Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1495789
10 UCW MARCH 29 - APRIL 4, 2023 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Follow Us Today! Stay up to date on all the Up & Coming Events in Cumberland County and surrounding areas! LIKE MAR. 23 - APR. 09 BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW! CFRT.ORG or 910.323.4233 Alejandro Arroyo owns the newest (and cleanest) lounge in New York City's Lower East Side. His sister, Molly, has a nasty habit of writing graffiti on the back wall of the local police precinct. Officer Derek is a recent NYC transplant with something to prove. Lelly Santiago is a socially awkward college student who may have discovered that the Arroyo siblings' late mother was one of the founders of hip-hop music. Two DJs/narrators spin the story in this hilariously heartfelt piece all about identity and Latinx culture! A HILARIOUS HIP-HOP THEATER COMING-OF-AGE STORY! Governor Roy Cooper allowed two bills, H.B. 40, Anti-Rioting, and S.B. 53, Hotel Safety, to become law without his signature. e Prevent Rioting and Civil Disorder bill would make rioting a felony if it resulted in over $2,500 worth of property damage, involved dangerous weapons or substances, or resulted in someone's death. It would also make assaulting a police officer or emergency personnel a felony. e previous version of the bill was met with strong opposition from Democrats and social justice advocates, who called it racist and intended to muzzle the exercise of First Amendment rights. Cooper's statement in a press release shows that he begrudgingly let it become law. "I acknowledge that changes were made to modify this legislation's effect after my veto of a similar bill last year," he said. "Property damage and violence are already illegal and my continuing concerns about the erosion of the First Amendment and the disparate impacts on communi- ties of color will prevent me from signing this legislation." All Republicans voted in favor of the bill. In contrast, 16 out of 17 Democratic senators voted against the bill — the sole Democratic sena- tor who supported H.B. 40 was Sen. Mary Wills Bode, D-Granville. In the state House, one of the lead sponsors of the bill is Rep. Shelly Willingham, D-Edgecombe. Will- ingham, a former law enforcement officer, supported the bill despite opposition from most in his party. Legislators have renewed their push for the bill this year because of millions of dollars in property damage in Raleigh and across North Carolina during 2020 protests after the death of George Floyd. "Nearly three years after violent protests devastated communities and businesses in North Carolina, I am pleased that this bipartisan legislation will finally become law," said House Speaker Tim Moore in a statement issued Friday afternoon. "While the First Amendment guarantees the right to peacefully protest, those who hijack otherwise peaceful demonstrations to cause chaos and destruction in our com- munities must be held accountable, and law enforcement must have our support to do just that. is bill has had bipartisan support since it was first introduced, and our com- munities will be safer now that this bill will finally become law," said Moore. Cooper also had mixed feelings about the Hotel Safety bill and explained his reasoning for not signing it. "is bill was given broad sup- port in the legislature and there are potential positive modifications being discussed by legislators," he remarked. "However, safe housing is sometimes only available from temporary shelter such as hotels, and I remain concerned that this bill will legalize unfair treatment for those who need protection, and this will prevent me from signing it." Cooper vetoed similar legislation in 2021. is go around, the House voted 83-29 for the legislation, and it passed in the Senate last month by a 28-16 vote. S.B. 53 states that landlord-tenant rules, which make it more difficult to remove an occupant, don't apply when a person is staying at a hotel, motel, or RV park for fewer than 90 consecutive days. e rules normally apply for home and apartment renters, some- times requiring legal action to com- plete evictions. e North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association also supported the measure. Editor's note: Alex Baltzegar con- tributed to this article. NEWS Cooper allows anti-rioting, hotel safety bills to become law by THERESA OPEKA, Carolina Journal In 2020, the Market House was set ablaze and looted during riots in downtown Fayetteville. is file photo shows part of the cleanup effort. (Photo by Linda McAlister) THERESA OPEKA, Carolina Journal COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com 910-484-6200