Associated Press - Randolph Record

06 Sep

She said she killed her lover in self-defense. Court says jury properly saw her as the aggressor

Associated PressNewsNC Supreme Court

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Supreme Court upheld the murder conviction of a woman who fatally shot her lover in her bedroom, ruling Friday that the trial judge gave appropriate instructions to the jury about the legal limits for deadly force inside a home. Five of the seven justices agreed to overturn a unanimous appellate decision that had ordered a new trial for Wendy Dawn Lamb Hicks, who was convicted in the death of Caleb Adams. Evidence shows he was shot twice in the back in her bedroom doorway. The majority’s primary opinion said it was proper, based on evidence,…

08 Mar

Republican legislators reach Medicaid expansion deal

Associated PressNewsGOP, legislature, medicaid expansion, republican

RALEIGH — North Carolina legislative leaders announced last Thursday an agreement to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of additional low-income adults through the Affordable Care Act. The deal, which likely won’t be voted on until later this month at the earliest, marks a milestone for Republican lawmakers, most of whom opposed expansion for a decade until recently. North Carolina has been one of 11 states that has not adopted Medicaid expansion. If the deal goes through, the state would start providing expansion coverage to people starting next January. “This is something that we can all be very proud of,”…

02 Nov

High stakes in NC Supreme Court races

Gary D. Robertson, The Associated PressNews2022 Elections, North Carolina Supreme Court

RALEIGH — The two North Carolina Supreme Court seats up for election in November have taken on extra significance as the outcome could flip the court’s partisan makeup during a period of political polarization. Registered Democrats hold a 4-3 advantage on the court, but Republicans would retake the majority for the first time since 2016 should they win at least one race. The seats carry eight-year terms, so barring unplanned retirements, Republicans would be assured of keeping the upper hand for at least 4 1/2 years if successful. Outside groups are spending big to influence the races. In the two…

02 Jun

Decade since NC governor win, McCrory trounced in Senate bid

Associated PressPoliticsgovernment, McCrory, U.S. Senate

RALEIGH — A decade ago, Pat McCrory was king in North Carolina’s Republican Party. The former Charlotte mayor became the first GOP governor in two decades when he won in 2012 by 11 percentage points. Today, the moderate has been tossed aside in state GOP politics, trounced by 34 percentage points in the U.S. Senate primary by Rep. Ted Budd, who was a little-known congressman outside his district until former President Donald Trump endorsed him last June. The Trump shift within the Republican Party is making casualties nationally out of politicians like McCrory, who says he supported many Trump policies…

01 Jun

Democrats voting in GOP primaries might have tilted results in some races

Associated PressBusinessdemocrats, GOP, primaries, voting

WASHINGTON, D.C. — An Associated Press analysis of early voting records found more than 37,000 people who voted in Georgia’s Democratic primary two years ago cast ballots in last week’s Republican primary, an unusually high number of so-called crossover voters. The data reveal crossover voters were consequential in defeating Donald Trump’s endorsed candidates for secretary of state and, to a lesser extent, governor in the Peach State. Gov. Brian Kemp did not ultimately need Democrats in his blowout victory against his Trump-backed opponent, but Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger probably did. The Republican secretary of state cleared the 50% threshold…

11 May

Abortion adds to Biden’s stalled to-do list

Associated PressGovernment, Nationabortion, Chuck Schumer, Joe Biden, White House

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden’s list of impossible tasks keeps getting longer. Despite lofty promises he’s made, from the campaign trail through his first year in office, he has made limited progress to enact his party’s agenda. It’s a disorienting and discouraging state of affairs for Democrats, who control both Congress and the White House for the first time in more than a decade. Biden’s pledge to codify Roe v. Wade into law seems destined for the same rocky shoals where other parts of his agenda, like tax credits for clean energy or legislation that would preempt state voting…

05 May

Sen. Rand Paul wants to investigate origins of COVID-19

Associated PressNation, Politicscovid-19, Sen. Rand Paul

SMITHFIELD, Ky. — U.S. Sen. Rand Paul promised Saturday to wage a vigorous review into the origins of the coronavirus if Republicans retake the Senate and he lands a committee chairmanship. Speaking to supporters at a campaign rally, the libertarian-leaning Kentucky Republican denounced what he sees as government overreach in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He applauded a recent judge’s order that voided the federal mask mandate on planes and trains and in travel hubs. “Last week I was on an airplane for the first time in two years and didn’t have to wear a mask,” he said, drawing cheers…

05 May

Trump’s bid to shape GOP faces test with voters in May races

Associated PressNation, Politicsdonald trump, early voting, republicans, Selma

NEW YORK — Donald Trump ‘s post-presidency enters a new phase this month as voters across the U.S. begin weighing the candidates he elevated to pursue his vision of the Republican Party. “The month of May is going to be a critical window into where we are,” said Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, a Trump critic defending incumbent GOP governors in Georgia, Ohio and Idaho against Trump-backed challengers this month. “I’m just concerned that there are some people trying to tear the party apart or burn it down.” Few states may be a higher priority for Trump than Georgia, where…

05 May

NC judge drops price to cover school plan, omits spend order

Gary D. Robertson, The Associated PressStateDavid Lee, Mike Robinson, NC Supreme Court, Roy Cooper

RALEIGH — A North Carolina judge cut the amount of money needed to comply through the middle of next year with a step-by-step plan to address state educational inequities. But he declined to leave in place the crux of another judge’s order that directed cash from government coffers be sent to state agencies to cover a fiscal gap. Special Superior Court Judge Mike Robinson ruled in long-running public education spending litigation which he began presiding over last month. Judge David Lee had directed in November that $1.75 billion be moved from state coffers to three government agencies to carry out…

28 Apr

Biden’s election year challenge: Blame GOP for nation’s woes

Will Weissart, The Associated PressNationinflation, Joe Biden, Ukraine

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden has an election-year message for frustrated voters: At least he’s trying. For those who think he isn’t doing enough to help Ukraine fend off the Russian invasion, Biden announced $800 million in new military support last Thursday. To ease the pain of high gas prices, he’s tapped the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and reopened onshore sales of oil and natural gas leases on public land. And to address historic inflation, Biden has tried to smooth out supply chain-crimping bottlenecks at the nation’s ports. The president hopes the moves, which are being announced in near-daily rollouts…