Opinion Roundup: 'Operation Dragon Mask" on at Ft. Bragg; gun permit apps rise in eastern N.C.; UNC board delays tuition decision; name a rhino; and more.

Friday, Apr. 15, 2020 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Cooper says testing, tracing and trends key to 'new normal'; seasonal farmworker tests positive for COVID-19; transition to White House chief of staff not smooth for Meadows; NCSU analysts create dashboard to understand virus data; Amazon adds jobs; some N.C. beaches reopen with restrictions; and more.

Interviewed in hiding, escaped N.C. inmate says he fled coronavirus ‘death sentence’ (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- Richard Cephas, an inmate who fled the Federal Correctional minimum-security camp at Butner, explains why he left, how he escaped and what he hopes for in seeking to turn himself in.

N.C. governor: ‘New normal is going to rely on testing,’ but feds need to help (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- Based on President Donald Trump’s guidelines for reopening states in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, N.C. is not ready to relax social restrictions. And N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper said the state will need help from the federal government to expand testing before it is able to reopen. “If you noticed the guidelines today, it said testing is the responsibility of the states,” Cooper said on MSNBC’s “All In with Chris Hayes”. “We’ve figured that out, but we need significant help from the federal government right now.”

Racin’ and racism (Greensboro News & Record) -- Stock-car racing involves a level of skill and discipline that may not be evident to the casual observer. And though it’s an institution, NASCAR has had the same challenges as other sports, fighting to retain and increase an audience even as new entertainment options proliferate. It’s understandable that it would immediately condemn Kyle Larson. A similar example of the corrosive effects of racism comes from recent news reports of Asian Americans who have been harassed with verbal attacks and even violence by ignorant people looking for an easy scapegoat for the threat of coronavirus.

First coronavirus case of a seasonal farmworker in N.C. confirmed. More are suspected. (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- The first presumptive positive case of coronavirus in a seasonal agricultural farmworker has been confirmed by a health clinic in Dunn. The diagnosis by CommWell Health has been confirmed to local farmworker advocacy groups and was first reported by N.C. Policy Watch and Enlace Latino N.C. on Wednesday. The farmworker’s date of diagnosis was not provided by CommWell Health.

White House Seeks to Cut Wages, Smooth Migrant Labor Hiring for Farms Squeezed by Coronavirus (Wall Street Journal reports) -- The Trump administration is taking steps to reduce costs and restrictions on farmers looking to hire migrant workers during the coronavirus pandemic, including lowering their minimum wages.

UNC Health workers are invited to participate in COVID-19 drug trial (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- Workers at UNC Health are eligible to participate in a clinical trial to see whether the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine works to prevent COVID-19. The trial is part of the HERO (Healthcare Worker Exposure Response & Outcomes) Program being coordinated by Duke Univ. The research is being funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

N.C.’s governor launched a coronavirus plan of testing, tracing and trends. He needs one more ‘T' (N.C. McClatchy editorial) -- Gov. Roy Cooper announced a new initiative .to fight COVID-19 in N.C. through what he calls a program of “Testing, Tracing and Trends.” It’s a strong proposal that’s modeled after progressive testing plans in other states, including Ca. But Cooper’s plan is missing another important “T” — telling North Carolinians all the information that’s been gathered. Yes, we know. Another editorial about transparency. But this one is more than the usual plea to provide information the public deserves to know. While Cooper has been an effective leader thus far in the fight against the virus, DHHS has been uneven in the information it provides. That’s resulted in some legitimate questions about gaps in COVID-19 data, and it’s left an opening for political opponents to fill the void with misinformation. That’s not good for anyone, including the governor.

'Operation Dragon Mask:' Ft. Bragg soldiers create masks, plastic face shields for healthcare workers (WRAL-TV reports) -- Soldiers at Ft. Bragg are helping in a new battle--the fight against COVID-19.

MARU PEMBLETON: A Pulse of Joy Amid Tragedy (New York Times column) -- Under N.C.’s stay-at-home order, our family is discovering the bounty of the mountain we live on.

Some Eastern N.C. areas report increase in pistol permit applications (WCTI-TV reports) -- Several law enforcement officials in eastern N.C. say they have seen more pistol permit applications since the coronavirus pandemic began. Both the Craven and Carteret County Sheriff's Offices report an increase in applications; Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck says applications nearly doubled from February to March while Onslow County Sheriff Hans Miller says he has always seen a large number of applications.

Covering the Triangle helps people cover their nose, mouth (WRAL-TV reports) -- Weeks into the coronavirus outbreak, there are still not enough masks to help slow the spread of the virus. A group of Durham doctors is trying to change that.

Stay-home orders change in two N.C. counties (AP reports) -- Two of N.C.'s largest counties are modifying stay-home orders meant to curb COVID-19.

Wake stay-at-home order extended to April 30 as local pandemic peak delayed (WRAL-TV reports) -- Wake County will be under a stay-at-home order until at least April 30 and likely into May as the coronavirus outbreak continues, Board of Commissioners Chairman Greg Ford announced.

Starting Sunday, some Wake County churches will gather for drive-in services (WRAL-TV reports) -- Up until this weekend, Wake County churches had been streaming their services, with congregation members gathering online for fellowship and sermons. Now, however, an amended and extended stay-at-home order gives churches the option to hold drive-in services.

Many construction crews not taking precautions against coronavirus (WRAL-TV reports) -- Construction of homes, roads and other projects continue during the coronavirus outbreak, although numerous work crews can be seen not taking appropriate protections to limit the spread of the virus.

What’s Driving the Right-Wing Protesters Fighting the Quarantine? (New York Times reports) -- Well-organized protests broke out this week against government restrictions on economic activity because of the coronavirus. Polling and organizers’ statements hinted at the reasons for the backlash. … Governors’ approval ratings are up virtually across the board. But in states with an already intense partisan divide — like Mi., Oh. and N.C. — a small, vociferous protest movement is arising.

Democrats in Key Senate Races Outraise Republican Opponents (Wall Street Journal reports) -- Democrats have raised more money than their Republican opponents in eight of the 2020 cycle’s most competitive Senate races, as left-leaning candidates saw a surge in fundraising in the first quarter of the year that narrowed the GOP’s campaign-cash advantage in the crucial contests.

FERREL GUILLORY: A memorable journey to a first-time vote (EdNC column) -- Under the personal and community pressures of dealing with a viral epidemic of uncertain duration, the nation faces a history-laden, high-intensity election season already in motion. Will N.C. gear up in difficult circumstances to conduct a safe and accessible election in the fall?

4th Circuit denies legislative bid to move old redistricting case out of state court (N.C. Policy Watch reports) -- Remember when Common Cause, the N.C. Democratic Party and a group of voter sued lawmakers over partisan gerrymandering of the state legislative maps, and won? Well, the group just had another win in federal court. Lawmakers had asked the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a lower court’s order that didn’t allow them to transfer the case from state to federal court — even though the lawsuit alleged state constitutional wrongdoings. The underlying case was decided last year by a three-judge panel from Wake County Superior Court, which ruled the districts were illegally gerrymandered for partisan gain, violating the State Constitution. They ordered new districts be drawn, which were used in the recent primary and will be used again in the upcoming election. The 4th Circuit three-judge panel presiding over the related appellate case released their opinion today after January arguments in Richmond. The judges are Judge Roger Gregory, Judge Diana Gribbon Motz — both appointed by former Pres. Bill Clinton — and Judge Julius Richardson, a Pres. Donald Trump appointee.

Sen. Richard Burr's Pre-Pandemic Stock Sell-Offs Highly Unusual, Analysis Shows (NPR reports) -- Sen. Richard Burr's sale of up to $1.7 million in stocks shortly before the recent market crash was one of the lawmaker's only market-beating trades since record keeping began eight years ago, according to a new study. The new analysis, presented by researchers at Dartmouth College, shows just how unusual the North Carolina senator's transactions were. On a single day, Feb. 13 of this year, Burr unloaded a significant portion of his net worth — a departure from his typically low-volume trading history.

Senators’ stock picks (Dartmouth University research) -- This paper examines the buy and hold abnormal returns of senators’ picks from 2012-March of 2020.

MAGGIE HABERMAN: For Mark Meadows, the transition from Trump confidant to Chief of Staff is a hard one (NY Times reports) -- Mark Meadows has officially been President Donald Trump’s fourth White House chief of staff for less than three weeks. In that time, he has shaken up the communications office, angering supporters of the press secretary he chose to replace. He has tried to put in place other speedy changes, hoping to succeed where his three predecessors failed. He has hunted aggressively for leaks. But administration officials say he has been overwhelmed at times by a permanent culture at the White House that revolves around the president’s moods, his desire to present a veneer of strength and his need for a sense of control. It is why, no matter who serves as chief of staff, the lack of formal processes and the constant infighting are unavoidable facts of life for those working for Trump.

N.C. AG hopes to block debt collectors from stimulus checks (WRAL-TV reports) -- Stimulus checks are starting to hit the bank accounts of millions of Americans, but many are seeing their deposits disappear because of debt collectors. Unfortunately for some Americans, banks are required by court orders to garnish deposits. AG Josh Stein is one of several attorneys general hoping to protect those stimulus funds.

Head of N.C. Bankers calls for quick boost COVID-19 loans as $349B fund runs out (WRAL-TV/TechWire reports) -- Congress and the Trump Administration should act quickly to add a fresh infusion of cash into the COVID-19 disaster loan program for small businesses known as Paycheck Protection Plan after the initial $349 billion ran out on Thursday. “Our expectation is that congressional leadership will be able to put politics aside and approve additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program,” N.C. Bankers Association CEO Peter Gwaltney told WRAL TechWire. “Our hope is that they will be able to do this quickly.”

Small business lending program on hold after reaching limit (WRAL-TV reports) -- The government's lending program for small businesses is tapped out, and business owners who still need loans are waiting on Congress to approve more funding.

Coronavirus cuts into city, county budgets (WRAL-TV reports) -- Local governments across the state are preparing budgets for the next fiscal year The coronavirus outbreak is lowering their bottom lines by the week.

MOSTLY FALSE: Why are N.C. liquor stores considered 'essential?' (PolitiFact/WRAL-TV reports) -- Gov. Roy Cooper has issued a stay-at-home order and deemed some businesses "essential." Gas stations, grocery stores and N.C.'s state-run liquor stores are all allowed to stay open. Why? PolitiFact investigates.

Digital Town Hall: A Voice for North Carolinians’ Healthcare Struggles (Public News Service reports) -- In an online town-hall event yesterday, N.C. AG Josh Stein and Rep. Alma Adams - D-Charlotte - spoke about the need for the Affordable Care Act and the urgency of lowering prescription drug prices as the state fights the new coronavirus pandemic. Residents also shared their experiences with the healthcare system via Facebook comments. Rosemary Enobakhare is campaign director with Health Care Voter, the group that organized the town hall. She says COVID-19 is putting the spotlight on inadequacies in the nation's healthcare system.

House leader backs expanding Medicaid to test for coronavirus, treat COVID-19 (WRAL-TV reports) -- State House working group meets on wide range of COVID-19 funding and policy requests ahead of April 28 legislative session. They also made it clear: Not everything will get done during the coming legislative session focused on coronavirus response. There won't be enough state money for everything, nor is there an appetite to tackle long-standing policy issues that may be relevant to the crisis but don't have enough political support to move. That includes full-blown Medicaid expansion, long a top ask for North Carolina Democrats and a measure that has some support among the House Republican majority but little, at least publicly, in the state Senate.

Help wanted: Amazon adding 2,000 jobs in N.C. as part of latest expansion (TechWire/WRAL-TV reports) -- Amazon will be hiring an additional 2,000 people across N.C.as part of the Internet giant’s efforts to meet growing demand during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The new positions – a mix of full-time and part-time – will lift Amazon’s workforce in the state to nearly 10,000. Amazon earlier this week disclosed plans to hire 75,000 people, and the N.C. positions are part of that effort. Amazon operates a massive warehouse in Garner and a distribution hub in Durham as well as other facilities in the state.

N.C. schools could get at least $389 million in federal coronavirus disaster relief (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- N.C.’s public schools could get at least $389 million from the federal government to help them deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The $2 trillion federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act includes money that can be used to help K-12 schools deal with challenges such as feeding and educating students while schools are closed. N.C. education leaders said that the state’s share of the money is welcomed but likely less than what the needs will be.

UNC System board delays consideration of 2020-21 tuition and fees​​​​​​​ (Greensboro News & Record reports) -- The UNC Board of Governors won’t consider tuition and fees for the upcoming school year until its next meeting in May. The chairman of the budget and finance committee of the state university system’s governing board said that board members need more financial information before setting prices for the 2020-21 school year that starts in August.

ANN DOSS HELMS: More Money, More Strife As N.C. Gets COVID-19 Aid For Schools (WFAE-FM reports) -- The state Board of Education meeting brought more than $30 million worth of good news for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools – and accusations from the state superintendent that board leaders aren’t being transparent about spending. First of all, if you’re confused about COVID-19 relief money for N.C. schools, that just means you’re paying attention. There’s been controversy about a $50 million relief fund set up by Gov. Roy Cooper. Mecklenburg Cnty. officials say they were shortchanged in the way the state Board of Education distributed that money. But that’s not what the board was talking about Thursday. They did talk about a $95 million Gov.’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, which is federal money that will go to the governor to distribute. There wasn’t a lot of detail yet about how that will break out.

An early look at draft legislation to address COVID-19 education challenges (EdNC reports) -- State lawmakers continued to tackle the educational implications of COVID-19 today, with both the SBE and a GA working group meeting to consider what policies and legislation need to change to address the crisis. The education working group of the House Select Committee on COVID-19 heard recommendations on statutes related to K-12 funding flexibility, principal pay, K-3 class-size rules, and the state’s non-public schools.

House COVID-19 panel will take up testing waivers, class sizes and likely school calendar (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- Waiving testing requirements, K-3 class size reduction and the school calendar will all be part of a bill that will be considered by the N.C. House. With schools closed until at least May 15 and online learning underway, the House Select COVID-19 Committee’s education subcommittee will vote next week on a bill that will be proposed when the full General Assembly returns on April 28. The draft Education Omnibus/COVID-19 bill includes several waivers for standardized testing, teacher and administration requirements, reading assessments, K-3 class size reduction and allotments. The proposals would waive many state requirements that would have to normally have been met if school was in session.

Education leaders agree on policy, testing waivers, less so on money (WRAL-TV reports) -- In a pair of meetings, education leaders at the state Dept. of Public Instruction and in the state House were in bipartisan agreement on waiving testing requirements and deadlines for the current school year. But tensions sparked over who's in charge of education relief funds.

MEBANE RASH: EdNC’s approach to news, education, and acts of violence during COVID-19​​​​​​​ (EdNC column) -- Here is what is keeping me up at night. 5,465 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in 94 of our 100 counties. 115 school superintendents, 2,687 school leaders, and 101,446 teachers facing the unknown. 1,556,384 students — too many of whom teachers can’t locate and many more who are in contact with educators but can’t access remote learning. The state budget and our economy. The census and the elections. And the people who find time for hate amidst it all.

UNC governor sought delay in ECU trustee appointment​​​​​​​ (Greenville Daily Reflector reports) -- The UNC Board of Governors will vote today on appointing a new member to ECU governing body, despite a split vote from the committee making the recommendation.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools announces superintendent to resign effective June 30 (WRAL-TV reports) -- Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools' Board of Education announced Wednesday that its superintendent, Pam Baldwin, submitted her resignation during Wednesday night's meeting. It is effective June 30.

Wake County notifies parents of possible lead exposure at daycare, school (WRAL-TV reports) -- Blood tests are being recommended for children affected by possible lead exposure at Beginnings and Beyond Child Development Center and Sacred Heart Cathedral School.

Cohen Encourages Telehealth Visits (WUNC-FM) -- N.C. DHHS is encouraging North Carolinians to utilize telehealth during the coronavirus pandemic. Agency Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said keeping chronic conditions under control could be especially important to prevent serious complications from COVID-19. And she urged residents who don't have insurance coverage to pursue it through Healthcare.gov.

Water Plant Operators On Seven-Day Stays (Coastal Review reports) -- Cape Fear Public Utility Authority officials is stationing staff at its water treatment plants for weeklong periods and provided campers for their long stays to protect the safety of operators and Wilmington’s drinking water.

Factory workers at Pilgrim's Pride, Mountaire Farms want protection from COVID-19 (WRAL-TV reports) -- Factory workers at Pilgrim's Pride in Sanford and Mountaire Farms in Siler City say not enough is being done to protect them from contracting coronavirus, despite both companies taking several measures to help prevent the spread.

GILBERT BAEZ: Fayetteville hospital fears patients are staying home due to coronavirus (WRAL-TV reports) -- Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville has had to furlough employees. Hospital administrators are worried that people who are suffering from serious health issues aren't coming to the emergency room.

Trouble understanding COVID-19 data? NCSU analysts create dashboard to help (TechWire/WRAL-TV reports) -- How does where I live compare with other regions in reports of COVID-19 infections and deaths? When should we expect our region to start “flattening its curve,” or showing declines in the number of COVID-19 cases? NCSU analytics experts Christopher Healey and Susan Simmons built a visualization dashboard using publicly available data that shows these comparisons and predictions.

Assisted living residents dance, video call to stay positive (WCTI-TV reports) -- Between hallway bingo and window visitations, staff members at The Gardens of Trent Assisted Living say they are constantly looking for ways to make their residents smile amid the coronavirus pandemic. Workers have organized activities like hallway dancing and video calls to brighten everyone's day.

GREG BARNES: NC State professor says more people will die if air quality standards left unchanged (N.C. Health News reports) -- Professor Chris Frye blames EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler for disbanding a science panel he headed that determined federal air quality standards should be lowered.

Lawsuit: Duke fumbled flood planning, unleashed torrent on unsuspecting homeowners (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- The floodwaters roared down the Catawba River and into dozens of Charlotte homes last June. Now comes the court fight. Almost 40 riverside families whose houses and property stood in the way of the swollen Catawba have sued Duke Energy, accusing the Charlotte utility that controls the river of mishandling last year’s flood, then failing to adequately alert downstream residents of what it had sent thundering their way.

Nuclear watchdog group warns about N.C. waste storage during crisis (Carolina Public Press reports) -- Duke Energy points to measures to avoid risk in handling and moving waste from its three N.C. plants during the health crisis. Watchdog group raises doubts

Atlantic Beach, Wrightsville Beach planning to open, practice social distancing (WRAL-TV reports) -- Good news for those who love the beach. Two locations on the coast have plans to open again. Residents and property owners will have access to beach activities as long as social distancing rules are followed.

Strawberry farm recovers from Florence, reopens amid pandemic (WCTI-TV reports) -- For the first time since Hurricane Florence, a Pollocksville strawberry farm is now open, and the owner is not letting the coronavirus pandemic dampen her spirits. Parker Farm opened its fields to the public just last week, and people can stop by, grab a basket and pick out their own strawberries.

Big Rock Tournament hopes to proceed as scheduled, announces alternative week (WCTI-TV reports) -- The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament Board of Directions says it is continuing to monitor the impacts of the coronavirus as organizers plan for this year's tournament in Morehead City. Organizers say they have been regularly meeting to discuss options for the 62nd annual tournament. While they hope the tournament will take place as scheduled beginning June 5, community members are asked to mark their calendars for July 5-12 as an alternative tournament week.

COVID-19: Half a million US clean energy jobs at risk​​​​​​​ (reNEWS.biz reports) -- More than 500,000 clean energy workers in the US will lose their jobs as the coronavirus pandemic continues, the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) has predicted. The analysis looked at workers in clean energy occupations who filed for unemployment benefits last month.Hardest hit states include Ca. with nearly 20,000 unemployment claims, followed by N.C. with 6800, Pa. with just over 6000 and Mass. with 5611, the analysis found.

Grand Dragon uniform tied to notorious 1960s KKK leader part of memorabilia auction (N.C. McClatchy reports) -- An artifact from the opposing side of the civil rights movement is up for auction: a 1960s hood, satin robe and belt made for a Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan. Starting bid: $300. Affiliated Auctions out of Tallahassee, Florida, posted the controversial garb online this week, saying it could fetch as much as $2,000.

N.C. Zoo asks public's help to name baby rhino (AP reports) -- The N.C. Zoo is asking the public to help name a baby rhino. The N.C. Zoo in Asheboro said that the female rhino was born Feb. 24 to mom Linda and dad Stormy.

Why playing sports without fans may not be an option for high schools (HighSchoolOT/WRAL-TV reports) -- While there is talk about college and professional sports returning without fans, that may not be a realistic solution for high school sports.

'Love wins': Delivery driver becomes hero of beach wedding (AP reports) -- A delivery driver arrived just in the nick of time to a beach wedding in N.C. with a critical piece of the ceremony.