NC TEACHERS MARCH ON RALEIGH TO DEMAND MORE RESOURCES: “I started crying when we were marching,” said Jennifer Collins, testing coordinator at Cleveland High School in Johnston County. “It was so emotional seeing everyone marching together for the same reason.” Teachers came for the event from across the state, united by some of the same concerns. A trio of teachers from Wayne County said they represented many rural counties where some school employees are required to have commercial drivers’ licenses so they can drive school buses when necessary. “I drive a bus at least two times a week,” said Isaac Davenport, who teaches agricultural education and voluntarily drives a bus. Organizers hoped the May 1 “Day of Action” organized by the N.C. Association of Educators would surpass the crowd at last year’s protest and build on the momentum that they credit with helping to mobilize voters in last fall’s election to break Republican supermajorities in the legislature.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article229849024.html

REPUBLICANS BLOCK AMENDMENT GIVING JUDGES MORE DISCRETION TO REMOVE GUNS IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES: Morey, a former judge, wanted to add a fifth factor that would allow a judge to consider all evidence presented in court in determining whether the continued access to firearms would pose a threat in a domestic violence case. "We're trying to protect families. We're trying to protect victims," she said, adding that the surrender of firearms is temporary and that defendants can petition to reclaim their firearms. But Rep. Sarah Stevens, R-Surry, said Morey's proposal was too broad and would allow judges to "take someone's guns away" for practically any reason. Rep. Allen McNeill, R-Randolph, agreed the amendment would give judges "carte blanche to seize" firearms. Rep. Robert Reives, D-Chatham, noted that judges have discretion to remove children from a home if a domestic violence situation poses a threat, and it would be ridiculous not to give them the same discretion when it comes to removing firearms.
https://www.wral.com/domestic-violence-bill-advances-without-change-to-state-gun-law/18355487/

DEAF TO TEACHERS? LEGISLATORS POISED TO SHORT--CHANGE PUBLIC EDUCATION: A House appropriations subcommittee unveils details today of a skimpy education budget. It offers up less than a 1-percent boost next year for North Carolina’s public schools, community colleges and universities. The constitutional requirement for access to quality education – a “right” in our state – is not being met and it is the General Assembly’s failure. Per-student spending ranks among the lowest in the South and the nation. Teacher pay, when adjusted for inflation, is less today than it was in 2009. While the legislature scrimps its constitutional duties, it finds plenty of money to spend on unnecessary tax breaks for corporations. The latest is a proposed $140 million annual cut in the franchise tax. That’s on top of $2.5 billion in corporate tax cutting that has already been enacted over the last five years. All that comes at a cost of meeting the VERY BASIC needs of North Carolinians.
https://www.wral.com/editorial-deaf-to-teachers-legislators-poised-to-short-change-public-education/...

TRUMP ADMIN HAS "INDEFINITELY DELAYED" EXPANSION OF OFFSHORE DRILLING: Gov. Roy Cooper opposed plans to open waters along the North Carolina coast to drilling. Most governors along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts opposed the Trump administration plan. Some elected officials in coastal communities and business owners in those areas also fought drilling. The Journal reported Thursday that U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said in an interview that the plan was on hold while a federal judge’s decision upholding an Obama-era drilling ban in the Arctic Ocean and parts of the Atlantic Ocean is appealed. “I certainly hope that ‘indefinitely delayed’ is Washington-speak for ‘never,’” Southern Environmental Law Center senior attorney Sierra Weaver said in a statement. “Whatever the reason for this delay, more than 230 communities have spoken out against seismic testing and offshore drilling in the Atlantic, and those hundreds of thousands of coastal residents and businesses welcome any development that makes risking their coast less likely.”
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article229681264.html

EARLY VOTING IN 9TH DISTRICT PRIMARY BEGINS TODAY: Early voting for the May 14 Republican primary starts Wednesday in Mecklenburg, Union and the six other counties in the 9th Congressional District. Only Republican and unaffiliated voters are eligible to cast ballots. There are no primaries for Democrats or members of the Green, Libertarian or Constitution parties, though each has a candidate in the general election. Ten Republicans are running for the nomination. The winner is expected to face Democrat Dan McCready, who ran in 2018. If no one in the May 14 primary gets at least 30 percent of the vote, there will be a Sept. 10 runoff followed by a Nov. 5 general election. If no runoff is necessary, the general election would be Sept. 10.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article229583014.html