A federal $15 /hour minimum may have faltered in the U.S. Senate for now, but that does not stop Democrats in the North Carolina Senate from proposing the minimum wage hike for citizens.
But just like in Congress, it is highly unlikely that state Senate Republicans will go for it.
Senate Bill 447 - the “Living Wage for NC Workers,” sponsored by state Sen. Mujtaba A. Mohammed (D-Mecklenburg), Sen. Natalie Murdock (D- Durham) and Sen. Julie Mayfield (D- Buncombe) and filed on March 31st, is described as “an act increasing the state’s minimum wage to fifteen dollars per hour over five years, then annually adjusting the minimum wage automatically by increases in the cost of living; ending the sub minimum wage for individuals with disabilities; amending the sub minimum wage for tipped workers; and ending the exemption for domestic workers.
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CONCORD, NC – Motivated and led by young residents of Concord, area activist and author, Norman McCullough said, “I must say that the event held on April 4, 2021 at Barber Scotia and the MLK Monument was an overwhelming success. Over a hundred citizens from Concord and the surrounding communities came to acknowledge MLK and the history of Black Concord.
Remembering the April 4, 1964 assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., residents, activist young
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Reverend Dr. T. Anthony Spearman President NC NAACP Spearman
For the past year I have been coping with the death of Dr. Charles. H. Long on February 12, 2020. Dr. Long was one of the most influential and pioneering scholars in the study of religion over the past 50 years. His unparalleled writings, lectures and conversations helped form several generations of thought in the areas of religion, theology, philosophy and studies of modernity. Through the study of his book Significations: Signs, Symbols, and Images in the Interpretation of Religion, I was exposed to one of the best analyses of how the study of religion expands our understanding of culture, politics and human action.
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Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden speaking at Davyon Farrer's Balloon Release
By Makheru Bradley Bradley
CHARLOTTE, NC - On December 22, 2020, Cinquay Farrer, 30, was shot and killed a few yards from where he and his mother lived. On March 24, 2021, Davyon Farrer, 21, was shot and killed at virtually the same time of night, less than 50 feet from where his uncle was killed. Both murders were brutal, assassination-style killings. The suspects, a 20 and 16-year-old in the case of Cinquay, and a 36-year-old in the case of Davyon, have been arrested.
A mother, Jacqueline Lewis, lost a son and grandson. Chandra Farrer lost a brother and son
Cinquay, one of Charlotte's 120 homicides in 2020 fit the profile of most of Charlotte's homicide victims. He was Afrikan American like nearly 80% of the 120 victims. Cinquay was a 30-year-old man. The vast majority of victims were men, and nearly 60% were 30 years old or younger. He died from a gunshot wound. Out of the 120 homicides, 103 people were killed by gunshots.
Mrs. Lewis believes Cinquay’s killing was retaliation for an altercation earlier in the day. All too often we see words or a minor physical scuffle led to a murder via a drive-by shooting, a disproportionate response because too many guns are readily available to undisciplined and irresponsible people.
A tragic irony: Davyon spoke at an anti-violence rally 4 days before being killed
On March 20, Davyon spoke at the “Tears for Quay” rally, only a few yards from where he would be gunned down. Anti-violence activist Lucille Puckett wrote: “4 days again [sic] I listened to Davyon Farrer at a march against violence say that he didn't want his mother or grandmother to have to go through this and he's making better choices, but someone still decided to make his family hurt and suffer even more.”
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police department needs to explain why this area of Beatties Ford Road, given the previous violent crimes in this specific location, wasn’t more heavily patrolled. In the last 3 years, there have been four shootings resulting in three deaths stemming from this shopping center parking lot.
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Rep. Garland PierceBecause of the pervasive legacy of slavery and racial injustice, many buildings and locations across the state once named after slaveowners and white supremacists, are now being renamed to bury that inauspicious past.
But for years, there have been discussions about renaming HBCU Fayetteville State University (FSU) for different reasons, and recently two African American state House members filed legislation to make sure that that does not happen.
Rep. Marvin LucasCalled “Prohibit Renaming of Fayetteville State,” HB 270, filed by Rep. Garland Pierce (D- Hoke, Scotland) and Rep. Marvin W. Lucas (D- Cumberland), is “an act to prohibit the redesignation of Fayetteville State University as any other name as a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina.
The act is effective when it becomes law.
A Change.org petition online titled “Save the Name “House Bill 270’ Fayetteville State University started by Bradie Frink has, thus far, at the rise of this
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