Opinion Roundup: Pre-K funding; candidate vulnerability; contract timing; SpaceX and more

Friday, Jan. 10, 2020 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Candidate making history; vulnerable senators; pre-K education funding; questionable contracts; flu deaths; SpaceX; and more

5 most vulnerable senators in 2020​ (The Hill) -- Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)  After briefly breaking with the president on an emergency declaration at the U.S. southern border, Tillishas fallen into lockstep with the president, even winning his endorsement last summer. But that wasn’t enough to stop Tillis from getting booed during an appearance at one of Trump’s rallies in N.C. in September, a sign that Trump’s conservative base may still have some reservations about the first-term senator. To be sure, Trump won N.C. in 2016, albeit by less than 4 points. And Tillis received a piece of good news last month when his self-funding primary opponent, Garland Tucker, dropped out of the race. A Morning Consult poll released in July put Tillis's approval rating at 33 percent, one of the lowest in the Senate. A more recent Fox News poll released in November, however, put his numbers above water, 40 percent approving and 35 percent disapproving. A handful of Democrats are vying for the party’s nomination for Tillis’s seat, but for now the front-runner appears to be former state Sen. Cal Cunningham, an Army veteran who nearly matched Tillis in fundraising in the third quarter of 2019.

JOSHUA DOUGLAS: Kentucky's proposed photo ID law would make it harder to vote, not stop fraud​ (Louisville, Ky. Courier Journal column) -- I served on Kentucky Secretary of State Michael G. Adams’s transition team to assist him as he sought to make Kentucky’s elections, as he put it, “easy to vote and hard to cheat.” Unfortunately, the newly proposed photo ID law, Senate Bill 2, does neither. It would make it harder to vote and has zero fraud-reducing benefits.

Fact check: Is this black US Senate candidate 'making history?' (POLITIFACT/WRAL-TV reports) -- State Sen. Erica Smith is running for U.S. Senate. Smith says she's not only beating other Democrats, but is also the first black, female Senate candidate to ever lead an incumbent "in every poll out of the gate." Is she really beating incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis?

JIM MORRILL: Why experts say Democrats can’t ignore N.C. in the race for the White House​ (Charlotte Observer reports) -- When state lawmakers bumped N.C.'s presidential primaries to early March, they said they wanted the state to play a bigger role in the nomination process. But will it matter as much as they hoped? The March 3 primary is part of a crowded "Super Tuesday," with 16 contests that include those in the delegate-rich states of California and Texas. And Super Tuesday will come just three days after South Carolina's Feb. 29 primary, which itself caps a crucial February sprint through Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire.

DANIELLE BATTAGLIA: Auditors Race (The Insider reports) -- Tension is high in the state auditor's race after two of incumbent Auditor Beth Wood's former employees filed to run against her. Tim Hoegemeyer and Luis Toledo blamed their former boss for low morale, a lack of vision and a low number of audits, and said the problems prompted them to run.

As troops deploy to Middle East, families will receive benefits, NC governor says (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- As tensions ramp up in the Middle East between the U.S. and Iran, thousands of troops from N.C. have been deployed in the past few weeks. The families of those troops will now be eligible for financial and legal assistance from the state -- including tax breaks, extra time off work, help to deal with landlords and more -- Gov. Roy Cooper announced. Cooper said he would direct state agencies under his control to find ways to help families of deployed soldiers, and he urged other elected state leaders to do the same.

CHANTAL ALLAM: Companies in a ‘bloodbath’ for talent in 2020, say experts (TECHWIRE/WRAL-TV reports) -- Forget about the ongoing trade war between the United States and China, or the rising tensions in the Middle East. When it comes to North Carolina’s success, and what has the biggest impact on the local economy, economists and business execs seem to agree that it comes down to one thing: talent. As far as he sees it, he said, his number one job as an economic developer in 2020 is convincing companies that the Research Triangle — and North Carolina as a whole — will continue to be “home to the best talent pool.” Among some of the challenges: infrastructure, diversity, social policy and affordable housing.

GREG SARGENT: Have Republicans lost the argument over the Medicaid expansion?​ (Washington Post column) -- Earlier this month, it attracted almost no attention when Phil Cox, a former head of the Republican Governors Association and a well-known figure in Washington, said this: “The battle has been fought and lost on Medicaid expansion.” That’s a striking statement, coming from someone who previously ran the group that oversees efforts to elect Republican governors. And we now have more confirmation that this is a reasonable possibility.​

DANIELLE BATTAGLIA: Judge Investigation (The Insider reports) -- A Guilford County District Court judge resigned last month following a state investigation into his actions that lasted more than a year. Judge Mark Cummings agreed to resign from office and never run for a North Carolina judicial office again. "I hope this unselfish example that I set here will be a model for others who see to work for something greater than themselves: a more perfect Union," Cummings wrote in his resignation letter to Gov. Roy Cooper in October.

Without action, future challenges could make 2019 look like an 'easy year,' NCDOT leader warns (Triangle Business Journal reports) -- As N.C.’s population grows, finding solutions for the state’s transportation challenges will be more important than ever. That was the crux of day one of the state Transportation Summit, held in Raleigh Wednesday. Onstage, state Secretary of Transportation Jim Trogdon admitted 2019 was a challenging year – one that had started with a lot of momentum in the form of $8 billion in active construction projects.

Buncombe OKs written consent for refugee resettlement​ (Asheville Citizen-Times reports) -- Buncombe County has granted the Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte permission to continue its refugee resettlement program in the county. Due to a new step added via a September executive order from President Donald Trump, the diocese was required to get written consent from the local government and that of the state to continue work it has undertaken for years.

TRAVIS FAIN: NC gets big federal grant for child programs (WRAL-TV reports) -- N.C. will get up to $56 million from the federal government over the next seven years in new early childhood development grants, Gov. Roy Cooper announced saying it's one of the largest infusions the system has seen in recent years. The money will come from grants to DHHS: $40.2 million in Preschool Development Grants from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services and up $16 million grant from the Ctrs. for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

N Carolina to get $56M for early childhood education, health (AP reports) -- Gov. Roy Cooper announced the state will receive up to $56 million toward improving early childhood education and health outcomes for at-risk children.

State board considering policy changes after NC superintendent signs late-night contract worth $928,000 (WRAL-TV reports) -- The State Board of Education is considering changes to how it approves contracts after N.C. Superintendent Mark Johnson signed a $928,000 contract without the board's knowledge.

KELLY HINCHCLIFFE: NC school board eliminates one of two U.S. history courses to make room for new personal finance class (WRAL-TV reports) Beginning next school year, N.C. high school students will take one American history course instead of two so schools can add a personal finance class to the schedule.

NC high school students will take one less US history class to accommodate new course (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- N.C. high school students will be required to take one less American history course to accommodate the legislature's new mandated personal finance course.

Wake schools paying $450,000 to family who says Southeast Raleigh High teacher illegally restrained, secluded their son (WRAL-TV reports) -- The Wake County Board of Education agreed to pay $450,000 to a family who says a Southeast Raleigh High School teacher illegally restrained and secluded their disabled son, according to settlement records and the family's attorney.

Local school leaders respond after NC superintendent says 70,000 struggling students were improperly promoted (WRAL-TV reports) --One month after North Carolina Superintendent Mark Johnson claimed that more than 70,000 third graders were "improperly socially promoted" to fourth grade, local school leaders defended how they handle the students who struggle with reading.

Transgender high school students in at least five states are being threatened by a surge of restrictive legislation (Durham Herald-Sun/Charlotte Observer) -- that some worry could be the next wave of so-called bathroom bills. But this time, instead of paving a path toward discrimination, N.C. could be an example of the right way to navigate a flammable issue.

CMS Student's Quest To Update Sex Ed Policy Collides With NC Abstinence Law (WFAE-FM reports) -- A Myers Park High School senior’s quest to make Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools sex education more relevant to teens won applause from school board members. But those board members were told they were powerless to make the change.

Nearly 200 protest in downtown Raleigh over tensions with Iran (WRAL-TV reports) -- Despite not having a permit to do so, nearly 200 protesters gathered at the Bicentennial Mall to rally against war with Iran.

KASEY CUNNINGHAM: Cumberland County Schools helps students with deployed family members (WRAL-TV reports) -- The Cumberland County Public School System is working to support students as their family members are deployed. According to district leaders, they'll be in close communication with Fort Bragg, coordinating with their staff. Public schools will also expand their coverage of military student transition consultants so they'll be able to help more students.

NC child dies from flu (WRAL-TV reports) -- A child has died from the flu in the western part of N.C. according to state health officials. It's the first pediatric patient to die of the illness in the 2019-2020 flu season. Twenty adults - 14 over 65 - have died in the state so far this flu season.

North Carolina health officials report pediatric flu death (AP News reports) -- N.C. has its first pediatric flu death for the 2019-2020 flu season, health officials said.

YEN DUONG: Nurse Family Partnership programs guide first-timers through transition to motherhood (N.C. Health News reports) -- Nurse Family Partnership programs support low-income pregnant women with home nurse visits across the nation. In 2019, the Mecklenburg program won national recognition for its outcomes.

CULLEN BROWDER & MATTHEW BURNS: Authorities: Carbon monoxide not responsible for infant deaths at McDougald Terrace (WRAL-TV reports) -- Carbon monoxide was not responsible for the recent deaths of three infants at or near the McDougald Terrace housing complex in Durham according to state health officials.

Trump uses North Carolina’s Basnight Bridge to justify change in environmental rules (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- President Donald Trump announced proposed environmental rules, citing the Bonner Bridge replacement on the Outer Banks to explain why reviews of construction projects should be shorter. The proposals would change how the 50-year-old National Environmental Protection Act is used to evaluate the impact of major federal projects, including bridges and highways. The Trump administration has used the Bonner Bridge replacement as a reason, since at least 2018, for rewriting federal rules on major projects. Construction projects get bogged down in "regulatory nightmares," Trump said in a news conference.

Trump Moves to Speed Infrastructure Projects by Curbing Environmental Reviews (Wall Street Journal reports) -- President Trump proposed a major overhaul of environmental rules. Business groups welcomed the plan, but environmentalists said it would hurt efforts to slow climate change.

Princeville to get $39.6 million for levee project (WRAL-TV reports) -- The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers announced Princeville will receive $39.6 million for a flood mitigation levee project that has long been needed.

Oyster Nursery Aims to Improve Lives, Water (Coastal Review reports) -- Susan Hill, co-owner of Down East Mariculture in Carteret County, explains how her oyster nursery helps marine life, honors local history and supports the community.

Pilot Mountain welcomes you (Winston-Salem Journal) -- Had enough tense news for one week? Ready to ease the pressure and get away from it all? How about a nice walk this weekend in one of our lush state parks? It wouldn’t take long to get to Pilot Mountain.

Wolf moon eclipse kicks off the first of 13 full moons in 2020 (CNN reports) -- This year started off with a meteor shower and the first month of 2020 continues with a penumbral lunar eclipse during the full moon, on Friday.

​​​​​​​Baby southern white rhino born at N.C. Zoo, herd size of endangered animals now at 9 (Greensboro News & Record reports) -- Zookeepers report a new Rhino calf was born Sunday at the N.C. Zoo. The as-yet-unnamed girl is healthy and nursing and is expected to gain 100 pounds a month in the first year, according to a news release from the zoo. She could weigh 3,500 to 5,500 pounds when fully grown. "Congratulations to the N.C. Zoo on the successful birth of a third Southern white rhino in just two years," Susi H. Hamilton, secretary of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, said in the release. "I'm proud of the Zoo's continuing commitment to saving this and other threatened species at home and around the world."

It’s a notorious racist incident from NC’s past. New book explains its origins, effects. (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- After decades of documenting the impacts of tribal conflict and war around the world, N.C.-based journalist David Zucchino has focused his writer’s eye on the specifics — and the stubborn legacy — of a racist insurrection that happened in the state more than a century ago. “It’s a story that needs to be told,” Zucchino said of the white supremacist campaign that led to the violent overthrow of Wilmington’s elected government in 1898. Zucchino’s new book, “Wilmington’s Lie,” released this week by the Atlantic Monthly Press, “shows what can happen when people exploit ancient hatreds and suspicions and fears,” the author said in an interview shortly before the book landed in stores.

Raymond the OBX mule gets a goat friend just as stubborn as he is (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot reports) - -Raymond the mule from the Corolla Wild Horses now has a friend in his pasture at the Grandy farm where he lives now. It's a rare goat that could have ties to ancient Spanish goats.

DEAN-PAUL STEPHENS: A SpaceX vessel makes pit stop at Morehead City (Carteret County News-Times reports) --SpaceX-affiliated ship visited the area for the first time since November, following a rocket-part recovery mission. “I went back and checked it was the Ms. Tree,” said N.C. Port of Morehead City Operations Manager Chip Killmeier, confirming the vessel’s arrival and prompt departure. SpaceX, the commercial space company that popularized the concept of reusing expensive rocket parts, uses the GO Ms. Tree as one of many rocket-part recovery vessels. Specifically, the GO Ms. Tree is a payload fairing catcher.

PAUL WOOLVERTON: J. Cole shooting new video in Fayetteville this week (Fayetteville Observer reports) -- Music star and former Fayetteville resident J. Cole is shooting a video project in Fayetteville.

Can't call 911? Try texting (WRAL-TV reports) -- Calling 911 for an emergency is the go-to option to summon help, but Wake County now offers other options. The county's 911 communications center is now equipped to respond to text messages, and the messages can even include a picture or a video.