🌱 King Khalid Mosque Still Not Open to Public + State of the State

Happy World Tennis Day Raleigh!

Buckle up because today there is a whole lot of news to catch up on. The state has been hard at work and I've got a huge round up of everything that has happened this week. Check out all that has happened in the State and Raleigh, including:

• General Assembly reaches Medicaid expansion deal
• Game On! at Moore Square
• Searching for sightings of hellbenders and mudpuppies

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and mild. High: 72 Low: 56.

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Here are the top stories in Raleigh today:

1. Worshipers have continued to gather outside of the King Khalid Mosque on the Shaw University campus. Many of those in attendance worshiped at the mosque prior to the COVID pandemic and have been barred from returning. The university has begun to allow students to worship at the Mosque but it has not been reopened to the public. At least a million dollars has been given to provide a safe worship space for those from Muslim communities, and the university initially cooperated with the community. Now it is looking into various legal strategies to get the mosque reopened to the public. (abc11)
2. Passengers of a Southwest flight experienced a "horrifying" ordeal as their flight to RDU had to be diverted to a closed Myrtle Beach airport overnight. Southwest flight 3094's departure was delayed, idling for 40 minutes with engines running. As the flight attempted to descend at RDU, weather conditions caused the jet's altitude to drop drastically and caused the airline to shake, leading to some passengers vomiting. Passengers were stuck at the Myrtle Beach airport with no luggage or food until an empty plane from Baltimore came to fly the passengers back to Raleigh. (CBS17)
3. The State of the State speech is set to take place today during a joint session of the General Assembly at 7 p.m. The speech will likely be Governor Roy Cooper's final State of the State address as he is barred by constitutional limits from seeking a third consecutive four-year term. (WRAL) Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson announced on Tuesday that he would give the Republican response to Governor Cooper's State of the State address. It is traditionally a legislator from the major party opposing the governor who delivers the response, but it is also uncommon that the governor and lieutenant governor are from opposing parties. (Spectrum News 1)
4. Major state news round up:
   1. North Carolina Republican leaders in the General Assembly announced their deal to expand Medicaid Coverage in North Carolina. The agreement was made that Medicaid expansion will occur when the budget is passed. Local hospitals will also be able to seek reimbursement through the federal Healthcare Access and Stabilization Program when the bill becomes a law. The deal will likely not be officially voted on until later this month. (AP News, FOX8)
   2. Lawmakers have once again brough up the removal of voting literacy tests from the North Carolina Constitution. Lawmakers have been working for decades to remove the illegal provision from the state's constitution. Literacy tests were made illegal in the Voting Rights Act of 1965. If approved, voters would be asked to vote "for" or "against" the amendment in the November 5, 2024 election. (abc11)
   3. On Wednesday, the North Carolina Senate passed a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in the state. A similar bill passed the NC Senate last year but did not proceed thought the House. This time around, house Speaker Tim Moore has said that he is optimistic the bill can pass this time around. In spite of the growing movement to legalize medical marijuana, the federal government still prohibits the possession and use of marijuana, but they do not have the authority to enforce the prohibition within states. (abc11, Charlotte Observer, Tenth Amendment Center, WXII12)
   4. A bill announced in the NC House would allow cities to use civilian personnel to investigate crashes. The bill would only allow civilian traffic investigators in incidents that deal with property damage. Civilian traffic investigators would attend a training program with the North Carolina Justice Academy, and would not be authorized to make any arrests. (CBS17)
   5. The North Carolina Board of Education revealed its plan to increase teacher pay this week. The board's plan would base earnings on test scores, performance revies, or other measures. The Carolina Teachers Alliance has voiced opposition stating that the set salary scales should be based on the education with Master's pay. The General Assembly still needs to review the plan. (abc11, WBTV)
   6. The North Carolina Supreme Court voted 5-2 to restore enforcement of a 2021 order by the Court of Appeals that halted the transfer of funds in the Leandro case. A trial judge ordered the controller's predecessor to transfer funds without approval from the General Assembly, and the move was upheld by the Supreme Court in November, but the new makeup of the court has shifted the partisanship of the court. The Leandro ruling is among those that the court has decided to take another look at. (CBS17, WRAL)
   7. A report that was presented to the North Carolina State Board of Education this week showed that crime and violence in schools went up during the 2021-2022 school year. The report also found tat disciplinary actions also rose by 7%. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 84% of surveyed public schools agree that the pandemic negatively impacted behavioral development of students. North Carolina was awarded a grant to help fund safety equipment, school resource officers, and training and services for students in crisis. (CBS17)

Today in Raleigh:

• Game On! at Moore Square (10:00am-6:00pm)
• Mom's Meet Up at Little Doodles (3:30pm-5:00pm)
• Open Kickball Play at Knights of Columbus Fields (6:00pm)
• Trivia at West Street Dog (6:30pm-8:30pm) & Nancy's Pizzeria (7:00pm-9:00pm)
• Music Bingo Family Night at Good Times Garner (7:30pm-9:30pm)

Tuesday in Raleigh:

• Family Night at Chick-Fil-A White Oak Garner (5:30pm-7:30pm) & Garner Town Square (5:30pm-7:30pm)
• Open Play Volleyball at Knights of Columbus Fields (6:00pm)
• Run Club at Seven Saturdays Tap Room (6:00pm-7:00pm)
• Trivia: Greenway Beer & Wine (6:30pm-8:30pm), House of Hops (7:00pm-9:00pm), Raleigh Brewing Arboretum Cary (7:00pm-9:00pm), Seven Saturdays Tap Room (7:00pm-9:00pm), The Hop Yard (7:00pm-9:00pm), Triangle Beer Co. Cary (7:00pm-9:00pm), Sammy'ss Tap & Grill (8:00pm-10:00pm)
• Music Bingo: Tin Roof (7:00pm-9:00pm), Gizmo Brew Works (7:00pm-9:00pm), Big Easy Cary (7:00pm-9:00pm), Blackbird Brewery WF (7:00pm-9:00pm), Compass Rose (7:00pm-10:00pm)
• AV Geeks at the Oscars Short FilmViewing at Alamo Drafthouse (7:00pm)

From my notebook:

• It's World Tennis Day and the Raleigh Tennis League can help connect you with other players to help you improve your own skill.
• The Wake County Animal Center announced on Saturday that they are once again running out of space to house dogs. They are looking for the public's help to avoid being forced to euthanize animals. (CBS17)
• "Wildlife biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission are asking the public, specifically anglers, to report any sightings of hellbenders and mudpuppies." (CBS17)

Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— CJ Fullford

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Raleigh Patch newsletter? Contact me at raleigh@patch.com