NC's New Governor Kicks Off Term with TV Speech Due to Winter Weather

You might be wondering, what's special about North Carolina's new governor, Josh Stein? Well, he's having a unique start to his term. Instead of the usual outdoor inauguration ceremony in Raleigh, he's giving a televised speech indoors. Why the change? Blame it on the winter weather! Snow, sleet, and freezing rain were expected on Friday and Saturday, so the state inaugural committee decided to call off the public festivities. Now, you might think this is a bummer, but it's not all doom and gloom. Stein and other Council of State members, like the lieutenant governor and attorney general, had already taken their oaths in private or small ceremonies earlier in January. Plus, Stein has been busy already, visiting western North Carolina twice since Jan. 1 and issuing executive orders on hurricane recovery. Speaking of hurricanes, did you know that Stein has made the Hurricane Helene recovery a top priority for his early term? He's been working hard on this, even giving a speech at his Jan. 1 swearing-in. And on Saturday, he's expected to give a longer speech, all streamed by North Carolina public television.

But what about the parties? You'll be happy to know that the official inauguration parties on Friday and Saturday night have been postponed, not canceled. And there's even hope for a block party in the future! Now, you might be thinking, "What about politics? " Well, Stein seems to be in a good position. He's got some power to block legislation he doesn't like, and Republican leaders in the General Assembly seem hopeful they can work together on hurricane recovery money. Interestingly, this isn't the first time winter weather has messed with a North Carolina governor's inauguration. Back in 2017, approaching snow and sleet canceled the public swearing-in ceremony and parade for then-governor Roy Cooper. And in 2021, COVID-19 restrictions derailed gatherings for his reelection. So, there you have it. A governor starting his term with a TV speech due to winter weather. It's not the usual start, but it shows that even weather can't stop the show!

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