Cooper Signs COVID-19 Relief Bill
On Wednesday, Governor Cooper signed the first COVID-19 relief bill of 2021, Senate bill 36 (“2020 Covid Relief Bill Modifications”), which funds vaccine distribution and schools reopening as well as extending the deadline for parents to apply for $335 checks. “This pandemic continues to strain communities across our state, and this investment of federal funds in critical areas will help us defeat COVID-19 and build back a stronger and more resilient North Carolina,” Cooper said in an emailed statement Wednesday. See article here.

Ballot Tracking
With the increase in vote-by-mail/absentee ballot options provided during the 2020 election, the issue of voters tracking their ballots online after they were mailed became a hot topic, especially with so many delays caused by staffing shortages and other issues related to mail delivery by the USPS and NC Board of Elections staffing shortages due to the pandemic. North Carolina had contracted for a system called BallotTrax and first-time users were confused and at times frustrated by the rollout and performance of this new system. See article here.

The Battle of the Blues
It was an exciting basketball game with the University of North Carolina Tarheels hanging on to pull out a win over the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium Monday night.  As is tradition, students rushed to Franklin Street for a traditional victory celebration.  But, in the era of COVID, traditions are taking a back seat to safety as the students later learned when more than 200 were identified and will face some type of repercussions for their actions. See article here.