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Podcasts Archives • NC NewslineLegislature’s cruel attacks on transgender rights will endanger livesA demonstrator holds a sign reading "Trans Kids Belong" at a March 2024 rally outside the North Carolina Legislative Building. Republican state senators have introduced a bill in 2025 that would enact new restrictions on the rights of transgender people. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)
Why are so many conservative politicians obsessed with denying the existence of transgender people? Several years ago, it was the infamous bathroom bill that sought to micromanage the public restrooms trans people used.
Now, the same forces are at it again with bills targeting transgender youth. Under legislation approved by t...2025-05-1301 minCommentary Archives • NC NewslineLegislature’s cruel attacks on transgender rights will endanger livesA demonstrator holds a sign reading "Trans Kids Belong" at a March 2024 rally outside the North Carolina Legislative Building. Republican state senators have introduced a bill in 2025 that would enact new restrictions on the rights of transgender people. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)
Why are so many conservative politicians obsessed with denying the existence of transgender people? Several years ago, it was the infamous bathroom bill that sought to micromanage the public restrooms trans people used.
Now, the same forces are at it again with bills targeting transgender youth. Under legislation approved by t...2025-05-1301 min
The Bottom Line from NC NewslineLegislature’s cruel attacks on transgender rights will endanger livesA demonstrator holds a sign reading "Trans Kids Belong" at a March 2024 rally outside the North Carolina Legislative Building. Republican state senators have introduced a bill in 2025 that would enact new restrictions on the rights of transgender people. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)
Why are so many conservative politicians obsessed with denying the existence of transgender people? Several years ago, it was the infamous bathroom bill that sought to micromanage the public restrooms trans people used.
Now, the same forces are at it again with bills targeting transgender youth. Under legislation approved by t...2025-05-1301 minPodcasts Archives • NC NewslineSupreme Court’s Riggs-Griffin ruling is an assault on democracyNC Supreme Court (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
It’s been almost six months since state Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin narrowly lost last year’s election to incumbent Justice Allison Riggs. Two recounts confirmed the result.
Unfortunately, Griffin’s effort to overturn the election based on the farfetched theory that thousands of registered voters should have their ballots thrown out continues.
And last week, four Republican state Supreme Court justices endorsed the scheme — ruling that the votes of numerous military and overseas voters will be trashed unless they can somehow provide a photo ID...2025-04-1601 minCommentary Archives • NC NewslineSupreme Court’s Riggs-Griffin ruling is an assault on democracyNC Supreme Court (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
It’s been almost six months since state Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin narrowly lost last year’s election to incumbent Justice Allison Riggs. Two recounts confirmed the result.
Unfortunately, Griffin’s effort to overturn the election based on the farfetched theory that thousands of registered voters should have their ballots thrown out continues.
And last week, four Republican state Supreme Court justices endorsed the scheme — ruling that the votes of numerous military and overseas voters will be trashed unless they can somehow provide a photo ID...2025-04-1601 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineSupreme Court’s Riggs-Griffin ruling is an assault on democracyNC Supreme Court (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
It’s been almost six months since state Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin narrowly lost last year’s election to incumbent Justice Allison Riggs. Two recounts confirmed the result.
Unfortunately, Griffin’s effort to overturn the election based on the farfetched theory that thousands of registered voters should have their ballots thrown out continues.
And last week, four Republican state Supreme Court justices endorsed the scheme — ruling that the votes of numerous military and overseas voters will be trashed unless they can somehow provide a photo ID...2025-04-1601 minPodcasts Archives • NC NewslineRepublicans are looking to overturn more elections than just the Supreme Court raceNC Supreme Court (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
Many North Carolinians have been rightfully angered in recent months by Republican efforts to overturn Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin’s election loss to Justice Alison Riggs by seeking to throw out thousands of legally cast ballots. But sadly, there are other equally treacherous efforts underway.
The most obvious are bills from GOP lawmakers that slash the powers of two Democrats who won convincing victories last fall – Gov. Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson.
Rather than respecting the will of the voters, Republicans have sough...2025-04-1001 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineRepublicans are looking to overturn more elections than just the Supreme Court raceNC Supreme Court (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
Many North Carolinians have been rightfully angered in recent months by Republican efforts to overturn Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin’s election loss to Justice Alison Riggs by seeking to throw out thousands of legally cast ballots. But sadly, there are other equally treacherous efforts underway.
The most obvious are bills from GOP lawmakers that slash the powers of two Democrats who won convincing victories last fall – Gov. Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson.
Rather than respecting the will of the voters, Republicans have sough...2025-04-1001 minCommentary Archives • NC NewslineRepublicans are looking to overturn more elections than just the Supreme Court raceNC Supreme Court (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
Many North Carolinians have been rightfully angered in recent months by Republican efforts to overturn Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin’s election loss to Justice Alison Riggs by seeking to throw out thousands of legally cast ballots. But sadly, there are other equally treacherous efforts underway.
The most obvious are bills from GOP lawmakers that slash the powers of two Democrats who won convincing victories last fall – Gov. Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson.
Rather than respecting the will of the voters, Republicans have sough...2025-04-1001 minCommentary Archives • NC NewslineLatest ruling in Riggs-Griffin election dispute is an assault on democracyDemonstrators in downtown Raleigh declare Allison Riggs rightfully won the state Supreme Court race against Jefferson Griffin. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)It’s now been more than five months since North Carolina voters elected incumbent Justice Allison Riggs over challenger Jefferson Griffin to a state Supreme Court seat, but amazingly, Republican efforts to overturn the election continue.
Last Friday, a pair of GOP state Court of Appeals judges accepted Griffin’s ridiculous theory that sixty-five thousand registered North Carolina voters who complied with all voting rules, including providing a valid photo ID, must still none...2025-04-0701 minPodcasts Archives • NC NewslineLatest ruling in Riggs-Griffin election dispute is an assault on democracyDemonstrators in downtown Raleigh declare Allison Riggs rightfully won the state Supreme Court race against Jefferson Griffin. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)It’s now been more than five months since North Carolina voters elected incumbent Justice Allison Riggs over challenger Jefferson Griffin to a state Supreme Court seat, but amazingly, Republican efforts to overturn the election continue.
Last Friday, a pair of GOP state Court of Appeals judges accepted Griffin’s ridiculous theory that sixty-five thousand registered North Carolina voters who complied with all voting rules, including providing a valid photo ID, must still none...2025-04-0701 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineLatest ruling in Riggs-Griffin election dispute is an assault on democracyDemonstrators in downtown Raleigh declare Allison Riggs rightfully won the state Supreme Court race against Jefferson Griffin. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)It’s now been more than five months since North Carolina voters elected incumbent Justice Allison Riggs over challenger Jefferson Griffin to a state Supreme Court seat, but amazingly, Republican efforts to overturn the election continue.
Last Friday, a pair of GOP state Court of Appeals judges accepted Griffin’s ridiculous theory that sixty-five thousand registered North Carolina voters who complied with all voting rules, including providing a valid photo ID, must still none...2025-04-0701 minPodcasts Archives • NC NewslineTrump housing cuts will be catastrophic for NC(Photo: Clayton Henkel)
Few domestic policy issues have proven more challenging in recent years than the affordable housing shortage. The Biden administration was making some real and encouraging headway before it left office by working to expedite housing construction and aiding renters and first time homebuyers, but sadly that momentum is quickly being frittered away.
Recently, the Trump administration announced plans to cut the Department of Housing and Urban Development by 50 percent and all but eliminate HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development — the folks who oversee disaster recovery, homelessness servi...2025-03-0701 minCommentary Archives • NC NewslineTrump housing cuts will be catastrophic for NC(Photo: Clayton Henkel)
Few domestic policy issues have proven more challenging in recent years than the affordable housing shortage. The Biden administration was making some real and encouraging headway before it left office by working to expedite housing construction and aiding renters and first time homebuyers, but sadly that momentum is quickly being frittered away.
Recently, the Trump administration announced plans to cut the Department of Housing and Urban Development by 50 percent and all but eliminate HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development — the folks who oversee disaster recovery, homelessness servi...2025-03-0701 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineTrump housing cuts will be catastrophic for NC(Photo: Clayton Henkel)
Few domestic policy issues have proven more challenging in recent years than the affordable housing shortage. The Biden administration was making some real and encouraging headway before it left office by working to expedite housing construction and aiding renters and first time homebuyers, but sadly that momentum is quickly being frittered away.
Recently, the Trump administration announced plans to cut the Department of Housing and Urban Development by 50 percent and all but eliminate HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development — the folks who oversee disaster recovery, homelessness servi...2025-03-0701 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineMusk’s “government efficiency” scam is something for NC lawmakers to avoidNorth Carolinians protest cuts to government services and the social safety net in the name of government efficiency. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)
Efficiency in the delivery of government services is a good thing that should always be enthusiastically encouraged. It’s a concept that people on all sides of the political spectrum support.
That said, efficiency alone is no guarantee of good or adequate services. An understaffed and stressed-out team of teachers, (or DMV staffers, or prison guards) might be efficient as all get out, but if there simply aren’t enough hours...2025-03-0401 minPodcasts Archives • NC NewslineMusk’s “government efficiency” scam is something for NC lawmakers to avoidNorth Carolinians protest cuts to government services and the social safety net in the name of government efficiency. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)
Efficiency in the delivery of government services is a good thing that should always be enthusiastically encouraged. It’s a concept that people on all sides of the political spectrum support.
That said, efficiency alone is no guarantee of good or adequate services. An understaffed and stressed-out team of teachers, (or DMV staffers, or prison guards) might be efficient as all get out, but if there simply aren’t enough hours...2025-03-0401 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineA dark anniversary for tyrannyDemonstrators gather in Raleigh on March 5, 2022 to show their support for Ukraine. (Photo by Clayton Henkel)
Today marks a dark day in recent world history. As Scott Peoples — a North Carolinian and U.S. 82nd Airborne veteran — wrote in a powerful essay for NC Newsline, today is the third anniversary of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s criminal invasion of Ukraine.
What’s more, as Peoples observes, it’s hard to know what’s worse: the horrible reality of Putin’s murderous invasion itself, or that President Donald Trump continues to betray our nation’s longstanding ro...2025-02-2401 minPodcasts Archives • NC NewslineA dark anniversary for tyrannyDemonstrators gather in Raleigh on March 5, 2022 to show their support for Ukraine. (Photo by Clayton Henkel)
Today marks a dark day in recent world history. As Scott Peoples — a North Carolinian and U.S. 82nd Airborne veteran — wrote in a powerful essay for NC Newsline, today is the third anniversary of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s criminal invasion of Ukraine.
What’s more, as Peoples observes, it’s hard to know what’s worse: the horrible reality of Putin’s murderous invasion itself, or that President Donald Trump continues to betray our nation’s longstanding ro...2025-02-2401 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineRecipe for curbing homelessness is not that complicatedThe alcove of a vacant building in downtown Raleigh provides temporary shelter for North Carolina's homeless population. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)
New numbers show the U.S. has made some encouraging progress in recent years in curbing homelessness among military veterans.
Since 2009, the official count of homeless vets has fallen by more than half, and the reasons behind this trend are not hard to find.
Spurred on by lobbying from veterans groups like the American Legion, Congress has invested heavily in programs that aid struggling vets with affordable ho...2025-02-2001 minPodcasts Archives • NC NewslineRecipe for curbing homelessness is not that complicatedThe alcove of a vacant building in downtown Raleigh provides temporary shelter for North Carolina's homeless population. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)
New numbers show the U.S. has made some encouraging progress in recent years in curbing homelessness among military veterans.
Since 2009, the official count of homeless vets has fallen by more than half, and the reasons behind this trend are not hard to find.
Spurred on by lobbying from veterans groups like the American Legion, Congress has invested heavily in programs that aid struggling vets with affordable ho...2025-02-2001 min
News & ViewsLynn Bonner on the ongoing efforts of a NC Supreme Court candidate to have 60,000+ ballots discardedFile photo of Lynn Bonner/ Photo of State Supreme Court signage by Clayton Henkel
The big political story in North Carolina right now continues to revolve around the unsettled election for a seat on state Supreme Court. Multiple recounts confirmed that the incumbent justice, Democrat Allison Riggs, was the narrow winner over Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin, but nearly three months after Election Day, Griffin has yet to concede. Instead, he’s gone to court in an effort to have the ballots cast by more than 60,000 registered voters thrown out on a variety of technical grounds, in...2025-02-0310 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineIt’s long past time for GOP Supreme Court candidate to concedeNorth Carolina's state Supreme Court (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
It’s now been nine weeks since the November election and nearly a month since recounts confirmed that incumbent state Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs narrowly defeated her Republican challenger, state Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin.
As such, it’s long past time for Griffin to concede and allow the state’s high court to get back to work.
Unfortunately, that’s a step he refuses to take.
Instead, Griffin has filed a Hail Mary lawsuit in which he argues that the...2025-01-0701 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineIt’s long past time for GOP Supreme Court candidate to concedeNorth Carolina's state Supreme Court (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
It’s now been nine weeks since the November election and nearly a month since recounts confirmed that incumbent state Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs narrowly defeated her Republican challenger, state Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin.
As such, it’s long past time for Griffin to concede and allow the state’s high court to get back to work.
Unfortunately, that’s a step he refuses to take.
Instead, Griffin has filed a Hail Mary lawsuit in which he argues that the...2025-01-0701 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslinePrison overcrowding demands immediate action from state leadersOutside Raleigh's Central Prison a banner offers open interviews to would-be job seekers. The vacancy rate of North Carolina’s corrections officers is now 40%. (Photo: Clayton Henkel)Everyone knows that prison is a tough place to be – both for the incarcerated people who are there serving time and the professionals that our government employs to oversee them.
And, of course, on one level – especially for those who are imprisoned — that’s as it should be. A prison sentence is not a vacation, but punishment that’s reserved for people who commit serious violations of societal rules.
2024-12-2501 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineToday is a day to lift up human rightsDecember 10 is Human Rights Day. (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
Americans have a rightful reverence for the people who’ve served and sacrificed in our nation’s wars. It’s why we celebrate Memorial Day and Veterans Day – and other patriotic holidays like Independence Day, Flag Day and Armed Forces Day.
And today marks another celebration that deserves similar attention and respect, but that unfortunately seldom receives its due.
Today, December 10, is Human Rights Day – an international commemoration that’s been celebrated around the world for more than 75 years.
And especially right now – i...2024-12-1001 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineGOP lawmakers from western NC should demand better of their leadersRep. Mark Pless (R-Haywood) and other mountain Republicans could secure a better deal for western North Carolina hurricane relief by voting to sustain a gubernatorial veto (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
State lawmakers are back in Raleigh for another lame duck session – a time during which they ought to deemphasize politics and divisiveness and, especially as western North Carolina continues to reel from Hurricane Helene, craft ambitious common good solutions.
Instead, unfortunately, it’s likely Republican leaders will demand that all GOP members vote to override Gov. Cooper’s veto of a massive power grab bill th...2024-12-0201 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineThousands of North Carolinians can still make their votes count in this year’s election(Photo: Clayton Henkel).In the event you thought this year’s election was over and all of the races decided – hold on a minute.
It turns out tens of thousands of ballots that North Carolina voters cast are yet to be counted.
That’s because there are many circumstances – most notably when people forget their photo ID or show up at the wrong precinct – that voters get to cast so-called provisional ballots that only get counted
later.
And for those who lacked ID, their ballots won’t be counted at all unless t...2024-11-1101 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineA status quo election (with one very big exception)Voters file into Chavis Community Center in Raleigh to vote. (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
This week’s election in North Carolina was what might be properly termed a “status quo election.” Republicans continued to dominate the presidential contest, and Democrats returned the favor in the governor’s race.
Meanwhile, most of the other races for statewide offices were pretty much evenly divided and all decided by a point or two. And thanks to egregious gerrymandering, Republicans won most of the congressional and legislative races even though the vote was, as usual, about evenly split. But, of c...2024-11-0701 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineCheapskate legislature underfunds North Carolina’s DMVCustomers wait their turn at a DMV Tag & Title Agency office in Wake County. NCDMV officials hope modernizing the system and moving more services online in the future can reduce wait times. (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
For newcomers, it may be hard to believe, but there was a time in North Carolina in which heading to the local DMV office wasn’t a maddening and tortuous exercise.
Unfortunately, that’s changed in most places. Today, walk-up customers almost always face long lines, and it can take weeks to find an appointment slot online.
As...2024-10-1801 minThe Bottom Line from NC NewslineNC 2023 teacher of the year Kimberly Jones on the education needs Helene helped exposeKimberly S. Jones, 2023 NC Teacher of the Year (Photo: NCDPI)
One of the many areas in which Hurricane Helene has had a devastating impact in western North Carolina is public education. While the state Board of Education has made an initial request of 166 million dollars to begin to address some of the destruction, many school districts remain closed indefinitely and the recovery is sure to take months if not years.
Recently, to shed more light on these challenges, News and Views producer Clayton Henkel caught up with the 2023 North Carolina teacher of the y...2024-10-1412 minNews & ViewsState Rep. Pricey Harrison on the aftermath of Helene and the need for better planningState Rep. Pricey Harrison of Guilford County (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
The devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina is rightfully provoking calls for action by state and federal lawmakers, and one area in which one hopes such demands bear fruit is in planning and prevention. As the New York Times recently reported, state Republican legislative leaders have repeatedly blocked legislation and rules, and overrode gubernatorial vetoes, designed to protect against the impacts of hurricanes and other storms.
Thankfully, advocates have long identified and championed policies that would better prepare our state f...2024-10-1412 min