1. WATCH: NC Values Lt. Governor candidate forum
In addition to making an impact
legislatively, it is just as important we make an impact in our local,
state, and federal elections, because passing good laws always begins
with getting the right people elected to office. With this year’s
primary election right around the corner, earlier in the week we
offered supporters an opportunity to get to know the top candidates in
this year’s Republican primary for Lt. Governor with our candidate
forum. In a race with eleven contenders, we invited the top candidates
(based on their campaigning and fundraising) to participate in our
statewide virtual candidate forum, hosted by our own Grassroots
Director Courtney Geels and former radio host Steve Noble.
Click here to watch the
forum and learn more about these great candidates.
Also make sure to check out this great article from the
North State Journal about the event.
2. VOTE: Early voting is now happening
in our state!
We’re excited to share with you that
polling sites have opened up all across the state for early voting in
the 2024 primary election. To help you prayerfully select the best
candidates, we’ve put together a number of election-related resources,
which you can find on our 2024 NC Values Voter
Toolkit.
We strongly encourage you to get out and
vote early. You just never know what can happen on election day.
Read more: https://ncvalues.org/vote
3. CAROLINA JOURNAL: Closing the book on
libraries?
"It’s no secret that libraries — public,
academic, special, and school — have taken a sharp left turn in recent
years. As more and more young people have graduated with degrees in
library science, the profession has taken on a far more radical,
activist turn than ever before. This is hardly surprising, given that
colleges and universities are among the most radical and left-leaning
institutions in the country, infecting every discipline taught. North
Carolina has seen its share of examples."
Read more: https://www.carolinajournal.com/opinion/closing-the-book-on-libraries/
4. NEWS & OBSERVER: A ‘history
changing’ moment in NC education as universal private school vouchers
arrive
"North Carolina is about to see record
expansion in the number of students who get taxpayer funded vouchers
to attend private schools. For the first time in the state’s history,
any family can apply for an Opportunity Scholarship to cover K-12
private school costs, regardless of their income. The initial response
has been large, with more than 31,600 completed applications received
during the first five days of filing. The application period runs to
March 1."
Read more at: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article284291573.html
According to the NC State Education
Assistant Authority, during the first two weeks of February there have
been a record 46,790 applicants for the Opportunity
Scholarship! This evidences the great demand for school
choice options in our state. To learn more about this scholarship,
including how to apply, check out our guide
here.
5. NEWS & OBSERVER: Once a champion
of casino legalization, NC Senate leader ‘not intent’ on it for
2024
“Senate leader Phil Berger took a step
back from pushing to usher more casinos into North Carolina on
Wednesday, saying that he was not “intent on moving anything in
particular” related to casinos during the state’s short legislative
session that starts in April. During last year’s legislative long
session, whether additional casinos should be legalized in the state
was one of the primary causes of a standoff between the legislative
chambers over the months-delayed $30 billion state budget, which was
supposed to be passed by July 1 but instead passed into law in early
October."
Read more at: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article285477572.html
WEEKLY PRAYER: FREEDOM
LORD, you have blessed us with a
spiritual liberty that is so wonderful and beyond description, that it
can only be understood through experiencing a life-giving relationship
with Christ. However, we also recognize that in your grace, you have
blessed our country with a political liberty that enables us to openly
proclaim the experience of a life lived in the freedom of the
Gospel.
LORD, as individuals and as a nation, may
we never take the inalienable right of religious freedom for granted.
Right now our country has faced a rapid increase in the number of
attacks made against this cherished right. We have seen groups across
our public arena increase in boldness and frequency their smears
against religious liberty. They claim it is bigotry, when we know it
is the security of the greatest of all possible loves.
Be with your people and our country as it
continues to protect the constitutional right protected by our
nation’s Founders. Be with legislators and the Supreme Court, as they
determine through their actions the protection of this particular and
fundamental freedom.
“It was for freedom that Christ set us
free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a
yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)
“For you were called to freedom,
brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the
flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)
“Act as free men, and do not use your
freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.” (1
Peter 2:16)
Amen
Will you chip in $100, $50, $25, or even $10 to help
the NC Values Coalition continue to fight for your rights? You can
donate by clicking here.
Sincerely,
Tami & Team
NC Values
