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22:49

Jonathan Jones is an NFL cornerback for the Washington Commanders who rose from the undrafted ranks to become two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, a businessman, philanthropist, and licensed pilot. In 2019, Jonathan founded the Jonathan Jones Next Step Foundation in 2019, a platform dedicated to empowering youth through education, professional development, and mentorship. The foundation works to alleviate food insecurity, promote women in stem and sports, and to promote professional development in the communities where he lives. Jay and Jonathan talk about investing in the communities they live in, acknowledging the people who helped you become the person you are, and paying that same investment forward to the next generation. Episode Chapters 0:00 intro 1:24 Building local connections 4:25 Jonathan’s mentors and mentees 10:54 Jonathan’s pride in his mentees’ successes 13:04 how Jonathan chooses his causes 14:08 Jonathan’s support for girls and young women 17:19: Jonathan’s passion for flying 19:40 The Next Step Foundation 20:29 Goodbye For video episodes, watch on www.youtube.com/@therudermanfamilyfoundation Stay in touch: X: @JayRuderman | @RudermanFdn LinkedIn: Jay Ruderman | Ruderman Family Foundation Instagram: All About Change Podcast | Ruderman Family Foundation To learn more about the podcast, visit https://allaboutchangepodcast.com/ Looking for more insights into the world of activism? Be sure to check out Jay’s brand new book, Find Your Fight , in which Jay teaches the next generation of activists and advocates how to step up and bring about lasting change. You can find Find Your Fight wherever you buy your books, and you can learn more about it at www.jayruderman.com .…

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1
Study should spur new approaches to landlord-tenant law 1:03

πριν 24 hours1:03

1:03

At first blush, the idea that eviction is the solution for landlords when residential tenants fall behind on their rent or otherwise violate terms of a lease seems obvious. And, indeed, in many situations, it is the only realistic path. As new research from landlord-tenant law experts at the national Legal Services Corporation shows however, there are actually relatively few situations in which evictions end up being a win for landlords. The study found that eviction proceedings seldom result in landlords recovering back rent and often end up costing thousands of dollars. So, what should landlords do? The researchers found that by working together — rather than merely as adversaries — landlords and legal aid providers can reduce financial losses, improve stability for all parties, and minimize costs and disruptions. The bottom line: At a time in which so many renters are cost-burdened, there is no magic solution. But data show that, often, landlords can achieve better results for everyone by thinking outside of the box. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield…

1
Sen. Lisa Grafstein on the Senate budget, DEI, and the latest on the unresolved Supreme Court race 19:28

πριν 1 day19:28

19:28

After several weeks of conducting business at a steady, manageable pace, the North Carolina General Assembly suddenly shifted into high gear. This past week, legislative committees rapidly considered and okayed scores of brand new, never before-heard bills on an array of topics, while at the same time Senate Republicans were unveiling and advancing their proposed version of a new two-year state budget. So, what is the average lawmaker to do at such a time – especially if you’re not a member of the majority party? For Wake County state Senator Lisa Grafstein, the path has been obvious – read each proposed new law as quickly and thoroughly as possible and do your best ask questions, offer amendments and speak up on behalf of average North Carolinians whose interests are so often ignored. Last week Newsline’s Rob Schofield caught up with Grafstein at her Legislative Building office for a special two-part conversation at which they discussed an array of issues starting with a review of the Senate’s new budget proposal. Click here to listen to the full interview with state Senator Lisa Grafstein.…

1
Former NC state Senator and U.S. representative Wiley Nickel discusses Trump, tariffs, and Tillis 15:28

πριν 1 day15:28

15:28

We’re now three months into the second Trump administration and, as so many experts had feared and warned, the chaos – in the global economy, in the federal government, in our courts, and on the ground in scores of communities across the nation – is palpable. Between the seemingly random economic tariffs, massive and crude cuts to public services, and cruel and unlawful treatment of lawfully present immigrants, the national mess is already looking as if will be bigger than it was during the first Trump administration. Not surprisingly, however, resistance to the administration’s policies seems to be growing and gaining steam and earlier this week Newsline’s Rob Schofield caught up with a former North Carolina state Senator and U.S. representative, Wake County’s Wiley Nickel, who says, that while he sees some encouraging signs, he also believes it’s time for caring and thinking people to redouble their efforts. Listen to the full interview with Wiley Nickel here .…

1
The NC Senate’s head-in-the-sand budget proposal 1:05

πριν 2 μέρες1:05

1:05

There are many shortcomings in the new proposed state budget approved by the North Carolina Senate last week – the inadequate pay raises for teachers and state employees, the failure to invest in numerous core public services that have been reeling from staffing shortages, the giveaways to unaccountable special interests. But if there’s an overarching flaw that lies at the heart of the proposal, it is the plan to plow ahead with new and regressive tax cuts at a time when state economists are warning of significant budget shortfalls in the near future. Republican Senate leader Phil Berger – a smalltown lawyer with no credentials in economics – says the consensus forecast of the state’s economists is wrong. He claims the state’s fiscal picture will remain rosy even with new corporate and personal income tax cuts taking effect and massive new reductions in federal aid from the Trump administration. It’s a remarkably oblivious stance. The bottom line: North Carolina public services are already running on a shoestring and the Senate’s decision to pull that string even tighter is a huge mistake. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield…

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Bill to establish school censorship boards is a terrible idea 1:05

πριν 5 μέρες1:05

1:05

Sometimes, you have to wonder what century it is that some of our state lawmakers inhabit. For a classic example of how detached from reality some have become, check out a new proposal advancing in the legislature to establish censorship boards in every school district charged with banning books that quote “include descriptions of sexual activity” or are quote “pervasively vulgar.” First of all, the definitions are impossibly vague and will invite all kinds of destructive meddling from people who are no more skilled in evaluating literature than they are at teaching physics or chemistry. But even setting aside the offensiveness of establishing government-run censorship boards, the notion of banning books – of all things — because they discuss sex in a society in which most kids are regularly online and vast numbers while away their days playing hyperviolent video games, would be laughable if it weren’t so sad. If only kids could be inspired to read books. The bottom line: Appointing censorship boards to ban books has always been a bad idea. In 2025, it’s downright ridiculous. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

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NC leaders from both parties must demand an end to wrongful deportations 1:04

πριν 6 μέρες1:04

1:04

Americans have many big and important differences these days, but if we can’t come together to agree on a handful of fundamental ideals and human rights that have been baked into our Constitution and way of life for over two centuries, we’re in big trouble. And one of those fundamentals is the simple idea that government cannot suddenly seize and imprison any person — much less deport them to a foreign gulag — without due process and the right to defend themselves in open court. Tragically, however, the Trump administration has been trashing this fundamental right of late by, quite literally, empowering masked and armed officers to simply seize people on the street and whisk them off to unknown sites. Such disappearances represent a despicable betrayal of everything our nation supposedly stands for. The bottom line: Whatever their disagreements on other issues, it’s imperative that all North Carolina elected leaders of both major parties stand up, speak out and demand an immediate end to these outrageous and unconstitutional acts. Our nation’s status as a free country is on the line. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

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Supreme Court’s Riggs-Griffin ruling is an assault on democracy 1:04

πριν 7 μέρες1:04

1:04

It’s been almost six months since state Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin narrowly lost last year’s election to incumbent Justice Allison Riggs. Two recounts confirmed the result. Unfortunately, Griffin’s effort to overturn the election based on the farfetched theory that thousands of registered voters should have their ballots thrown out continues. And last week, four Republican state Supreme Court justices endorsed the scheme — ruling that the votes of numerous military and overseas voters will be trashed unless they can somehow provide a photo ID in short order. This despite the fact that state rules required no such thing at the time of the election. It’s a remarkably dangerous ruling that Republican Justice Richard Dietz blasted as an invitation to losing candidates of all kinds to engage in post-election meddling. The bottom line: If there’s any fairness left in the world, Justice Riggs will prevail in her appeal to the federal courts. But even if she does, the damage done to the legitimacy of our judiciary and our democracy by the Supreme Court ruling will be immense and long-lasting. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

1
Inconvenient Tax Day truths 1:05

πριν 8 μέρες1:05

1:05

Today is Tax Day – the day the political right – lazily and predictably – likes to use as a crutch for blasting government. What all of us would do well to recall today, however, is where we would be without taxes and the essential services they provide that make civilized society possible. And we should also remember two huge failings of the North Carolina tax system that are the handiwork of political conservatives: First, is the regressive nature of our state tax structure – a system in which the wealthy pay vastly lower rates than people of middle and lower incomes. And second, is the way that repeated regressive tax cuts of the past 15 years are starving core public services – so much so that total spending on things like schools and infrastructure in North Carolina has plunged by nearly 40%. The bottom line: No one loves paying taxes, and our system is far from perfect, but when Americans buy into lazy and simplistic anti-tax narratives, average people play right into the hands of the wealthy forces who’ve been rigging the system. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

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Rep. Maria Cervania on western NC recovery, retaining top talent, and bills she’s working to advance 14:26

πριν 9 μέρες14:26

14:26

It’s been more than six months now since Hurricane Helene devastated much of western North Carolina, and while there’s been a great deal of heroic recovery and rebuilding effort at all levels of government since then, recent actions in Washington are raising red flags in many corners. At the North Carolina General Assembly, for example, lawmakers like Wake County state Rep. Maria Cervania have expressed deep concern that big Trump administration budget and staffing cuts to federal agencies, along with big price hikes caused by new Trump tariffs will wreak further havoc in the region. And recently NC Newsline caught up with Cervania from her Legislative Building office to discuss her concerns for western North Carolina, as well as her take on some other front burner issues – including the shape of our state employee workforce, the right’s crusade against diversity, and her efforts to reduce nicotine use by kids. Click here to listen to the full interview with state Rep. Maria Cervania.…

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NC State political science professor Steven Greene discusses Trump’s tariffs, economic uncertainty 13:31

πριν 9 μέρες13:31

13:31

The Trump administration continues to enact, retreat from, and then renew dozens of norm-shattering policies that threaten to alter and undermine the fundamentals of our economy and even American democracy itself. From the massive and unilaterally imposed budget and staffing cuts to key federal agencies, to the on-again-off-again economic tariffs, to the unprecedented and deeply disturbing disappearances of immigrants, Trump has unleashed a fusillade of controversial actions. So, what does it all mean and where might it all lead? Recently, NC Newsline’s Rob Schofield got a chance to discuss these questions with an expert who’s been monitoring developments very closely – NC State University professor of political science, Dr. Steven Greene. Click here to listen to the full interview with NC State political science professor Steven Greene.…

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Journalist Kevin Hardy on how Trump cuts are proving damaging to small farms, food banks and schools 11:41

πριν 9 μέρες11:41

11:41

Recent federal government budget and staffing cuts imposed by the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency are having devastating impacts in dozens of areas, but one that’s received less attention than it probably deserves is agriculture. As journalist Kevin Hardy of the national news outlet Stateline reported recently , the administration has yanked funding for programs that allowed schools and food banks to buy fresh products from small farms. Originally funded under the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s local food programs aided some of the nation’s most disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, including newcomers and small farmers and those who have faced racial discrimination, while channeling fresh food and produce to schools and food banks. Now the programs are gone and as Hardy told NC Newsline when we caught up with him earlier this week, the damage being inflicted is widespread and deep. Click here to listen to the full interview with Stateline journalist Kevin Hardy.…

1
As usual, Tillis offers empty gestures on Trump’s destructive tariffs 1:03

πριν 9 μέρες1:03

1:03

The use of economic tariffs to promote fairer trade and better outcomes for workers, consumers and the environment is not a new or bad idea. In a world in which some countries rely on slave labor and treat the earth’s air and water like a garbage dump, thoughtfully designed and implemented tariffs can be a useful policy option. Unfortunately, President Trump has been doing no such thing. Instead, he’s imposing tariffs in a chaotic and likely unlawful way based on little more than his daily whims. And the outcomes have been disastrous. North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis is typical of the Republican politicians who could help but lack the guts to do so. He’s co-sponsored a bill rein in Trump, but as he well knows it has no chance. Once again, his mission is to seem rather than to be. The bottom line: Trump’s half-baked tariffs are wreaking economic havoc for millions of Americans and lining the pockets of his billionaire pals. And so long as politicians like Senator Tillis continue to enable him, the chaos will continue. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

1
Trump cuts to public health are putting lives at risk 1:04

πριν 12 μέρες1:04

1:04

If there is one American elected official who you’d think would make disease prevention among their highest priorities, it would be President Donald Trump. Just five years ago, Trump’s dreadful response to COVID-19 helped unleash one of the nation’s worst public health crises. Tragically, however, by all indications, he hasn’t learned a thing. Instead, he’s appointed charlatans to head important public health agencies while also slashing their funding — thereby putting millions at unnecessary risk. As NC Newsline reported this week, officials across the country fighting a historic measles outbreak have found themselves repeatedly undermined by the Trump administration as they struggle to provide crucial vaccinations and overcome disinformation. Here in North Carolina, state health officials report that Trump cuts have resulted in the loss of key staff whose job is to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease threats like measles. The bottom line: Just like five years ago, many Americans will die this year because of Trump’s dreadful public health policy choices. Surely our nation can do better. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

1
Republicans are looking to overturn more elections than just the Supreme Court race 1:05

πριν 13 μέρες1:05

1:05

Many North Carolinians have been rightfully angered in recent months by Republican efforts to overturn Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin’s election loss to Justice Alison Riggs by seeking to throw out thousands of legally cast ballots. But sadly, there are other equally treacherous efforts underway. The most obvious are bills from GOP lawmakers that slash the powers of two Democrats who won convincing victories last fall – Gov. Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson. Rather than respecting the will of the voters, Republicans have sought to, in effect, overturn their decisions by seizing powers long assigned to those offices. But wait, it gets worse. Lawmakers are also seeking to transform the state auditor – an obscure office long held by a series of apolitical accountants – into a powerhouse with unprecedented duties. The reason: simple, a Republican won last fall. The bottom line: North Carolina voters had no inkling of these radical changes when they cast their ballots last November, and by pursuing them now, Republicans are once again thumbing their noses at them. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

1
Medicaid work requirements: A 19th Century solution in search of an illusory problem 1:05

πριν 14 μέρες1:05

1:05

What could the tragic 19 th Century Irish potato famine have to do with modern Medicaid work requirements promoted by North Carolina Republicans? As author Padraic Scanlan documents in a powerful new book, the parallels between what the men running the British Empire did to the peasants of Ireland nearly two centuries ago and the policies North Carolina legislative leaders are pursuing today are quite striking. As Scanlan documents in horrific detail, one of the chief contributors to the famine — a disaster that caused more than 1.5 million people to die or flee the tiny country — was the refusal of the British politicians and landowners who ruled Ireland to distribute relief because they thought it would violate rules of the free market and encourage laziness among the peasants. Sound familiar? It should. The bottom line: Medicaid work requirements won’t kill as many people as the pro-starvation policies of the British in Ireland, but some will die and the maddening arrogance of the policy makers in the two situations is essentially indistinguishable. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

NC Newsline

1
An obvious amendment to Republican anti-DEI bills 1:05

πριν 15 μέρες1:05

1:05

As part of their ongoing effort to manipulate and capitalize on irrational white voter fears, state Republican lawmakers are advancing legislation this session that purports to attack quote “DEI” in public education. Under the bill, state law would spell out a long list of supposedly “divisive concepts” that would be banned from public schools. For example, the bill says it will be illegal to teach that a quote “meritocracy” — whatever that is — is inherently “racist” or “sexist” — two words that are also not defined. Of course, the purpose of this impossibly vague language is no mystery — it’s to discourage educators from discussions of America’s grim past on matters of race that might make white students uncomfortable. And that would be a tragic mistake. A simple amendment would help. Lawmakers should add a word to the bill to make clear that teaching divisive concepts is banned, but only if they are untrue. The bottom line: Discussion of hard truths is an essential part of education that our kids can handle. Would that GOP lawmakers could as well. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

NC Newsline

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Prof. Leighton Ku on how federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP could trigger the loss of a million jobs 17:31

πριν 16 μέρες17:31

17:31

As NC Newsline has reported at length recently, Republicans in Congress are seeking to enact massive and unprecedented cuts to two of the nation’s core social safety net programs — Medicaid and SNAP food assistance. And while it’s not hard to show how such cuts will impact the people in need who depend on those programs, a new report from the Commonwealth Fund and The George Washington University School of Public Health points to another big and worrisome likely impact. It warns that the proposed cuts could trigger severe economic consequences — including the loss of a million jobs, a $113 billion decline in the gross domestic products of U.S. states, and $8.8 billion in lost state and local tax revenue in 2026 alone. And recently, to learn more, Newsline caught up with the report’s lead author, the Director of the Center for Health Policy Research at The George Washington University, Professor Leighton Ku. Click here to listen to the full interview with Leighton Ku.…

NC Newsline

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Elon University’s Jason Husser on how NC is reacting to Trump’s chaotic cuts to federal government 23:16

πριν 16 μέρες23:16

23:16

As has been well-documented in recent weeks, the Trump administration is implementing a massive and chaotic bloodletting of the federal government. From the attempted elimination of the Department of Education to the evisceration of several other key departments — including the National Weather Service and the Department of Veterans Affairs — President Trump and Elon Musk have moved, without legislative authorization, to end or dramatically reduce funding for a host of programs and initiatives. So how is this playing with North Carolina voters? According to new survey data released by the Elon University Poll , not so well. As NC Newsline learned in a recent special extended conversation with the poll’s director, Prof. Jason Husser, North Carolinians are skeptical of the cuts and deeply divided over the President’s mass immigrant deportation initiatives and his overall job performance. Click here to listen to the full interview with poll director Jason Husser .…

NC Newsline

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Latest ruling in Riggs-Griffin election dispute is an assault on democracy 1:04

πριν 16 μέρες1:04

1:04

It’s now been more than five months since North Carolina voters elected incumbent Justice Allison Riggs over challenger Jefferson Griffin to a state Supreme Court seat, but amazingly, Republican efforts to overturn the election continue. Last Friday, a pair of GOP state Court of Appeals judges accepted Griffin’s ridiculous theory that sixty-five thousand registered North Carolina voters who complied with all voting rules, including providing a valid photo ID, must still nonetheless come forward and again prove their identity, or have their votes thrown out. The ruling is a stunning assault on democracy. As Judge Tobias Hampson wrote in a long and scathing dissent, quote “changing the rules by which these lawful voters took part in our electoral process after the election to discard their otherwise valid votes – in an attempt to alter the outcome of only one race among many on the ballot – is directly counter to law, equity, and the Constitution.” The bottom line: Hampson is right. The voters have spoken in the Riggs-Griffin contest, and this rogue ruling cannot be allowed to stand. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

NC Newsline

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NC lawmakers misfire with bill to allow guns in private schools 1:04

πριν 19 μέρες1:04

1:04

North Carolina legislators continue not to “get it” when it comes to the state’s ever-worsening plague of gun violence. The latest disturbing example: a bill making its way through the state House that would allow private schools to arm teachers and, conceivably, even some students. Bill sponsors say their intent is only to facilitate schools having armed security guards, but the bill is actually much broader than that. As currently written, the legislation would allow anyone lawfully entitled to carry a concealed handgun to carry it on the premises of a private school, so long as they have the school’s permission. Meanwhile, another bill advancing in Raleigh would allow anyone 18 or older to carry a concealed handgun without any kind of permit — an idea that polls show most North Carolinians think is a dreadful idea. And together, in a state in which private school leaders have almost complete autonomy, the two measures are an invitation to tragedy. The bottom line: One prays no school would ever head down this deadly road, but why lawmakers would even consider making it a possibility is impossible to fathom. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

NC Newsline

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Latest Jackson lawsuit illustrates folly of GOP effort to curb attorney general’s duties 1:05

πριν 20 μέρες1:05

1:05

As North Carolina’s top lawyer, Attorney General Jeff Jackson has many important jobs — handling important criminal prosecutions, protecting consumers, representing state agencies in litigation. But if there’s a duty that is clearly his Number One priority, it has to be defending North Carolinians from unlawful attacks on their rights and well-being. And it’s in light of this obvious fact that Jackson should be commended for his recent action challenging the Trump administration’s unlawful scheme to cancel billions of dollars in Health and Human Services grants already allocated by Congress. In bringing suit along with 21 other attorneys general, Jackson rightfully blasted the move by Trump and his right-hand man Elon Musk to slash more than $230 million in critical health care funding for North Carolina as both unlawful and dangerous. The bottom line: In standing up for our state, Attorney General Jackson is doing precisely what voters elected him to do. Trump apologists in the legislature who are currently seeking to prevent Jackson from challenging presidential orders, are dead wrong. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

NC Newsline

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Just imagine what Trump-loyal Republicans would do if Gov. Stein did this 1:05

πριν 21 μέρες1:05

1:05

The hypocritical double standards at work on the modern political right these days are often enough to make your head spin. Just think what Fox News shouters would be saying right now if a Kamala Harris administration had committed an outrageous breach of national security like the one Trump’s defense team did recently by divulging details of planned military operation. And the same hypocrisy would undoubtedly apply closer to home as well. Just imagine if Gov. Josh Stein — who controls the state budget office — did what Trump is doing by issuing directives to budget officials to simply cancel government funded programs authorized in a duly enacted budget. Funding for school vouchers and crisis pregnancy centers? Gone. New programs at council of state departments led by Republicans? Canceled. Republican lawmakers loyal to Trump would be apoplectic. The bottom line: Gov. Stein would never take such action because he’s an honest and responsible leader who believes in the rule of law. Would that Trump and the political puppets he controls were of the same character. For NC Newsline I’m Rob Schofield.…

NC Newsline

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NC’s abject failure to serve the IDD community is ultimately about just one thing 1:05

πριν 22 μέρες1:05

1:05

The issue of how best to provide services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is, admittedly, a challenging one. Complex questions about the roles played by institutions and sheltered workshops, and the leeway given to families to chart their own courses in finding services, give rise to many competing and legitimate opinions. That said, there’s one simple truth about IDD services in North Carolina that’s indisputable: they are inadequate. Thanks to chronic underfunding by state legislators, the waiting list for coveted slots in the Innovations Waiver program is absurdly long. Indeed, there are more people waiting — over seventeen thousand — than there are people enrolled. It takes years to get through the waiting list and many people die before they ever do. The bottom line: Several factors may feed into this scandalous situation but ultimately, they’re all rooted in the fact that our state’s cheapskate legislature refuses to appropriate the funds that would make it possible to attract and hire enough support workers. And until it does, thousands of families will continue to suffer. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

NC Newsline

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Representative Lindsey Prather on how her region is faring six months after Hurricane Helene 13:29

πριν 23 μέρες13:29

13:29

It was six months ago that Hurricane Helene devastated much of western North Carolina with record-breaking rainfall and flooding. Since that time, federal, state and local officials have worked in determined — often heroic — fashion to help communities recover. Today, however, the situation is best described as mixed. As NC Newsline learned in a conversation with Buncombe County State Representative Lindsey Prather , while much of the region is back up and running, the situation varies widely from place to place. While most roads are clear and many homes and businesses back to normal, huge needs remain, and Prather says much more is needed from state government — particularly in the way of grants — to help get the region’s economy back on its feet. Click here to listen to our full interview with Rep. Prather.…

NC Newsline

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Journalist Sara Murphy on the damage Helene did to western NC’s inadequate child care system 15:24

πριν 23 μέρες15:24

15:24

The devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina six months ago was, in many communities, enormous. Few aspects of normal life escaped being upended, and one very important such area was child care. As journalist Sara Murphy detailed in a recent report published by NC Newsline and the national news site, the Hechinger Report, six months after the storm, many young children and their families are still struggling with the disaster’s consequences. At least 55 early child care centers were damaged in the storm, and several remain shut or are operating out of a temporary location. And the ramifications for kids, parents and the region’s economy continue to take a toll. Click here to listen to the full interview with veteran journalist Sara Murphy.…

NC Newsline

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Duke University Professor Emeritus Philip J. Cook on the impacts of gun violence on Americans 15:20

πριν 23 μέρες15:20

15:20

Across the United States, gun violence continues to be an ever-more-serious national plague. According to the latest mortality data from the CDC, firearm-related deaths among children and teenagers in the United States have soared by 50% since 2019. In 2023, firearms remained the leading cause of death among American youth for the third year in a row. So what impact is this having on the attitudes of average Americans? A new report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, entitled “ Valuing the benefits of reducing firearm violence in the United States ” indicates that it’s a big one and that most Americans would be willing to make significant sacrifices in order to address it. Indeed, the authors found that Americans would willing to pay nearly $100 billion for policies that reduce gun violence by 20%, and recently NC Newsline’s Rob Schofield caught up with one of the authors — Duke University Sanford School Professor Emeritus of Public Policy Philip J. Cook — to learn more. Click here to listen to the full interview with Professor Philip J. Cook.…

NC Newsline

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Senate school calendar proposal is late and insufficient, but better than nothing 1:04

πριν 23 μέρες1:04

1:04

It’s been two decades since state legislators bowed to tourism industry lobbyists and passed a law forbidding local school districts from starting the traditional calendar school year prior to the last week of August. It was a familiar case of industry campaign cash trumping recommendations of education experts and the wellbeing of children. In the years since, local school districts — anxious to take advantage of completing their first semester prior to the Christmas break — have repeatedly tried to buck the rule and often gotten into hot water for doing so. Now, thankfully, it looks like legislative leaders may be backtracking a bit. Under a Senate bill introduced last week, the permissible start date would be set a week earlier — the Monday closest to August 19 — and it’s a welcome proposal. The bottom line: The bill isn’t perfect as local districts would prefer more flexibility and tourism special interests are still being given way too much say-so in the matter, but in a legislature that so often ignores the best interests of kids, it’s better than nothing. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

NC Newsline

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Republican lawmakers revive infamous and disastrous HB 2 bathroom law 1:05

πριν 26 μέρες1:05

1:05

Consider the following situation. You’re a middle-aged transgender man who transitioned decades ago. You’re balding, have a beard, and would never in a million years be confused for a woman. Unfortunately, and bizarrely, however, this makes some North Carolina Republican state legislators uncomfortable, so they want to force you to use women’s restrooms. Seriously. That’s what they’re seeking to do in a recently introduced Senate bill that would reprise the disastrous HB 2 debacle from a decade ago. Under the bill, among other things, if a public facility allows a trans person to use a restroom that doesn’t match the gender on their birth certificate, it can be sued for damages and forced to pay untold sums of money. And it’s hard to overstate just how cruel and ridiculous this is. The bottom line: It’s been years now since North Carolina last ventured down this road and the opponents of trans rights have yet to document a single credible harm that legislation like this would address. If ever there was ill-conceived proposal in search of a non-existent problem, this is it. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

NC Newsline

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State lawmaker embarrasses with juvenile Facebook post 1:05

πριν 27 μέρες1:05

1:05

The job of governing a state of 10 million people with a 60 billion dollar annual budget is big and serious business that requires elected leaders to read, think, learn, listen and work with people of widely differing views. Unfortunately, this basic premise of elementary school civics seems to have escaped Republican state Representative Keith Kidwell. Screengrab from Rep. Kidwell’s Facebook page. Kidwell — a veteran lawmaker who chairs three committees and ought to know how to behave like a grownup– nonetheless posted an image to his Facebook page this week of Gov. Josh Stein’s proposed state budget in a trashcan, along with the caption “appropriately filed.” It was a juvenile and distinctly unhelpful stunt. First, Stein’s budget is a good proposal. Republicans will vote for most of it. Moreover, the governor has worked hard to build bridges during his first months in office and won praise from other GOP leaders for doing so. The bottom line: even if Kidwell disagrees with some of the Governor’s budget, his disrespectful display is not the act of a serious lawmaker interested in governing. His constituents should be appalled. For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.…

NC Newsline

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Hurricane Helene’s six-month anniversary underscores need for more state action 1:05

πριν 28 μέρες1:05