general assembly

More than 200 people gathered May 13 to support the 49 people arrested for peaceably protesting at the N.C General Assembly building in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Garrison Keillor opens his monologues with "It's been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon." But North Carolina is not a quiet town on the prairie, and we are no longer being quiet.

This week in North Carolina started with 49 arrests at the N.C. General Assembly -- arrests of people peaceably assembled and singing songs of peace and unity to protest the ALEC-ification of our state. This brings the total number of civil-disobedience arrests so far to 96, including 17 arrests April 29, 30 arrests on May 6, and 49 arrests on May 13.

Since so many of our lawmakers in Raleigh have made it plain they aren't listening to the people of North Carolina, it's time to get their attention another way. Please join the AFL-CIO, Progress NC and other allies at the General Assembly on May 16 -- the opening day of this year's legislative session -- for a rally that lawmakers can't ignore. Bring your own pot and utensil of choice and be prepared to make some noise. Details after the jump...

This multi-organization tour traveling the state to highlight important issues and concerning actions being taken by the General Assembly came to Greenville last night. The Daily Reflector's Ginger Livingston has the story. And the federally provided HAVA funds are a part of that story:

In case you haven't heard, there is going to be a rally in Raleigh on Thursday Feb 16th at 11 AM in front of the General Assembly at 16 W. Jones Street as they come into their February session.

I've heard from different people a number of different reasons why they are going. Some will be there to protest. Some will be there to speak out against the amendment. Some will be there as watchdogs to let the General Assembly know that midnight sessions and other such behavior is unacceptable and incompatible with open and transparent public service.

For me, I see this as a chance to follow up with all the positive messages I heard at HKonJ, while the General Assembly is actually town. There was a lot of creativity and positivity with chants, songs, shirts, and signs at HKonJ, and I think they should get more than one use.

Progress NC has joined with a number of other progressive groups to present a united front against the far right leadership in Raleigh that called for the January 5th post-midnight secret legislative session. We have created a website to explain what is happening in Raleigh, the events leading up to January 5th and the implications of the far right agenda for North Carolinians and their daily lives. Please visit the site and help us spread the word, especially to people who are not yet paying attention: www.outofcontrolnc.com. Thank you!

According to new polls conducted by Public Policy Polling for Progress North Carolina, two Cumberland County legislative seats could be very competitive this fall. (These polls are part of a series of surveys designed to answer the question: “Can progressives retake the NC General Assembly?”)

In Senate District 19, incumbent Republican Sen. Wesley Meredith trails potential Democratic challenger and NC House Rep. Diane Parfitt, 37%-40%. Download the complete results for Senate District 19.

In House District 45, a potential matchup between former Republican county commissioner Diane Wheatley and Democratic school board member Kim Fisher is also close. Wheatley leads Fisher, 38%-36%. Download the complete results for House District 45.

Last week, through my sister, I learned that a friend of hers in Raleigh had lost his little shepherd mutt named Mocha. Rick and Mocha are inseparable and his friends knew he'd never be the same if they couldn't find her. As the days unfolded, person after person joined in the search to bring Mocha home. They gave up their evenings after work to search for her and they spread the word on social media to keep an eye out for a shy, fearful dog unlikely to come to anyone who called her. A sighting of Mocha at a specific crossroads would be quickly posted to Facebook, sending people to their cars to canvas the area in hopes of finding one lost and hungry little dog. Soon, complete strangers were following the story and searching for Mocha. In the end, a miracle of sorts occurred.

Last week, through my sister, I learned that a friend of hers in Raleigh had lost his little shepherd mutt named Mocha. Rick and Mocha are inseparable and his friends knew he'd never be the same if they couldn't find her. As the days unfolded, person after person joined in the search to bring Mocha home. They gave up their evenings after work to search for her and they spread the word on social media to keep an eye out for a shy, fearful dog unlikely to come to anyone who called her. A sighting of Mocha at a specific crossroads would be quickly posted to Facebook, sending people to their cars to canvas the area in hopes of finding one lost and hungry little dog. Soon, complete strangers were following the story and searching for Mocha. In the end, a miracle of sorts occurred.

Can progressives take back control of North Carolina's General Assembly? Three new polls conducted by PPP for Progress NC pinpoint areas where vulnerable incumbents or open seats could open the door for progressive candidates to enter the race, including a poll showing that incumbent Jim Crawford (D-Granville) is vulnerable in the Democratic Primary. If you are thinking of running, or know someone thinking of running, stand by for more polling in other counties soon. More details on these three polls after the jump: