North Carolina
North Carolina GOP's legislative priorities for this year inch closer to becoming law
North Carolina GOP lawmakers are one step closer to rolling out their legislative-session priorities into law before the year’s end after the state House opted to override one of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes on Tuesday.
The vetoed bill contains significant funding for private school scholarship grants and a law compelling local sheriffs to comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — two issues that Republican leaders have repeatedly emphasized throughout this year’s session. The House’s override, which took place largely along party lines, is part of the General Assembly’s multiday session this week that includes work such as providing more relief to western North Carolina communities still grappling with Hurricane Helene’s aftermath.
About $463 million will go toward the state’s Opportunity Scholarship program under the legislation. It also includes $160 million to address enrollment growth in K-12 public schools and community colleges.
Most House Democrats railed against the private school scholarships and called on Republicans to focus on funding public schools and Helene recovery efforts. In a letter to lawmakers on Monday, Cooper, who is term-limited and leaves office come January, urged GOP legislators to do the same.
“The economy of Western North Carolina needs an infusion of funding now, not months from now,” he said in the letter.
But Republicans say the legislation is necessary to quell lengthy waitlists. Last year, the GOP-controlled General Assembly removed income caps for the Opportunity Scholarship program, which led to skyrocketing demand and 55,000 waitlisted children. Both legislative chambers eventually agreed on a spending deal — the bill Cooper vetoed — in September to eliminate the state’s waitlist.
“We do not need to set up a false choice between hurricane relief and public school funding and funding for the Opportunity Scholarship program,” Mecklenburg County Republican Rep. Tricia Cotham said in support of the bill.
The bill also incorporates language to force North Carolina sheriffs to comply with ICE detainers — requests to hold inmates believed to be in the country illegally — and notify federal immigration agents. Under the new law, those inmates would be held up to 48 hours under a judicial official’s order so they can be picked up by ICE agents.
The legislation comes on the back of President-elect Donald Trump’s electoral victory earlier this month. His campaign stressed illegal immigration as a safety issue and promised mass deportations during his second term — which was referenced during House debate as a reason to support the bill.
“I hope you will take into consideration the overwhelming opinion shown by the voters again of this state and country in this past national election,” Caldwell County Republican and bill sponsor Rep. Destin Hall said.
Opponents to the bill, such as several advocates at an Every Child NC news conference earlier on Tuesday, voiced concern that the law would unfairly target immigrant communities in North Carolina.
“HB 10 is extremely harmful for the undocumented community, and especially children who are attending our public schools here, going to school in fear that their parents might be detained,” said Brandy Sullivan, Southern Wake Liberal Ladies co-founder and a naturalized citizen from Mexico.
The Senate also needs to override Cooper’s veto to have the legislation go into effect.
North Carolina
North Carolina couple accused of causing vulture invasion sued by furious town: ‘Not good neighbors’
A North Carolina couple accused of luring hordes of vultures to their home and unleashing chaos on neighbors for years is being hauled to court by fed-up town officials desperate to end the feathered frenzy.
The Town of Hillsborough slapped residents Kenneth and Linda Ostrand with a civil petition, seeking a court order to shut down their relentless bird-feeding habit, blamed for allegedly drawing dozens of winged scavengers to their home and terrorizing their small town for the past two years.
“They’re a little spooky to be frank,” concerned neighbor Holden Richards told WTVD.
“Everybody thinks they’re ugly and stuff but they’re not good neighbors. They have sharp talons, so they’re not great animals to have perching on your house. I watched them pick tiles off my neighbor’s roof and I found tiles from my roof in my front yard, so I have a feeling that’s exactly where they came from.”
The bird-brained couple is accused of leaving out food scraps for vultures, allegedly reeling in the feathered predators that have swarmed and roosted near their house, leaving foul-smelling droppings on neighbors’ homes and vehicles and causing widespread property damage deemed a risk to public safety.
The complaint, filed in March, also claims the twisted pair named the birds of prey – with eerie photos submitted to the court showing dozens of vultures circling their Queens Street home, the outlet reported.
“I’m pretty sure that every one of my neighbors has probably called,” Richards said, pointing to a flood of complaints made to town officials since May 2024.
The Ostrands reportedly filed a motion to dismiss the town’s case last month, denying the accusations.
Linda Ostrand, a longtime wildlife rescuer, told WTVD she is being unfairly targeted by her community and claimed the circling creatures were already an issue before she moved into the neighborhood.
“It’s sort of, it’s ridiculous, is what it is,” Linda said, noting the town changed an ordinance after the initial wave of complaints to ban wildlife feeding beyond standard feeders.
“If people didn’t have vultures around here you would hear them screaming bloody murder about the town not cleaning up the animals that have been hit by cars, because that’s what they do, they are nature’s garbage disposal,” she continued.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, tell the vultures that this is a no-feed zone. I just don’t know.”
No court date has reportedly been scheduled for the couple’s fight with the town.
North Carolina
Businesses worry of potential impacts as Marion tightens water restrictions amid drought
MARION, N.C. (WLOS) — The City of Marion is tightening water restrictions as drought conditions persist across western North Carolina, prompting local businesses to prepare for possible impacts on daily operations.
The drought monitor released on Thursday, May 14, shows that extreme drought now covers 90% of western North Carolina.
ASHEVILLE IS MORE THAN 7 INCHES BELOW AVERAGE RAINFALL THIS YEAR, DATA SHOWS
As the region continues moving into a hotter and drier pattern, the City of Marion officials announced Stage Two water shortage restrictions less than a month after issuing a Stage One Water Advisory.
Businesses in Marion said the quick escalation is raising concerns about what could come next if drought conditions persist.
“They put us in stage one at the end of April and already it’s not through, it’s not the end of May and they’re already putting us in stage two,” said Barbara Brown, owner of Bruce’s.
Under the Stage Two restrictions, watering lawns, gardens and golf courses will be prohibited. Washing cars, filling residential swimming pools and serving water in restaurants except upon request will not be allowed.
Brown said her restaurant is already taking steps to conserve water.
“We check the bathrooms often to make sure people have turned the water off because we have found from time to time, people leave them running,” she added.
She said she worries stronger restrictions could eventually force businesses to make bigger operational changes.
“I’m concerned that eventually we might have to go to paper plates, paper cups, silverware,” Brown said.
Other businesses are also considering adjustments.
Kat Garner, a tattoo artist at Blue Ridge Tattoo, said water shortages could affect how the shop operates day to day.
LEADERS URGE WATER CONSERVATION AS DROUGHT DEEPENS ACROSS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
“We would definitely be reduced to using distilled water for everything, which would become harder if everyone’s buying it out, so that would definitely make things a little bit more difficult,” Garner said.
The Stage Two water restrictions are set to begin Friday, May 15, at 8 a.m. and will last until further notice.
North Carolina
Police: North Carolina man charged after high-speed chase in Erie County, arrested in the Town of Perry
PERRY, N.Y. — A North Carolina man is in custody after a chase that started in Erie County and ended with an arrest in Perry.
Wyoming County Sheriff’s deputies say Ericson Vasquez-Moran, 22, rammed a Border Patrol vehicle in Erie County around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday before taking off. The suspect was spotted in Warsaw on Route 20A, but a chase was called off due to high speeds.
Then around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, deputies say Vasquez-Moran called 911 from Perry to surrender.
He’s charged with speeding, failure to keep right, unlawful fleeing a police officer, reckless driving, and reckless endangerment in the second degree.
Vasquez-Moran was given an appearance ticket for the Village of Warsaw Court and was released to the custody of the United States Border Patrol.
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