Welcome. This is a weekly (or tries to be) feature of North Carolina Blue. The platform gives readers interested in North Carolina politics a place to share their knowledge, insight and inspiration as we take back our state from some of the most extreme Republicans in the nation.
Please stop by each week. You can also join the discussion in four other weekly State Open Threads. If you are interested in starting your own state blog, weekly to occasionally, I will list your work below.
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Full chamber will debate plan next week. Details on state worker, teacher raises not yet known.
Republicans in the North Carolina House began unveiling their plan for the state budget Thursday, laying out a spending proposal separate from the Senate’s in a series of committee meetings.
Senate Republicans approved their own version of the budget weeks ago, sending it to the House. But as is standard practice, the House will pass a budget of its own, requiring budget writers from both chambers to sit down and hammer out a compromise.
Rep. Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth), a lead House budget writer, remarked that the proposal developed by him and his GOP colleagues was “better than the Senate’s.” But he said concerns about the national landscape, as well as a busy few weeks that also included the “crossover” deadline, complicated matters.
“Are there cuts in here that I don’t like?” Lambeth said. “Absolutely. But we’re up against a really challenging time economically … we’ve just had to balance out a lot of priorities.”
The rapid process Thursday drew frustration from Democrats, who did not have access to the budget’s hundreds of pages until just prior to committee hearings. And their ability to amend the budget was limited by a series of watertight legislative rules that prevented almost all substantive changes.
“With respect, we should really have more time — at least a day,” said Rep. Phil Rubin (D-Wake).
Early next week, larger committees will approve the budget before it heads to the full floor for debate. <More>
Back in December, Wilmington's Mouths of Babes theater company was ecstatic to get its first national grant: $10,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts, or NEA, a substantial amount for a small company.
The excitement didn't last long.
Early in May, MoB, as the company is called — it mostly stages new and original plays often centered on such themes as racism, social justice and the LGBTQ+ community — learned that its NEA grant was rescinded, one of a wave of cancellations ordered by President Donald Trump that has affected hundreds of arts organizations around the country.
"We felt like we'd arrived on some level," said MoB Artistic Director of Trey Morehouse. "It just seemed crazy to me that we'd lose (the grant) after being told we had it."
But while the immediate impact of the NEA grant cancellations will likely be minimal on a local level — the only other groups in New Hanover County to lose NEA funding were the Cucalorus Film Festival, which had a $30,000 grant retroactively canceled, and the Wilmington chapter of national arts group Turning the Wheel — arts advocates say it sends a chilling message to artists, arts organizations and patrons of the arts. <More>
Gov. Josh Stein issued a statement Thursday critical of proposed federal spending cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The governor said it would cost North Carolina $700 million to provide low-income residents with the current level of assistance if the cuts are made.
“If Congress goes forward with these plans, our state will be forced into perilous budget decisions – should North Carolinians lose access to food, or should we get rid of other essential services?,” Stein asked. “I urge our members of Congress to reject this budget proposal so that North Carolina families don’t go hungry.”
Currently, the federal government covers 100% of food benefits for SNAP participants. North Carolina footing $700 million in SNAP benefits for the first time would be the equivalent of 8,900 K-12 public school teacher positions, Stein said in the statement.
Stein has sent a letter to Congress laying out the implications for North Carolina if SNAP cuts move forward. Click here to read his letter.
Read below how Stein said the loss of federal SNAP dollars would impact the state.<More>
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY — Local leaders and business owners are raising alarms over a planned closure of the Blue Ridge Parkway between Blowing Rock and Linville later this year. They cite potential devastating economic impacts and urge the National Park Service to reconsider the project’s timing.
Jesse Pope, President and CEO of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, posted a Facebook message publicly expressing his concerns.
“I’m sorry to use this platform to share more bad news, but I’m close to exhausting every platform for spreading the word. Now, I’m counting on my friends here to help me spread the word,” Pope wrote.
According to Pope, the NPS intends to shut down a 17-mile stretch of the Parkway beginning in July, coinciding with the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, and continuing through early November. Although exact dates have not been released, the work is part of a major infrastructure investment funded by the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act, which allocated $127 million for Parkway improvements. Planned upgrades include replacing the Laurel Fork Bridge and repaving 75 miles between mileposts 229.6 and 305.1. <More>
SUNSET BEACH, N.C. (WECT) - Sunset Beach is under a yellow flag warning, according to the Sunset Beach Fire Department (SBPD).
Beachgoers should be on the lookout for stronger currents or larger waves, as well as Portuguese man-of-wars that have washed up on shore.
“These aren’t jellyfish, but colonies of organisms with a powerful sting. Even when dead, their tentacles can still sting, so DO NOT TOUCH them,” SBFD wrote on their Facebook page.
Officials advise looking out for blue or purple, balloon-like floats on the surface of the water or washed up on the sand and long, thread-like tentacles. <More>
North Carolina health officials warned people against swimming in three areas at the coast this week due to high bacteria levels. Meanwhile, two other Tar Heel coastal communities warned about more visible beach dangers — painful stings from Portuguese man-of-war.
The bacteria warnings came after heavy rains this week, which can typically cause higher bacteria counts because of runoff from storms.
The high-profile beach hazards — Portuguese Man-of-War — washed ashore on Friday, according to the Sunset Beach Fire Department in Brunswick County. Cape Lookout National Seashore officials at the southern Outer Banks said man-of-war also were at their beaches on Saturday. <More>
Thanks for stopping by, wishing all a strong weekend.
