Archives for January 2025

When the will of the voters meets a political power grab

Featured at Roll Call

Some people just won’t take no for an answer.

Put in that category the Republican candidate for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court. Jefferson Griffin lost that race to incumbent Democratic Justice Allison Riggs by just 734 votes out of more than 5.5 million cast, which has to hurt. Ask Democrat Cheri Beasley, who in 2020 lost her North Carolina chief justice race to Republican Paul Newby by about 400 votes from almost 5.4 million ballots cast.

Since two recounts have confirmed the Riggs win, you might think Griffin would have conceded by now, as Beasley did after two recounts.

You would be wrong.

Read the rest atRoll Call
Jan162025 TAGS: , , , , , , , ,

Local News Roundup: Winter storm prep; Riggs-Griffin continues; NC General Assembly underway; Panthers end on a high note

Featured at WFAE

Get ready, Charlotte. Winter is coming. Snow and sleet are in the forecast this weekend. We discuss what to expect and how it could impact the coming days.

It’s the election that will not end. The Republican-controlled North Carolina Supreme Court has ruled the North Carolina Board of Elections should not certify a victory for Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs over Republican Jefferson Griffin for a seat on that same bench. Riggs recused herself, while the only other Democrat, Anita Earls, dissented. She said Griffin’s challenge had “no likelihood of success” and did not believe the state’s highest court should interfere with the democratic process. One Republican also broke ranks with his GOP colleagues on the bench to rule in dissent.

Gov. Josh Stein continues to issue executive orders related to Helene relief early in his tenure. This week’s order aims at ensuring people have access to heating materials. It waives federal limits on the duration drivers can transport propane. This comes after Stein issued several executive orders last week, also aimed at those impacted by Helene.

And are fortunes turning around for Charlotte sports? Well, maybe not yet, but baby steps. The Hornets won for the first time in about a month. Meanwhile, the Panthers end the season with a losing record, but may finally have found their quarterback.

Those stories and more on the Charlotte Talks local news roundup.

GUESTS:

Brad Panovich, WCNC chief meteorologist
Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”
Hunter Sáenz, WSOC-TV reporter
Steve Harrison, WFAE political reporter
Ben Thompson, morning and midday anchor at WCNC Charlotte

Read the rest atWFAE
Jan102025 TAGS: , , , , ,

Jimmy Carter’s version of being a man should still mean something

Featured at Roll Call

It sounds like the plot of an adventure film — an elite, trained military unit is sent on a mission that’s intricate, critical and dangerous. But the story was real.

Long before he was president of the United States, Jimmy Carter was one of the heroes of this particular operation, one that called for smarts, bravery and a kind of manhood, one far different from the puffed-up, MMA, “your body, my choice” version so much on display these days.

Masculinity of a certain type does seem to be all the rage, with an emphasis on the rage.

Read the rest atRoll Call
Jan032025 TAGS: , , ,