The boundaries of Senate District 19 have been re-drawn.  I will not go deep into the history of the court battle that lead to the changes, but the district was drawn in 2010 to exclude as many African Americans as possible, and the federal courts did not find that constitutionally permissible.  Republican Wesley Meredith won the seat in 2010 and has had little trouble beating down the opposition every two years since.

All that may or may not change this year.  The lines no longer favor a Republican and make up what FLIPNC calls the third most “flippable” Senate District in North Carolina.

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For the first time in my memory, Cumberland County residents are coming face to face with the environmental impacts of industrial expansion.  The two making headlines are the GenEx disaster and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. 

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline has drawn major criticism in this County, which prompted industry leaders to change to route of the pipe further to the east across the river.  Presumably, this would cause fewer interactions with residential areas.  Still, the pipe is on its way, angry landowners are losing property to make way for the pipe, and environmental groups are holding demonstrations.  Governor Cooper is taking heat for his apparent support, among other things.

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