Veterans (finally) against Trump

Many longtime BlueNC community members are veterans, some are still in the reserves. And every single one of us is pissed off about the support Trump has gotten from the military. In fact, I've lost scores of friends from my days at the US Naval Academy because of their blind support for the worst president in history.

No bail should be allowed for serial stalkers

Criminal justice reform has two sides:

Brooklyn Williams, 23, and Andre Cousiamono, 27, both died of gunshot wounds to the head Tuesday afternoon, High Point police said in a statement obtained by news outlets.

Cousiamono was arrested and released on bond last month on outstanding warrants for felony stalking and cyberstalking, records showed. He also had pending charges of misdemeanor stalking, communicating threats and harassing phone calls from January incidents involving Williams, police said. A handgun was found beside Cousiamono and binoculars were discovered in his car near the scene Tuesday, according to police.

If you don't see the gaping issue in that second paragraph, read it again. That he was bonded out for a misdemeanor in January I can understand. The fact that case is still pending I can also understand; the pandemic has paralyzed court calendars. It's that second bond that pisses me off, and is directly responsible for this woman's death. At that point it was obvious he was not going to stop stalking her. His earlier bond should have been revoked, but even if it wasn't, that second bond should have been denied outright. I can't find anything (right now) on the handgun, whether it was legally registered under his name or not, or whether he had been directed to surrender any firearms. But we need some damn answers, and you can keep your "thoughts and prayers" to yourself.

Friday News: Who's on the fringe, Tim?

LAWSUIT GOES AFTER ANTI-ABORTION LAWS IN NC: The lawsuit targets a number of state laws, including: A 72-hour waiting period, which starts counting down after a woman gets mandatory counseling. A licensing program that the groups say "arbitrarily singles out abortion providers with medically unnecessary" requirements. A ban on physician assistants, nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners providing abortions. A ban on using telehealth for medication abortions. A requirement that providers deliver "biased counseling with no medical benefit to their patients" before performing an abortion. Moore spokesman Joseph Kyzer said in an email that legislative leaders "will vigorously defend" the state's abortion laws "against another attempt by the radical left to use the courts to overcome voters’ rejection of their fringe agenda."
https://www.wral.com/abortion-providers-sue-over-nc-waiting-period-other-restrictions/19268626/

Friday fracking video

Pence to visit anti-abortion "clinic" in Raleigh

Because pseudo-scientific bullshit is a staple of the Trump administration:

Pence is set to visit Gateway Women's Care, a pregnancy and sexual health center in downtown Raleigh, where he will participate in a roundtable discussion. CNN reports Gateway promotes misleading information regarding abortion on its website, specifically the assertion that abortion can lead to breast cancer.

The website reads, "A number of reliable studies have concluded that there is an association between abortion and later development of breast cancer." However, studies linking abortion to breast cancer were found to have flawed methodology.

Not sure, but I think this is the same bunch who tried to get a rezoning so they could be directly adjacent to Planned Parenthood. Much easier to harass women that way. But however you get in their door, harassment is on the menu, albeit a passive-aggressive form. And if a woman is still iffy after being scientifically misled, there's always God to straighten her out:

Thursday News: Agenda-driven lawmaking

BERGER'S "RELIEF" PACKAGE RAISES INCOME ELIGIBILITY FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS: Senate leader Phil Berger, an Eden Republican, said parents are at “their wit’s end.” The checks, which are being called “extra credit grants,” would be given to parents who filed taxes. For those who didn’t file, they would be able to apply for the grant, which is a flat amount regardless of how many children are in the household. $335 checks would be issued by Dec. 15. Part of the proposed bill also includes raising income-eligibility caps for opportunity scholarships, which are vouchers for private school. Republican leaders have said private schools opening for all-in-person learning this school year are an important school choice for parents. The state reopened in Plan B, which allows local school systems to decide how to operate with remote or a mix of remote and in-person learning with restrictions.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article245416500.html

Coronavirus goes to college in NC, and thrives

Some 3,000 students have been infected, and that's a low estimate:

At least 3,000 college students in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus since campuses reopened last month for in-person classes, with an overwhelming number of cases coming from just three campuses, an Associated Press analysis shows.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has seen 895 students test positive for the virus since classes began Aug. 10, while North Carolina State University has reported 788 cases among students over the same time period. East Carolina University, which started classes Aug. 10, has had 756 students test positive since Aug. 9.

Even with this damning evidence of the risk, Republicans are still (continually) harping about opening the schools, and attacking Roy Cooper for his careful approach. Pay close attention to this spike in positives from testing:

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