FBI EXECUTES SEARCH WARRANT ON RICHARD BURR, CONFISCATES PHONE: U.S. Sen. Richard Burr turned his cell phone over Wednesday night to FBI agents amid an investigation into stock sales he made in February, The Los Angeles Times reported. Burr, a North Carolina Republican and the chairman of the Senate’s intelligence committee, was served a search warrant at his Washington, D.C.-area residence, according to the LA Times, which cited a law enforcement official. Burr’s office declined to comment on the report when contacted by McClatchy late Wednesday night. Citing the law enforcement official, The LA Times reported that the Justice Department is “examining Burr’s communications with his broker.” Burr sold up to $1.7 million in stocks in early and mid-February, according to a Senate disclosure that he filed.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article242724611.html

BOARD OF ELECTIONS NEEDS MONEY FOR NOVEMBER ELECTION: Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell has sent three letters to the legislature asking for changes to state voting laws and roughly $2 million in funding to match federal money made available by the CARES Act. Brinson Bell said the $11 million in federal money is needed to help counties pay for what elections officials expect will be a dramatic increase in absentee-by-mail voting and equipment to run in-person voting safely. Despite the urgent need for funding — the 2020 general election is less than six months away — North Carolina lawmakers have yet to substantively address the requests. “We hope that they will address this in a timely fashion,” Brinson Bell said. “By June 15, we’re going to be in a very tight spot to be able to have the supplies and the materials.”
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article242647991.html

JUST WEAR THE STUPID MASK: It shouldn’t be surprising, we guess, that during a public health crisis that’s become politicized, with the debate over staying at home becoming partisan, that the latest thing to become a red or blue badge is the simple act of covering your nose and mouth in public. Really? We’re fighting over face coverings? Just wear the stupid mask. It’s not caving to tyranny. It’s not a betrayal of the president. It’s not a sign that you’re sick. It’s a health measure in places where it’s difficult to socially distance. If you wear it, you protect others from your possibly asymptomatic COVID-19 self. If you wear it, you also protect yourself from others. It’s safer. That’s it. And yet, instead of being a simple collective action to slow a virus that’s killed tens of thousands of Americans, it’s become a flashpoint. Elected officials, notably including the president, say they won’t wear one. People are threatening and shoving and even wiping their nose on retail employees who tell them they need to wear one. What’s wrong with us?
https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/editorials/article242570136.html

CARL FORD PUSHES FOR BIGGER RALLIES, SPONSORS ANTI-COOPER BILL: In a May 6 interview with Sen. Carl Ford, R-Rowan, ReOpenNC founder Ashley Smith credited Ford with helping to inspire her to start the group and asked him whether the rallies are working to put pressure on Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to speed up the reopening process. Ford said the rallies are helping, "but I'd like to see us have 10,000 or 20,000 in Raleigh. That would really get the message across." Ford is one of three primary sponsors of a Senate bill that would dismiss criminal penalties for any business owner who violates the governor's emergency closure orders and protect business owners who have to be licensed from any potential disciplinary action by the relevant licensing authority. "I’m sure there’ll be a long and very exciting debate, including the Democrats trying to talk through their masks," Ford told Smith.
https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/state-lawmaker-calls-for-larger-reopen-rallies-in-raleigh/19088906/

PHASE 1 OF GOVERNOR COOPER'S REOPEN PLAN BEGINS FRIDAY: We’ll still have a stay-at-home order in Phase 1, but it’ll be modified to ease us into reopening. Prior to 5 p.m. on May 8, people were only supposed to venture out for essential tasks, such as grocery shopping and health care. During Phase 1, more businesses can open and people are allowed to venture out for more reasons. Businesses that do open have to implement social-distancing and cleaning rules, just like those currently in place at grocery and hardware stores. State parks can also open, but with limits on the number of people who can gather there. Businesses will still be encouraged to continue teleworking (working from home) when possible. We will live in Phase 1 for two weeks, as long as trends continue to move in the right direction. Even during Phase 1, public schools and non-essential businesses such as gyms and salons remain closed, but other activities will be allowed. If all goes well during Phase 1, Cooper suggested that Phase 2 can begin on May 22.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article242508921.html