North Carolina
North Carolina’s governor has vetoed a GOP bill that would weaken his successor and other Democrats
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Outgoing North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed legislation on Tuesday that would strip powers from several Democrats elected to statewide office this month, including removing the authority of Cooper’s successor to appoint the state elections board.
These and other provisions, contained in a wide-ranging measure stuffed through the Republican-dominated General Assembly in less than 24 hours during a lame-duck session last week, would weaken Gov.-elect Josh Stein, as well as the next attorney general, schools superintendent and lieutenant governor — offices that are slated to be run by Democrats next year.
While the bill contains additional Hurricane Helene relief provisions, critics say the amount is relatively small and most of the relief funds can’t even be spent until the General Assembly reconvenes next month. And billions of dollars more in aid may be needed in the coming months.
Democrats and their allies considered disaster items thin window-dressing for a series of partisan power grabs by the GOP before its veto-proof majority potentially goes away at year’s end following the certification of the Nov. 5 General Assembly elections, where a few tight races are undergoing recounts.
In his veto statement, Cooper called the bill a “sham” that doesn’t provide the necessary aid to western North Carolina and “merely shuffles money from one fund to another in Raleigh” instead.
“This legislation was titled disaster relief but instead violates the constitution by taking appointments away from the next Governor for the Board of Elections, Utilities Commission and Commander of the NC Highway Patrol, letting political parties choose appellate judges and interfering with the Attorney General’s ability to advocate for lower electric bills for consumers,” Cooper said.
The bill now returns to the General Assembly, where Republicans are expected to start their override attempt in Raleigh next week. They usually need all GOP House members and senators present and unified to be successful.
But that could be challenging, as three House Republicans voted no on the bill this month. All three represent areas damaged by Helene’s historic flooding. One of them said he voted against the measure because it was rushed through the General Assembly.
While Republicans will still control both chambers come January, Stein could become more successful blocking GOP legislation if Democratic lawmakers remain united to uphold vetoes.
The 131-page bill would attempt to alter yet again how the State Board of Elections is appointed, likely leading to a GOP majority on a panel now controlled by Democrats.
The governor currently makes state board appointments, and the governor’s party always holds three of the five seats.
Under the latest bill, starting in May, the state auditor — who will be Republican Dave Boliek — will make appointments elected. The changes likely would mean Republican board control in the near future and filter down to county election boards, too.
Other measures approved by the GOP-controlled legislature since 2016 to change the board’s makeup in the interest of bipartisanship have been blocked by courts, including a 2023 law that would move board appointment authority from the governor to the General Assembly.
The vetoed bill also would move up several post-election deadlines in 2025 after Republican complaints that counties took too long this month to count provisional and absentee ballots, especially in light of an extremely close Supreme Court race. Republicans said the changes will lead to more efficient and quicker vote count releases.
The legislation also would weaken the governor’s authority to fill vacancies on the state Court of Appeals and Supreme Court by limiting his choice to candidates offered by the political party of the outgoing justice or judge.
Stein, the current attorney general, will be succeeded by fellow Democratic U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson. The bill would limit the attorney general by barring him from taking legal positions contrary to the General Assembly in litigation challenging a law’s validity.
The bill also would prevent the superintendent of public instruction — a post to be held by Democrat Mo Green — from appealing decisions by a state board that reviews charter school applications.
And the legislation would repeal the Energy Policy Council, of which the lieutenant governor has been the chair. Current GOP Gov. Lt. Mark Robinson is giving way to Democrat Rachel Hunt early next year.
The bill did locate an additional $252 million for Helene relief, adding to the over $900 million that lawmakers had already set aside or started spending in previous measures this fall. But most of the money earmarked in the latest bill can’t be spent until the General Assembly acts again. Cooper asked the legislature last month to consider an initial Helene spending request of $3.9 billion.
North Carolina
SBI investigating murder in Madison County
MADISON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has confirmed that they are investigating a murder in Madison County that occurred around 3 a.m. on March 31.
News 13 is working to get more information. This story will be updated.
North Carolina
Suspect accused of stabbing pregnant woman outside North Carolina Harris Teeter
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A woman accused of stabbing a pregnant woman in southeast Charlotte earlier this month has been arrested, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon call just before 11:30 a.m. on March 18 in the 100 block of South Sharon Amity Road. The stabbing happened outside, in the parking lot of a Harris Teeter grocery store.
When CMPD officers arrived, they found a 38-year-old woman who had been stabbed. CMPD said she told them she had been stabbed once during the attack. Her injuries were described as non-life-threatening, and she was treated and later released from the hospital.
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Following the attack, investigators released surveillance footage and were asking anyone who recognized the suspect or vehicle involved to come forward.
On Monday, March 30, police announced they’ve identified the suspect as Marvina Marie Hardy. Hardy was located by CMPD’s VCAT detectives, with the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Florida Division Law Enforcement, and Florida State Highway Patrol.
Hardy is currently in custody at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Jail in Florida and is awaiting extradition back to North Carolina. She is facing several charges, including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill/inflict serious injury and battery of an unborn child.
North Carolina
I fled hellhole LA for my dream life in the country. Look how much better my life is now
A woman who once swore by the California dream says wildfires, sky-high costs — and a crackdown on her Airbnb lifeline — pushed her to pack up and flee Los Angeles for good.
Natasha Thomlinson-Clark is one of thousands of Angelinos who have left the state in recent months, driven out by a variety of factors, according to newly released Census data.
The urge to relocate crept in slowly, starting when local ordinances and a risk of fines, forced her to stop relying on a short-term rental to supplement her income.
“I had an Airbnb in West Hollywood that was basically how I survived before,” said Thomlinson-Clark. “They shut down my Airbnb…[it was] very hard for me financially.”
Then came the final straw when the Palisades Fire forced her and her husband Luke to reconsider their living situation.
“Then the fires really — that kinda freaked us out a lot,” she said. “We were paying all this money … couldn’t get house insurance. We were basically sitting ducks with no housing insurance.”
“I thought, ‘what are we doing?’”
Within months, Thomlinson-Clark ditched LA for Charlotte, North Carolina — a move she admits was “a bit of a knee-jerk reaction,” but one that quickly paid off.
“We came straight to Charlotte … it was cheaper, it made financial sense to me.”
The couple snapped up a sprawling 2,800-square-foot home for $660,000 in May 2025 — a price that would barely land a modest property in Southern California.
“What you can buy here is ridiculous compared to California,” she said.
The numbers back her up.
Los Angeles County lost roughly 54,000 residents between July 2024 and July 2025, the largest population drop in the nation, according to newly released US Census Bureau data. Once topping 10 million residents, the county has now slipped to under 9.7 million — a steady decline with no clear end in sight.
Experts say affordability is the driving force.
Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner noted that LA’s housing affordability score sits at just 0.41, far below the national average of 0.77. Median rent in the county has surged to $2,709 — compared to $1,667 nationwide — leaving many residents priced out.
“Incomes in LA have simply not kept pace with housing costs,” Berner said, adding that many are “squeezed to the point where they have to choose to leave.”
That’s exactly what Thomlinson-Clark did — even if it wasn’t easy.
“I had never thought about leaving LA. If I’m honest, the fires were a big driving force,” she said. “I worked really hard to get to California — specifically, I picked California.”
She insists the move wasn’t political, still, the financial upside has been hard to ignore. After buying her first home ten months ago, she told The Post, she bought a second one last Friday.
“Money goes much farther here,” she said.
It’s a trend LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger is watching closely.
“Los Angeles County’s population decline is a clear signal that we must stay focused on the fundamentals — public safety and affordability,” Barger said in a statement to The Post. “When people feel safe and can afford to live here, they stay and invest in their communities. If we lose sight of that balance, we risk losing the very workforce and families that make our region strong.”
Even so, Thomlinson-Clark hasn’t completely shut the door on the Golden State.
“Financially it’s better, but you do give up a lot,” she admitted. “California — it’s the sunshine tax you pay. There’s a lot to do in California.”
“Really tough to leave,” she added. “I can’t say I’ll be here forever.”
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