COOPER AND AG SEEK TO END US SUPREME COURT REVIEW OF VOTER ID LAW (Raleigh News & Observer) -- Gov. Roy Cooper and state Attorney General Josh Stein have taken steps to end a U.S. Supreme Court review of North Carolina’s voter ID law, reversing a request made by former Gov. Pat McCrory in the final days of his administration. But it was not immediately clear whether the request by the two newly elected Democrats to withdraw the appeal would fully end attempts to reinstate voter ID and other limitations on voting.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article134017644.html

LAWMAKERS, GOVERNOR HEAD TOWARD SECOND CONFIRMATION SHOWDOWN (WRAL-TV) -- State senators will try for a second time to hold confirmation hearings for Secretary Larry Hall, whom Gov. Roy Cooper has installed as head of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Cooper says senators shouldn't hold confirmation hearings because he hasn't officially nominated Hall yet. Senators on the Commerce and Insurance Committee have scheduled an 11 a.m. meeting to interview Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary Larry Hall, but Cooper says they are acting prematurely and, in a letter to Senate Rules Chairman Bill Rabon, says lawmakers are acting "contrary to the court's order."
http://www.wral.com/today-nccapitol-feb-22-lawmakers-governor-head-toward-second-confirmation-showdo...

AUTHOR TO DISCUSS CODED RACISM AND THE 2016 ELECTION (Duke U. News) -- Law professor and author Ian Haney López will discuss the historical use of coded racism, or “political dog whistles,” in election campaigns during a public lecture at Duke University. The talk, “Dog Whistle Politics: Race, Policy and Economic Inequality,” takes place Thursday, March 2, at 5:30 p.m. in Page Auditorium and will include an audience Q&A. “What we saw in 2016 was the end product of 50 years of coded, racially charged rhetoric that communicates to whites: To understand what’s gone wrong in your life, and what’s wrong in America, blame minorities, and blame the government that coddles them rather than protects you,” he said. ”It was a calculated strategy, and it worked.”
https://today.duke.edu/2017/02/author-discuss-coded-racism-and-2016-election

CURRITUCK COUNTY BANS SOLAR FARM DEVELOPMENT (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot) -- Currituck County has banned solar array construction, citing problems with thousands of the glistening mirrored panels covering farmland and disturbing nearby residents. The Currituck County Board of Commissioners approved the ban Monday night. It had imposed a two-month moratorium on such projects in January. Farming has suffered through low prices and unfavorable weather, Jerry Wright said. He and other owners of large farms have had offers from solar companies, he said. At least two offer an annual lease of about $650 an acre. An ad in a national farm magazine featured a solar company offering to lease land at $1,200 an acre, Wright said. “We think there are tracts in Currituck County that are suitable and would not adversely impact people,” Wright said. “They should look at it on a case-by-case basis.”
http://pilotonline.com/news/government/currituck-county-bans-solar-farm-development/article_a81d9768...

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