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REMEMBERING PEARL HARBOR AND NICK BOLLETERRI EDITION | |
From the Council Office of Steve Rao
December 12, 2022
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Estimated Read Time: 10 minutes. | |
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Last week, Dec 7th 1941 was the anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
I had a busy week but wanted to share my insights with each of you in this edition.
Also, last week, the tennis world lost a Hall of Fame Coach and a legend, Nick Bolleterri so I will be honoring him in this newsletter and talking about my personal connection to him and his ties to Cary, NC.
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Home Town Hero Alert: Guri Burmi returns to Morrisville!
As I shared with you last week, one of Morrisville Residents, Guri Burmi is on a Solo Motorcycle ride from Morrisville to Santa Monica CA. He's riding to raise awareness and funds for Juvenile Diabetes . The money raised will go to JRDF. Guri is now on his way back to his home at 1013 Longwillow Court in Providence Place. His Estimated Time of Arrival is on Tuesday, December 13th, between 5pm and 5.30pm.
Oh behalf of the "Guri's Welcome Home" Committee, we would like to invite all of you to welcome Guri back home. We plan on having supporters of Guri, line the streets (sidewalks) from the entrance of Providence Place to Guri's house.
This will essentially begin from Mason Farm, Right on Weaver Forest and then another Right on Longwillow to his house.
If you have any questions or would like to be involved, please contact Vidya Dass Akisetty at vdakkisetty@yahoo.com or call at (813) 508-1926.
See you at Providence Place on Tuesday evening!
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A Call to Action:
https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/2465079250308504
Over the past few weeks, I have written a few Op Eds, which were published on WRAL Tech Wire and the WRAL main site.
I wanted to share these insights with each of you and am going to be leading efforts in the next few weeks, to lobby our Congress and Senate to work with President Biden to accelerate the path to citizenship for skilled immigrants (H1B holders) and documented dreamers.
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IMPORTANT MORRISVILLE UPDATES: | |
Direct Flight to India
Our first meeting RDU Direct Flight Meeting with RDU Airport CEO was a very productive meeting and we are working on the following plans:
- Short term
- Work with the airlines and ask them to review their connecting times coming and going to India
- Medium Term
- Work to add another Europe hub providing additional competition to India
- Work to add connectivity to the middle east which would provide a gateway to India
- Long term (10 year +)
- continue to monitor the demand to India in hopes we can secure non-stop service
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DEPUTY CHIEF LOZINSKY TO BECOME FIRE CHIEF | |
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Morrisville Fire/Rescue Department Deputy Fire Chief Nathan Lozinsky will become the Town’s next fire chief, effective Dec. 31, 2022. Lozinsky will be filling the role vacated by Chief Scott Criddle, who has served as the Town’s fire chief since November 2018.
“I am honored to serve the Town of Morrisville residents, businesses and visitors as the fire chief,” said Chief Lozinsky. “I am excited about the opportunity to continue to build off the progressive foundation Chief Criddle cultivated and further lead an already excellent fire department forward.”
Chief Criddle has requested to return to his former battalion chief role within the fire department where he looks forward to once again providing direct service to the community. Read the full story at https://bit.ly/3Y9RSPK.
Congratulations to Nate for this new opportunity and I am honored to call him not only our Fire Chief, but a great friend, whose jovial nature, charming personality, and positive attitude will continue to lead our Fire Department to great heights.
Chief Criddle’s return to the Fire Truck is inspiring as he demonstrates that his true love of the Fire Profession is what truly drives him, and his humility and servant leadership is inspiring.
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Mayor Baldwin and new Raleigh Council Sworn In Monday.
Wake County Commissioners and Wake County School Board Sworn In.
(See Swearing In Section)
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IN MEMORIAM, Nick Bolleterri 1931- 2022 | |
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Nick Bollettieri, who coached many of tennis’ greatest athletes, died Sunday at his home in Bradenton, Florida, at the age of 91. Bollettieri, who was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2014 despite never having played the game professionally, produced an astounding 10 international No. 1 players by the end of his career, from Andre Agassi to the Williams sisters.
Nicholas James Bollettieri was born in Pelham, New York, on July 31, 1931 to a pair of Italian immigrants. Having barely touched a racket before, he began coaching the sport to support himself through law school, reportedly knowing so little about the sport that he would convene with local tennis pros before each lesson for advice, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Bollettieri’s legacy would be cemented decades later in 1978 when he pioneered the idea of a tennis boarding academy, which would become the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy and later evolve into IMG Academy, with a curriculum so rigorous under his helm that it drew comparisons to a factory.
“Our dear friend, Nick Bollettieri, graduated from us last night,” said Agassi. “He gave so many a chance to live their dream.”
A Celebration of Nick is scheduled for Saturday, March 18, 2023 to be held at IMG Academy, 5650 Bollettieri Blvd, Bradenton, FL 34210. A second Celebration for Nick will be held in Vermont the first week of August. A third Celebration for Nick will take place in Capri, Italy. For more information on Nick’s Celebrations or to send a message to his family, please go to www.nickbollettieri.com, or send to P.O. Box 14472, Bradenton, FL 34280.
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My Thoughts on Nick
As a competitive Junior Tennis Player growing up in Charleston, West Virginia, one of my close family friends, and community leader, Bill Wymer, introduced a few of us to Nick by taking a group of tennis families to train at the Nick Bolleterri Tennis Academy in the Summer of 1984. Mr. Wymer, an entrepreneur, had opened and ran a number of tennis clubs and had known Nick from his early days at the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort.
It was an amazing experience, and I followed Nick through the years, inspired by his remarkable speeches at Tennis Conferences I would attend and his passion for life. Nick coached Agasssi, Jim Courier, David Wheaton, Monica Seles and worked with tennis greats Pete Sampras and Boris Becker from time to time. He would start his day at 5 am, work out, grab a coffee, and would coaching and working with his students until 9 pm or even later.
Although Nick would charge over $800.00 per hour for private lessons to students, and visitors to the Academy, he would eventually teach for free at the end of his career, contributing as much as he could to a number of charities.
The Nick Bolleterri Academy became one of the top tennis academies in the world and would eventually run under the IMG Brand name and a training ground for the best tennis players in the world.
The rest is history.
Had it not been for Nick and his team, there would have never been an Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Monica Seles, and others, who graced he tennis world with not only great shotmaking, but also led US Tennis to dominate the sport for much of the 1990’s.
On a personal note, Nick Bolleterri inspired me to appreciate that in the game of life, if you put in the time, live every minute with passion and determination, and give your best with every shot you can take, there is no limit to the impact you can have on our career and the world. I have tried my best to live by these ideals, not only on the court during my junior and college tennis career, but also with my relationships, business and now public service.
A great lesson for anyone, particularly to entrepreneurs, who can be inspired that the idea of giving tennis lessons through an Academy would go on to be such a game changing innovation.
A simple idea with execution, is the best recipe for success in business and life.
May he rest in Peace.
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MY WEST VIRGINIA AND CARY CONNECTION TO BOLLETERRI
In the Fall of 2002, I was visiting the Green Hope Tennis Courts, and was hitting some balls.
While I was on the Court, I was approached by a tennis coach, giving lessons. His name was Butch Young. He saw my West Virginia Cap, and shirt, and asked me if I knew Bill Wymer. I told him that I grew up with his sons, played junior tennis with them and then he explained one of Mr. Wymer’s friends, Nick Bolleterri, was an advisor to the Management Company, which would be operating the new Tennis Center in Cary, which would be opening in a few months.
As we continued our conversation, he said they were looking for a teaching pro and someone who could run Business Development and Corporate Partnerships for the Tennis Center, and since I was in between jobs, I told him I was interested.
Next thing I know, I joined the team, and a few months later, I was working for Nick and the management team he was advising, New York Tennis.
On August 17, 2022, Nick attended the dedication ceremony of the Tennis Center, and offered free clinics and hitting sessions and spent a few days with us. It was amazing to learn about his experiences training champions and it was a true honor to get to know one of the greatest tennis coaches who ever lived. One of the highlights for me was having a steak dinner with Nick and the Cary Tennis Center staff and hearing all his stories. He was a real character.
Over the next few years, I worked with Butch Young, Cameron Moore, Keith Snavelet and his management team and grew even more fond of this iconic tennis figure. Eventually, the Town of Cary took over the Center, and I ended up starting my own Sports Management company, and somehow, ended up in Politics. Eventually, Butch and Cameron would join my firm, and we went our separate ways when I got into politics. Fast forward to 2019, and my son, Rayan was training at the Cameron Moore Tennis Academy under the coaching of Coach Butch and Cameron. An ironic and amazing twist to the story.
I ran into Nick a few times at the US Open, and followed him and his insights over the years.
I will miss him in the sport, as we all will .
I hope he and Bill Wymer reconnect in Heaven. Great men who truly lived every minute of their lives.
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https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor
Last week, we remembered, Pearl Harbor (Dec 7th, 1941) as one of the most aggressive military strikes against the United States, and triggered our entry into World War II.
The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan.
Pearl Harbor is a U.S. naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii, that was the scene of a devastating surprise attack by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. Just before 8 a.m. on that Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base, where they managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes. More than 2,400 Americans died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded.
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MY REFLECTIONS ON PEARL HARBOR
On Pearl Harbor Day, let us also take time to remember the Greatest Generation, our own Avengers, who answered the call of their nation to fight for freedom and democracy for all of us.
Our family has a personal connection to the greatest generation as my grandfather, Major S.V. Rao served in WWII for the Indian Army, fighting the Japanese in Burma.
I had the honor of visiting Normandy last summer with my family, and was overtaken with emotion, as I saw the graves of thousands of brave soldiers, who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.
Today, we salute these American heroes along with our brave soldiers and veterans, wherever they may be during this Holiday season, fighting for freedom and liberty for all. They are an everlasting reminder that there are heroes who live among us, who keep us safe, who defend against
Most importantly, the greatest generation should remind each of us, that during dark and uncertain times, when we face the greatest adversity, there is no limit to what we can achieve in the world, if we are united together, against tyranny, oppression, or any obstacle that comes our way.
The selfless sacrifice of our First Responders, our First Line Health Care Workers, Volunteers, and the rapid development of the Covid 19 Vaccine during this global pandemic truly demonstrate that the United States of America is truly a superhero nation.
As humanity unites to defeat Covid 19 once and for all, let us remember the words of President Roosevelt, “the only thing to Fear is Fear itself.
We will not retreat.
We will prevail.
We will dream the impossible dream and reach the Unreachable Star, always through faith, sacrifice, and unity.
God Bless the United States and World.
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WAKE COUNTY SWEARING IN CEREMONIES | |
I was honored to attend the Swearing Ceremonies of Wake County Sheriff, Willie Rowe, Wake County Commissioners, and the Wake County School Board. | |
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A NEW WAKE COUNTY SHERIFF
I am grateful that Willie Rowe is our Sheriff. He will unite the Sheriff’s Office and lead with Integrity, Honesty and Humility. Congratulations to Sheriff Willie Rowe and the Rowe family along with all the Civilian and Detention Staff, sworn in by Judge Ashley Parker Dunston.
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A NEW WAKE COUNTY COMMISSIONER BOARD!
The Wake County Commissioners voted for Commissioner Shinica Thomas, for Chair and Susan Evans for Vice Chair. Commissioner Thomas will bring her consensus building style to the Board, and I am proud to call her a true friend. Susan Evans will bring her solid experience to the Board.
Congratulations to all of the Wake County Commissioners elected and sworn in;
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A NEW WAKE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
On Tuesday, Dec. 6th, I attended the Wake County School Board Swearing In Ceremony as a guest of Chris Heagarty. He was re-elected as Vice Chair of the School Board and Lindsay Mahaffey as Chair.
Congratulations to both of the for them for their re elections along with Cheryl Caulfield, Monika Johnson-Hostler, Dr. Wing Ng, Tara Waters, Tyler Swanson, Lynn Edmonds, and Sam Hershey.
Finally, this was a historic election with Dr. Ng becoming the first Asian American elected on the School Board, and the first time there are three African Americans, the most diverse board in Wake County School Board History.
During the meeting, I was able to thank the School Board for their collaborative efforts to bring a new Public High School to Wake County.
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A NEW RALEIGH CITY COUNCIL SWORN IN
On Monday, Mary Ann Baldwin was sworn in for her second term and in her remarks called this Council one of the youngest and most diverse Councils in history.
Congrats to Corey Branch, (District C) Jonathan Melton (AT LARGE) and Storme Forte (AT LARGE) for their re elections, and of course to the four new Council Members:
- Mary Black - City Council, District A
- Megan Patton - City Council, District B
- Jane Harrison - City Council, District D
- Christina Jones - City Council, District E.
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Suicide Prevention Line to 988 |
On Saturday, July 16, the U.S. will transition the 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to 988 – an easy-to-remember three-digit number for 24/7 crisis care.
The lifeline, which also links to the Veterans Crisis Line, follows a three-year joint effort by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to put crisis care more in reach for people in need.
Starting tomorrow, simply calling or texting 988 or chatting https://988Lifeline.org will connect you to compassionate care and support for mental health-related distress. #988Lifeline
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Join us on Radio Nyra on Sunday at 4 pm for our interview with HSS on Darsana Exhibit. 99.9HD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
Join us on Radio Nyra Sundays at 4pm for interesting interviews with local thought leaders
99.9FMHD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
Great Radio Nyra interview with North Carolina Asian Americans Together on elections!
https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/692128012047450/?t=21
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Great US Open Roku TV Interview with Andy Andrews!
https://youtu.be/-Uy7aX-M2AI?t=79
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On the Porch with Randy Voller on WCHL 97.9 FM!
https://chapelboro.com/?s=on+the+porch
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WPTF Steve O'Bryan show on the Dream Act and DACA!
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Get with the Program with Gary Jones!
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Tune in on Friday at 7 pm and Sunday at 4 pm to PBS Carolinas Black Issues Forum for our engaging discussions on trending topics!
Engaging Discussion on PBS Carolinas Black Issues Forum on Affirmative Action, Election Security and other matters.
Link to the show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BIOR-ih-Fg
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This Week in Morrisville: December 12th - 18th | |
Menorah Lighting to be Held at Indian Creek Trailhead December 22
The Town of Morrisville will set up a menorah at Indian Creek Trailhead, 101 Town Hall Drive, and light it every night of Hannukah (Dec. 18-26). On Dec. 22, at 5:30 p.m., Rabbi Yisroel Cotlar will perform a Menorah Lighting Ceremony at the outdoor menorah. The public is invited to attend.
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Morrisville Senior Center Hosting Christmas Lunch and Gift Exchange December 13
The Morrisville Senior Center (MSC), 4117 Davis Drive, is hosting a catered Christmas luncheon and white elephant gift exchange on Dec. 13, from noon-3 p.m. The organization Performance Edge will provide entertainment, and Christmas music will be playing. The cost is $9 for residents and $11 for non-residents. Participants are asked to bring a funny or impractical gift in the spirit of the white elephant exchange. The value of gifts is limited at $10. Click here to register for the luncheon by Dec. 6.
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Police Department to Host Second Annual Santa Run December 17
The Morrisville Police Department will host its second annual Santa Run on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Police officers will be escorting Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, elves, the Grinch, and more to visit children at different neighborhoods and stores around Town and to hand out candy and treats. A schedule of stops will be forthcoming. Click here for updates.
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Applications Being Accepted for Community Police Academy until December 16
Residents are invited to apply for the Community Police Academy, an eight-week program designed to give participants a working knowledge of the Morrisville Police Department. It is intended to increase transparency and enhance understanding between the community and the police. The academy will be held on Tuesday nights from Jan. 10 to Feb. 28. Meetings will be held at the Fire Station No. 1 training room from 6-8 p.m. Participants must be age 21 or older and must live or work in the Town of Morrisville. Background checks will be done on all applicants. Click here for more details and to apply by Dec. 16.
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Swim with Santa at the MSC on December 16
Visit the Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center, 1301 Morrisville Parkway, for a fun-filled holiday event on Friday, Dec. 16, from 4:30-8 p.m. Participants can visit with Santa, do some arts and crafts, and play in the program pool and on the play structure. Everyone will also get to take home a special treat. Sign up opens on Dec. 2, and space is limited. Please sign-up for one slot per person, including for adults and children, at http://www.tinyurl.com/swimsanta. Participants must have a MAFC membership or purchase a single-visit pass.
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MAFC Hosting Virtual Marathon Starting January 1
Start the new year right with a focus on healthy living! Join the Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center for a virtual marathon, from Jan. 1 to Feb. 4. You can choose to run a full marathon (26.2 miles), an ultramarathon (50 miles), or a mega marathon (100 miles). All miles completed can be logged toward fulfillment of the marathon, including those completed at home or at the MAFC, those walked or ran, and those swam or biked. Registration opens on Dec. 12. Click here to sign up.
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Now Hiring: Join the MAFC Team
The Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center is currently recruiting for the following positions:
- Senior Aquatics Specialist (FT)
- Marketing & Membership Coordinator
Both positions provide benefits. Learn more and apply here. The Town is offering financial incentives for part-time lifeguards who can work during the day in the off-season. Experienced swim instructors, as well as, day and early evening desk staff are needed. Learn more and apply here.
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Now Hiring: Join the Public Works Team
The Town of Morrisville Public Works Department has three exciting career opportunities open now. Join one of only three North Carolina municipalities with an American Public Works Association (APWA) accredited Public Works Department. We are looking for individuals to serve in our Streets Maintenance, Athletics Maintenance, and Grounds Maintenance divisions. For more information click on the following links:
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Public Invited to Provide Feedback on Proposed Wake Rapid Bus Transit Extensions
The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) is seeking comments on the Wake BRT: Rapid Bus Extensions Study draft results and recommendations. Public engagement is an essential part of this study, which will evaluate and recommend rapid bus routing for extensions to both of the planned Western and Southern Corridors. The planned Western Corridor will connect downtown Raleigh to downtown Cary, and the proposed extension includes the area between Cary and the Research Triangle Park.
CAMPO is requesting comments on the study’s draft results and the recommended alignment for the Western Corridor extension. Members of the public are invited to visit the study website to view a handout summarizing the draft results and recommendations at WakeBRTExtensionsStudy.com. Comments can be provided by email at WakeBRTExtensions@publicinput.com or by phone at (855) 925-2801, using code 7804. The deadline for submitting comments is Dec. 16.
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Morrisville Smart Shuttle Service is Now Operating! |
The Morrisville Smart Shuttle, the Town’s newest public transit service, allows riders to request a pick-up or drop-off from one of 15 nodes, or stops, located around the Town using the Smart Shuttle application on their smartphone.
Watch this short video on how to use the Morrisville Smart Shuttle App by clicking here!
The service runs seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Additional details on the Morrisville Smart Shuttle visit TownofMorrisville.org/SmartShuttle
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Shop Local at the Western Wake Farmers' Market
The Western Wake Farmers' Market (WWFM) offers healthy and fresh food and goods from small and local businesses from 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. every Saturday at the Healthy Food Hub, 280 Town Hall Drive. Visit http://wwfm.ag/ to see a complete list of local vendors and shop local. The market will host a Winter Wonderland on Dec. 17, when vendors will be selling holiday gifts. There will also be a hot chocolate bar and gifts for kids from Santa.
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Executive Briefing with Chinese Embassy Minister
Brunch and Executive Briefing with Chinese Embassy Minister Xu at G58 in Morrisville.
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Enzvant
Enzvant expands to Cary with Regenerative Medicine Innovations.
(More in Next newsletter!)
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Morrisville Chamber Holiday Party! | |
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Raleigh Chamber Forum and Holiday Reception! | |
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Rufus Edmisten
Ring in the Holiday Season with Rufus Edmisten!
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Great time at Telegu Night! | |
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Good Hope Morrisville
Wonderful Christmas Play and Service at Good Hope Morrisville.
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SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY VISITS | |
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Last week, I visited a number of businesses on Small Business Saturday. This went so well, that I am going to continue this throughout the year, visiting a business or two every Saturday or during the week. I also plan to focus on different markets like Technology, Health Care, Manufacturing, etc.
If you have a business and you want me to visit you and highlight your company, please email me at sr@steverao.com.
Thanks to all the companies who let me drop by.
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Small Business Listening Tour: | |
Send me an email at sr@steverao.com to book a Business Listening visit to your company. | |
Inside Out Sports
Thanks to Sid Cardoza for running a very successful sports company, Inside Out Sports, a destination for many of our top runners, and triathletes! We also thank him for hosting another very successful Turkey Trot.
Insights from Sid:
https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao/videos/549414760532828
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FBI INVESTIGATION of Moore County Uses Cell Phone Data Power Data
Investigators from the FBI are using cell phone data to try to find the person or people responsible for the Moore County power grid attack.
Law enforcement has not filed any charges or named a suspect, but experts say understanding, from cellphone data, who was in the area when the attack happened can help narrow down the search.
“Literally everybody who made a phone call, received a phone call or used data around the time of this incident, their phone records will indicate that they were hooked up to this cell tower near the substation," explains Ben Levitan, an expert in cell phone data, who has testified in cases when this kind of data is used.
He says the FBI request could mean investigators will need to comb through hundreds – if not thousands – of phone numbers.
“It can give you a pool of suspects," he says. "But more importantly, it can give you a pool of witnesses.”
Here’s how it works:
Levitan says every cell tower covers about a 2 mile radius, which equals about 12 square miles.
One square mile is the same as 484 NFL football fields, so this is like the same area as 4,500 NFL football fields," he says.
Levitan says that dataset does not show an exact location of any phone within that area, but can determine which devices were active within that 12 square-mile radius at the time of the shooting.
other Investigators have used this type of data to identify suspects in other recent high profile cases – like helping to identify suspects in the murder of Wake County Deputy Ned Byrd.
Investigators will use this data to narrow their list down to a few people and hopefully identify a suspect in this attack, according to Levitan.
“This is a lot of just good ole police work," he says.
The FBI is also analyzing bullet shell casings recovered at the scene at the Moore County substation, as well as other casings found at a second shooting at a Duke Energy hydro facility in South Carolina. However, so far they have not said if the two shootings are connected.
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NC Senate Delegation Supports Same Sex Marriages
A bill that would add federal protections to same sex marriage passed a key vote in the Senate on Wednesday. The Respect for Marriage act has bipartisan support. Both of North Carolina’s republican senators, Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, voted to advance the bill.
The bill would require individual states to recognize another state’s legal marriage but does not require all states to legalize same-sex marriage.
All 50 members of the Democratic caucus voted to start debate on the bill as well as 12 Republicans. The GOP senators who voted yes are:
1. Susan Collins of Maine
2. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
3. Rob Portman of Ohio
4. Mitt Romney of Utah
5. Thom Tillis of North Carolina
6. Roy Blunt of Missouri
7. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming
8. Richard Burr of North Carolina
9. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia
10. Dan Sullivan of Alaska
11. Joni Ernst of Iowa
12. Todd Young of Indiana
Without an agreement to speed up passage of the bill that needs consent from all 100 senators, final passage will likely occur after the Senate returns from Thanksgiving recess.
Once the bill passes the Senate, it will need to be passed again through the House before going to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. Supporters of the bill hope to pass the legislation through the House before the end of the year as Republicans appear on track to take control of the chamber in the next Congress.
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WHY IS MOORE V. HARPER SO IMPORTANT?
Last week, the Supreme Court heard Oral Argmuments for Moore v. Harper.
The Moore case hinges on a legal proposition known as the “independent state legislature theory.” The theory asserts that, when it comes to making state laws that apply to federal elections — from drawing congressional district lines, to determining the who-what-when-where of casting a ballot — only the state legislature itself has the power to set the rules. The theory claims that the state legislatures’ power is so exclusive that they can ignore the requirements of their own state constitution, including the fair districting requirements that the North Carolina Supreme Court has enforced under its own state constitutional power of judicial review.
If the Supreme Court adopts the North Carolina legislators’ proposed rule in Moore, it will make it even easier for state legislatures to suppress the vote and subvert election results, and it will give both political parties the green light to draw gerrymandered election districts. Adopting the legislators’ rule would also require the court to turn its back on principles ostensibly favored by its current majority, like original meaning and federalism, which stand against the legislators’ radical and disruptive legal theory.
Moore is an opportunity for the court to reject that radicalism, and to reaffirm the common-sense rule that has been in place since the Constitution was ratified: State legislatures always act subject to the state constitutions that charter them and define their powers.
Nothing less than that basic principle of American constitutional government is at stake.
We will be watching this case closely, and I predict that the Court may rule in favor of NC which will have a significant impact on North Carolina elections.
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LATEST NATIONAL AND GLOBAL UPDATES | |
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Brittney Griner is back in the U.S. after Russia released her from prison.
• What happened? The WNBA star landed in San Antonio this morning. She was released yesterday in a prisoner swap for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
• How we got here: Griner spent 10 months in captivity for bringing less than a gram of cannabis oil into Russia.
• What else to know: Paul Whelan, a former Marine imprisoned in Russia on spying charges, wasn’t included in the swap, but U.S. officials say they will keep fighting for his freedom.
Congress passed a landmark bill yesterday to protect same-sex marriage.
• What to know: The Respect for Marriage Act would enshrine marriage equality, including interracial marriages, into federal law.
• What now? The bill goes to President Biden, who is expected to sign it into law.
• Why this matters: It underscores a nearly three-decade evolution on LGBTQ rights in the U.S.
Prosecutors asked a judge to hold Donald Trump’s office in contempt.
• Why? The Justice Department says the former president hasn’t fully complied with an order to return all classified documents.
• What this does: If the judge agrees, the most likely outcome would be a daily fine until a list of demands are met. A hearing is scheduled for later today.
The FDA approved an updated coronavirus booster for young children.
• Who’s eligible? Children 6 months through 5 years old. Moderna’s shot was reformulated to target the omicron variants. It now needs the CDC’s sign-off, which is expected soon.
• What else? The FDA also cleared yesterday an updated version of Pfizer’s vaccine for young children. Its third dose has been tweaked to deal with the newer variants.
A major storm is brewing for the western and central U.S.
• What to expect: Heavy rain and snow in the Pacific Northwest and California between tomorrow and Monday, when the storm will sweep into the Rockies and the Plains.
• In the East: Mild weather is expected into the middle of this month.
World leaders are trying to create a plan to save Earth’s animals.
• What’s going on? A U.N. conference on biodiversity, called COP15, which kicked off this week in Montreal.
• The goal: To get countries to agree to preserve 30% of their land and water by 2030, which would set aside forests and other ecosystems where wildlife can thrive.
• The stakes are high: Without some sort of intervention, scientists fear that a mass extinction is coming.
Artificial intelligence selfies are taking the internet by storm.
• What to know: Millions of people have downloaded the app Lensa since last week. It uses machine learning to generate images of you based on photos you upload.
• But there are complications: The app says it’s not sharing your data, but its privacy policy gives it room to do just that. And its AI was trained with images scraped from the internet without people’s consent.
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Tune in on Friday at 7 pm and Sunday at 4 pm to PBS Carolinas Black Issues Forum for our engaging discussions on trending topics!
Please watch for the Black Issues Forum on UNC-TV! Fridays at 7 pm and Sundays at 4 pm!
Engaging Discussion on PBS Carolinas Black Issues Forum on Affirmative Action, Election Security and other matters.
Link to the Show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BIOR-ih-Fg
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PBS NC
- Fridays at 7 p.m. (premiere)
- Sundays at 4 p.m.
- Thursdays at 1:30 a.m.
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NC Channel
- Fridays at 8:30 p.m.
- Saturdays at 1:30 a.m.
- Sundays at 6 p.m.
- Mondays at 12 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
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Sunday at 4 pm for our Radio Nyra Interview | |
Join us on Radio Nyra on Sunday at 4 pm for our interview with HSS on Darsana Exhibit. 99.9HD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
Join me every Sunday at 4pm for a new show. 99.9FMHD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
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Radio NYRA
Join me Sunday 4 PM on Radio NYRA for another update on local issues.
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99.9FMHD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM! Listen at www.radionyrausa.com!
99.9FM HD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
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Join us every Friday on World Edition at 10 am for the Great America Project Panel where we discuss how we rebuild Americas' image with leaders from around the country and world.
OFFICIAL International Broadcast Media
Public Open Dialogue TV is a worldwide multilingual, multi-demographic network focused on inspiring, educating and entertaining the global community. We provide unique programming in areas not covered by traditional media, and provide a platform for the audience to engage with those shows. Formerly IBMTV.
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Council Member Rao holds office hours on Friday from 12:00-1:00 PM by appointment only at 100 Town Hall Drive in Morrisville.
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Council Member Steve Rao
Town of Morrisville
Dedicated to transforming Morrisville into an ideal place to work and raise a family!
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