Opinion Roundup: Judicial branch changes are still up in the air

Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018 -- A roundup of opinion, commentary and analysis on the legislature's rollout of proposals for judicial appointments, a committee's efforts to address chemicals like GenX, the endowment tax's effect on colleges and more.

​TRAVIS FAIN: Senators roll out judicial appointments proposal (WRAL-TV analysis) -- A proposal to appoint judges in North Carolina, with voters deciding later on full terms, emerged at the statehouse, but a lack of consensus left unclear whether the General Assembly can approve any judicial branch changes during a special session slated to begin next week.

​Need more proof that you can’t fix gerrymandering? (Fayetteville Observer) -- The last federal census began nearly eight years ago. When it was completed, the General Assembly took the new population numbers and redrew the state’s legislative districts. The result has been in and out of the courts ever since. The way things are going, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the litigation is continuing at some level by the time the next census is underway.

​MOSTLY FALSE: Top NC Republican accuses Democratic governor of halting the death penalty (PolitiFact) -- In a joint statement with House Speaker Tim Moore, Senate leader Phil Berger said Gov. Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein oppose the death penalty and have used "every legal trick possible – including inaction – to delay death sentences." Berger’s office provided no evidence showing that Cooper and Stein have sided with death penalty opponents in court. It’s fair to criticize how Cooper and Stein spend their resources and tie Stein to the Racial Justice Act. But those arguments alone don’t prove that they oppose the death penalty or have used legal "tricks" to delay executions. We rate this claim Mostly False.

​MICHAEL TACKETT & MICHAEL WINES: Trump Dissolves His Panel Investigating 2016 Election Fraud (New York Times analysis) -- President Trump signed an executive order to disband the commission, ending its inquiry into his false claims of voter fraud. He said the decision came after several states refused to turn over data.

​There’s an unmistakable smell coming from Congress about Russia. Richard Burr can help clear the air. (Charlotte Observer) -- New York Times Fusion op-ed, Washington Post report suggest Republicans are actively impeding probes into Trump and Russia.

​ALLAN MAURER, LAURA LESLIE & MATTHEW BURNS: Economic Forecast Forum: NC poised for growth in 2018 even without Amazon ‘whale’ (WRAL-TV/TechWire analysis) -- Four North Carolina economists agree that the state and the nation are headed for continued growth of from 2.7 to 3 percent GDP this year. North Carolina will do well even without landing a “whale” such as Amazon’s proposed second headquarters site, they said.

​EMERY DALESIO: Forecasters see NC continuing steady business growth in 2018 (AP news analysis) -- North Carolina jobs and company profits will continue to see steady, diverse growth in 2018 even if the state fails to land a Toyota auto factory or Amazon headquarters expected to be announced within months, corporate and economic leaders predicted.

​RICK SMITH: AT&T confirms layoffs including some in N.C., adding others in ‘adjusting’ of workforce (WRAL-TV/TechWire) -- AT&T acknowledges that it has recently laid off workers but says some are being offered other jobs within the company. The communications giant also says it continues to add jobs in some of its operations.

​Tax cuts benefit BB&T bosses and Wilson workforce (Wilson Times) -- Many scoffed when President Donald Trump touted his tax cuts as a Christmas present for the nation. But for hundreds of Wilson County workers, the promise of more green under the tree rang true. Winston-Salem-based BB&T, the country’s 11th-largest bank by assets, announced Dec. 22 it would invest $152 million in anticipated benefits from the tax reform bill into boosting entry-level pay, surprising about 27,000 workers with a one-time $1,200 bonus and donating an eye-popping $100 million to the bank’s philanthropic fund.

​JOHN BAILEY: Rep. Foxx recognizes value in business, education at Catawba Valley Community College (Hickory Record analysis) -- U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx recognized what was happening between Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) and Affinity Living Group during her visit to the school’s ValleySim Hospital and Health Care training facility. “This is something I’m talking about a lot and our members are talking about a lot. We want to talk with young people in particular but others too who are going back to get an education, maybe after they’ve lost their job, that they’re not just going into a job, but they’re beginning a career. It’s so important because in so many cases we have lost that concept of you’re not going to do this job, your beginning job, forever.”

​ANITA BROWN-GRAHAM: The rise of new business models (EdNC column) -- As every technology with a computing base advances on an exponential curve, we will continue to see significant disruption in almost every industry over the next decade. What will this mean for our workforce?

​JORDAN PASCALE: Here's everything you need to know about the tiebreaker (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot analysis) -- The winner of the 94th House District race will be chosen by drawing names today in Richmond. Wednesday afternoon, a three-judge panel denied an attempt to rehear arguments about a contested ballot, clearing the way for the drawing.

​Judge: Leading candidate in N.C. city is winner despite improper balloting (AP news analysis) -- A North Carolina judge says a town council candidate leading by one vote is an election winner although several people living outside town were allowed to cast ballots.

​Stopping drugs likely to save lives (Greensboro News & Record) -- Illegal drugs can be measured in pounds or kilograms, and a State Bureau of Investigation news release did that.

​RANDALL KERR: Lawsuit: Former Wake deeds employee uncovered embezzlement, was fired (WRAL-TV analysis) -- A former deputy director of the Wake County Register of Deeds Office alleges in a new lawsuit that he was fired last year because his efforts to automate cash-handling systems in the office uncovered an embezzlement scheme.

​Poverty, history projects deserve strong support (Fayetteville Observer) -- This was not a good way to start a new year. In their first meeting of 2018, City Council members raised concerns and doubts about the Pathways for Prosperity anti-poverty initiative and about the planned Civil War history center that would put Fayetteville at the center of Civil War scholarship. City residents should find those reactions worrisome and a warning flag about the direction this council may take.

​NC House committee to hear bill on emerging contaminants (Wilmington Star-News analysis) -- Rep. Ted Davis says legislation represents a necessary ‘first step’ to deal with chemicals like toxic GenX.

​JENNIFER ALLEN: Camp Lejeune Focus of 10-Year Study (Coastal Review analysis) -- Researchers studied the complex ecosystems of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune as part of a 10-year study that wrapped up in October, to better understand coastal and estuarine ecosystems in a military training environment.

​RICK SELTZER: Estimating the Endowment Tax’s Future (Inside Higher Ed analysis) -- The number of institutions subject to the newly enacted tax could grow by dozens in future years.​

​Western N.C. benefits from new health sciences center (Carolina Public Press analysis) -- A unique partnership between Blue Ridge Community College, Wingate University, Pardee Hospital, Henderson County and Hendersonville worked to design a multidisciplinary Health Sciences Center to improve the lives of Western North Carolina residents. The center serves a unique blend of learners, professionals, patients and community.