Opinion Roundup: Tillis has cash advantage; Senate floor fight; unspent surplus from budget impasse; counting the homeless; and more.

Friday, Jan. 31, 2020 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Budget impasse leaves available cash; Tillis' campaign has most cash; hot tub to blame for Legionnaire's outbreak; another coal plant closes; counting the homeless; and more.

Fact check: Erica Smith says she hasn't taken corporate PAC money 'since 2016' (PolitiFact/WRAL-TV) -- It appears that Erica Smith hasn't taken corporate PAC money during her U.S. Senate campaign against Sen. Thom Tillis. But she did take corporate PAC money while running for state office.

Tillis holding cash advantage in N.C. Senate race (AP reports) -- The leading fundraisers to date in N.C.'s U.S. Senate race have announced largely similar contribution numbers for the previous three months.

JOURNEY ACROSS 100: Murphy-to-Manteo listening tour (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- Visual journalists from the McClatchy Company’s N.C. papers gassed up their vehicles and traveled into cities, towns and rural communities across the state, they found that North Carolinians have concerns as varied as the vast landscape they inhabit. Logging more than 20,000 miles over six months, this team of roving journalists traveled interstates and Main Streets, parkways and unpaved roads to talk with people of different ages, races, ethnicities and sexual/gender identities. The result is "Journey Across the 100,” a Murphy-to-Manteo-style interactive video listening tour that focuses on regular people and what’s on their minds as the 2020 election approaches. Collectively, these 101 videos create a detailed political portrait of a complex state in a time of transition.

DAWN VAUGHN: Republicans pick their candidate against Gov. Cooper on March 3. Meet the 2 choices. (Durham Herald-Sun) -- Republicans will choose from two candidates for governor in the North Carolina primary who are already serving in state government: one who has been expected to run since Gov. Pat McCrory was in office, the other a little-known lawmaker who says she's the better candidate to defeat first-term Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat. Lt. Gov. Dan Forest is finishing his second term as lieutenant governor, a job which former lieutenant governors acknowledge is often a stepping stone -- but with no guarantee -- to higher office. For the past seven years, Forest has been in a higher-profile position than N.C. Rep. Holly Grange, a state lawmaker from Wilmington who is now fighting uphill in a race dominated so far by Forest.

BRIAN MURPHY: Tillis touts big cash edge on Democratic challengers entering election year (McClatchy D.C. reports) -- Sen. Thom Tillis raised $1.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2019 and carried more than $5 million into 2020 for his re-election bid, the N.C. Republican's campaign announced. Today is the deadline to file fourth-quarter fundraising totals with the Federal Election Commission. Tillis' successful challenge to then-Sen. Kay Hagan in 2014 was the most expensive race in U.S. Senate history at the time -- with all candidates and outside groups spending nearly $124 million.

JIM MORRILL: Latinos could be a growing political force in NC. But will they register and vote? (Charlotte Observer reports) -- Maria Mendez of Lexington, 23, is part of a demographic that has boomed in N.C., where the children of migrant workers who came here a generation ago are now coming of age. Born to Mexican parents, she is young. She is Latina. And she is a citizen. She's also registered to vote. In a state expected to have an outsize impact on the 2020 presidential election, political strategists are trying to figure out how to register voters like her -- and more importantly, get them to go to the polls. "If people don't go out to vote, candidates don't see that there's a community that cares and wants to have their voice heard," said Irlanda Ruiz, who works to register young Latinos as a volunteer with Action NC.

JIM MORRILL: With presidential candidates far away, their NC campaigns find ways to get creative (Charlotte Observer reports) -- It was a rainy Friday night and the north Charlotte brewery was buzzing, not with the clinking of beer glasses but the busy chatter of campaign volunteers armed with plastic markers. Guided by campaign organizers, about two dozen supporters of Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren bent over long tables making signs for the next day’s Women’s March. With most presidential candidates themselves far away, it was one of hundreds of events that their campaigns have been doing in N.C. to energize volunteers, recruit supporters and ultimately win voters.

FERREL GUILLORY: Suspenseful election year arrives in a mega-state (EdNC column) -- American elections don’t occur in a vacuum. Influencing the decisions of individual voters, the struggle for power plays out against a broader backdrop of societal forces shaping people’s lives. N.C. enters the 2020 election cycle as a state remarkably transformed into a mega-state by powerful economic and demographic forces.

PAUL MOON: 11th District: Madison Cawthorn running to 'combat the rise of socialism' (Asheville Citizen Times reports) -- Madison Cawthorn, a Republican running to replace retiring four-term congressman Mark Meadows, said his life experience overcoming obstacles and his ability to connect with younger voters differentiates his candidacy from the 10 others chasing the GOP nomination for the 11th District. “The fact that I’m a fighter can’t be hidden,” Cawthorn told the Citizen Times. Homeschooled in Hendersonville, he planned to head to the U.S. Naval Academy before an automobile accident left him partially paralyzed and in a wheelchair. To Cawthorn, the experience allows him to connect naturally with voters.

GUILLERMO MOLERO: The Orange County Commissioners primary race: What you need to know (The Daily Tarheel reports) -- On March 3, voters across North Carolina will head to the polls to choose their preferred candidates for offices at all levels of government in the 2020 primary election. With just over a month to go, the primary race for Orange County’s Board of County Commissioners is heating up. In fact, this may present one of the rare cases where the primary may be more consequential than the general election in terms of who winds up on the board come next term.

Senate floor fight breaks out over Trump lawyer claim on foreign dirt (Politico reports) – N.C. Sen. Richard Burr said he has “no problem” with a White House lawyer’s argument that American politicians can accept damaging information on their opponents from a foreign country — a contention that fueled a heated back-and-forth on the Senate floor. White House Deputy Counsel Patrick Philbin said during President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial that it was a “mistake” to believe that any information about a political opponent that originates from a foreign country amounts to improper interference in a U.S. election. Burr said: “I have no problem with what Philbin said." Democrats expressed outrage at the suggestion, most notably Burr’s counterpart on the Intelligence Committee, Vice Chairman Mark Warner of Virginia, who said “my head exploded” when he heard the remark. Burr and Warner have worked closely on the issue of election interference in the aftermath of Russia’s efforts to meddle in the 2016 election — perhaps the only bipartisan duo in Congress still working together on the issue.

Trump’s Lawyer Is Wrong: ‘Information’ from Foreign Government Can Violate Law (Campaign Legal Center reports) -- Asking foreign governments for dirt on political rivals is entirely permissible, and might even be good for democracy, President Trump’s lawyer told the Senate. But just as it’s illegal for a foreign government to give a $100,000 check to a candidate, it is also illegal for that foreign government to spend $100,000 digging up dirt on a candidate’s rivals, and then giving the resulting information to the candidate. The Federal Election Commission has long held that an intangible item like information or opposition research (or, for that matter, an email list) can constitute a “contribution” for purposes of campaign finance law, since information is a “thing of value.”

N C. surplus, budget impasse mean lots of cash unspent (AP reports) -- N.C. state government coffers are more flush than in recent memory as 2020 begins as tax collections again are beating projections and hundreds of millions of dollars aren't being spent due to a lengthy budget impasse.

After councilwoman's op-ed about policing, Durham city manager blasts back (WRAL-TV reports) -- Durham City Manager Thomas J. Bonfield took issue with an opinion piece published in USA Today, co-written by Mayor Pro-Tem Jillian Johnson and St. Louis Alderman Megan Green.

JILLIAN JOHNSON & MEGAN GREEN: Local politicians decided to have police, policies evaluated. Results were shocking (USA Today column) -- Long before either of us took office, we saw how certain communities across the country were overpoliced, hypercriminalized and overincarcerated. And this has only gotten worse as the Trump administration has rolled back oversight and regulations on police accountability and transparency, while supporting the militarization of law enforcement and unleashing a brutal mass deportation machine on immigrant communities.

Red Hat CEO to take over role of president at IBM (Techwire/WRAL-TV reports) -- IBM announced that James Whitehurst, CEO of Red Hat and IBM senior vice president, will be the business’ next president. Whitehurst will assume the position on Feb. 6,

New Fort Bragg expo offers support to families affected by deployment (WRAL=TV reports) -- Military leaders held the first Military Spouse and Family Expo at Fort Bragg.

Need that new driver's license? Get it in Durham on Saturday (WRAL-TV reports) -- Starting October 1, the federal government will require U.S. residents to have a REAL ID or other approved federal documents for flying commercially, entering federal facilities and visiting military installations.

North Carolina emergency response team goes to Puerto Rico (WRAL-TV reports) -- A 12-member team from N.C. is spending two weeks in Puerto Rico helping islanders deal with earthquake damage.The state Division of Emergency Management says structural engineers, an architect and search and rescue team are assessing damage from the earthquakes and aftershocks that began in late December.

CHARLES BETHEA: What Happens When the News Is Gone? (New Yorker reports) -- In Jones County and many other places around the country, local journalism has just about dried up. Pollocksville is situated in Jones County, and most people would tell you that Jones County doesn’t have a newspaper. It used to have the Jones Post, a weekly founded in 1976. But that outlet has faded over a period of years, first becoming a regional insert delivered with other newspapers, and gradually ceasing to print much in the way of substantive local journalism. At this point, not even its publisher is quite willing to call it a paper. According to one estimate, the U.S. has lost one in four of its newspapers in the last 15 years. The vast majority of those that have folded are weekly papers and other non-dailies. Around 1,500 counties have just one paper, usually a weekly; another 200 counties are without a newspaper altogether. These latter areas are what researchers call news deserts, and Jones County is a classic example.

JESSE STEINMETZ: Under Bridges And In Camps, County Counts Homeless Residents (WFAE-FM reports) -- Mecklenburg County staff and homeless advocates fanned out across the city to conduct Charlotte’s annual homeless point-in-time count. They looked for homeless residents under bridges and at camps in the woods.

OLIVIA NEELEY: Counting the homeless: Project identifies those in need (The Wilson Times reports) -- Officials and volunteers hit the street and searched bus and train stations, abandoned homes, under bridges and other areas where the homeless are known to live. The annual count is called Point-In-Time, where communities across the country tally and document those who experience homelessness. It only provides a snapshot of the problem that occurs each day.

Debt Study (The Insider reports) -- The state's latest Debt Affordability Study shows N.C now has a debt capacity of about $1.1 billion in each of the next 10 years -- up considerably from the same number in last year's report -- and Gov. Roy Cooper says that's a positive sign for his bond proposal. The Debt Affordability Advisory Committee, which is chaired State Treasurer Dale Folwell, approved the annual study.

COLIN CAMPBELL: ‘A growing public safety issue’: Budget stalemate limits law enforcement programs (The Insider reports) -- Because of the state budget stalemate, it’s taking longer to certify new law enforcement officers and investigate potential misconduct. And a new scholarship program for future law enforcement officers is in jeopardy. The two programs depend on funding provisions in the N.C. Department of Justice’s section of the proposed budget. But Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the plan last summer, and Republican legislative leaders haven’t put out a new budget responding to the Democratic governor’s call for higher teacher pay and Medicaid expansion. Instead they’ve passed a series of mini-budgets.

BRANDON GARRETT: 1 in 7 NC drivers have their license suspended. Many don’t even know it. (N.C. Policy Watch reports) -- In N.C., 1.25 million people – one in seven adults – has a suspended driver license. That alone is a massive public problem. After all, driving is “a virtual necessity for most Americans,” as the U.S. Supreme Court has noted.

Franklin Graham’s deceptive defense of bigotry (Charlotte Observer) -- It turns out Franklin Graham isn’t anti-LGBTQ after all. That’s what he said, at least, in the face of someone standing up to his Bible bullying in a big way last week. The North Carolina icon and son of Billy Graham was disinvited Sunday from appearing in a Liverpool, England, arena on his upcoming summer tour of the United Kingdom. Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson said Graham was unwelcome because of his opposition to gay rights. “We can not allow hatred and intolerance to go unchallenged by anyone,” he said in a tweet. A second UK venue announced Wednesday that it too was canceling a Graham booking.

'Our people cannot afford this increase' - Emotional public hearing over Duke Energy rate hike request (WFMY-TV reports) -- Public input lasted about two hours. Over 20 people got the chance to speak - some visibly emotional while talking about the financial hardship a rate increase would have on them. The N.C. Utilities Commission will ultimately get to decide on the increase. If approved, the rate increase could affect the day-to-day residential customer's bill by 6.8 percent. Duke Energy says they need the money to pay for upgraded electricity systems, efficiently restore power after storms, generate cleaner power and close coal ash basins.

BREEDEN BLACKWELL: College affordability is right in your backyard (Fayetteville Observer column) -- North Carolina’s 58 community colleges, among them Fayetteville Technical Community College, provide a low-cost path to an immediate job or transfer to a four-year university.

JODIE VALADE: UNCC To Move Forward With Memorial To Remember Those Killed, Injured In Classroom Shooting (WFAE-FM reports) -- UNC Charlotte will move forward with plans for a $1 million memorial honoring students killed by a gunman in a classroom shooting in April 2019, the school announced Thursday. UNC Charlotte Chancellor Philip Dubois issued a letter to the campus saying he has accepted the recommendations of the Niner Nation Remembrance Commission, which advised not only the memorial, but a repurposing of the classroom where students Riley Howell and Reed Parlier were killed and four other students were wounded.

Duke Resolves Anti-Semitism Complaint (Inside Higher Ed reports) -- Duke University confirmed it reached an agreement with the U.S. Dept. of Education resolving a complaint alleging anti-Semitism at a conference on Gaza co-sponsored by the university last March, according to the Zionist Organization of America, which filed the complaint. Duke agreed to issue a statement saying that the university does not tolerate anti-Semitic harassment or discrimination. The university also agreed to revise its discrimination policy to “provide a description of forms of anti-Semitism that can manifest in the University environment.” The university did not admit wrongdoing.

UNC documents detail charges against two trustees (Greenville Daily Reflector reports) - -Documents from the UNC System offered details on charges that two members of the ECU Board of Trustees tried influence the upcoming election for student body president to change the balance of power on the trustee board.

9 more died last week of flu in NC; doctors warn to maintain concern, protect yourself (WRAL-TV reports) -- Nine people died of the flu in N.C. in the week that ended Saturday, bringing the total so far this season to 54.

Hot tub water caused Legionnaire's outbreak (WRAL-TV reports) -- Hot tub water that sprayed into the air likely caused an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease that killed four people in N.C. last year.

SARAH OVASKA: Federal proposal could change the face of Medicaid in N.C. (N.C. Health News reports) -- A Trump Administration announcement of lump-sum offer for adult Medicaid coverage draws fire from some quarters.

NIA HARDEN: Officials confirm first US case of person-to-person coronavirus spread, raise travel alert to level 4 (WRAL-TV) -- Health officials have reported the first US case of person-to-person spread of the virus in Chicago, while the US State Department elevated its travel warning to a Level 4, officially asking Americans not to travel to China.

AMANDA LAMB & BARRY HATTON: As coronavirus fears spread, travel is disrupted and agents work amid uncertainty (WRAL-TV/AP News) -- "I think you always need to take something seriously like this when its effecting every country," said Anita Flippin, a AAA travel agent in the Triangle. The impact on travel is worldwide, and it could last for months.

​​​​​​​JOHN BOYLE: Duke Energy officially retires coal units at Lake Julian (Asheville Citizen Times reports) -- After 56 years of burning coal at its Lake Julian power plant, Duke Energy has officially shut down the coal operation. "At 4 p.m. on Jan. 29, 2020, Duke Energy achieved a significant milestone and officially shut down the 344-megawatt Asheville coal plant in Arden," Duke Energy spokeswoman Heather Danenhower said.

HENRY HANEY: County governments in consensus on necessity for climate action, begin developing plans​​​​​​​ (The Daily Tarheel reports) -- As the world enters the last decade to mitigate the effects of climate change, the governments in Orange County prepare to implement sweeping action to locally combat the escalating crisis. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global warming must stay below 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid irreversible ecological and socioeconomic catastrophe. Orange County governments recognize the need to act to reduce carbon emissions and create a greener, more equitable county.

KATY BARRON & ANITA RAO: 2019 Sets The NC Record For The Warmest Year (WUNC-FM reports) -- Many people could have worn flip-flops in the last days of 2019. The week before New Year’s Eve featured 70 degree days — but it was not a fluke. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information, 2019 was the warmest year on record in North Carolina so far.

Can You Survive The Pompeo Challenge? Name These Unmarked Countries (Radio Free Europe) -- NPR journalist Mary Louise Kelly says Secretary of State Mike Pompeo -- angered over some tough questioning -- summoned her to his private living room and challenged her to point to Ukraine on an unmarked map. Kelly -- who has a master's degree in European Studies from Cambridge -- said she did. Pompeo later suggested Kelly had pointed to Bangladesh instead. How would you fare if you were called on the carpet by Pompeo?

Watch Super Bowl pregame for scenes from western NC​​​​​​​ (WRAL-TV reports) -- The western North Carolina town of Sylva stands in for small-town America in a segment that will run on Fox 50 just before the Super Bowl this Sunday. FOX Sports crews brought Kyle Carpenter, a Marine who won the Medal of Honor, to Jackson County to shoot a video that showcases patriotism.