In the spirit of taking the good with the bad today, we are grateful that House Speaker Tim Moore and the Republican caucus came to their senses: Moore announced in a press conference this afternoon that the House will not take up the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in the 2015-2016 legislative session. (Gov. McCrory is […]
Jane Porter
Jane Porter is Wake County editor of the INDY, covering Raleigh and other communities across Wake County. She first joined the staff in 2013 and is a former INDY intern, staff writer, and editor-in-chief.
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Renewable energy standards survive this legislative session
Updated: House Bill 681 was defeated in the House Public Utilities Committee Wednesday, according to reports. Four Republicans, including Wake County Reps. Nelson Dollar and Chris Malone, joined 12 Democrats in voting against the bill in a 16-14 majority. Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards laws—REPS—have been great for North Carolina, but a new bill would end […]
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Toned down, but still terrible: abortion bill passes N.C. House
The provision that would have prevented employees at public medical school departments in North Carolina from performing abortions and teaching medical students the procedure was dropped from House Bill 465. But the medically unnecessary 72-hour waiting period (up from a current, barely legal 24-hour period) for a patient obtaining an abortion, and a provision forcing […]
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Bill that would gut state environmental policy passes N.C. House committee
In 1971, North Carolina’s General Assembly passed SEPA—the State Environmental Policy Act—which regulates environmental projects undertaken by the state (and paid for by taxpayers) that could have potentially damaging effects on natural resources and public health and safety. If a project costs taxpayers $1 million or more, and could have a direct environmental impact, SEPA […]
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Southeast Raleigh residents riled about Passage Home
Resources:Passage Home 2010-11 TaxesPassage Home 2011-12 TaxesPassage Home 2012-13 Taxes The accusations flew like daggers. The occasion: the March meeting of the Central Citizens Advisory Council inside the John “Top” Greene Community Center. The target: a middle-aged white woman with an up-North accent named Jeanne Tedrow, CEO of the nonprofit Passage Homeand more specifically, her […]
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Another one bites the dust: Volvo reportedly no longer considering N.C. for expansion
This week, Gov. McCrory showed us that he’s pretty good at making a stealth recovery after falling out of a chair in front of a room full of people. Something he’s less good at: wooing auto manufacturers to open up factory locations in North Carolina. Volvo is the latest car company to drop North Carolina […]
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Oakwood Inn owners announce plans to close
The owners of the Oakwood Inn Bed and Breakfast in Raleigh announced plans to close their business this June. In a letter to neighbors and friends, owner Doris Jurkiewicz said the “impact of AirBnBs” and the city’s “slow approach to handling any regulations” are the reasons for their decision to close the last traditional bed […]
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Suicide apparent in shooting death of son of pro-gun rights N.C. Rep.
The son of North Carolina Rep. Larry Pittman, R-Cabarrus, used a firearm to commit suicide in a public park on Sunday, according to local reports. From Albemarle, North Carolina’s Stanly News & Press: “Shortly before 2 p.m. Graham Anthony Pittman ignored the pleas of park rangers and shot himself in the head while sitting inside […]
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U.S. Supreme Court declines to review N.C. voting law
The United States Supreme Court indicated Monday that it will not take up two key provisions of North Carolina’s voting law that were struck down by the Fourth Circuit of Appeals last fall. In October, the Fourth Circuit blocked provisions in the law that eliminate same-day voter registration and prohibit out-of-precinct votes from being counted. […]
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N.C. Reps. file new abortion bill
Because the Senate’s bill apparently wasn’t draconian enough, Republicans in the House have gone ahead and upped the ante on abortion legislation. House Bill 465, filed Tuesday by four women Reps. from all over the state, requires the same bizarre reporting procedures to the Department of Health and Human Services for abortions performed after 16 […]
