North Carolina

Opinion | North Carolina Republicans’ power grab reveals their deepest fear

Published

1 year ago

December 14, 2024

Opinion | North Carolina Republicans’ power grab reveals their deepest fear

On a rainy afternoon in Raleigh this week, the North Carolina House convened in a statehouse bedecked with tinsel and lights to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of a bill that Republicans passed after losing their supermajority in November’s election. The wet weather was a grim reminder that the legislation, introduced without any public comment or debate in committee, was presented as a hurricane relief bill to address western North Carolinians’ ongoing needs following Hurricane Helene, the deadliest storm in our state’s history. But only 13 of the bill’s 131 pages even purport to address the disaster. The rest of the bill is not about relief at all; instead, it amounts to a political coup.

Despite the holiday decorations, the halls of the General Assembly rang not with carols celebrating “peace on Earth, goodwill toward men,” but with shouts of protest from North Carolina citizens who sought to expose the GOP’s power grab. For Helene relief efforts, the legislation does little: It merely shifts state funds from one account to another and says that “the funds shall remain unspent until” further action by the Legislature next year.

The Herod-like action of the North Carolina Republican leadership this week reminds us that extremism is vulnerable.

But the bill does shift authority to appoint members of the state Elections Board from Gov.-elect Josh Stein, a Democrat, to the incoming state auditor, a Republican. The bill shortens the amount of time voters have to fix ballot errors and requires counties to report election results sooner. It prohibits the incoming attorney general, a Democrat, from refusing to defend laws passed by the General Assembly — the same lawmakers who just lost their gerrymandered supermajority.

This Christmas season, political leaders who say something pious while doing something nefarious are reminiscent of King Herod, who requested that the Magi report the location of the Christ child so that, in his own words, Herod might “come and worship him.” It was a lie. Herod did not rush to Bethlehem to honor the child; he sent his henchmen to kill every child under 2 years old in a scorched-earth effort to stamp out any potential opposition. That act of terror in the Christmas story is an awful testament to the desperation of political power, but it illumines our present political moment in a way that Christmas lights alone cannot.

Since Donald Trump narrowly won re-election in November, many have despaired that the American electorate has given up on the possibility of a multiethnic democracy. But the Herod-like action of the North Carolina Republican leadership this week reminds us that extremism is vulnerable. Yes, North Carolina gave Trump a slim majority in an election with a lower turnout than four years ago. But Republicans lost their supermajority in the House. They lost half of the statewide races, with Democrats winning all of the offices that oversaw elections under existing law. GOP extremists didn’t wage a political coup under the cover of hurricane victims because they are strong; they did it because they know they are losing ground and are desperate to hold on to power.

These are the same politicians who criticized the Biden administration for not doing enough when FEMA rushed relief to western North Carolina in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene. They ran for re-election saying they are “pro-life” and claiming the mantle of Christianity, but they abandoned the ethics of Jesus and gave western North Carolina a bag of coal for Christmas. Though they may go home and sing “Joy to the World” in their church services, their actions proclaim that they do not know joy; they are, in fact, consumed by fear. The song of the season says: “He rules the world with truth and grace.” But with this legislative coup, North Carolina’s Republicans have have joined to perform a twisted version of the carol that essentially declares, “We rule the state with lies and greed.”

We join the chorus that sang out in protest at this political coup, but we do not despair. This vote actually reveals the weakness of America’s anti-democracy movements, and those of us working toward a Third Reconstruction of this nation remain unshaken in our conviction: The glory of justice and righteousness and the wonders of love as the foundations of the republic will endure beyond our present troubles. Even when we endure a temporary setback, we pledge to never retreat from moving forward together, joyful that we chose the right side and confident that right will come back stronger and ultimately emerge the victor.

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North Carolina

These 4 Western NC towns are among WorldAtlas favorites for 2026

Published

16 minutes ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

These 4 Western NC towns are among WorldAtlas favorites for 2026

A new list from WorldAtlas named the publication’s top 10 favorite North Carolina towns of 2026, including several locations located in Western North Carolina.

Founded in 1994 by cartographer John Moen and his wife, Chris Woolwine-Moen, WorldAtlas publishes educational materials and articles on geography, sociology, demography, environment, economics, politics, and travel.

Previous Citizen Times articles have covered numerous mentions of Western North Carolina from WorldAtlas, including “idyllic” and “unpretentious” towns, scenic drives, a favorite downtown area, and more. In the new list, published March 9, WorldAtlas writers chose their all-time favorite North Carolina towns ― almost half of which were located in the western region of the state.

Here’s what WorldAtlas had to say about mountain North Carolina towns, plus the full list and more.

What to do in Banner Elk, N.C.

WorldAtlas noted the range of activities offered in Banner Elk throughout the year. The town sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains between the Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain ski resorts. Writers highlighted the following locations and activities in Banner Elk:

Wildcat Lake, which has a lifeguarded white-sand beach and is used for swimming, non-motorized boating and fishing for largemouth bass, trout, and bluegill
Grandfather Mountain Nature Museum, a museum located at Grandfather Mountain
The Mile High Swinging Bridge, the highest suspension footbridge in the United States, which visitors can cross on foot

What to do in Blowing Rock, N.C.

Also included on the WorldAtlas list, Blowing Rock takes its name from a rock formation where the wind appears to blow upward. The list highlighted the following locations and activities in Blowing Rock:

The town’s namesake, “Blowing Rock,” is a rock formation known for views of Johns River Gorge and the surrounding forest
Fishing, spelunking and rock climbing opportunities in the area
Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, also known locally as “Cone Park,” which has hiking trails and is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Memorial Park on Main Street, where town events and concerts often take place

What to do in Brevard, N.C.

Brevard, also known as the “Land of Waterfalls,” is home to more than 200 waterfalls located across Transylvania County. WorldAtlas highlighted the following locations and activities in Brevard:

Museums, trails, rock climbing and the surrounding area’s many waterfalls
Guided Jeep and hiking tours to view waterfalls throughout Transylvania County
Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas, a museum displaying artifacts from U.S. military conflicts
Transylvania Heritage Museum, a museum focused on local history and genealogy

What to do in Hot Springs, N.C.

Hot Springs’ name comes from the natural springs that attract visitors from across the state and region. The springs are commonly visited by hikers seeking relief after traveling along the Appalachian Trail, which runs through the town. WorldAtlas highlighted the following activities and events:

Kayaking on the French Broad River
Trailfest, a celebration of hiking typically held in April
French Broad River Festival, a celebration of the French Broad River held each year on the first weekend of May
White-water rafting and ziplining opportunities in the area
Fishing, skiing, sport shooting, golf, disc golf, biking and horseback riding opportunities throughout the area
A range of accommodations including campgrounds, privately owned cabins, apartments, suites and cottages, with options from basic to luxury experiences

WorldAtlas’s best towns in North Carolina

The full list of WorldAtlas’s favorite North Carolina towns of 2026 included:

Banner Elk
Beaufort
Blowing Rock
Brevard
Davidson
Edenton
Hot Springs
Seagrove
Manteo
Wrightsville Beach

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

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North Carolina

‘It was dire’: NC State professor returns from Qatar after being trapped during Iran war

Published

12 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

‘It was dire’: NC State professor returns from Qatar after being trapped during Iran war

An North Carolina State University professor is back home Monday night after he was trapped in the Middle East as war with Iran broke out.

Rich Spontak was stuck in Qatar while traveling from Bangkok to Spain and was forced to stay in the country for about a week. Several travelers were trapped for days in the Middle East after Iran’s
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several defense leaders were
killed in joint strikes by the United States and Israel.

Spontak, like many travelers, found himself stranded in the Middle East after the initial attacks, which quickly entangled more surrounding countries, including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, where seven U.S. service members were killed in retaliatory attacks from Iran.

Spontak said there were times he thought he wouldn’t make it out.

“I would just keep looking out and looking for the missiles,” Spontak said. “Some people that I met along the way were hit by shrapnel from the missles. It was dire.”

Airspace over Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait and Syria remained closed, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. Azerbaijan also shut the southern sector of its airspace on Thursday after accusing Iran of a drone attack that injured four civilians and damaged an airport building.

Lilia Austin, a Chapel Hill woman who was part of a group of 100 women who went to Israel for a trip the day before Khamenei was killed, also returned home on Sunday after she left Israel through Egypt.

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North Carolina

Gov. Stein proposes $1.4B ‘critical needs’ budget for North Carolina

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Gov. Stein proposes .4B ‘critical needs’ budget for North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (WLOS) — With North Carolina still without a new state budget, Gov. Josh Stein is urging state lawmakers to approve a $1.4 billion “Critical Needs Budget.” Stein says this budget will address the state’s most urgent priorities while the General Assembly works on a full spending plan.

“North Carolina has gone nearly two and a half years without passing a new state budget – the only state in the country to finish 2025 without one[…]This budget invests in critical public safety, education and health care services for the people of North Carolina that cannot wait,” Gov. Stein said in a press release Monday.

A major part of Stein’s proposal is $319 million to fully fund Medicaid, which provides health coverage to over three million North Carolinians. This program also supports rural hospitals, nursing homes and statewide health care providers, per the release.

JUDGE ORDERS FEMA TO REINSTATE $200M STORM RELIEF PROGRAM, ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS

The “Critical Needs Budget” would target public safety staffing and pay. According to the governor’s office, North Carolina currently ranks 49th in starting salaries for state troopers and correctional officers, and low pay has contributed to staffing shortages and vacancy rates. This budget would bring pay raises to correctional officers, law enforcement officers, probation and parole officers and more.

Stein’s proposed budget calls for raising starting and average teacher pay, as well as increasing pay for senior teachers and other education staff. The governor’s office said the state remains in the bottom 10 nationally in average teacher pay.

The budget proposal also includes pay increases for state employees and a cost-of-living adjustment for retired state employees, citing rising inflation costs and increasing health care premiums. Stein’s plan also includes targeted funding to maintain essential services, such as support for child care access and affordability.

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