Opinion Roundup: Possible primary mischief; Trump recognizes Meadows; confusion with teacher bonuses; PAC spending; and more.

Friday, Feb. 7, 2020 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Biden's firewall; Trump's 'very special guy'; PAC spending; coding error with teacher bonuses; possible primary mischief; calls to end Common Core; and more.

In ‘a critical year,’ Rev. Barber hopes Saturday’s march gives his movement momentum (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- This year’s Historic Thousands on Jones Street march and rally, planned for Saturday morning in downtown Raleigh, is billed as both a celebration and a challenge. HKonJ, as it’s known, is a gathering of members of the NAACP and more than 200 other social justice groups active in N.C., who have been coming together since 2007 around issues that affect poor and marginalized people.

ALEX ROGERS: GOP-affiliated group intervenes in NC Democratic primary for US Senate seat (CNN reports) -- The first significant ad buy for state Sen. Erica Smith, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina, appears to be backed by Republicans. Faith and Power, a new political action committee with ties to Republicans, formally launched on Jan. 29 and quickly placed a $1.56 million broadcast ad in the Democratic primary, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission and the Kantar Media's Campaign Media Analysis Group.

Ad backing Democrat could be primary mischief by Republicans (AP reports) -- A newly formed political committee with Republican connections has started running television ads that praise a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, causing some to suggest the ads represent GOP interference in her primary next month.

Carolinas could be Joe Biden’s firewall, but cracks have started to emerge (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- The Carolinas, particularly S.C., have long been considered a firewall for Joe Biden in his race for the Democratic presidential nomination. But after his “gut punch” in Iowa, that wall may be starting to crack. A poll this week in S.C. found the former vice president still ahead in the state’s Feb. 29 primary, though his once wide lead had narrowed dramatically. And a N.C. survey released Thursday showed Biden’s lead shrinking as well. N.C.’s March 3 primary is one of 16 Super Tuesday contests.

Trump to visit Charlotte after celebrating his impeachment acquittal (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- Trump will speak at a non-public “opportunity summit” at Central Piedmont Community College.

PAC is spending $1 million in NC’s Democratic Senate primary. Does it have GOP ties? (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- A new super PAC is spending $1.6 million on TV ads on behalf of Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Erica Smith, who lags far behind her main competitor in fundraising. And based on the group’s media buyer, treasurer and other factors, it appears tied to Republicans.

NC superintendent wants to 'remove Common Core,' plans to survey educators and parents (AP reports) -- Superintendent Mark Johnson said he wants to remove Common Core academic standards from public schools and plans to survey educators and parents about the topic.

NC schools chief, amid crowded GOP race for lieutenant governor, calls to end Common Core (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- State Superintendent Mark Johnson, who is campaigning to become N.C.’s lieutenant governor, announced that he’s calling for a review of N.C.’s Common Core math and language arts standards and U.S. history requirements. Johnson said the state Department of Public Instruction will survey parents and teachers about the math and language arts standards as part of an effort to encourage the State Board of Education to remove any use of Common Core.

School groups host forum for Democratic candidates for NC superintendent of public instruction (WRAL-TV reports) -- School groups host a forum to hear from Democratic candidates for N.C. superintendent of public instruction. Tap to see them make their case ahead of N.C.'s March 3 primary election.

Cleveland’s sheriff changes parties (Shelby Star reports) -- Sheriff Alan Norman of Cleveland County used social media Wednesday to announce he's changing political parties. "After much thought and prayer, I submitted paperwork to the Board of Elections to change my party affiliation to the Republican Party. I did not leave the Democrat Party, the party left me. Enough said!," he said on Facebook. In less than 24 hours, Norman's Facebook post garnered more than 400 comments. Congressman Patrick McHenry sent out a statement welcoming Norman to the Republican Party.

ROBERT HEERSINK & JEFFERY JENKINS: Republican Party is white and Southern. How did that happen? (Washington Post column) -- Before the 1970s, Republicans didn’t do nearly so well in the South. With the exception of the short period of Reconstruction after the Civil War, the GOP was notoriously ineffective in the ex-Confederacy. The region was dominated by the Democratic Party from the late 1870s through the second half of the 20th century. Why the shift? Historians and political scientists traditionally emphasize how the national Democratic Party began supporting civil rights, which alienated white Southern voters. But our research shows that it wasn’t just the Democrats who changed. The Republican Party in the South consciously chose to exclude blacks early in the 20th century, which helped it to dominate Southern politics decades later.

BRIE HANDGRAAF: 'Don't be complacent': Wilson Dems, GOP leaders urge voters to head to the polls (The Wilson Times reports) -- The local Democratic party chairs urge Wilsonians to do their research before heading to the polls either during early voting or on primary Election Day March 3.“I think voters are smart. I think people are really doing their own research and fact checking what they are being told,” said Christy Fyle, chairwoman of the Wilson County Republican Party.

LINDELL J. KAY: Attorney general candidate: ‘Time for a conservative change’ (The Wilson Times reports) -- Criminal justice should be a matter of common sense, not political fodder, according to a candidate in March’s Republican primary for N.C. attorney general.Sam Hayes said with issues like 2nd Amendment sanctuaries and voter ID, now is the time for a conservative attorney to represent the state’s interests.

Fact check: PANTS ON FIRE -- Did Pelosi break the law by ripping up Trump's speech? (PolitiFact/WRAL-TV) -- Conservative pundit Charlie Kirk claimed that Pelosi broke the law. But he misapplied a federal statute designed to prevent people from destroying records in official government repositories like the National Archives.

ROBIN BRAVENDER: Trump praises ‘very special guy’ Rep. Meadows in acquittal victory speech (N.C. Policy Watch reports) -- President Donald Trump took a victory lap the day after the U.S. Senate voted to acquit him on articles of impeachment. After slamming Democrats for engaging in an unfair partisan “witch hunt” against him, Trump welcomed what he called “total acquittal” and singled out his friends in Congress who had his back along the way. Among them: N.C. Republican Rep. Mark Meadows, who was one of Trump’s most ardent defenders throughout the process. “This is a guy, he’s just a very special guy,” Trump said of Meadows. He ribbed Meadows, saying he backed another candidate before his wife convinced him to support Trump.

THOM TILLIS: Why I voted to acquit President Trump (Durham Herald-Sun column) -- Last fall, Nancy Pelosi finally lost control of the radicals in her conference and reluctantly imposed upon the American people a bitter impeachment process that threatened to inflict irreversible damage upon our country. Congressional Democrats have spent the last five months working for themselves and trying to quench their three-year thirst to reverse the results of the 2016 election, when they should have been working for you. In the end, the Democrats produced a weak case with weak evidence, all while denying the President basic due process rights. I voted to acquit the President, and I’m glad it’s over so our country can move on and I can get back to work to deliver more results for the people of N.C.

The questionable acquittal (Winston-Salem Journal) -- As long as the economy is humming and President Donald Trump is appointing conservative judges, Republicans will let him do what he wants. It may seem as if the president has succeeded in corrupting his office. But the American people have not yet spoken. They can render their own verdict in November. It’s likely to be one that is much less fawning, much more honest and definitely more responsible.

N.C. State Bar says Walkertown lawyer and onetime leader of white supremacist group is not cooperating with investigation into his alleged mishandling of client funds (Winston-Salem Journal reports) -- The N.C. State Bar is alleging that a Walkertown lawyer who has helped lead a white supremacist organization has failed to cooperate in an investigation into his handling of client funds. Harold Ray Crews has served as the chairman of the League of the South's N.c. chapter. League of the South, which is headquartered in Killen, Ala., was formed in 1994 and promotes white Southern nationalism. The Southern Poverty Law Center lists it as a hate group.

​​​​POLICY & POLITICS

On paper, she’s a lab employee and a campaign donor. The reality is far different. (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- This is the first of two articles about Mako Medical CEO and campaign donor Chad Price. The second article looks at the inflated qualifications he submitted to government agencies. Chad Price says Mako Medical, the fast-growing lab testing company he co-founded in Raleigh, started with frustrations he faced getting his younger sister the medical tests she regularly needed. ... Price’s contributions and correspondence with government officials reveal his growing influence in state politics and show the challenges regulators face enforcing a level playing field in election campaigns. In those five years of campaign giving, Mako grew from a small lab in North Raleigh to a 55,000-square-foot facility in Henderson that was purchased and renovated with help from $5.2 million in state and local incentives.

Medical company CEO’s resume and application list degrees he didn’t earn (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- This is the second of two articles about Mako Medical CEO and campaign donor Chad Price. The first article explores his campaign contributions and those of people tied to him. The Wake County Board of Commissioners had more than 20 applicants interested in being appointed to the Wake Tech Board of Trustees when a slot opened up in 2014. Their names, addresses and qualifications were made public a month ahead of the commissioners’ decision.

After IT contractors lose jobs at DHHS, remaining staff told ‘just keep the lights on’ (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- The state agency is hoping that the legislature fixes the funding issue when lawmakers return in late spring.

Mismatched tobacco laws could put federal funding for NC at risk (The Insider/Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- N.C. came close to losing up to $17 million in block grant funding from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration because close to 20% of retailers weren’t complying with federal and state laws regarding tobacco sales. At the time, those laws prevented the sale of tobacco products to people under 18.

Rockslide closes western N.C. highway after heavy rain (AP reports) -- A N.C. highway was expected to be closed during the day while crews cleared debris from a rockslide that may have been triggered by heavy rain. Removal of mud and debris from the slide began Thursday on U.S. Highway 19/74 in the Nantahala Gorge, the Department of Transportation said.

Domestic Violence Rewrite (The Insider reports) -- A broadly phrased rewrite in last year's Senate Bill 493 has left District Court judges and mediators confused and law enforcement officers wondering if they have enough information about suspects of domestic violence. Sherry Honeycutt Everett, the legal and policy director for the N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence, voiced concerns about the law's language to members of the N.C. Courts Commission.

GREG CHILDRESS: DeVos advances controversial federal voucher program after Trump SOTU endorsement (NC Policy Watch reports) -- U.S. Education Secretary Besty Devos didn’t waste much time making a big push for her Education Freedom Scholarships after a prime time endorsement from President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address. The tax credit scholarships touted under the program would direct billions of dollars to private and religious schools.

KRIS NORTSTROM: Leandro funding recommendations: Much lower than reported, readily affordable (N.C. Policy Watch) -- Despite the alarm and denial with which they have been greeted in some circles, the recent recommendations to the presiding judge in N.C.’s 26-year-old Leandro education finance lawsuit are quite reasonable and within the state’s capacity to readily implement.

GREG CHILDRESS: Legislative committee takes up teacher prep, but remains mostly silent on blockbuster Leandro report (N.C. Policy Watch) -- Should N.C.lawmakers explicitly address the recommendations contained in a detailed new report urging billions more in spending on public education? That's a question that seems sure to arise in the coming weeks and months, in light of that report's conclusion that the state is failing to meet its constitutional obligation to provide all North Carolina schoolchildren with the opportunity to receive a "sound, basic education." The report was prepared for the state Superior Court judge overseeing the landmark Leandro lawsuit.

Sen. Don Davis calls UNC BOG to act (WNCT-TV reports) -- State Sen. Don Davis, D-Pitt, sent a letter to the members of the UNC Board of Governors. "I have enormous concerns about even the slightest possibility of trustees interfering in student elections, whether the intent is malicious or not. Considering the president of the student government has a vote on the board of trustees as an ex officio member, we must guard against potential abuse. I believe if the Board of Governors fails to act, and in the absence of further guidance, this matter will establish an awful precedent and leaves all campuses vulnerable," Davis wrote.

JOE KILLIAN: Questions loom as UNC Board of Governors meets today on ECU Trustees controversy (N.C. Policy Watch analysis) -- The UNC Board of Governors meets today to decide whether to pursue sanctions against two ECU trustees who were recorded promising a student financial and political help if she ran for student government president. The board’s University Governance Committee recommended the full board take no action after questioning the two trustees and board of trustees chairman. That meeting left many unanswered questions, said several UNC Board of Governors members, and didn’t press the trustees enough about the content of their conversation with the student.

Oops! Some NC teachers were told they would be getting merit bonuses. But they’re not. (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- A computer glitch has mistakenly caused some N.C. third-grade teachers to be told they were getting thousands of dollars in bonuses when in fact they are not. The glitch also is delaying millions of dollars in state bonuses for third-grade teachers who do deserve them.

'Teachers will be disappointed': Coding error causes confusion with NC teacher bonuses (AP reports) -- State education leaders say a coding error in third-grade reading data caused some North Carolina teachers to mistakenly believe they were getting bonuses. The error also delayed bonuses to other teachers who should have received them based on how their students performed on end-of-grade reading tests last year.

State board approves N.C. charter schools report despite editing concerns (WRAL-TV reports) --The State Board of Education voted 7-3 to approve the Annual Charter Schools Report despite concerns that some information, including demographic comparisons between charter and traditional schools, was edited out of the final report.

8 NC educators selected as regional Principals of the Year (WRAL-TV reports) -- Eight public school principals have been selected as regional Wells Fargo North Carolina Principals of the Year and will compete for the state title of 2020 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year.

Christina Koch lands on Earth, and crosses a threshold for women in space (New York Times reports) -- How many astronauts can you name without consulting Google or Wikipedia?

PATRICK HOLMES: Sharp turn in career path leads to classroom, statewide award (Lenoir County Schools/Kinston Free Press) -- E.B. Frink Middle School science teacher Kristen Davenport will be honored by a statewide association of teachers and administrators as the 2020 Outstanding Young Educator for N.C.

YEN DUONG: N.C. lags in shrinking inequalities in access to care (N.C. Health News reports) -- A new study shows that in states with Medicaid expansion, racial disparities have shrunk for access to care. But NC lags and DHHS is trying to do something about it.

About 20 students become ill inside classroom at W.C.U. (AP reports) -- Nearly 20 students were treated for various symptoms after an unidentified problem at a classroom building at Western Carolina University, officials said.

On coal ash cleanup, a compromise is the best path forward (Durham Herald-Sun) -- As unrealistic as it might be to expect Duke Energy shareholders to absorb billions of dollars of ash management, it’s equally unfair to fully pass that burden on to low-income customers who could see their bills rise by hundreds of dollars a year from coal ash repercussions. Commissioners should find the fairest solution — even if it’s not the most just resolution — for this Duke rate hike request and the ones surely to come.

5 months after Hurricane Dorian, Ocracoke is nearly free of mounds of trash (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot reports) -- More than 9,000 dump truck loads later, Ocracoke is nearly free of the debris left behind by Hurricane Dorian five months ago. The island of 950 people should be free of the storm refuse by the end of February, said Hyde County emergency management director Justin Gibbs.

DREW C. WILSON: Creek cleanup should help with flooding (The Wilson Times reports) -- The new Wilson County Soil and Water Conservation District director told county leaders a project to clean the Contentnea Creek of hurricane debris won’t prevent flooding, but it will lessen floods’ duration. Some $489,000 in state recovery funds paid for the cleanup of fallen trees and stumps from Hurricane Matthew. There was no county match required for the job.

ALEXANEER PERRIN: NC State ranks in The Princeton Review's "Top 50 Green Colleges" (The Technician reports) -- In the 2019 sustainability report, NCSU ranked No.17 on The Princeton Review’s list of “Top 50 Green Colleges,” up from No.42 in 2018. 71% of incoming students in 2018 were influenced by the university's commitment to the environment and sustainability when deciding to attend. NCSU currently has 9 certified "sustainable" student organizations.

Atrium Health in Charlotte raises minimum wage to nearly twice N.C. minimum (AP reports) -- More than 10,000 workers in a N.C. health care system are getting a boost in their minimum wage that would pay nearly double the state's minimum wage to $13.50 with an additional increase to $15 in 2021. Atrium is Charlotte’s largest hospital system, and is also one of the biggest employers in the area,with 35,000 workers. Rival Novant Health has increased its minimum wage in the last several years as well, announcing an increase to $12.50 per hour in 2018.

BRANDON DAVIS: CSS Neuse Museum unveils ‘Treasures from the Vault’ (Kinston Free Press reports) -- Among the thousands of artifacts stored away in a vault, 14 will venture out on display at the CSS Neuse Civil War Museum. The 14 artifacts will return to the vault in July, giving locals and visitors time to learn about the seldom seen items and North Carolina’s Civil War history.