Opinion

Opinion Roundup: Voter ID; impeachment making history; loss of a legend; flood maps wrong; and more.

Monday, Jan. 27, 2020 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Speaking to history; loss of a legend; examining Duke Energy's rate hike; flood maps misrepresent risk; and more.

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Kobe Bryant, Transformational Star of the NBA, Dies in Helicopter Crash
Monday, Jan. 27, 2020 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Speaking to history; loss of a legend; examining Duke Energy's rate hike; flood maps misrepresent risk; and more.
CAMPAIGN 2020
N C. attorneys file appeal plans of voter ID ruling (AP reports) -- N.C.'s attorney general filed formal notice Friday that his office will appeal a federal judge's ruling that has blocked the latest legislative bid to carry out a voter photo identification law.
Nielsen’s sexism disqualifies him from state Senate (Wilson Times) -- A Republican state Senate candidate is making headlines throughout N.C. for all the wrong reasons. Dennis Nielsen was served with a domestic violence protective order.
ALLEN JOHNSON: Should grateful black voters rally behind Trump? (Greensboro News & Record column) -- The movie “Harriet,” which, judging from its modest box-office performance, most of you haven’t seen, recently managed two nominations in this year’s Oscar race. Days later, African American supporters of Donald Trump — including his lustrous, pseudo-celebrity Facebook sycophants Diamond and Silk — were gathering in Raleigh for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event.
WNC US House GOP candidates united on guns, abortion; Divided on jobs, liberal cities (Asheville Citizen-Times reports) -- There was little daylight among Western N.C. Republican 11th Congressional District candidates at a forum when it came to core ideological issues, such as immigration, gun rights and abortion. But rifts emerged over government's role in providing jobs and how to work with “left-leaning” local governments. Sen. Jim Davis, R-Macon, the one candidate to have served in elected office, touted and defended his record, while the youngest candidate, Madison Cawthorn, said his age was an advantage. There are 11 are running for the newly redrawn district, not counting Matthew Burril of Asheville, who dropped out this month, but whose name is still on the ballot.
NBC News Poll: Sanders, Buttigieg top Democratic field in New Hampshire (NBC News reports) -- Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg lead the Democratic race in New Hampshire, while the Top 4 Democrats all enjoy early advantages against President Donald Trump in hypothetical general-election matchups in the Granite State.
IMPEACHMENT SAGA
ALAN FRAM: Democrats speak to history with exhaustive impeachment case (AP reports) -- At times it seemed like few senators in the chamber were really listening. But the House Democrats presenting the impeachment case against President Donald Trump weren’t about to stop. Few minds appeared to be changed, and many senators all but lashed to their seats for the trial described it as tedium. But the 7 Democratic prosecutors were speaking not only to the senators — effectively Trump’s jurors — but also to history, which will judge his conduct long after his expected acquittal. “This is not just for the senators now, or the American people, but forever,” said Michael Gerhardt, constitutional law professor UNC’s at School of Law. Gerhardt said historians would dissect video and transcripts of Democrats’ presentation and the case that a team of lawyers representing the White House makes. The length and detail of the Democratic speeches would be a bonanza. “History is kind of ruthless. It’s not partisan, Democratic versus Republican. It doesn’t care about people’s feelings,” said Gerhardt, who’s written books on the impeachment process. “It cares about what’s in the record.”
LINDSAY WISE & NATALIE ANDEWS: Impeachment Trial’s Marathon Days Make Many Senators Restless (Wall Street Journal reports) -- The strict decorum observed at the opening of the Senate trial a week ago has given way to suspiciously long bathroom breaks and questionable reading materials, as well as audible conversations and laughter among senators.
BRIAN MURPHY & FRANCESCA CHAMBERS: No rest for Trump ally Meadows in new role defending president during impeachment (McClatchy D.C. reports) -- A White House official said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-NC, and other members of the “impeachment team” are advising Trump and his legal team and are providing guidance on the evidence, the trial and the process. The other Republican House members on that team are: Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, John Ratcliffe of Texas, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Debbie Lesko of Arizona, Doug Collins of Georgia and Lee Zeldin and Elise Stefanik of New York. “It’s an advisory role and certainly one that has not only been welcomed, but I’ve felt like has worked really well,” Meadows said.
POLICY & POLITICS
Lost Ground: The shrinking of rural N.C. (N.C. News Collaborative) -- This 8-part series looks at the state's shrinking rural areas and what some communities are doing to reinvent themselves.
Gun fever is exploding (Greensboro News & Record/Winston-Salem Journal) -- Several of our good neighbors — Surry, Stokes, Davidson and Wilkes among them — have recently declared their counties to be “Second Amendment Sanctuaries,” or some variety thereof, by passing resolutions supporting constitutional gun rights. As of this writing, at least eight such resolutions have passed in the state and others are being considered. Earlier this month, Forsyth County commissioners were asked to pass a similar resolution. “We have children,” one speaker said at the commissioners’ meeting. “We worry about people coming into our homes.”
How NC won 475 aerospace jobs (Triangle Business Journal) – N.C. faced competition from several other states in the battle to win hundreds of jobs for Kinston's NC Global TransPark.
MIKAYA THURMOND: Thousands gather downtown for Raleigh Women's March (WRAL-TV reports) -- Thousands marched on sidewalks in downtown Raleigh then gathered at Halifax Mall for music, chants and speeches. The theme for this year's event was "Women Protecting the Future." The march and speeches focused on social issues and democracy, reproductive rights, immigration reform, healthcare reform, LGBTQ rights and environmental issues.
Charlotte Women's March Fills First Ward Park For 4th Year (WFAE-FM reports) -- This year's Women United March resembled past years in many ways. There was a rally with speakers, a march through the streets of uptown Charlotte, and thousands of progressive women and their allies raising their voices and homemade signs in support of liberal causes.
'Sisters who Rule' spread the message of friendship (WRAL-TV reports) -- Four law school friends are now judges in N.C. and Georgia and they are spreading a message of friendship to young people.
NCDOT says finances have stabilized but remain precarious, hoping the weather holds (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- The N.C. Department of Transportation says the cutbacks it made last year will remain in place in the coming months, as it catches up on costs related to storms and the Map Act.
The unworkable math of gas tax: A N.C. dilemma (Triangle Business Journal reports) -- The gas tax, which funds 54 percent of N.C.'s overall transportation resources, brought in $2 billion.
ADAM OWENS: Annual event at NC Museum of History celebrates African American culture (WRAL-TV reports) -- There is so much to know about the African American experience in our state. A lot of it was shared at the 19th annual African American Cultural Celebration in Raleigh.
Children's book teaches African American history in NC (AP reports) -- A new book by the founding director of N.C. African American Heritage Commission teaches children about the history of African Americans’ contributions to the state.
OLIVIA NEELEY: Keeping black youths in school, out of jail: Law professor: Bias, over-policing lead to racial disparities (The Wilson Times) -- When Erika Wilson first became an attorney, she believed that if you were involved in the criminal justice system, you must have done something wrong. “You got yourself into trouble and that’s why you were arrested or incarcerated,” Wilson said. “I didn’t really understand the magnitude of the problem.” But when her 17-year-old black nephew was arrested and charged with multiple felonies for what was essentially a teenage prank, she began to take a deeper look.
Jordan High culinary students make meals for uprooted McDougald Terrace residents (WRAL-TV reports) –With the the fourth week of living out of a hotel room for many McDougald Terrace residents, and with no end in sight on those hotel stays, students at Durham's Jordan High School came up with a creative way to help residents.
JANNETTE PILLIN: District Court Judge charged with DWI in Jones County (Jacksonville Daily News reports) -- A District Court judge was charged Friday in Jones County with driving while impaired, according to the Highway Patrol. Judge Timothy Smith of Duplin County was traveling west on N.C. 41 just outside of Trenton around 2 p.m. when he was initially stopped by a deputy with the Jones County Sheriff's Office for alleged erratic driving, said Trooper Leland Galetka.
Accusations target Durham, SBI as a cop fights to clear his name (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- Some of N.C.'s top law enforcement officers are facing a defamation lawsuit that claims they conspired to destroy the reputation of a fellow officer by attacking him with a false rape allegation and numerous other violations. The head of the SBI and two of his top deputies are accused of targeting Donald Ray Richardson, a former Alcohol Law Enforcement agent under their command, with help from a Durham Police Department sexual assault investigator. That investigator is also named in the lawsuit, as are the City of Durham, the SBI, the woman who first accused Richardson, and others.
Institute for Emerging Issues director hopes conference will drive more broadband access, use (WRAL-TV/TechWire reports) -- NC State University’s Institute for Emerging Issues will soon host the fourth installment of its ReCONNECT NC series. The forum will tackle the topic of broadband access and adoption—exploring how communities across N.C. can leverage high-speed internet for economic improvement.
CELIA RIVENBARK: Melania’s life with HIM (Wilmington Star-News column) -- It’s Groundhog Day for Melania. What in God’s name is HE going to do today?
Chubby Checker comes to Wilmington for Common Cause (Wilmington Star-News reports) -- Pop legend to headline benefit for group looking to end gerrymandering. Checker performs Jan. 31 at the Blockade Runner in Wrightsville Beach.
1898 coup author: “Wilmington was unique” (Wilmington Star-News reports) -- “It’s a fascinating story that needed to be told. People have no idea around the country what happened.”
Outer Banks property sales surge to levels not seen since the 2005 boom (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot reports) --It’s hard to pinpoint a single reason for the boost. A robust economy, low interest rates and good fall weather contributed, said Dan Sutherland.
Those who fought to end Jim Crow are dying. How will we preserve those memories? (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot) -- Hampton Roads will be challenged to preserve the civil rights story as experience fades into memory and those who lived it pass on.
Buncombe residents say they were 'disenfranchised' by change to municipal election cycle (Asheville Citizen-Times reports) -- A N.C. Senate bill in 2018 switched Asheville council elections from odd years to even ones; Three other Buncombe towns followed suit, bumping local elections back a year; Local reps in 2018 argued the move would save money and boost voter turnout; At a Buncombe commissioners meeting, residents said this gave officials a fifth, unelected year in office.
Former state Rep. Harry Grimmer (Charlotte Observer reports) -- Former state legislator Harry C. Grimmer, 84, died Jan. 22 after a battle with lung cancer. He was a homebuilder and developer in Charlotte. He served as a member of the N.C. House from 1986 to 1992. He was instrumental for the funding of the Interstate 485 Bypass in Charlotte.
Gail Ann McDonald, former N.C. Commerce Dept. official (Legacy.com) -- Gail Ann McDonald passed away on Saturday, Jan. 18. In 2004, Gail moved to N.C., where she as Director of Government Relations at the State Ports Authority and was named as the first Small Business Ombudsman for the N.C. Dept. of Commerce. She was Administrative Assistant for Education and Cultural Affairs for Gov. David L. Boren of Oklahoma. She was the Executive Assistant to Norma Eagleton, the first woman Commissioner of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. Gail later represented the Commission as Director of the Energy Conservation Services Division and the State-Federal Liaison Officer. In 1982, she moved to the Washington, DC, as Assoc. Dr. of Regulatory Affairs for Gas Research Institute. Gail was appointed by President George Bush to serve as a Commissioner, in a Democratic slot, of the Interstate Commerce Commission and served as Vice Chairman in 1992. She served as Chairman of the ICC from 1993 to 1995. In 1995, President Clinton appointed her Administrator of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. She was appointed as an administrator in the Department of Transportation and as the National Ombudsman for the Small Business Administration. In 1999, Gail was appointed by Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening to the Board of Directors of the Injured Workers' Insurance Fund and later as a Commissioner to the Public Service Commission of Maryland.
COLIN CAMPBELL: Liquor Privatization (The Insider reports) -- A proposal to privatize the state's liquor sales system likely won't get a vote this year, but it could get further study, according to the bill's leading sponsor. House Bill 971 got its first committee hearing last summer; it would close government-run ABC stores and allow privately owned stores to take over liquor sales, while continuing to be regulated by the state's ABC Commission. The bill didn't make it out of committee in the 2019 long session, but the state's primary retail and hospitality industry groups have had a campaign called "#FreeTheSpirits" to gin up support for the sweeping change.
Fetzer’s sister leaves Duke Energy to join brother’s lobbying operation (The Insider reports) -- Duke Energy's state director of government affairs has left the company to join her brother's lobbying firm. Susan Vick lobbied on behalf of the utility company since 2015, and she's now joining Fetzer Strategic Partners, led by UNC Board of Governors member and former Raleigh mayor Tom Fetzer. Fetzer's clients include New Hanover County and the N.C. Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association.
Fact check: How many millionaires are in Congress, compared to rest of US? (Politifact/WRAL-TV reports) With income inequality a persistent hot topic in the Democratic presidential primary, it's not surprising that a familiar meme is circulating on Facebook claiming that Congress is far richer than the public.
NC MOBILIZES
Wilmington soldier based in Knightdale killed in crash in Syria (WRAL-TV reports) -- The Department of Defense says a soldier from Wilmington who was based in Knightdale was killed in a crash Friday in Syria. Officials identified the man as Spc. Antonio I. Moore, 22. They said he died n Deir ez Zor Province, Syria, during a rollover accident while conducting route clearing operations as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.
Governor orders flags lowered for NC soldier killed in Syria (AP reports) -- Gov. Roy Cooper has ordered that all U.S. and N.C. flags at state facilities be lowered to half-staff in honor of a 22-year-old soldier who died in Syria.
EDUCATION
Racist threats rattle students, faculty at Wake Forest University (AP reports) -- Three months after a set of anonymous, threatening, racist, antisemitic and homophobic emails sent a wave of fear through the sociology department at Wake Forest University, the department chairman says he's still waiting for university leaders to announce a meaningful response. The emails to faculty in sociology and two other departments called for a “purge” of minorities and the LGBTQ community. Alarmed by what he deemed white supremacist terrorism, chairman Joseph Soares canceled sociology classes for a week. When they resumed, Wake Forest police officers were stationed outside classrooms and the building itself. Doors normally open were closed and locked. Even a study lounge was locked.
CMS needs hundreds of social workers to meet national standards. Can county afford them? (Charlotte Observer reports) - After securing nearly $5.6 million in county funding, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools hired 25 new social workers for the 2019-2020 academic year — and the district is looking to hire 30 additional mental-health professionals, including counselors and psychologists. But once those positions are filled, CMS will still lack hundreds of staff members who are needed to adequately address social and emotional learning. Staffing deficits at CMS call for recruiting 500 more social workers, as well as 150 counselors and 115 psychologists, according to an analysis provided to the Mecklenburg County commissioners.
BRIAN GORDON: A day in the life of a North Carolina homeschooling movement (Asheville Citizen-Times reports) -- At the bottom of a backyard hill on a dreary Monday morning, a crowd of children negotiated their own Capture the Flag rules. At the top by the house, a boy in roller skates gingerly shuffled across moist grass.
Gene Corrigan, former NCAA president, ACC boss, dies at 91 (AP reports) -- Gene Corrigan, the former NCAA president who also helped change the look of college sports as Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner and Notre Dame and Virginia athletic director, died early Saturday. He was 91. The ACC said Corrigan died “peacefully overnight surrounded by his family” in Charlottesville, Va. Corrigan was the ACC’s third full-time commissioner, serving from September 1987 until retiring in December 1996. He was NCAA president from 1995-97.
JOHN FEINSTEIN: Gene Corrigan, the ‘Commish,’ ran the ACC with a big personality and unquestioned authority (Washington Post column) -- Years ago, when the ACC basketball tournament was still about tradition, those of us who covered the tournament year in and year out had one that we cherished: the Brill bracket announcement. It came at midnight Saturday, the night before the final, and it involved Bill Brill, the patriarch of ACC sportswriters, being rolled on a luggage cart into a ballroom filled with reporters. Brill would then stand before his colleagues and announce his version of the then-64-team bracket, which was so accurate most years that reporters would start making travel plans once they heard the Brill bracket. The man who annually introduced Brill was Gene Corrigan.
Heating malfunction moves students out of Durham elementary school (AP reports) -- Classes at Morehead Montessori Magnet Elementary School in Durham will be moved while a malfunctioning heating system is repaired, the school said Sunday. A teacher workday is scheduled for Monday, so there are no classes or extracurricular activities for students.Starting Tuesday, fourth- and fifth-grade classes will be at Durham Public Schools’ Staff Development Center, at 2107 Hillandale Road. All other classes will be held at Eno Valley Elementary School at 117 Milton Road. About 250 students are affected, the school said.
Seller auctioning JFK docs from ex-California governor (AP reports) -- Former CA. Gov. Jerry Brown wants to know who is trying to sell his father’s memorabilia related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
JESSIE YEUNG: NASA wants to bring Martian samples back to Earth -- and they need someone to lead the mission (CNN reports) -- NASA is planning to bring Martian samples back to Earth -- and they're looking for someone to lead the mission. The Mars Sample Return (MSR) program, set to take place over the next decade, aims to collect samples of Martian rock, soil, and atmosphere for analysis and testing on Earth. NASA has previously sent several rovers to Mars, but no program or robot has ever been able to bring back samples, which could give researchers new insights into the Red Planet.
HEALTH
SARAH OVASKA: Wannabe Medicaid managed care groups still fighting for a slot (N.C. Health News reports) -- While a move to switch Medicaid to a managed care system in N.C. is on indefinite hold, several companies rejected by state health officials for lucrative managed care contracts are still vying for seats at the table. If N.C. Administrative Law Judge Tenisha Jacobs agrees with lawyers who claim the selection process was flawed, it will throw yet another wrench into the already beleaguered transition of the state's massive Medicaid program to managed care.
FRANK TAYLOR: NC still risks noncompliance with federal mental health agreement (Carolina Public Press reports) -- NC DHHS spokesperson declines to answer questions about why rosy press release on independent reviewer’s annual report ignored negative findings, warnings
NC Division of Public Health: Test results negative for coronavirus in patient from Triangle (WRAL-TV reports) -- The N.C. Division of Public Health (NC DPH) is reporting that a patient who was being tested for the novel (new) 2019 coronavirus is not infected with the virus. Negative results were received from testing performed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Duke Kunshan University closed during coronavirus outbreak in China (WRAL-TV reports) -- Classes have been canceled at the Duke Kunshan University in China while the coronavirus outbreak is investigated, and students there must leave or commit to stay on campus for the next few weeks.
Chinese New Year festival in Chapel Hill postponed because of coronavirus concerns (WRAL-TV reports) -- A Chinese New Year festival in Chapel Hill has been postponed over concerns about the spreading coronavirus. The LightUp was scheduled to take place on Franklin Street on Feb. 2, but organizers postponed because of the spreading virus.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
MICHAEL FALERO: Report says NC Will Experience Significant Climate Change Effects By 2100 (WFAE-FM reports) -- N.C. is on track to experience the most significant changes to its climate ever by the end of this century, according to a new report. Scientists with the N.C. Institute of Climate Studies at NC State University presented the report to Gov. Roy Cooper’s Climate Change Interagency Council. The report looked at two possible ranges of warming by the end of the century, and the effects that warming would have on N.C. The two models are called RCP4.5 (2 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit of warming) and RCP8.5 (4 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit of warming).
DAVID BORAKS: State And Local Leaders Set Climate Goals, But Can We Meet Them? (WFAE-FM reports) -- With the federal government's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, state and local governments in N.C. have set their own ambitious goals for addressing climate change. Now, they're puzzling over how to carry out the big changes needed to reach those goals - such as switching to electric vehicles and shifting to more renewable energy. At least for now, it's still mostly data-gathering and discussion.
LAURA LESLIE: Rollback of federal protections could affect NC's drinking water )WRAL-TV reports) -- A federal decision to roll back Clean Water Act protections could affect water quality in central North Carolina - everything from drinking water to algae in lakes.
New Dare Flood Maps Misrepresent Risk (Coastal Review reports) -- Updated flood maps for Dare County and its six towns misrepresent the flood risk for property owners, the county planning director says.
TAFT WIREBACK: Duke Energy seeks rate hike costing the average residential customer $97 per year (Greensboro News & Record reports) -- State utility regulators are holding a public hearing this week to gather comments from Triad residents about Duke Energy’s proposed rate increase. The event Wednesday at 7 p.m. is part of the N.C. Utilities Commission’s review of the power company’s requested rate hike, expected to generate more than $445 million in additional yearly revenue.
LISA SORG: A closer look at Duke Energy’s proposed rate hike (N.C. Policy Watch reports) -- Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC has filed an application with the Utilities Commission requesting authority to raise its rates for electric service. For a residential electric customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month, the current monthly bill of $102.71 would increase to $108.43 under Duke’s proposal.
Officials: Overturned tanker causes 'major fuel spill' (AP reports) – Charlotte’s fire department said a major fuel spill occurred after a tractor trailer overturned.
MIKE HUGHES: Is N.C. a solar power? You might be surprised (Wilmington Star-News column) – N.C. and Duke Energy have been leaders as solar power has grown as a portion of our energy mix. But in conversations around the state, one impression is hard to shake: Many people don’t know the whole story about solar energy in N.C.
BRIE HANDGRAAF: New technology to improve worker safety (The Wilson Times reports) -- Wilson Energy will soon have new technology that will protect the city’s linemen. The Wilson City Council approved a $305,036 allocation at its January meeting to purchase and install protective relays to replace aging devices at several city substations.
...AND MORE
At 10 years, civil rights museum is proud of where it is, believes expansion is a must (Greensboro News & Record reports) -- The International Civil Rights Center & Museum’s financial struggles seem to be behind it, and now the CEO is looking ahead to ‘bigger plans’
Krzyzewski: 'The game of basketball is better today because of Kobe' (WRAL-TV reports) -- Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski said Kobe Bryant was "one of the greatest sports figures of our time" after the retired NBA star was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
Coach K, Michael Jordan and the NC basketball world react to Kobe Bryant’s death (Durham Herald-Sun reports)-- The 41-year-old NBA legend died in a helicopter crash Sunday.
Kobe Bryant was a Hornet for a week. He’s the greatest Charlotte athlete who never was (Charlotte Observer reports) -- The Charlotte Hornets drafted Kobe Bryant. They got Vlade Divac in a trade with the Lakers.
Kobe Bryant's death leaves world asking what N.C. has since 1996: What if? (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- The history of N.C. basketball and Kobe Bryant is filled with near-misses. Kobe would have gone to Duke — if only he had gone to college. He could have been a Charlotte Hornet for 20 years instead of one week — if only Vlade Divac had made good on his threat to retire rather than accept a trade to Charlotte.
Longtime Triangle area high school referee Steve Stephenson dies (High School OT/WRAL-TV reports) -- Steve Stephenson, a longtime official in the Triangle area for the N.C. High School Athletic Association, died on Saturday at the age of 74. Stephenson officiated for more than four decades across multiple sports, including football, basketball, baseball, and volleyball. He also officiated youth sports, including Pop Warner football and youth basketball. He was currently in his 42nd year of officiating high school sports. A graduate of Broughton High School, Stephenson went to college at North Carolina State University. He once scored 78 points in a basketball game. Stephenson even played on the freshman team at NC State.
N.C. woman wins $5 million in two lottery games (AP reports) -- A N.C. woman seems to have a knack for winning lottery scratch-off games.
Press partnership is promising (Hendersonville Times-News) -- “These North Carolina papers used to compete. Now, they watchdog together” is the headline of an article from the Poynter Institute, an organization that champions the role of robust journalism in a free society. The article by Kristen Hare highlights an initiative called the N.C. News Collaborative.
THOMAS GOLDSMITH: Former chapel on NC’s Dorothea Dix campus to reopen, welcome visitors, events (N.C. Health News reports) -- All Faiths Chapel of Dorothea Dix Hospital will become a multi-purpose and welcome center after a $2 million renovation that’s just getting underway. Spiritual gatherings may still take place there, but it will also house concerts, meetings and educational events.
20 to watch in 2020 (WRAL-TV reports) -- Who will be the movers and shakers in the year ahead? The editors and reporters of The Fayetteville Observer chose this list of "20 to Watch in 2020" from among the civic leaders who we expect to be newsmakers in the coming months.
HUNTER INGRAM: Volunteers help to reopen cemetery hit by Hurricane Florence (The Wilmington Star-News reports) -- Save for the hum of cars winding by on Princess Place Drive, it’s all quiet at Bellevue Cemetery — and it’s caretakers are immensely grateful for it.
DEIRDRE SMITH: WWII photos found in N.C. tell a story never spoken (Salisbury Post reports) -- No one had seen the photos for 45 years. No one realized the extent of the late James Bruton’s experiences in World War II. But when Deborah Horne, who works as Fire Division Chief for Rowan County, opened an old church envelope that had been in a box of things her aunt Karen Bruton sent her, she couldn’t believe what was inside. “I was completely in shock. After being in the fire service for so long, I’ve seen some stuff, but I had never seen anything like that,” she said. What she saw were several photos of Dachau Concentration Camp in Germany, pictures she’s pretty sure her grandfather took of the unspeakable horrors.

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