July 26, 2024

The Office of

Representative Mike Clampitt

House District 119

View as Webpage

eCourts Headed West! 

11 counties in western NC shifting to eCourts, hopefully helping folks save time in their interactions with the court system. https://www.foxcarolina.com/2024/07/18/eleven-western-north-carolina-counties-shifting-digital-court-records/ 

Small Biz Record Working w/NCDOT

The policies of our conservative legislature continue to show progress in a variety of positive ways across North Carolina, helping businesses and families across our state. https://shorturl.at/yjvt3

 Idexx Laboratories 275 Jobs in Wilson!

Great news as IDEXX Laboratories, a pet healthcare company based in Maine, plans to build a manufacturing plant in Wilson, adding 275 jobs and spending $147 million. https://shorturl.at/lvHrX

Voter ID Information

This is the recent updates to North Carolina State Board of Election's Voter ID Page. They have published a lot of new content on our Voter ID page. They also just published a new page: FAQ: Voter ID.

Press Release from NCSBE.

No-Fee ID Card:

Anyone who is 17 or older can get a “No-Fee ID Card” from the NC DMV. Information on this ID card is available on the DMV website: Official NCDMV: State IDs (ncdot.gov).

We will keep you updated when new information is available.

CrowdStrike outage wiped out hundreds of NC DMV appointments. What happens next?

by Richard Stradling/Charlotte Observer

The worldwide Microsoft computer outage hit the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles during its busiest season, forcing it to shutter all 115 of its driver’s license offices Friday morning and cancel the morning’s appointments.

Altogether, 1,894 customers with appointments were affected, according to the DMV. About 600 of them waited around until the computers came back online and were served Friday afternoon or returned to one of 16 driver’s license offices that take walk-in customers on Saturday mornings.

But about 1,300 people with appointments Friday made arrangements to come back later, said spokesman Marty Homan. DMV staff asked what day and time they could return and put them on a list of “priority walk-ins” who would be moved to the front of the line when they arrived, Homan said.

“They’re just kind of shoehorning them in where they’re able,” he said.

Link for the article

$50 monthly hike in Duke Energy bills by 2033 is likely, officials say

by David Mildenberg/Business North Carolina

Duke Energy residential customers will be paying about $50 to $60 a month more for electricity by 2033, on average, and about $80 a month more by 2038, according to the company’s latest projections.

The average is now about $145 a month, the company says. The expected rate increases were confirmed by Kendal Bowman, president of the utility’s N.C. operations, at Wednesday’s opening of an N.C. Utilities Commission hearing on its Integrated Resource Plan.

The plan explains how the giant utility generates and distributes power as it transitions from a reliance on fossil fuels to more use of alternative energy sources. The commission, which regulates electric rates, analyzes the plan about every two years.

Link for the article

Dept. Public Safety to adjust meeting procedures after ‘disturbing content’ shown in virtual meeting

by Brianna Kraemer/The Carolina Journal

The Emergency Management Division of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety was forced to abruptly end a virtual public meeting on Wednesday after pornographic content was reportedly displayed by a virtual attendee.

The feed to the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee meeting was quickly cut due to the “disturbing content,” a spokesperson at the department confirmed to the Carolina Journal.

“North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) is aware of a situation earlier today involving the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) meeting, where an individual joined the meeting via the virtual link publicly provided and was able to display inappropriate and disturbing content to the participants of the meeting,” said Justin J. Graney, Chief of External Affairs and Communications.

“The meeting feed was quickly discontinued by members of the SIEC and a new feed was created to complete the business before the committee.”

Link for the article

Majors trimmed at two UNC System schools 

by David Beasley/The Center Aquare

Eighteen academic programs at two University of North Carolina System institutions have been eliminated because of budget shortfalls and enrollment declines.

The decision was rendered Wednesday by the Board of Governors, slashing 14 at UNC Greensboro and four at UNC Asheville.

“The chancellors at UNC Asheville and UNC Greensboro have been consulting with academic officers and faculty and determined that certain academic programs should be curtailed,” board member Terry Hutchens said.

“These requests for curtailment followed deliberate, inclusive, extensive and in-depth examinations. These were intent on addressing budgetary shortfalls and enrollment declines while staying true to the academic core.”

Link for the article

Mental health resources are needed for students, state receives millions to expand school-based health services

by Erin Burnett/WXII

As students head back into the classroom, millions of dollars will soon be used to help students with more than just their academics.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will be expanding school-based health services across the state using a new $2.5 million grant.

The Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) awarded the money to the state as part of a wider effort nationwide to invest $50 million from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

According to the DHHS, in 2022, schools within the state had less than 20% of the recommended number of psychologists and social workers for the student population.

Link for the article

Justice for All Party files lawsuit against NC elections board over ballot access



by CJ Staff/The Carolina Journal

Leaders of the Justice for All Party tied to left-of-center activist Cornel West filed a federal lawsuit Monday. it targets the North Carolina State Board of Elections and its director. The party challenges the elections board’s decision to keep JFA off the November ballot.

“The Justice for All Party of North Carolina (‘JFA’) timely complied with all requirements under state law to qualify as a new political party and place its candidates on North Carolina’s November 5, 2024 general election ballot,” according to the complaint filed in US District Court in the Eastern District. “Nevertheless, by a divided 3-2 vote, Defendant North Carolina State Board of Elections (‘NCSBE’) declined to certify JFA as a new political party.”

“NCSBE cited no legal authority for its action,” the complaint alleges. “NCSBE claimed to be investigating allegations of ‘fraud’ with respect to JFA’s petitions, but NCSBE conceded that JFA submitted more than enough valid signatures than required under state law.”

Link for the article

If you missed our newsletter from last week, please click the bottom down below.

Feel free to explore any nonprofit organization you're interested in donating to.

Do you want to report waste, fraud, abuse, mismanagement, or other ways state government actions fail to match their legislated goals?