(AMP) Raleigh
If HB 375 passes the NC General Assembly and becomes law, those roadblocks which stop traffic and violate everyones’ rights might become just a bad memory of a state which was rapidly becoming a police state rather than a free state.
House Bill 375 introduced in the NC General Assembly by first-term representative Glen Bradley of Youngsville would clarify that checkpoints are illegal in the state. Law enforcement refers to roadblocks as checkpoints, check points, or safety checkpoints. US Supreme Court has ruled checkpoints are seizures without a warrant and without probable cause, and as such are unconstitutional in violation of the 4th Amendment of the Bill of Rights, but the court specifies there are exceptions which allow police to violate the law in the name of public safety. For example, if police received a tip that there are religious extremists with a bomb on the way to blow up a building, there may be good reason to conduct a roadblock. It would still be illegal, but it would be an allowed exception to the Bill of Rights.

Rep. Glen Bradley explains, he hands out copies of the US Constitution to police when he is stopped, saying they obviously “need them” (to know they are violating peoples’ rights). The US Constitution is law which limits the powers of government in order to preserve the rights of the people.
In the embedded video, Wake County Sheriff Harrison clearly wants to continue the violations, and opposes the bill. Harrison favors continuing to accept federal funds (which adds to the debt) to set up checkpoints.

The General Assembly will also review a much weaker bill regarding roadblocks and checkpoints. HB 381 would prevent police from setting up checkpoints in order to profile specific types of vehicles.

Make no mistake about it, those federal funds used to fund states to set up checkpoints do come from taxpayers wallets. The US House of Representatives is currently considering House Resolution HR 904 which would prevent the US Department of Transportation (DOT) from providing federal funds to create motorcycle only roadblocks (MOR).

Raleigh – Below normal rainfall has again thrust parts of central North Carolina into severe drought, and water resources officials are encouraging communities to prepare should dry conditions persist.

“At this point, public water supplies are fine in North Carolina,” said Woody Yonts, chairman of the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council. “But if dry conditions continue to occur, widespread impacts could quickly surface in the next few months as the temperatures begin to gradually increase and the growing season begins.”

Forty-five counties are experiencing drought in North Carolina, according to Thursday’s federal drought map. Of those, 27 Piedmont counties are in severe drought, the second worst level in the four-category system used to measure drought. Thursday marks the first time since September that any part of the Tar Heel State has
experienced severe drought.
The drought map can be seen at ncdrought.org

The introduction of severe drought is based on impacts to streamflows and the flow of rain water into reservoirs – two main factors used to determine drought categories. A lack of significant rainfall in recent months has resulted in below normal groundwater levels and streamflows and less water than needed to replenish reservoirs in parts of North Carolina.

To extend available water supplies and maintain lake levels, many reservoir managers in North Carolina are only allowing minimum releases of water. It’s unusual to take such action to maintain lake levels during the winter when rainfall typically recharges North Carolina’s reservoirs, state water resources officials said.

In addition to the areas experiencing drought, 38 mountain and eastern counties are abnormally dry, according to Thursday’s drought map. Abnormally dry is not a drought category, but means drought could emerge without adequate rainfall.

NC Home is now able to syndicate news to and from a dozen major cities in North Carolina. Articles include news from NC Home along with news from other sources. For example, look to the right and you will see a column with such items as NC Home Feeds and BOLT Action, along with news feeds from local sources.

B.O.L.T. of North Carolina has announced their support for legislation to end roadblocks in the state. Two legislative bills introduced into the NC General Assembly would put a STOP to roadblocks. One of the House Bills is H375 which would end roadblocks, and the other is H381 which would make prevent the police from setting up checkpoint patterns intended to target specific types of vehicles.
BOLT also supports a congressional resolution HR 904 which would prevent the US DOT from funding motorcycle only roadblocks (MOR).

On March 23, 2011 hundreds of protesters rode their motorcycles to the Georgia Capitol in opposition to the recent motorcyclist only roadblocks on I-95 south during Daytona Bike Week. Bikers from several states had their motorcycles 4 columns deep. At the podium, speakers roused the crowd to yell “Education, not checkpoints!” Speakers suggested educating motorists to pay attention to the road and traffic around them would help. Roadblocks, unlawful seizures, and police harassment do nothing for safety! Protesters held signs in support of US House Resolution 904 which would prevent the US DOT from wasting taxpayer money on funding motorcycle roadblocks.