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BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE MAY 24,20171 A3 The fabric of Bertie County since 1832 News Supreme Court upholds N.C. ruling Congressional districts found to violate Equal Protection Clause BY LANNY HIDAY Bertie Ledger-Advance WASHINGTON, D.C. - “It is so ordered.” On Monday morning, May 22, with those four words an unexpected coalition of five U.S Supreme Court justices delivered a rebuke to North Carolina’s Republican-led legislative redistricting com mittees. The dispute before the court concerned the re drawn makeups of Tar Heel voting Districts 1 (Durham northeast to Virginia) and 12 (Charlotte northeast to Greensboro). Writing for a five-judge majority including the un expected addition of Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Elena Kagan examined head- on the question of whether either or both of the two ger rymandered districts had been redrawn on political grounds, which is permissi- /A ble, or racial grounds, which is forbidden. Despite conflicting and unclear testimony from this case on the subject of poli tics vs. race in the lower state and federal courts. Justice Kagan’s opinion made clear the Supreme Court’s finding - that race impermissibly had been the overriding factor in re-drawing the districts after the 2010 census. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina had reached the same conclusion, and the Supreme Court on Monday affirmed the District Court’s view that both re-drawn dis tricts were unconstitutional. In the background to this case, Cooper v. Harris, Re publican state senator Rob ert Rucho of Mecklenburg County, along with Republi can state representative Da vid Lewis of Harnett County, had each chaired commit tees tasked with redrawing the districts. The two leg islators then hired as their mapmaker Dr. Thomas Ho- feller, who is the Director of Redistricting for the Repub lican National Committee. Hosteller re-designed Dis trict 1 in such a way as to add voters to the district- a move he said was required by the new 2010 census. This ad dition was accomplished by re-drawing the lines in a way that removed and relocated thousands of African-Amer ican voters from previous black-controlled Democratic areas of Durham. Similarly, Hosteller did the same in District 12 “By slim ming the district and add ing a couple of knobs to its snakelike body,” according to Justice Kagan, added 35,000 African-Americans and sub tracted 50,000 whites. This move, and the simi lar move involving Durham in District 1, had the effect of diluting African-American voting strength in their pre vious black-controlled Dem ocratic districts. Rucho, Lewis, and Hos teller denied that their re designs were racially moti vated. The Supreme Court disagreed. When questioned about the Republicans’ setback, N.C. Senate Leader Phil Berg er said, “We have the utmost respect for the Supreme Court, but it is challenging for our lawmakers, to draw congressional districts that the courts will accept when the courts regularly change the rules state legislatures must follow when drawing them.” « North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper had a differed view. » He said, “North Carolinjt voters deserve a level plaj^ ing field and fair election^ and I’m glad the Supremi Court agrees. The North Carolina Republican legisla ture tried to rig Congressio* nal elections by drawing un constitutional districts that discriminated against Afrir can Americans, and that’s wrong.” T The maps in question in Monday’s opinion by the Su preme Court have since been re-drawn, but those too are under judicial review followr ing a number of lawsuits. Bertie County Health Dept, schedules clinics WINDSOR - The Bertie Coun ty Health Department has slated its clinics schedule for the remainder of the week. There is a fee, based on income, for most clinics. Immunizations and General clinics are held every day, and other clinics are by ap pointment. They include: Wednesday, May 24 Bertie: General, WIC All Day, DR PN PM 'Thursday, May 25 Bertie: General Friday, May 26 Bertie: General Monday, May 29 Holiday Tuesday, May 30 Bertie: General Wednesday, May 31 Bertie: General Thursday, June 1 Bertie: General, WIC Friday, June 2 Bertie: General Monday, June 5 Bertie: DEPO PM, General, WIC All Day Tuesday, June 6 Bertie: General, WIC Wednesday, June 7 Bertie: New Prenatal AM, General Thursday, June 8 Bertie: General, WIC Friday, June 9 Bertie: General, Pediatric Tillmon From A1 Tillmon, 33, was found guilty of multiple counts of conspiring to distribute controlled substances, attempting to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiring to use and carry fire arms in relation to drug trafficking offenses, us ing and carrying fire arms in relation to drug trafficking offenses and federal programs brib ery. The charges stemmed from a large scale un dercover investiga tion into allegations of systemic law enforce ment corruption in Northampton County. The evidence at trial established Tillmon accepted $6,500 from undercover FBI agents posing as drug traf fickers in return for transporting a total of 30 kilograms of heroin from North Carolina to Maryland over three separate occasions be tween August 2014 and April 2015. On each occasion, Tillmon carried his law enforcement badge and a firearm to secure the illicit narcotics. Tillmon was prepared to use his badge and fake documentation to evade drug interdic tion in the event the transport vehicle was stopped. The evidence also showed Tillmon agreed to participate in a fourth drug transport, to which he brought five firearms, including an assault rifle accom panied by three maga zines of ammunition. Fourteen other defen dants, 13 of whom were law enforcement or cor Notice of Public Hearing ON THE NORTHEASTERN REGIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN Notice is hereby given that the Bertie County Board of Commissioners will conduct a public hearing at their June 5th, 2017 regular Board meeting inside the Commissioners Room at 106 Dundee Street, Windsor, NC. The Board will discuss the Northeastern NC Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Following the public hearing, the Board will consider adoption of the plan. All citizens are encouraged to attend. A copy of the plan is available for public review at the following web address: https://www.rapregionalhmp.org/ participate.html. The public is encouraged to review the draft plan. For questions and/or additional information, please contact Mitch Cooper, Emergency Services Director, at 252-794-5302. rectional officers, were charged in the drug trafficking and firearm conspiracies - the law enforcement and cor rectional officers were also charged with fed eral programs bribery. Those defendants all pleaded guilty to vari ous offenses and are scheduled to be sen tenced later this year. Halifax County Sheriff Wes Tripp, whose offi cers received the initial tips in the case said this evening, “The Rockfish 15 placed a stain on the Roanoke Valley. With the recent court pro ceedings, the Roanoke Valley continues to move forward and law enforcement is work ing together to make our community a safer place to live. Operation Rockfish is in the past but it is something we all must remember.” Tripp said, “I’m beyond being proud of the law enforcement officers that we have working in the sheriff’s office, even those who have retired and those who continue to work. This was one of the battles we have won against the war on drugs.” U.Vl II (•It) SKYDIVERS AT 8PM FIREWORKS AT 9PM SPONSORED BV ^ COME TO BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR * MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND 6e BRING THE FAMILY! NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BERTIE COUNTY Community Development Program The citizens of Bertie County are hereby informed that the County intends to apply to the North Carolina Department of Commerce for Smaii Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. In an effort to involve the citizens of the County and obtain their comments in the planning of the community development program, the Bertie County Board of Commissioners wiil hold a public hearing on Monday, June 5,2017 at 4:00 pm in the Commissioners Room of the County Office Building at 106 Dundee Street in Windsor. The purpose of the public hearing is to explain the CDBG funding categories and allow citizens of the County an opportunity to express their views concerning community development needs and priorities. Bertie County does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, age, or political affiliation in the admission, access to, treatment or employment in the CDBG program and activities. Person having any questions concerning the CDBG Program are urged to attend the public hearing and make their views known. Persons with disabilities or who otherwise need assistance should contact Sarah Tinkham, Clerk to the Board, at 252-794-6110 at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting. Hearing impaired persons desiring information or having questions regarding this subject should call the North Carolina Relay Number for the Deaf at 1 -800-735-8262. Accommodations will be made for all who request assistance with participating in the public hearing. For additional information or to submit written comments, please contact Sarah Tinkham, Clerk to the Board at 252-794-6110 or 106 Dundee Street or P.O. Box 530, Wind sor, NC 27983. Comments will receive a written response within 10 working days. This information is available in Spanish or any other language upon request. Please contact Sarah Tinkham, at 252-794-6110, or at the Bertie County Office Building located at 106 Dundee Street in Windsor for accommodations for this request. Esta informacion esta disponible en espahol o en cualquier otro idioma bajo peticion. Por favor, pongase en contacto con Sarah Tinkham, al 252-794-6110 o en Bertie County Office Building at 106 Dundee Street in Windsor, de alojamiento para esta solicitud. John Trent, Chairman Bertie County Commissioners POUND THE SOUND 2017 TRIATHLON CLINIC Sprint’Mathlon of 750m Swim, 14 milo Bike and Sk Run Are you interested in participating in the Pound the Sound Triathlon but you've never done a triathlon before? Not sure why anyone would be crazy enough to swim, bike and run all in the same day? Maybe you’ve done a few triathlons and you want to get faster on your transitions. Worried about the swim? Think your bike tires are too fat? Do you want to participate in a sport that could be your springboard to a stronger body and a healthier lifestyle? Get answers to all of these questions and more at a triathlon clinic taught by locaFresident and triathlete, Jonathan Huddleston, who has competed In over 29 triathlons and Is a 2011 Florida Ironman finisher. triathlon is SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 2017 m For additional information call the YMCA at 794-9622. the Of Bertie County
Bertie Ledger-Advance (Windsor, N.C.)
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