Department of Labor Finds Senator Brent Jackson’s Farm Broke Minimum Wage, Disclosure, Recordkeeping Regulations
An eight-month U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found that the farm owned by State Senator Brent Jackson, the powerful co-chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a member of Donald Trump’s agricultural advisory committee, broke federal minimum wage standards and was ordered to pay more than $2,000 in backpay to twenty-one workers. The farm…
LGBT Leaders Denounce Objectively Dumb and Bad Special Session
The day before the North Carolina legislature entered a special session to deny more forward-thinking governments the ability to provide protections for the LGBT community, leaders in that community came together to talk about their experience dealing with the exact kind of discrimination the Charlotte ordinance in question was designed to stop. On an ACLU…
North Carolina tough on kids, rough on possums
If the annual Kids Count report were a film, it would be rated R, for disturbing facts and images not suitable for children. Unfortunately some kids are living the movie. The Annie E. Casey Foundation released its Kids Count Data Book today, and while more children have health insurance (thanks Obamacare!), fewer are having children…
General Assembly ratifies bill that would make N-bomb an illegal controlled substance
A bill that would classify the LSD-mimicking synthetic drug NBOMe, commonly known as “N-bomb,” as an illegal controlled substance was ratified today by the General Assembly. HB 341 was passed by a Senate judiciary committee earlier this week and is now on its way to Gov. McCrory. If he signs the bill, N-bomb and its…
North Carolina Republicans: Protect memorials to slave-lovin’ secessionist dead Confederate dudes
While the general well-being of the people living in North Carolina is circling the drain, Republican state lawmakers are worried about the fate of those very vulnerable Confederate memorials to very dead Confederate soldiers. WRAL has a humdinger today: State lawmakers—Republicans—will discuss a bill next week that would forbid local governments and public universities from…
N.C.’s homophobic lawmakers override veto on same-sex marriage law
Oh hey, homo-haters. Congratulations! You did a big thing last week, getting the General Assembly to override Gov. Pat McCrory’s veto of Senate Bill 2. (The House muscled through its override by making sure a bunch of Democrats weren’t around when they voted, NBD. The Senate, always a festering boil of wingnuttery, had no such…
North Carolina Legislature disses the EPA, women and abortion rights
How did you celebrate Earth Day last week? Did you pray to Gaia like a good hippie? Strip naked and hug a tree? Trade in that coal-rolling behemoth for a shiny new Chevy Volt? If you’re like state Sen. Chad Barefoot or Ralph Hise, you spent the day bitching about the EPA and its 300…