Welcome. This is a weekly 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.
Colorado: Mondays, 7:00 PM Mountain
Michigan: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Eastern
North Carolina: Sundays
Missouri: Wednesday Evenings
Kansas: Monday Evenings
Please jump the fold for more, I hope you find this story collection useful.
The North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee voted in favor of a bill Wednesday that would expand state requirements for sheriffs to detain undocumented immigrants for retrieval by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The bill, known as House Bill 318 or “the Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act,” passed the North Carolina House in April and is now set for a vote by the Senate Rules Committee Thursday morning. It represents a continuation of the detention requirements passed in November under House Bill 10.
Democrats and members of the public spoke out against the bill, arguing that it damages rather than furthers public safety. Sen. Lisa Grafstein (D-Wake) said she believes the requirements violate the U.S. Constitution, given that they would require sheriffs to carry out the ICE hold even when the individual in question has been exonerated or had their charges dismissed.
“We’re talking about keeping people where the state has no constitutional interest in holding them,” Grafstein said. <More>
Protests and rallies are expected to take place soon across North Carolina as part of a “nationwide day of defiance” against authoritarianism and President Donald Trump. “No Kings” demonstrations are scheduled for Flag Day, which is Saturday, June 14. They are being organized in towns and cities across the country, including several in the Triangle.
“No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance,” the protest organizers wrote on their website. “From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism — and show the world what democracy really looks like.”
The national mobilization, inspired by the “success” of “Hands Off!” and May Day, is being organized by a coalition of groups including Indivisible, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Human Rights Campaign, according to a news release from Indivisible. “The flag doesn’t belong to President Trump. It belongs to us,” according to the No Kings website. “On June 14th, we’re showing up everywhere he isn’t — to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings.” <More>
Join us on Mondays for a zoom call to work on planning the next Rally at Pack Square in downtown Asheville! The NO CLOWNS NO KINGS rally will be a family friendly event from 1:30-3:30pm on Saturday, June 14th. We have a lot of work to do in order to make it happen, and YOU are invited to bring your ideas, expertise, and energy to join us in doing the work! We have a zoom capacity of 100 people...you need to sign up here in order to participate. First 100 signups will receive an email on Monday prior to the scheduled zoom calls at 6:30pm, providing you with a link to join the zoom. See you there, Troublemakers! <More>
When you elect clowns, they don’t become leaders. The country becomes a circus.
On June 14, Donald Trump will honor himself with a four-mile military parade in our nation’s capitol. Trump’s tacky parade was inspired by dictators he idolizes, and will cost taxpayers nearly $100 million.
Organizer and strategist Daniel Hunter has written that “Humor is important for our psyches — and to take fascists down a notch[…] Humor is key for morale and exposing the vulnerability of the strongman image.” This is where the ridiculous meets the resistance—and where the future is on the line.
June 14 is our chance to reflect the absurdity of the MAGA regime and the clowns who lead it. To meet this moment, Women’s March will host community circuses nationwide—bold, creative actions that mirror the chaos MAGA has sown across the country. Together, we’ll set a national record for the most circuses held in a single day while we simultaneously refuse to celebrate a petty clown who desperately wants to be seen as strong. We won’t stop until we build the country we all deserve.
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Our grassroots street circuses turn satire into resistance and reclaim the big tent for democracy.
#KickOutTheClowns
#GreatestShitshowOnEarth
#CommunitiesNotClowns
#ClownsAgainstClowns
#BigTentResistance
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North Carolina Governor Josh Stein has intensified his campaign to protect vital social safety net programs, sending a direct appeal to U.S. Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd to oppose federal cuts that could strip health care from nearly half a million North Carolinians and force the state to find $700 million annually to maintain current food assistance levels.
The governor's June 6 letter outlines the devastating impact of the U.S. House reconciliation bill, which proposes sweeping cuts to both Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). According to the Governor's office, recent modeling shows that 255,000 North Carolinians risk losing Medicaid coverage, while the Kaiser Family Foundation projects the combined effect of Medicaid and marketplace changes could increase the state's uninsured population to an estimated 470,000 if subsidies expire at the end of 2025.
"SNAP helps 1.4 million North Carolinians put food on the table," Governor Stein stated in a May 15 press release. As reported by the Governor's office, the proposed federal cuts would make North Carolina pay up to $700 million to continue current benefits, "all so that the wealthiest Americans can receive even bigger tax cuts." The governor warned this would force the state into "perilous budget decisions" between food access and other essential services. <More>
Governor Josh Stein signed an executive order Wednesday establishing the new North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis. The Council will study and recommend options for a comprehensive statewide approach to cannabis that is grounded in public health and public safety considerations. Stein’s order says the new council will learn from lessons in other states and experts and focus on the protection and safety of all North Carolinians, especially the state’s youth.
The council announced Wednesday includes 24 members and will be co-chaired by State Health Director Lawrence Greenblatt and Robeson County District attorney Matt Scott. Other who will serve on the board will be representatives from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Public Safety, the state Department of Justice, local law enforcement officials, as well as North Carolina farmers. Notably, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians would also have a seat at the table. The Eastern Band first approved the use of medicinal cannabis in 2021, launching recreational marijuana sales on its tribal land last year. <More>
CHEROKEE, N.C. – During its regular session on Thursday, June 5, Dinilawigi (Tribal Council) overrode two vetoes by Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks regarding cannabis. The vetoes were of Res. No. 464 and Ord. No. 391, both of which were originally passed on May 1.
Res. No. 464 (2025), submitted by Qualla Enterprises, LLC, was passed by Dinilawigi on May 1. It states in part, “Through collaboration with EBCI planning and regulatory programs, in addition to vast research and development at the Coopers Creek Farm, there are no major obstacles or barriers that would keep QE (Qualla Enterprises) from developing this site as planned.”
The legislation further stated that “land within Cherokee Community parcels numbers 85, 13, 65, 58, 57, and 18 be solely dedicated to the original intent, cannabis production by QE, LLC”.
Res. No. 464 was passed by a margin of 62-32 as follows: For – Kolanvyi (Big Cove) Rep. Richard French, Tsisqwohi (Birdtown) Rep. Boyd Owle, Tsalagi Gadugi/Tutiyi (Cherokee Co./Snowbird) Rep. Bucky Brown, Elawodi (Yellowhill) Rep. Tom Wahnetah, Wayohi (Wolftown) Rep. Bo Crowe, Tsisqwohi (Birdtown) Rep. Jim Owle, Aniwodihi (Painttown) Rep. Michael Stamper; Against – Kolanvyi (Big Cove) Rep. Perry Shell, Dinilawigi Vice Chairman David Wolfe, Tsalagi Gadugi/Tutiyi (Cherokee Co./Snowbird) Rep. Adam Wachacha, Dinilawigi Chairman Mike Parker; and Absent – Aniwodihi (Painttown) Rep. Dike Sneed. <More>
Two administrators from UNC System schools are out of jobs after videos were released of them implying noncompliance with the UNC System’s policies on diversity, equity and inclusion. The undercover media group behind the recordings said it has more videos of administrators from other North Carolina schools, potentially UNC-Chapel Hill, and could release them as early as Monday.
Adam Guillette, president of Accuracy in Media, told The Daily Tar Heel that the group will be releasing at least four additional investigations from higher education institutions in North Carolina.
Guillette said there will be many more videos coming out from UNC System schools in the next few weeks, with one expected to be released as early as Monday. Guillette said he cannot yet comment on if these investigations are taking place at UNC-Chapel Hill. <More>
Thanks for stopping by, stay strong my friends.
