5 Things to Know: Gov. Cooper Vetoes Power Grab Bill

Gov. Cooper Vetoes Power Grab Bill

Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday vetoed Senate Bill 382, the so-called Disaster Relief Bill that was fast-tracked through the NC General Assembly last week and includes a number of measures stripping incoming Democrats of power.

“This legislation is a sham,” Cooper wrote in a statement announcing the veto. “It does not send money to Western North Carolina but merely shuffles money from one fund to another in Raleigh. 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.

“Instead of giving small business grants to disaster counties it strikes a cruel blow by blocking the extension of better unemployment benefits for people who have lost jobs because of natural disasters,” he continued. “Finally, it plays politics by taking away two judges elected by the people and adding two judges appointed by the legislature, taking away authority from the Lieutenant Governor and the Superintendent of Public Instruction and more.”

The bill did not originally get enough support to warrant an overturning of Cooper’s veto. Three Republican representatives from western North Carolina counties — Karl Gillespie (R-Macon), Rep. Mike Clampitt (R-Swain), and Rep. Mark Pless (R-Haywood) — voted against the bill, with Pless explaining in a statement that “the bill appears to do nothing for western NC.”

However, Pless and others who voted against the bill last week said at that time that they would review the bill more closely in the event of a veto to reconsider their decision. None have since stated whether they have changed their stance. The General Assembly will resume its session with a return to Raleigh on Monday, Dec. 2.

Charlotte-Based Transportation Brokerage to Expand HQ

RXO, a high-tech freight transportation broker, announced Tuesday that it will expand operations at its Charlotte headquarters, investing $13.7 million and bringing 216 new jobs over the next three years to the Ballantyne submarket. The plans would increase the company’s current headcount in Charlotte from 647 to 863, with the new jobs offering an average annual salary of $89,769.

“This is not just an expansion; it’s a significant milestone for our city’s growth and economic development,” wrote Mayor Vi Lyles in a statement. “This investment will create jobs, drive innovation and enhance our community’s prosperity. I am thrilled to see how this partnership will shape the future of Charlotte, making it an even more dynamic place to live and work.”

Established as a public company in November 2022 and headquartered in Charlotte, RXO is an independent, publicly owned operation focused on tech-enabled brokered transportation, which means they connect clients to independent carriers and trucks across North America.

Indie Picture House Opens Largest Theater Yet

The Independent Picture House (IPH) opened its newest expansion on Thanksgiving, debuting its new auditorium theater, the biggest in the establishment at 145 seats. Along with the exhibition of films, the new space will provide local artists and groups with the opportunity to perform poetry, theatre, improv, comedy, and live music and can also be rented out for both private and public film screenings.

The expansion also includes the addition of a “pre-function area” that will be used for educational offerings, as a gathering space, to host community events and discussions, and other artistic endeavors.

IPH announced the coming expansion over the summer, and while the team has secured just over $720,000 in fundraising for the expansion — 90% of its goal— they still need $75,000 to cross the finish line.

“We have witnessed extraordinarily positive reactions from the community throughout our first two years of operations,’ said Brad Ritter, executive director of IPH, in a statement announcing the campaign over the summer. “This opportunity to expand comes at the perfect time, as we are seeing increased demand for film screenings and other events. Upon completion, we’ll be able to truly meet our mission to foster cultural connections through film.”

Murdered Woman Found To Be Pregnant at Time of Killing

CMPD announced Thursday that investigators have learned Jameisha Wilkes, the 33-year-old woman who was shot and killed in the Ascent at Mallard Creek apartment complex in northeast Charlotte on Nov. 13, was pregnant at the time of the murder.

In the above map, black markers signify deaths by gun violence, green markers signify killings that may be deemed justified, red markers signify stabbings, yellow markers signify murder by vehicle, purple markers signify deaths by trauma or unknown cause, and blue markers signify police killings.

The suspect, a 32-year-old man who was identified, located and arrested in nearby Cabarrus County shortly after the murder, now faces new charges of murder against an unborn baby on top of his existing charges of murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon.

WSOC reported that the man is believed to be the father of the unborn child. The suspect is still in custody with no bond and is due in court sometime in December.

County Reports Record Year for Adoption

During a celebration of National Adoption Day in Mecklenburg County on Saturday, Nov. 23, the county’s Child, Family, and Adult Services department reported a record number of adoptions in Mecklenburg County over the last year.

According to the agency, 97 youth have received decrees and found their forever families over the last 12 months, nearly triple the total number of children who were adopted in the previous year.

National Adoption Day is particularly focused on the more than 108,000 children in the United States that are waiting in foster care for an adoptive family. Mecklenburg County reported that 385 children were still in its custody as of Wednesday. The average wait for a child in foster care to be adopted is nearly three years. More than 20,000 children age out of the foster care system every year with no family or permanent home.

A lawsuit filed in August alleged that, for more than a decade, the NC Department of Health and Human Services as well as county adoption agencies in Mecklenburg and Gaston counties has put foster children at substantial risk of harm by failing to properly vet foster parents or thoroughly investigate allegations of maltreatment in foster care settings.