North Carolina

North Carolina Republicans are in a budget standoff because of gambling provisions

Published

1 year ago

September 12, 2023

North Carolina Republicans are in a budget standoff because of gambling provisions

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Republicans at the North Carolina legislature converged Tuesday in a standoff over an already long-delayed budget plan because the House and Senate disagree on adding provisions that would further expand state-sanctioned gambling.

House Speaker Tim Moore said not enough of his GOP colleagues in the chamber are willing to support a final budget that includes the authorization of new casinos and video gambling machines for it be contained in the negotiated plan.

“At this point, the only way the House can pass a budget is if it does not include gaming in it,” Moore told reporters.

But Senate leader Phil Berger said that his House counterparts should stick to backing gambling provisions that a majority of the House Republicans support.

Since Moore confirmed earlier Tuesday that 30 of the 72 House Republicans opposed inserting the section on expanding gambling , a majority of those Republicans agreed to it.

“It is their responsibility to honor the agreement that we had, and that is put (gambling) in, put (the budget) on the floor and we’ll vote it,” Berger told reporters. “I believe that House leadership needs to live up to its commitments.”

Moore said later Tuesday that no such agreement was broken, and that agreeing to a final budget was contingent on having votes to pass it. Those 30 Republicans said they won’t vote “yes” if gambling is included, he said.

A two-year budget — spending roughly $30 billion annually — was supposed to be enacted by July 1. But negotiations between House and Senate Republicans continued through the summer on a host of issues, including income tax cuts, pay raises, and the distribution of billions of dollars in reserve for special programs and initiatives.

But many lawmakers, Berger included, have pushed for a final plan to include the authorization of additional casinos and the legalization of video gambling machines statewide. Now passage of the other budget provisions are in jeopardy.

Details on much of the gambling provisions haven’t been made public. House Republicans met for several hours behind closed doors both last week and on Monday to evaluate them. Members of the House Freedom Caucus, who make up many of the “no” Republican votes on gambling, also met separately on Monday with Berger.

“I don’t think state-sanctioned gaming is good for North Carolina fundamentally,” Rep. Jay Adams, a Catawba County Republican within the Freedom Caucus, said in an interview. “This should have been discussed months ago. It should have been understood … that there wasn’t support in the House, and we should have moved on to the more important things.”

Lawmakers had said they were hopeful that final budget votes would happen this week. Instead, late Tuesday, Moore shuttered formal House business until next week, when he said his chamber may use a parliamentary maneuver to hold its own budget votes to try to pressure the Senate.

“We believe that we ought to not hold up what is otherwise a really good, strong budget over one issue on gaming,” Moore said.

But Berger suggested that the two chambers may have to go back to the drawing board first.

The budget “is a series of compromises,” Berger said. “If the compromises that have been reached in the past fall apart, then I think everything is subject to further conversation.”

Any final spending plan would need to pass both the House and Senate before going to the desk of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. He said earlier Tuesday that it was “outrageous” that casinos were holding up a budget that contained money for public education, salaries and mental health treatment among other items.

While there are sure to be other provisions in any final budget that Cooper detests, enacting one is required for state health officials to begin implementing the expansion of Medicaid coverage to hundreds of thousands of low-income adults that was contained in a law that the governor signed in March.

While Republicans hold narrow veto-proof majorities in each chamber, the current division among Republicans means Cooper may find himself with more leverage to fashion a compromised budget, with the help of votes of Democratic legislators.

North Carolina already has three casinos operated by two Native American tribes. One proposal that surfaced this summer envisioned new casinos in Rockingham, Nash and Anson counties, and another in southeastern North Carolina.

Casino supporters have said more casinos would create lots of jobs in economically challenged areas, grow tax revenues and counter gambling options that are sprouting up just across the border in Virginia. But opponents living in the targeted counties and social conservatives have said casinos would lower property values and create more social ills.

The legislature already has passed a law this year — signed by Cooper — that authorizes sports betting to begin as soon as January.

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North Carolina

Steve Belichick heads to North Carolina as defensive coordinator

Published

8 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Press Room

Steve Belichick heads to North Carolina as defensive coordinator

In the 11 days since Bill Belichick officially became the head coach at North Carolina, not much information has surfaced about his coaching staff.

One big — and expected — piece fell into place today.

Via Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, Steve Belichick will become the defensive coordinator at UNC. He has spent 2024 as the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington.

During Bill’s courtship by the Tar Heels, reports and speculation emerged regarding an effort to create a succession plan that would make Steve the next head coach after Bill leaves. The contract negotiated and published by North Carolina makes no mention of that.

Still, if things go well and if Belichick remains until he’s ready to retire, he’ll be in position to make a strong case for family continuity. Especially if Bill is poised to become, essentially, coach emeritus of the program with Steve in charge.

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North Carolina

Huskies DC Steve Belichick set to join father at North Carolina, per report

Published

16 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Huskies DC Steve Belichick set to join father at North Carolina, per report

In unsurprising news, CBS Sports reported that Washington defensive coordinator Steve Belichick is set to follow his father, Bill, to North Carolina. It is the second lost to UNC for the Huskies after linebacker Khmori House pledged to the Tar Heels earlier this week.

Belichick’s defense was often the highlight for the Huskies throughout the regular season. Washington had the fifth-best pass defense in the nation, allowing just 166.8 yards per outing and 13 touchdowns on the year. It was an obvious strength for the Dawgs leading into the season and was pivotal in all six wins.

Belichick spent just one season on Montlake. He joined Jedd Fisch’s highly touted NFL experience-rich staff. He’ll continue that trend, once again joining forces with a man many consider the greatest NFL head coach of all time. Bill will lead a college program for the first time in his career.

Suddenly, North Carolina is an intriguing destination that the Huskies must be wary of after already losing House. USA Today college football reporter Matt Hayes said on X that UNC would increase its NIL package for football “from 4 million to $20 million in effort to land Belichick.”

On the surface, there isn’t much to fear about UNC on the gridiron. However, the sweet selection of uniforms, a sudden surplus of NIL funds, Power 4 residency and the opportunity to play under the Belichick duo could be very attractive to NFL hopefuls.

Fisch addressed the potential of having to replace Belichick earlier this month.

“If (Steve) joins (Bill) then we’ll have to hire a new defensive coordinator,” Fisch said. “If he stays here then we won’t have to hire a new defensive coordinator. I think they’re separate. Bill Belichick is not on our staff. Steve Belichick is on our staff. So, Bill will determine whether or not he wants to continue. He’s the greatest coach of all time. So, if he goes and coaches somewhere, then he’ll make a decision, and then Steve will make a decision and we’ll figure it out from there.”

As for what’s next on Montlake, our Luke Kemper has you covered.

Click HERE to view his DC replacement scenarios.

Click HERE to view his contingency plan.

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North Carolina

Best golf courses in North Carolina for 2024-25

Published

23 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Best golf courses in North Carolina for 2024-25

By:

GOLF’s Course Raters and Ran Morrissett, Architecture Editor

December 22, 2024

A stunning aerial of the 3rd hole at Pinehurst No. 2.

USGA/Fred Vuich

As part of GOLF’s rigorous ratings process for our newly released Top 100 Courses in the U.S. and Top 100 Courses You Can Play rankings, our fleet of 100-plus expert panelists identified the best golf courses in every state.

You can check out the links below to browse all of our course rankings, or scroll down to see the best courses in North Carolina. And if you’re looking to create your own trip in the future, you’d be wise to let GOLF’s new Course Finder tool assist you. Here, you can toggle all of our lists — Top 100 public, best munis, best short courses, best par-3s and more — or filter by price to create the perfect itinerary for your next trip.

Check out our all-new travel podcast Destination GOLF. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: APPLE | SPOTIFY | IHEART | AMAZON

Explore our all-new Course Finder

Golf courses near you? Search here!

Begin Browsing

The best golf courses in North Carolina (2024/2025)

SYMBOL GUIDE
# = Top 100 Course in the U.S.
Y = Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.
V = Top 100 Value Course in the U.S.
P = Public/Resort

Ed. note: Some courses were omitted from our rankings because they did not receive enough votes.

1. Pinehurst No. 2 (Pinehurst) [#, Y, P]

Donald Ross’ chef d’oeuvre rolls spaciously through tall longleaf pines in the Carolina Sandhills with holes culminating with legendary inverted-saucer greens. For the 2014 U.S. Open, a Coore-Crenshaw restoration brought back the tawny-edged fairways and native areas last seen in the 1940s. Even with no rough, the runner-up could muster only one under par over four rounds. After the Women’s U.S. Open was played the following week, a powerful message had been broadcast around the world from the home of American golf about the virtues of width, short grass and great greens. This is one of a handful of courses that presents resort guests with a fun test on which they won’t lose a single ball, and a week later can be ready to host a U.S. Open. That’s the flexibility of short grass — and Ross’ design genius. The world will get another look at No. 2 in June 2024 when the course stages its fourth U.S. Open.

2. Old Town Club (Winston Salem) [#]

With sweeping, cross-course vistas punctuated by tawny native grasses and an exemplary routing that twists around miles of creek beds, side-slopes and artistic bunkering, Old Town’s restoration portrays the enduring spirit of classic golf architecture. Perry Maxwell built this inspired North Carolina layout on a former R.J. Reynolds horse farm. The manner by which Maxwell draped the fairways across the rolling landscape resulted in few level lies. No wonder former Demon Deacon Lanny Wadkins called it the best course for training serious young players. Wake Forest’s golf teams practice at Old Town, which gives them a huge home-field advantage as few collegiate golfers are accustomed to putting on undulating Maxwell greens or consistently hitting approach shots from uneven stances. The club’s longtime green chair analyzes every minute detail of the design during his annual walks around the property with former Wake grad, Bill Coore. A 2023 bunker restoration project and the conversion of the greens from bent to Bermuda has the course climbing even higher.

3. Wade Hampton (Cashiers) [#]

Tom Fazio has a well-established knack for building waterfalls. But at this exclusive redoubt, threaded through the folds of the Blue Ridge Mountains, he didn’t have to. Take the par-3 third hole, which plays through a valley, up a gentle rise, to a large green backed by a steep rock face where a natural cascade spills down it. It’s a setting worthy of a national park, and one of countless photo-ready moments on a course that unspools gracefully at modest elevation, ornamented by creeks and ponds. Fazio did not forgo earth-moving altogether. But the beauty of his work here is the deference he showed to the grandeur of the land.

4. Pinehurst No. 10 (Pinehurst) [#, Y, P]

Give a talented architect a sandy, rolling piece of land and place few restrictions on him or her, and it’s amazing what can be produced. Donald Ross did so with a flourish at this resort, and this time, it was Tom Doak’s turn — and he was bonused with not having to make an allowance for where homes might go or having the nines return. The result is a meandering tour that enjoys its own pacing. The first eight holes feature three par-4s — the drivable 4th, the burly dogleg-right 6th and the intermediate length 8th that plays into old mining spoils — that highlight the property’s diversity. Meanwhile, the run from the bruising uphill 468-yard 9th to the 264-yard 14th is one of Doak’s sternest stretches. Natural wetlands feature at two of the final four holes. This variety of obstacles ultimately make No. 10 an immediate stalwart among the resort’s offerings.

5. Pinehurst No. 4 (Pinehurst) [Y,P]

6. Tobacco Road (Sanford) [Y, P]

7. Mid Pines (Southern Pines) [Y, P]

8. Southern Pines GC (Southern Pines) [Y, P]

9. Pine Needles (Southern Pines) [Y, P]

10. Quail Hollow (Charlotte)

11. Roaring Gap (Roaring Gap)

12. Dormie Club (West End)

13. Tot Hill Farm (Asheboro) [Y, P]

tot hill farm golf course — A dangerous carry at Tot Hill Farm.
Courtesy of Tot Hill Farm

14. Charlotte CC (Charlotte)

15. Diamond Creek (Banner Elk)

16. Woodlake – Maples (Vass)

17. Grandfather (Linville)

18. Eagle Point (Wilmington)

19. CC of NC – Dogwood (Pinehurst)

20. Biltmore Forest (Asheville)

21. Linville (Linville)

22. Carolina GC (Charlotte)

23. Forest Creek – North (Pinehurst)

24. Pinehurst No. 8 (Pinehurst) [Y]

25. Sedgefield CC (Greensboro)

How we rank our courses

For our newly released Top 100 U.S. and Top 100 You Can Play lists — a process that helped us create 50 best-in-state rankings — each panelist was provided a ballot that consisted of 609 courses. Beside the list of courses were 11 “buckets,” or groupings. If our panelists considered a course to be among the top three in the U.S., they ticked that first column. If they believed the course to be among Nos. 4-10, they checked that column, followed by 11-25, 26-50, and so on out to 250+ and even a column for “remove.” Panelists were also free to write in courses that they felt should have been included on the ballot.

Points were assigned to each bucket; to arrive at an average score for each course, we divide its aggregate score by the number of votes. From those point tallies, the courses are then ranked accordingly. It is an intentionally simple and straightforward process. Why? Because it historically has produced results that are widely lauded. Like the game itself, there’s no need to unnecessarily complicate things or try to fix something that already works so well.

The key to the process is the experience and expertise of our panel. Hailing from 15 nations and all the worldwide golf meccas, each of our 127 handpicked panelists has a keen eye for architecture, both regionally and globally. Many of our panelists have played more than 1,000 courses in 20-plus countries, some over 2,000. Their handicaps range from +5 to 15.

Because the nature of course rating is so intensely subjective, no one opinion carries the day. The only way, then, to build meaningful consensus is to incorporate this diversity of panelists and experiences into one ranking.

Need help unriddling the greens at your home course? Pick up a custom Green Book from 8AM Golf affiliate GolfLogix.