BLACK VOTE POWERS BIDEN PRIMARY WIN
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
At press time, with 96% of voting precincts counted, former Vice President Joe Biden was unofficially projected the winner of the North Carolina Presidential Primary with 19 delegates and 43% of the vote, edging out rivals Sen. Bernie Sanders with 6 delegates and 24%,. and billionaire former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg with no delegates won and only 13%, in what was a crucial Super Tuesday contest.
The last polling had Biden, Sanders and Bloomberg in a virtual three-way tie here percentage-wise.
The win was seen as further confirmation of black Democratic voter support for Biden after his dramatic win during the South Carolina Primary three days earlier, where African-Americas voters powered Pres. Obama’s former vice president virtually 2 to 1 over Sanders with 48 to 25% of the primary vote there.
North Carolina was the second southeastern state Biden tallied a win primary evening, Virginia being the first. Biden also won in Alabama and Tennessee
In statewide contests, in the NC Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate, former state Senator Cal Cunningham outlasted his chief challenger state Sen. Erica Smith, to face incumbent first-term Republican U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, who also won his party’s primary.
Incumbent Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper trounced his primary challenger to win, and expects to face Republican primary winner Lt. Gov. Dan Forest in November.
In the Democratic race for lt. gov, Rep. Yvonne Lewis Holley of Raleigh may be headed for a runoff against state Sen. Terry Van Duyn, the top two votegetters out of a six-candidate field. Holley was the only black female in the Democratic field. The winner will face Republican Mark Robinson on Nov. 3rd in the general election.
Incumbent Democrat NC Atty. Gen. Josh Stein was not on the primary ballot, but he will be challenged in the fall by Republican primary winner Jim O’Neill.
Beth Wood had little problem trouncing a challenger to her state auditor’s office in her democratic primary. She will most likely face Republican Tony Street in the fall.
Former Obama Administration economic adviser Ronnie Chatterji was triumphant in the Democratic primary for state treasurer to challenge the Republican incumbent Dale Folwell. Jen Mangrum was victorious out of. Five candidate field in the Democratic primary race for Supt. Of Public Instruction.
All primary night results are unofficial until certified by the NC Board of Elections.
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UPDATED - CORONAVIRUS: CAN BLACKS
PROTECT THEMSELVES
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Traditionally, medical experts say, poor communities of color have to cope with the disproportionate impact of communicable diseases like STDs, AIDS and influenza.
But with the global onslaught of the coronavirus (COVID-19), and at least six reported deaths across the country, African-Americans, among others, now have to cope with a new health challenge, one that, according to state officials, has now appeared in North Carolina as of Tuesday.
The NC Dept. of Instruction has advised all schools across the state to have the same policies and procedures for COVID-19 they normally use to protect against communicable diseases in students.
Precautions were even issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to minimize transmission at polling places during Tuesday Primary Day voting by having poll workers regularly wipe and disinfect electronic voting machines and computers where the public came in contact.
There are preventative measures available from local health departments, and online for work, home, childcare colleges, hetahcare faculties, and for first responders, at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html.
Despite the Trump Administration’s controversial efforts to address the coronavirus in the United States, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) was preparing, as of Monday, for Pres. Donald Trump to make an infectious disease emergency declaration” that would allow disaster relief funding to state and local governments in the event of a coronavirus outbreak in their area.
According to published reports, at least 60 countries, including its place of origin, China, are reporting the spread of COVID-19. Back in the U.S, New York state has reported it’s first case, as well as New Hampshire, and Tuesday, North Carolina, where a Wake County man, back from visiting Washington state, was diagnosed with it.
He is reportedly doing well.
The medical community urges both calm, but caution! Religiously wash your hands with soap. Wipe down common areas you touch in public places with portable desanitzer. Try not to shake hands with individuals, and try not to touch you face after being in a public place.
As with other opportunistic infections, the elderly, and those who have compromised immune systems are vulnerable to the coronavirus. Symptoms include persistent cough, shortness of breath, chills and high fever. There is no known cure vaccine for treatment yet. If you are sick, stay home from school or work to prevent a spread.
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STATE NEWS BRIEFS
COHEN, HORTON AND BARFIELD WIN NHC COMMISSION RACE
[WILMINGTON] In the Democrat race for New Hanover Commissioners, Leslie Cohen with 25%; Kyle Horton with 25%; and Jonathan Barfield with 24% advance out of a field of six to three Republican challengers in the general election - Skip Watkins (18%; Bill Rivenbark (15%) and Deb Hays (14%).
FORMER ROLAND-GRISE BAND TEACHER INDICTED FOR 17 SEX OFFENSES
[WILMINGTON] Peter Michael Frank, the former band director for Roland-Grise Middle School, Was indicted Tuesday for an additional 17 sexual abuse charges involving students. The indictments were delivered by a New Hanover County grand jury. Frank allegedly committed a wide range of offenses, from first-degree sexual offense to indecent liberties with a minor, between September 1998 and August 2000. He is currently in custody for a separate sex case involving a child.
STRONG EARLY VOTING NUMBERS FOR 2020 PRIMARY
[RALEIGH] The 2020 early voting in North Carolina started slow, but by the Feb. 29th deadline prior to March 3rd Primary Day, almost 800,000 North Carolina voters went to the early polls, and cast their ballots. State official say 11.2 percent of North Carolina’s total registered voters cast early ballots, up from the 2016 primaries.
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