Despite opting out, NC will still be represented at ‘State Fair’ festivities
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- North Carolina declined to join the Great American State Fair due to budget constraints.
- Citizens, organizations, and businesses helped ensure NC was represented at the fair.
- DNCR requested legislative funds to attend but did not receive state funding.
Good morning! Happy Monday, and welcome to the Under the Dome edition focused on the Trump administration. I’m legislative and lobbying reporter Esther Frances filling in for D.C. correspondent Danielle Battaglia.
Last week, Danielle wrote about North Carolina choosing not to participate in the Great American State Fair. The state cited budget constraints as the reason for opting out.
Freedom 250, a Trump-affiliated group organizing the event, wrote that the Great American State Fair is supposed to honor “the people, traditions, innovations and spirit” that make our country great. It begins Thursday and runs until July 10.
Each state gets its own pavilion to design and show off its culture.
Despite that, Lorie Khatod, the state lead for the North Carolina pavilion at the fair, wrote in a statement that citizens, organizations and businesses have “come together to ensure North Carolina is represented during the nation’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday.”
Khatod, who works as a strategic consultant, wrote that she was “deeply disappointed” by Gov. Josh Stein, who she said “chose not to have North Carolina represented at such a significant and historic celebration.”
“Like so many proud North Carolinians, I felt compelled to step forward, volunteer, and help ensure our state had a place at this national event,” she wrote.
Khatod wrote that the Wright Brothers’ first flight will be featured, as well as the state’s racing heritage.
The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources said it was grateful to Childress Racing, a racing car organization, and Spevco, a manufacturing company, “for representing the state” at the fair.
The DNCR added that it asked for funds from the state legislature to participate in the fair, but did not receive any.
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That’s all for now
Thanks so much for reading! We’ll see you back here tomorrow for another roundup of politics news.
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If you have any feedback or tips for this edition of the newsletter, feel free to reach out to me directly at esther.frances@newsobserver.com or Danielle at dbattaglia@mcclatchydc.com.
