Opinion Roundup: New maps, same result; students unite; MAGA and football don't mix; Cooper vetoes bill and more

Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: new maps that don't change much; striking for action on climate change; MAGA doesn't mix with football, again; regulatory bill gets Cooper veto; Causey wants Blue Cross chief out; and more.

NC remap won't necessarily produce Democratic majorities (AP reports) -- N.C.'s newly redrawn legislative districts are skewed less toward Republicans than the current plans, which judges rejected for political bias, but they wouldn't necessarily guarantee Democratic majorities in 2020, redistricting experts say. "Given a baseline of perfect symmetry, one would find the remedial plans better than their predecessors but still reasonably far from treating both parties equally," wrote Nicholas Stephanopoulos, a University of Chicago law school professor involved in a previous partisan gerrymandering lawsuit in Wisconsin.

Cooper vetoes regulatory cleanup bill (AP reports) -- Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed the annual legislation pitched by Republicans as reducing and streamlining North Carolina regulations.

Cooper vetoes regulatory reform bill (WRAL-TV reports) -- Governor cites trash can, septic system provisions.

Insurance commissioner wants Blue Cross to name interim CEO (AP reports) -- N.C.'s top insurance regulator wants Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina to name an interim chief executive while its current leader awaits resolution of an impaired driving case.

NC insurance commissioner says Blue Cross should name interim chief after CEO's DWI arrest (AP reports) -- The chief executive of North Carolina's largest insurer will retain his job despite a drunken driving arrest earlier this summer.

Aetna says Blue Cross had unfair advantage in NC's Medicaid managed care contract process (WRAL-TV reports) -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of N.C. had an unfair advantage to gain a multibillion-dollar state contract to handle Medicaid claims under a new managed care system, according to an appeal filed by one of the losing bidders.

CELIA RIVENBARK: Racing to bottom of heap of cash (and heap of depravity) (Wilmington Star-News column) -- Most of y’all have probably read about the Pennsylvania couple that spent $120,000 accidentally dropped into their checking account at BB&T. It didn’t take Robert and Tiffany Williams long to spend most of the money on a camper, a Chevy and a race car. This reminds me of the old joke in which the lottery winner is asked by a reporter how he will spend his millions and the salty old gent responds, “loose women, plenty of good liquor, casino gambling and...well, I’ll probably just squander the rest on foolishness.” Indeed.

The summertime lines at the DMV weren’t as long this year. Here’s why. (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- DMV Commissioner Torre Jessup expects the agency to issue as many as 1.8 million REAL IDs in the next year or so.

'We need you": Cheers and chants greet a calmer Bernie Sanders at Bennett College visit (Greensboro News & Record reports) -- The independent senator from Vermont led a town hall at Bennett College on Friday. His supporters ate it up.

Hillary Clinton to appear at Manhattan fundraiser for Raleigh mayoral candidate (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- If you want to see Raleigh mayoral candidate Caroline Sullivan Monday night, you’re probably going to have to fly. Andrea Hagan, a supporter, is holding an event for her in Manhattan featuring former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The suggested donation to attend the reception on the Upper East Side is $1,000. The maximum contribution — $5,400 — is also listed on the invitation.

Raleigh lawyer reprimanded for obscene messages on Wake Register of Deeds’ voicemail (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- The State Bar has reprimanded Raleigh attorney Ronald Garber for repeatedly leaving obscene voicemail messages for Laura Riddick, the former Wake County register of deeds now in prison for embezzlement. Riddick filed the grievance in August of 2018, shortly before a Superior Court judge sentenced her to five to seven years behind bars and ordered her to repay $926,000, which she did that day. Riddick described being stalked and sexually harassed by Garber for six months in 2014, leading to mental stress that heightened health problems and triggered panic attacks.

Hundreds from the Triangle join climate strikers around the world (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- Children, teenagers and adults -- including a group who bicycled from Chapel Hill to Raleigh -- rally near the Capitol to urge action on climate change.

Hundreds join Triangle Students Climate Strike to call for tougher action against climate change (WRAL-TV reports) -- Hundreds of people gathered near the state legislature in downtown Raleigh to demand stronger action by government to battle climate change.

Cape Fear Die-In protests lack of action on climate change (Wilmington Star-News reports) -- Activists in downtown Wilmington were organized by the 350 Wilmington group. The gathering kicked off a week of strikes, protests and other activities meant to fight climate change.

Shift against the greed that drives major college sports (Charlotte Observer) -- Now in California there is significant support for letting athletes get compensated, especially since Division I leaders don’t seem to care whether athletes get educated. U. Va. basketball coach Tony Bennett went against that tide of avarice and neglect by turning down a raise and putting half a million dollars into players’ career training. Perhaps after beating the competition, he — along with California — can help defeat the hypocrisy and injustice of big-time college sports.

ECU’s finances improved, board is told. ‘Pirate Nation’s future is looking bright.’ (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- Financial conditions at East Carolina University have improved, so it won’t be necessary for the school to move $10 million from a physicians practice at the medical school to the athletics program.

Folt, New President Takes Reins at Scandal-Plagued USC (AP reports) -- Veteran academic leader Carol L. Folt was formally installed as the 12th president of the University of Southern California, taking the reins of the institution snared in unfolding scandals involving allegations of sex abuse, drug use and bribery.

School nixes game amid furor over cheerleaders' Trump banner (AP reports) -- Officials in Stanly Countgy have canceled a football game at a high school where cheerleaders were placed on probation for displaying a banner that said, "Trump 2020: Make America Great Again."

No football, plenty of American flags at North Stanly (WRAL-TV reports) -- There was no football game Friday night at North Stanly High School. The Stanly County sheriff and school leaders, wary of a planned protest, agreed with Jesse Carson High School, which was to have been North Stanly's rival, to cancel the game.

Athletic association censors cheer squad over Trump banner (Wilson Times) -- We call on the NCHSAA to immediately rescind the team’s probation designation, issue a public apology and announce that it will no longer interfere with student-athletes’ political speech. An athletic association rulebook will never supersede the Bill of Rights. Correct the mistake now, Commissioner Tucker, or face the music in federal court.

COLIN BRINKLEY: Feds cite Islam focus in review of Duke-UNC language grant (AP reports) -- The Trump administration is threatening to cut funding for a Middle East studies program run by the University of North Carolina and Duke University, arguing that it's misusing a federal grant to advance "ideological priorities" and unfairly promote "the positive aspects of Islam" but not Christianity or Judaism.

Cooper asks TV providers to reach ACC Network deals (AP reports) -- Gov. Roy Cooper wants Disney-owned ESPN and TV providers to "push harder" and reach agreements to carry the Atlantic Coast Conference's new channel.

Officials believe some may have been exposed to tuberculosis at Duplin County schools (WRAL-TV reports) -- Duplin County Schools and other officials are working to determine if there may have been an exposure of tuberculosis by someone who has it at two of its schools.