Teacher protest, Medicaid deal & a deputy’s death: Triangle’s top stories
The News & Observer published stories Thursday on a fatal shooting involving law enforcement officers, a major Medicaid funding breakthrough and the closure of Wake County schools ahead of a teacher protest.
Here is a roundup of the day’s top stories from April 30.
• Trooper named in deputy’s death: A witness told investigators that NC State Highway Patrol Sgt. Nekime Oxendine fatally shot Cumberland County Sheriff’s Capt. Adam Bean during a March 27 domestic dispute in Hope Mills, according to recently released search warrants. No one has been charged in the shooting, which the State Bureau of Investigation is handling.
Read more: Witness names NC trooper who fatally shot Cumberland Capt. Adam Bean, warrant says
• Medicaid impasse ends: Gov. Josh Stein signed a $319 million Medicaid funding bill into law Thursday, ending a months-long standoff and protecting coverage for 3 million North Carolinians, including more than 725,000 in the Medicaid expansion population. The bill also tightens oversight, aligns the state with federal work requirements and limits coverage for some lawfully residing immigrants.
Read more: Months-long Medicaid funding impasse ends as Gov. Josh Stein signs $319M deal
• Wake schools close Friday: Wake County will switch all remaining schools to remote learning Friday after substitute teachers, in a show of solidarity, refused to fill in for educators attending the “Kids Over Corporations” protest in Raleigh. At least 22 of North Carolina’s 115 school districts, including the five largest, will close.
Read more: Wake cancels in-person classes on Friday as teachers go to Raleigh protest
• Elections director hires GOP-linked firm: State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes hired attorney Phillip Strach of Nelson Mullins — a firm simultaneously suing the board in other cases — without informing board members, signing a conflict waiver on their behalf. The board paid $70,524 for Strach’s work defending it in a college early-voting case.
Read more: NC elections director hired private GOP-linked law firm without board approval
Deep dive into SAS
• SAS marks 50 years since NC State spinout: A trio of stories examines how SAS Institute left NC State in 1976 with paying customers and no equity demands from the university — a deal Triangle schools say would be unthinkable today. The reporting also details how cofounder Tony Barr sold his 40% stake for $340,000 in 1979 after clashing with Jim Goodnight, who is now ranked by Forbes as North Carolina’s wealthiest person.
Read more:
- SAS left NC State 50 years ago with a deal that today would be hard to believe
- A half-century after SAS exit, Triangle universities demand more from spinoffs
- SAS cofounder left eventual billion-dollar company over split with Goodnight
Sports
• Hurricanes draw Flyers in second round: After sweeping the Ottawa Senators in the first round, the Carolina Hurricanes will face the Philadelphia Flyers, who eliminated Pittsburgh in overtime Wednesday. All four regular-season meetings between the teams went to overtime, and this will be their first playoff matchup.
Read more: Carolina Hurricanes know who they’ll play in second round of NHL playoffs
A farewell to a longtime journalist
• Longtime journalist Ned Barnett departs: Opinion editor Peter St. Onge marked the departure of Ned Barnett, who is leaving the News & Observer after more than 30 years, including 13 on the editorial board. St. Onge praised Barnett’s reported, research-driven approach to opinion writing.
Read more: Goodbye to a strong voice and a fine journalist | Opinion
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.