Salisbury Mayor Karen Alexander said her Twitter account was hacked last week when she retweeted “RT if you’re THRILLED to see President Trump expose the corrupt news media to their faces” from Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA.

Alexander said she received a new login alert from Twitter saying an Android device in Charlotte had accessed her account. Alexander said she has an iPhone and she hasn’t been to Charlotte in several months. Alexander said she has a consultant help her manage her Twitter account.

The retweet has since been removed.

Alexander said she does not tweet partisan content. Over the years of having the personal account, her tweets have been mostly information from the state and local government, and lately from the CDC.

“There would be no advantage for me to be tweeting anything that is partisan either way, for either party,” Alexander said.

Alexander said she values the media and the role they play in society.

“I don’t have a problem with the press whatsoever,” she said. “I never had a bad relationship with any reporter in anyway.”

The Salisbury Rowan NAACP put out a statement Tuesday about the “preposterous retweet by Mayor Karen Alexander.”

The NAACP’s stated, “Our elected Mayor Karen Alexander chooses to play politics over the needs of the citizens of Salisbury in which she was elected to serve by retweeting an outlandish and absurd tweet from the President of the United States attacking the media and journalism. The Salisbury-Rowan NAACP not only wants a public apology but answers as to why Mayor Alexander chooses to play partisan politics instead of addressing the many concerns and needs of the citizens during this pandemic.”

Alexander said she contacted the president of the local branch, Gemale Black.

“I said, ‘You know me. We work together. Why did you decide to write that kind of scathing letter, which isn’t even related,’” she said.

Alexander said she has been working 60-hour weeks during the pandemic, posting information and recording videos for the city of Salisbury.

NC Legislative session to reopen on April 28 with safety measures

The state’s legislative session on April 28 will formally reopen for business with appropriate measures in place to ensure health and safety on April 28.

Legislators have been meeting electronically in committees to discuss COVID-19-related bills and action.

In balancing the need to reopen the legislature with health and safety concerns, the General Assembly will limit access to the Legislative Building and the Legislative Office Building to members, staff, and credentialed media beginning April 20 and extending through May 8. Building entrants will also have their temperatures taken with a thermometer.

This policy is to balance the need for legislators to return to Raleigh to carry out their constitutional duties with the health and safety of members and the general public, as well as to limit the spread of COVID-19 while opening for business.

Public input is a critical part of the legislative process, and the General Assembly encourages members of the public to continue to schedule times to meet with members electronically, and to continue to reach out to legislators’ offices via phone and email leading up to and after the start of session on April 28.

Each chamber will send out further guidance on how they will conduct session and meetings of standing committees and other committees, and how the public can participate in that process remotely.

The business of the General Assembly is making laws and appropriating money. With appropriate health and safety measures in effect, the legislature will carry on the people’s business and work in a collaborative manner to pass consensus COVID-19 legislation.

Rep. Ted Budd leads NC delegation to thank essential workers.

Rep. Ted Budd, R-13, led the North Carolina congressional delegation on Friday to introduce a House resolution honoring the work and sacrifices of the state’s essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic. 

The resolution is co-sponsored by every member of the North Carolina congressional delegation.

The resolution honors truck drivers, tradesmen, convenience store workers, manufacturers, airport workers, restaurant employees, farmers, energy employees, public utility workers, and many others “for their contributions to our country during the COVID–19 pandemic.”

The resolution states “the federal government should continue to recognize the hard work and contributions of these individuals during this challenging time in our nation’s history.”

Civitas polls shows Trump, Cooper approval numbers reman high

Approval for President Donald Trump’s job performance is constant from a March poll by the conservative Civitas Institute. At 52%, that approval is the highest it has been since September 2018.

The president’s approval has climbed among unaffiliated voters and men.

Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, also has strong job approval among likely voters in his party. Among Democrats, 86% express support for his job performance in addition to 74% of likely unaffiliated voters and nearly half of likely Republican voters.

“This poll is fairly consistent with the national trend for President Trump and governors,” said Civitas President Donald Bryson. “The president is seeing an overall bump in approval ratings, and governors are enjoying leaps in approval ratings.”

The poll asked respondents who they would vote for today if the election was held today, with 49% saying Trump and 42% saying former Vice President Joe Biden.

In the U.S. Senate race, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis polled at 38% and his Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham at 34%.

“This early in the year, it appears that voters are trending towards a status quo election, with incumbents staying in place,” Bryson said. “However, reactions to the coronavirus outbreak and the economic fallout may change things, or strengthen positions as we get into the summer.”

Surveyors were asked about their concern about contracting coronavirus, with 71% saying they were worried, compared to 48% when respondents were asked on March 17.

The majority of respondents, 84%, said they are concerned the U.S. is heading for a recession.

Civitas polled 500 likely general election voters in North Carolina and the margin of error is 4.38%. The survey was conducted April 5-7.