

GenX filters? Water lines? It’s government’s call (Fayetteville Observer) — The company that manufactures chemicals that have contaminated hundreds of wells in Bladen and Cumberland counties says it can’t afford to run municipal water lines to the affected homes. Instead, Chemours has recommended to state regulators that it install granulated activated carbon filter systems in homes where wells have tested above the provisional health goal set for GenX and related chemicals by the state Department of Health and Human Services.

ABBIE BENNETT: This little jellyfish can cause a painful rash – or worse. It’s now in NC rivers (Durham-Herald Sun reports) — The sea nettle is a common jellyfish seen on the East Coast during the summer. It's usually confined to brackish, warm waters, according to the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences. That may explain why it's showing up in North Carolina rivers.

DREW BROOKS: WWII paratrooper, veteran of four combat jumps, has died (Fayetteville Observer reports) — Fewer than 3,000 paratroopers made four combat jumps with the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II. Following the death of retired 1st Sgt. Harold Eatman, fewer than 16 of those paratroopers are alive today. First Sgt. Eatman, 102, died Friday at his home in Matthews, near Charlotte, according to the 82nd Airborne Division. He jumped into Sicily, Salerno, Normandy and Holland during the war, taking part in some of the most famous battles of the European theater. In 2015, 1st Sgt. Eatman was one of eight North Carolina veterans recognized for their efforts to liberate France during World War II. The veterans received France’s highest honor, the Legion of Honor.

UNC political scientist Joel J. Schwartz (Durham Herald-Sun obit) -- Joel Joseph Schwartz, a political scientist who spent 43 years on the UNC faculty, died at his home in Chapel Hill on July 7. He was 81 years old. During his tenure, Dr. Schwartz was the recipient of several teaching awards, including the University Professor of Distinguished Teaching, and five chancellor and student undergraduate awards. He also received the General Alumni Faculty Service Award. He served as inaugural Director of the university's Center for Teaching and Learning and, in 1995, he was Director of the UNC Honors Program in London. He was most proud of his work with students that led to the establishment of the Apples Service-Learning program. That program is now an essential part of the undergraduate curriculum.

Hugh Alexander ‘Chip’ McAlister Jr. (The Robesonian Obit) – Hugh Alexander “Chip” McAllister Jr., 79, who grew up in Lumberton and received his medical degree from the University of North Carolina in 1966, died June 15 in Houston, Texas. He served as founding chairman of the Department of Cardiovascular Pathology (Texas Heart Institute) and chief of the Department of Pathology (St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital). Working in the area of heart transplantation and rejection, Chip developed a system for grading cardiac allograft rejection, which ultimately became a model for the grading scale adopted by the International Society for Heart Transplantation. Chip "retired" in 2000, devoting tremendous effort to giving back to UNC, where he established the UNC McAllister Heart Institute for research and clinical care. He also served as the president of the UNC Medical Alumni Association and was a member of the Executive Committee of the Medical Foundation of N.C. and of the UNC Board of Visitors for which he received the prestigious Davie Award for his contributions.

Franciscan museum in Jerusalem shows life in Jesus' time (AP reports) -- Jerusalem’s Franciscan friars have opened a new museum filled with artifacts related to daily life in Jesus’ time. The Terra Sancta Museum’s new wing, built into the ruined remains of Crusader and Mamluk buildings along the Via Dolorosa in the Old City, showcases objects discovered in excavations at biblical sites over the past century. Shimon Gibson, a UNC archaeologist excavating Roman-era Jerusalem, said the Franciscans’ contribution to the field of archaeology in the Holy Land was “pivotal,” and that their collections were “a treasure trove of information. The treasures they’ve accumulated over time relating to their work, their mark on the study of the Holy Land, is reflected in the displays there.”

VALERIE BAUERLEIN: Miss America Organization Split by #MeToo Era Swimsuit Decision (Wall Street Journal reports) — Nearly half of Miss America’s board has quit or been forced to resign in the wake of the organization’s decision to eliminate the swimsuit competition from the contest. Two members of the nine-person board, former Miss North Carolina Jennifer Vaden Barth and former Miss Maine Valerie Crooker Clemens, said they were forced to resign by the board, which executed a pre-written resignation letter they had submitted when they were originally named interim members. Ms. Barth and Ms. Clemens said the resignation letters should no longer have been enforceable since they were subsequently elected as full board members.

REGGIE PONDER: New museum exhibit showcases African-American beaches (Elizabeth City Daily Advance reports) -- Unless you’re of a certain age, the names Chowan Beach, Bias Beach and Bogues Beach probably don’t ring a bell. But if you were an African-American growing up in the region in the early and middle parts of the 20th century, they were the beaches you frequented because of segregation. Museum of the Albemarle will unveil an exhibit on Monday showcasing the region’s history of African-American beaches.

Dean Dunn Carlton (Greenville Daily Reflector obit) -- Dean Dunn Carlton died Saturday at her home in Pinetops after a lengthy illness. Dean is survived by her mother, Mabel Bunting Dunn; her husband of 58 years, J. Phil Carlton; and daughters Deanna Drescher (John) and Elizabeth Trathen (Marcus) of Raleigh. … Dean was the valedictorian of her class at South Edgecombe High. She attended Meredith College and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1963. She and Phil were married in the summer of 1960. On their honeymoon, the Terry Sanford for Governor campaign tracked them down and asked Phil to return to help with a rally at the fairgrounds.