Published: 2020-06-24 17:30:00Updated: 2020-06-25 00:42:28NC CapitolTags:By Matthew Burns, WRAL.com senior producer/politics editor — Within hours of Gov. Roy Cooper , lawmakers failed Wednesday in their effort to bypass Cooper's order and open the businesses immediately.The House voted 66-53 in favor of overriding Cooper's veto on a bill that would have allowed bars and gyms to reopen, but that fell short of the three-fifths majority needed for the override to move forward.Gyms and bars have been closed since late March, when Cooper issued a stay-at-home order to limit the spread of...…Published: 2020-06-24 17:30:00Updated: 2020-06-25 00:42:28NC CapitolTags:By Matthew Burns, WRAL.com senior producer/politics editor — Within hours of Gov. Roy Cooper , lawmakers failed Wednesday in their effort to bypass Cooper's order and open the businesses immediately.The House voted 66-53 in favor of overriding Cooper's veto on a bill that would have allowed bars and gyms to reopen, but that fell short of the three-fifths majority needed for the override to move forward.Gyms and bars have been closed since late March, when Cooper issued a stay-at-home order to limit the spread of...WW…

Published: 2020-06-26 03:10:00Updated: 2020-06-26 03:37:18NC CapitolTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief, & Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter — Wrapping up their work for this year's regular session early Friday morning, lawmakers sent yet another reopening bill to the governor as they headed for the exits. But several others were abandoned amid tensions between the House and the Senate as the night wore on.The one bill that survived the end of session would reopen gyms and fitness centers.Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill containing similar language last Friday, citing a...…Published: 2020-06-26 03:10:00Updated: 2020-06-26 03:37:18NC CapitolTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief, & Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter — Wrapping up their work for this year's regular session early Friday morning, lawmakers sent yet another reopening bill to the governor as they headed for the exits. But several others were abandoned amid tensions between the House and the Senate as the night wore on.The one bill that survived the end of session would reopen gyms and fitness centers.Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill containing similar language last Friday, citing a...WW…

Published: 2020-06-08 05:34:00Updated: 2020-06-08 18:43:40NC CapitolTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau ChiefOn Monday, Senate leaders announced they'll try to reopen bars again despite the governor's veto, adding temporary outdoor service for bars and restaurants to a bill that would allow indoor gyms to reopen., a proposal to set aside Gov Roy Cooper's executive order and allow gyms, health clubs, fitness centers, yoga and dance and other studios to get back in business.The bill was scheduled for a vote Monday night, but was delayed till Tuesday so Senate leaders could add language...…Published: 2020-06-08 05:34:00Updated: 2020-06-08 18:43:40NC CapitolTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau ChiefOn Monday, Senate leaders announced they'll try to reopen bars again despite the governor's veto, adding temporary outdoor service for bars and restaurants to a bill that would allow indoor gyms to reopen., a proposal to set aside Gov Roy Cooper's executive order and allow gyms, health clubs, fitness centers, yoga and dance and other studios to get back in business.The bill was scheduled for a vote Monday night, but was delayed till Tuesday so Senate leaders could add language...WW…

Published: 2020-06-15 19:05:00Updated: 2020-06-16 20:08:04NC CapitolTags:By Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter, & Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief — Bowling alleys and skating rinks could reopen despite pandemic restrictions under a bill that won preliminary approval in the House Tuesday, setting the General Assembly's Republican majority once again on a legislative collision course with Gov. Roy Cooper.The measure, pasted into Senate Bill 599 on Monday, comes with capacity caps: Bowling alleys and skating rinks could let in only 50 percent of the crowd normally allowed under...…Published: 2020-06-15 19:05:00Updated: 2020-06-16 20:08:04NC CapitolTags:By Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter, & Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief — Bowling alleys and skating rinks could reopen despite pandemic restrictions under a bill that won preliminary approval in the House Tuesday, setting the General Assembly's Republican majority once again on a legislative collision course with Gov. Roy Cooper.The measure, pasted into Senate Bill 599 on Monday, comes with capacity caps: Bowling alleys and skating rinks could let in only 50 percent of the crowd normally allowed under...WW…

Published: 2020-06-08 05:34:00Updated: 2020-06-08 18:43:40NC CapitolTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau ChiefOn Monday, Senate leaders announced they'll try to reopen bars again despite the governor's veto, adding temporary outdoor service for bars and restaurants to a bill that would allow indoor gyms to reopen., a proposal to set aside Gov Roy Cooper's executive order and allow gyms, health clubs, fitness centers, yoga and dance and other studios to get back in business.The bill was scheduled for a vote Monday night, but was delayed till Tuesday so Senate leaders could add language...…Published: 2020-06-08 05:34:00Updated: 2020-06-08 18:43:40NC CapitolTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau ChiefOn Monday, Senate leaders announced they'll try to reopen bars again despite the governor's veto, adding temporary outdoor service for bars and restaurants to a bill that would allow indoor gyms to reopen., a proposal to set aside Gov Roy Cooper's executive order and allow gyms, health clubs, fitness centers, yoga and dance and other studios to get back in business.The bill was scheduled for a vote Monday night, but was delayed till Tuesday so Senate leaders could add language...WW…

Published: 2020-05-25 10:17:00Updated: 2020-05-26 00:05:12@NCCapitolTags:By Jonathan Drew, Associated Press, & Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief — President Donald Trump threatened Monday to pull the Republican National Convention out of North Carolina if the state's Democratic governor doesn't immediately sign off on allowing a full-capacity gathering in August despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.Trump's tweets about the RNC, planned for Charlotte, come just two days after North Carolina recorded its largest daily increase in new virus cases to date.On Friday, Gov. Roy...…Published: 2020-05-25 10:17:00Updated: 2020-05-26 00:05:12@NCCapitolTags:By Jonathan Drew, Associated Press, & Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief — President Donald Trump threatened Monday to pull the Republican National Convention out of North Carolina if the state's Democratic governor doesn't immediately sign off on allowing a full-capacity gathering in August despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.Trump's tweets about the RNC, planned for Charlotte, come just two days after North Carolina recorded its largest daily increase in new virus cases to date.On Friday, Gov. Roy...WW…

Published: 2020-05-28 10:21:00Updated: 2020-05-28 20:14:06NC CapitolTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief, & Matthew Burns, WRAL.com senior producer/politics editor — State lawmakers voted Thursday to allow bars to reopen in outdoor spaces, overriding Gov. Roy Cooper's executive order that has closed them since March.Legislation would , permanent or temporary, at 50 percent of the capacity of their indoor area, with social distancing guidelines from the CDC and the state Department of Health and Human Services.House Bill 536 would also allow restaurants to set up temporary...…Published: 2020-05-28 10:21:00Updated: 2020-05-28 20:14:06NC CapitolTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief, & Matthew Burns, WRAL.com senior producer/politics editor — State lawmakers voted Thursday to allow bars to reopen in outdoor spaces, overriding Gov. Roy Cooper's executive order that has closed them since March.Legislation would , permanent or temporary, at 50 percent of the capacity of their indoor area, with social distancing guidelines from the CDC and the state Department of Health and Human Services.House Bill 536 would also allow restaurants to set up temporary...WW…

Published: 2020-07-27 21:51:20Updated: 2020-07-27 21:51:20EducationTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL capitol bureau chief — As the big universities in the Triangle prepare to welcome students back to campus, residents in the areas are concerned about the potential spread of the coronavirus.Many students will be coming in from coronavirus hotspots like California, Texas and Florida.On Sunday, Duke University took steps to limit capacity in dorm buildings .As of right now, UNC-Chapel Hill plans to allow full capacity in dorm buildings. That could mean as many as eight students sharing one suite.That...…Published: 2020-07-27 21:51:20Updated: 2020-07-27 21:51:20EducationTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL capitol bureau chief — As the big universities in the Triangle prepare to welcome students back to campus, residents in the areas are concerned about the potential spread of the coronavirus.Many students will be coming in from coronavirus hotspots like California, Texas and Florida.On Sunday, Duke University took steps to limit capacity in dorm buildings .As of right now, UNC-Chapel Hill plans to allow full capacity in dorm buildings. That could mean as many as eight students sharing one suite.That...WW…

Published: 2020-07-23 12:44:00Updated: 2020-07-23 18:02:12EducationTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief — Students at University of North Carolina system schools won't get a break on tuition or fees this year if the coronavirus forces campuses to return to all online classes.Colleges and universities around the country are cutting tuition and fees when in-person classes are shifted online because of the pandemic, but the UNC system won't be following their leadThe UNC Board of Governors voted Thursday to keep tuition and fees, including athletics and student activity fees, the...…Published: 2020-07-23 12:44:00Updated: 2020-07-23 18:02:12EducationTags:By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief — Students at University of North Carolina system schools won't get a break on tuition or fees this year if the coronavirus forces campuses to return to all online classes.Colleges and universities around the country are cutting tuition and fees when in-person classes are shifted online because of the pandemic, but the UNC system won't be following their leadThe UNC Board of Governors voted Thursday to keep tuition and fees, including athletics and student activity fees, the...WW…

Published: 2020-06-02 13:07:00Updated: 2020-06-02 19:22:06NC CapitolTags:After a week of back-and-forth between North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, and national Republican leaders about plans for the party nominating convention, the convention as planned – with large crowds and tens of thousands in attendance in Charlotte – "is very unlikely.""With the Nation, the State of North Carolina and the City of Charlotte still under states of emergency it's important to conduct the RNC convention accordingly. As much as we want the conditions surrounding COVID-19 to be favorable enough for...…Published: 2020-06-02 13:07:00Updated: 2020-06-02 19:22:06NC CapitolTags:After a week of back-and-forth between North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, and national Republican leaders about plans for the party nominating convention, the convention as planned – with large crowds and tens of thousands in attendance in Charlotte – "is very unlikely.""With the Nation, the State of North Carolina and the City of Charlotte still under states of emergency it's important to conduct the RNC convention accordingly. As much as we want the conditions surrounding COVID-19 to be favorable enough for...WW…