The Ohio Star

Madison Cawthorn Says He’s Contesting the Election, Will Fund Primary Opponents Against GOP Reps Who Don’t Speak Out

December 26, 2020December 25, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

Incoming Republican North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn said at a Turning Point USA conference Monday that he will contest the election and fund primary opponents against GOP members not publicly urging “for fair, free and just elections.”

Cawthorn said the Constitution says “that state legislators are the only body that can change election law within their own states,” video of the conference shows. He said numerous governors and state secretaries in swing states have violated the law.

Tillis Wins After Cunningham Concedes Race

November 10, 2020November 10, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham conceded the North Carolina Senate seat to Republican incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis Tuesday.

Cunningham conceded the race Tuesday, a week after Election Day, after Decision Desk HQ projected that the 47-year-old challenger had lost the race for the only North Carolina Senate seat up for grabs in 2020.

North Carolina Lawmakers Demand State Board of Elections Release Data on How Many Ballots are Outstanding

November 9, 2020November 8, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

North Carolina legislative leaders are demanding that the State Board of Elections release data on total outstanding ballots to provide transparency.

The co-chairs of the State Senate and House Elections Committees sent the demand in a letter Friday to Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, which is controlled by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. The announcement was made by N.C. Senate Leader Phil Berger.

Early Vote Count Passes 2016 Total with 11 Days Until the Election

October 24, 2020October 24, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

Over 50 million Americans have voted early with 11 days remaining until Election Day, far surpassing the 47 million early ballots cast in 2016.

While nearly every state has begun early voting, Texas, California and Florida lead the way, with 6.3 million, 5.8 million and 4.2 million ballots cast in each state, according to the U.S. Elections Project.

Appeals Court Rules North Carolina Absentee Ballots Postmarked By November 3 Are Valid If They Arrive Before November 12

October 22, 2020October 21, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the North Carolina State Board of Elections on Tuesday, allowing it to count absentee ballots that arrive before Nov. 12 as long as they were postmarked by Nov. 3.

“All ballots must still be mailed on or before Election Day,” said Circuit Judge James Wynn in the court’s 12-3 ruling. “The change is simply an extension from three to nine days after Election Day for a timely ballot to be received and counted. That is all.”

Federal Prompts for Gov. Bill Lee to Issue Statewide Mask Mandate Begs Question of Who Is Behind the Idea

October 18, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

Tennessee is ranked fourth in the nation for COVID deaths per 100,000 people, WUOT reports, citing the White House Coronavirus Task Force’s red zone report, which calls for Gov. Bill Lee to implement a statewide mask mandate.

The controversial report is from earlier this month. The task force issues frequent red zone reports.

Trump Campaign Sues to Block Mail-in Expansions in North Carolina

September 29, 2020September 28, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

President Donald Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee on Saturday filed suit to prevent North Carolina officials from adopting measures that would allow a greater number of absentee ballots to be counted in November.

The State Board of Elections said Tuesday that it would allow November ballots with incomplete information to be fixed without requiring the voter to redo their ballot, leading Republicans to file suit arguing that the system would lead to “fraud, coercion, theft, and otherwise illegitimate voting,” the Associated Press reported.

Free Speech Group Warns University After it Allowed Black Lives Matter Protest but Banned Other Gatherings

September 29, 2020September 28, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

A free speech advocacy group has sent two letters to East Carolina University after the public college banned gatherings of more than 50 students, but allowed a Black Lives Matter protest on campus.

Southeastern Legal Foundation sent a letter to the North Carolina public university on September 16 seeking information on its enforcement of its coronavirus policies. After receiving no response, the public interest law group sent a follow-up letter on September 24.

Commentary: President Trump Is the Only Choice for North Carolina

September 16, 2020September 15, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

On September 29, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will face off in Cleveland, Ohio for the first of three nationally televised debates. Unfortunately, by that time, some North Carolinians will already have started voting, as the first batch of absentee ballots were sent by the state on September 4th. That means that some North Carolinians won’t have the benefit of seeing the candidates on stage together to debate their visions for America prior to casting their vote. As you make your decision, it is important that you have the facts: President Trump’s leadership and policies built the world’s strongest economy once already, and he’s doing it again, providing opportunity and prosperity for North Carolina’s families and seniors.

In the Final Weeks Leading to November, Biden’s Lead in the Top Six Battleground States Narrows

September 14, 2020September 13, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

Democratic nominee Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump in six of the most competitive battleground states as both candidates amp up their fundraising efforts and place multimillion dollar ad buys just over seven weeks out from the election, according to a Daily Caller News Foundation review.

In 2016, Trump pulled off an upset win after flipping Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Now, those three states, in addition to Arizona, Florida and North Carolina, are likely to decide the winner of November’s presidential election.

School District Closes Schools, Charges Students $140 per Week to Attend ‘Learning Centers’

August 17, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

Shortly after announcing that the fall semester would begin online, the board of education of the Durham, North Carolina public school department said it will charge families $140 per week to send their children to “learning centers” at various local schools.

The school board, which last month said it planned to activate its “Plan C” and start school in the fall with virtual learning, this week “authorized the opening of six learning centers to provide support for students who need supervision” while schools remain online, according to the school district’s website.

DeWine’s Baseball Team’s Paycheck Protection Program Loan Nets Millionaire Governor $189K of Forgivable Taxpayer Handout

July 11, 2020July 10, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

With news that Gov. Mike DeWine’s minor league baseball team cashed in on the Paycheck Protection Program, one may ask how Ohio’s top executive came to own a team in North Carolina or why he needed a taxpayer handout.

DeWine has a 32 percent stake in the Asheville Tourists minor league team, The Ohio Star reported this week.

Gov. DeWine’s Company, Which Owns a Minor Baseball Team in North Carolina, Gets Loan from Federal Virus Aid Program

July 7, 2020July 6, 2020 The Associated Press

A company partly owned by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is among those that received loans from a $600 billion-plus coronavirus aid program.

The data released Monday shows DeWine Seeds-Silver Dollar Baseball received a loan under the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program for a range of $150,000 to $350,000.

While Confederate Statues Come Down, Other Symbols Targeted

June 22, 2020June 21, 2020 The Associated Press

Spectators in North Carolina’s capital cheered Sunday morning as work crews finished the job started by protesters Friday night and removed a Confederate statue from the top of a 75-foot (232 meter) monument.

Across the country, a peaceful protest in Portland, Oregon, against racial injustice turned violent early Sunday after baton-wielding police used flash-bang grenades to disperse demonstrators throwing bottles, cans and rocks at sheriff’s deputies near downtown’s Justice Center.

North Carolina Gov. Stands Ground, Says GOP Conditions for Convention Are ‘Very Unlikely’

June 4, 2020June 3, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

Uncertainty surrounding the 2020 Republican National Convention increased Tuesday as Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper rejected the GOP’s request to have a full, in-person convention.

In a letter addressed to the Republican National Committee (RNC), Cooper cited his concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

Florida, Georgia Would Happily Play Host to Republican National Convention If It Leaves North Carolina

May 27, 2020May 26, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

After President Donald Trump took to Twitter to threaten pulling the Republican National Convention out of Charlotte, N.C, other southeast states with Trump allies as governor have offered to host the convention.

The GOP convention is scheduled for late August in Charlotte. North Carolina entered phase two of its reopening plan amid the coronavirus pandemic last week under Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who has been cautious in lifting restrictions.

Commentary: Rigid Lockdowns vs. Relative Freedom

May 17, 2020May 16, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

In North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper has adopted the policy premise that anything done in the name of safety from the coronavirus trumps all other interests, including economic, religious, or other health considerations. Despite comparatively low numbers in the Tar Heel state, the ninth most populous state in the United States, and with no evidence of the healthcare system being overwhelmed, North Carolina has been in full lockdown for over a month.

Commentary: An Appeal to North Carolina’s Governor

April 17, 2020April 16, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

An urgent appeal to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper:

For every COVID-19 case in North Carolina (4,500 estimated), 125 people have lost their jobs (500,000 unemployed across the state). You created this tragedy.

3D Printing Presents Possible Solution to Personal Protective Equipment Shortage

April 8, 2020April 7, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Mayo Clinic announced last week that it is exploring the possibility of 3D printing face masks and other personal protective equipment items to employ in the national fight against COVID-19.

The famous clinic said its 3D Anatomic Modeling Laboratories across the country as well as its Division of Engineering are working together to “reverse-engineer, 3D-print and machine solutions for patient care.”

Companies Turn to 3D Printing Masks to Help in Coronavirus Response

April 4, 2020April 3, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Several companies in North Carolina are now 3D-printing protective face masks to provide locals with relief from the national shortage of N95 respirators.

The Department of Justice Is Probing Senator Richard Burr’s Stock Trades: Report

March 31, 2020March 31, 2020 Ohio Star Staff

The Justice Department is probing a series of stock trades that Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) made in the weeks after receiving briefings about the coronavirus pandemic, CNN reported.

The Justice Department is coordinating with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the matter, and the FBI has contacted Barr, a North Carolina Republican, according to CNN, which cited two people familiar with the matter.

North Carolina’s Congressional Map Is Illegal Republican Gerrymander, Court Rules

October 30, 2019October 29, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

A North Carolina court on Monday temporarily blocked the state from using its congressional map in next year’s elections and strongly suggested it would eventually rule the districts were illegally gerrymandered to favor Republicans.

Sheriff Sam Page Says, ‘A Country That Doesn’t Define Its Borders and Doesn’t Know Who’s Coming in and Out of the Country, Won’t Last Very Long’

September 27, 2019September 26, 2019 Julie Carr

On Wednesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – host Leahy welcomed Rockingham County, North Carolina’s Sheriff of 20 years, Samuel ‘Sam’ Page to the show to speak about illegal immigration and how it’s affecting his county and those across the nation.

Republicans Win Both House Races in North Carolina

September 12, 2019September 11, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

Republicans managed to successfully hold both seats in the House of Representatives from North Carolina that were up for grabs in special elections Tuesday, marking three consecutive wins in special elections to the House this year.

North Carolina Ignores Nearly 500 ICE Detainer Requests, Releases Illegal Aliens from Jails

September 10, 2019September 10, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

Detention centers across North Carolina have released hundreds of illegal aliens in their custody, defying detainer requests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Dorian Crawls Up US East Coast After Weakening to Category 1 Storm

September 7, 2019September 7, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

Hurricane Dorian has weakened to a Category 1 storm, after generating tornadoes and flooding roads in North and South Carolina.

U.S. Sen. Tillis of North Carolina Underwater Among Republican Primary Voters, Poll Says

September 6, 2019December 26, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

New polling shows U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) in serious trouble from a primary challenge by businessman Garland Tucker.

North Carolina Gun Shop Faces Backlash for Billboard Criticizing Omar and the Squad

August 1, 2019December 26, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

A North Carolina gun shop is facing backlash after putting up a billboard that calls four Democratic congresswomen “idiots.”

Supreme Court Rules Judges Can’t Block Partisan Gerrymandering

June 28, 2019June 27, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

by Tyler Arnold A narrowly divided Supreme Court ruled Thursday that federal judges have no authority to block politically gerrymandered maps. The 5-4 decision fell along ideological lines with the five conservative judges signing onto the decision and the liberal judges dissenting. “We conclude that partisan gerrymandering claims present…

Commentary: The Entitled Uninvited

June 4, 2019June 3, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

by Pedro Gonzalez On a Sunday afternoon in May, Etta Nugent found Marco Cobos, a Mexican national, at her doorstep in Houston after his truck had broken down nearby. Cobos knocked and Nugent, described by friends as “gentle soul” and a “good Christian woman,” answered. When Cobos asked her…

North Carolina Governor Under Fire for Proposing Freezing School Voucher Program

May 26, 2019May 26, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

by Joshua Nelson A billboard campaign in North Carolina is taking aim at Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper after his announcement proposing freezing a scholarship program that has benefited minority students—more than 30 percent of which are African-American. The billboard says the governor is “failing when it comes to helping…

North Carolina’s Rep Mark Meadows Says Declassification of Russia Probe Documents Is ‘Right Around the Corner’

May 21, 2019May 20, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

by Henry Rogers North Carolina Republican Rep. Mark Meadows said that important documents relating to the origins of the counterintelligence investigation into President Donald Trump’s campaign will be released soon on Monday. In an appearance on Fox News’ Fox and Friends, the House Oversight Committee member responded to the…

North Carolina Teachers Strike in Consecutive Years Hoping for Higher Wages

May 2, 2019May 2, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

North Carolina teachers took to the streets Wednesday for the second year in a row with hopes that a more politically balanced legislature will be more willing to meet their demands. Teachers, auxiliary staff and supporters marched in Raleigh with scheduled speakers including Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and the…

North Carolina Governor Vetoes Born-Alive Bill

April 19, 2019April 18, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

by Grace Carr Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a born-alive bill Thursday that sought to explicitly direct physicians to provide care for infants who survive abortion procedures. Cooper vetoed SB359, also known as the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act,” which passed the state legislature Tuesday. The state…

Supreme Court Hears Gerrymandering Case That Could Extensively Redraw the Ohio Electoral Map

March 27, 2019March 27, 2019 Andrew Shirley

The United States Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments Tuesday on a pair of cases that could lead to the Ohio electoral map being completely redrawn. The two cases, Rucho v. Common Cause and Lamone v. Benisekm, could both set precedents that could supersede a similar Ohio case making its way to…

Commentary: North Carolina Election Fraud Should Be a Wake-Up Call for the Left

March 6, 2019March 6, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

by Jason Snead and Hans von Spakovsky Widespread fraud by a political operative working for a Republican is forcing a redo of the 2018 midterm race for North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District. The news confirms just how vulnerable our elections are to voter fraud, and how profound the consequences can…

Commentary: GOP Senator Thom Tillis Flakes on Border Emergency

February 28, 2019February 27, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

by CHQ Staff In an opinion piece posted Monday in The Washington Post, North Carolina’s Republican Senator Thom Tillis argued that President Trump’s declaration of an emergency on the southern border would set a precedent that could be used by future presidents to fund policy projects Congress rejects. Conservatives…

Toddler Dies After Drunk Driving Illegal Immigrant Smashes into Ambulance

February 14, 2019February 14, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

by Will Racke A 3-year-old boy has died after the ambulance he was riding in was struck by a drunken illegal immigrant in North Carolina, police said Monday. Jose Duran Romero, 27, allegedly crashed his Honda Accord into the side of a Lifecare Ambulance in Winston Salem, N.C. early…

U.S. Supreme Court to Take New Look at Partisan Electoral Districts

January 6, 2019January 5, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

The Supreme Court is plunging back into the issue of whether electoral districts can be too partisan. Disputes have arisen in cases involving North Carolina’s heavily Republican congressional map and a Democratic congressional district in Maryland, and the justices said Friday they will hear arguments in March. The high court…

There’s a New Product in the Fight Against Fentanyl Overdoses

January 1, 2019January 1, 2019 Ohio Star Staff

by Amanda Hagstrom America’s heroin and cocaine addicts are turning to test strips in the search to combat the increasing rate fatal, fentanyl-induced overdoses. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid potent enough to kill an adult male with just two milligrams, or land someone in the hospital if a fan…

Mark Meadows Says Trump Will Not Budge on Requested Amount for Wall Funding

December 28, 2018December 28, 2018 Ohio Star Staff

by Henry Rodgers Republican North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows said President Donald Trump will not budge on the $5 billion requested for a border wall Wednesday, as the government enters its sixth day of a partial shutdown. Meadows, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, said he does not believe…

Successful North Carolina Businessman Pioneers New Way Forward in Education

December 27, 2018December 27, 2018 Anthony Gockowski

Bob Luddy had already experienced massive success as a businessman and entrepreneur before launching Thales Academy, one of North Carolina’s most innovative private schools. In 1976, Luddy founded CaptiveAire Systems, now the leading manufacturer of commercial kitchen ventilation systems in the U.S. with annual sales of more than $300 million.…

Nine States Back Environmentalists Trying to Shutdown Search for Oil in Atlantic

December 22, 2018December 21, 2018 Ohio Star Staff

by Tim Pearce Nine states are intervening in a lawsuit against the Trump administration for approving oil and gas companies to search for oil and gas deposits in the Atlantic Ocean. Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh announced Thursday the states would join environmental groups in a lawsuit to prevent the Trump…

More Than 2,000 People Fail North Carolina Math Exam to Become Licensed Teachers

December 22, 2018December 21, 2018 Ohio Star Staff

by Neetu Chandak An education standards commission in North Carolina unanimously voted to phase out a portion of a teaching licensing test as about 2,400 teachers failed the math exam. The commission voted to replace for-profit Pearson publishing company’s math test with a math exam from Praxis, created by nonprofit test…

House Freedom Caucus Opposes Short-Term Spending Bill Over Border Wall

December 21, 2018December 21, 2018 Ohio Star Staff

by Henry Rodgers North Carolina Republican Rep. Mark Meadows and House Freedom Caucus members will vote “no” on a short-term funding bill that would fund the government until Feb. 8, as funding is set to expire Friday, The Daily Caller News Foundation has learned. “The time to stand up…

Commentary: What Happened in North Carolina is Voter Fraud

December 21, 2018December 21, 2018 Ohio Star Staff

by Jason Snead More than a month after the November election, the details of an apparent voter fraud scandal orchestrated by a North Carolina Republican operative are still coming to light. A coordinated absentee ballot harvesting ring may have gathered, tampered with, or destroyed hundreds of ballots. The outcome…

Russian Nationals Indicted in North Carolina on Immigration Fraud, Murder for Hire Charges

December 16, 2018December 15, 2018 Anna Marie Bolton

Five Russian nationals were indicted on Wednesday in the Eastern District of North Carolina, according to a Department of Justice press release. The five are charged with “federal crimes stemming from a bribery and kickback scheme, including money laundering, immigration fraud, and a subsequent murder for hire plot.” Leonid Teyf, 57,…

Are Democrats Trying to Steal a North Carolina Congressional Seat Already Certified by County Boards of Election as a 905 Vote GOP Win?

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 Admin

The North Carolina State Board of Elections is refusing to certify Republican Mark Harris’s 905 vote victory in the state’s 9th Congressional District on November 6, even though the election boards in all eight of the district’s counties have certified the results as a victory for Harris, and Democrat opponent…

Cities Reveal Insane Offers They Made in Bid for Amazon HQ

November 18, 2018November 18, 2018 Ohio Star Staff

by Evie Fordham Amazon announced its decision Tuesday to split its second headquarters between Long Island City, New York, and Arlington, Virginia, but by picking those locations the corporation gave up some pretty sweet deals — and unusual offers — from other cities and states. Amazon will get incentives packages of…

Voters Who Support the President on Immigration Will be Watching Key Races in Battleground States Tonight

November 6, 2018November 5, 2018 Anna Marie Bolton

Whether you are out with friends to watch returns or home alone biting your fingernails, here are a few races that will be significant in determining whether President Donald Trump’s immigration message resonated in the final weeks leading up to the midterm elections. First, there is little argument…