NC Newsline

1 day ago | ncnewsline.com | Christine Zhu

The North Carolina Senate Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee voted Wednesday morning to confirm Donald van der Vaart as a member of the North Carolina Utilities Commission, forwarding the resolution to the Senate Select Committee on Nominations. Appointed by Republican Treasurer Brad Briner, van der Vaart previously served as North Carolina’s environment secretary. He’s a climate skeptic who was considered for EPA administrator during the first Trump administration.

2 days ago | ncnewsline.com | Galen Bacharier

Latest proposal to limit Democratic governor’s powers targets DAs. Democrats say it’s unconstitutional and blast hastily called committee North Carolina House Republicans are moving a bill that would curb Gov. Josh Stein’s ability to appoint new district attorneys, calling a last-minute committee hearing Tuesday to advance the legislation. Under current law, Stein, a Democrat, can fill any district attorney vacancy with the candidate of his choice.

3 days ago | ncnewsline.com | Galen Bacharier

The Farm Service Agency has closed two local offices and cut five staff in the region, state official says. North Carolina is looking for ways to fill the gaps. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has just one staffer providing guidance for farmers’ disaster loans across 23 North Carolina counties, a state official said Monday. USDA’s Farm Service Agency is charged with distributing aid after storms like Hurricane Helene wipe out crops.

3 days ago | ncnewsline.com | Shalina Chatlani

Even as Republicans in Congress walk back their most aggressive proposal to slash federal Medicaid spending, they are weighing other options that could force states to cut services for children and other vulnerable populations. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters last week that his caucus won’t reduce the 90% federal funding match that states get to cover working-age adults who became eligible for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

3 days ago | ncnewsline.com | Clayton Henkel

It’s been six long months now, but North Carolina’s seemingly never ending state Supreme Court election may soon be over. This past week, federal Judge Richard Myers II – a Republican appointed by President Trump — issued a complete rejection of GOP candidate Jefferson Griffin’s effort to overturn his narrow defeat by tossing the ballots of thousands of voters.