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NC Gov. Cooper declares Ace Speedway an ‘imminent hazard’ and closes the facility
The News & Observer ^ | June 9, 2020 | Steve Wiseman and Martha Quillin

Posted on 06/09/2020 10:27:26 AM PDT by buckalfa

Gov. Roy Cooper ordered an Alamance County speedway that’s violated his executive orders against mass gatherings closed immediately, declaring the venue an imminent hazard.

In an order issued Monday night and obtained by The News & Observer, Cooper and Dr. Mandy Cohen said Ace Speedway could open again if it presents a plan to adhere to state guidelines and that plan is approved by the Department of Health and Human Services.

The speedway’s next scheduled night of racing is June 19.

The order said Ace Speedway must notify the public by 5 p.m. Tuesday that its upcoming race schedule and other events are canceled until June 22. The speedway’s website and Facebook page had not yet done so as of noon Tuesday.

An email sent by the N&O to Ace Speedway’s father and son owners, Robert and Jason Turner, for comment on the order was not answered Tuesday morning.

Amy Galey, chairwoman of the Alamance County Board of Commissioners, said in an email to the N&O she is leaving the issue up to Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson Johnson told the N&O in an interview last Friday that Cooper’s orders weren’t clear about why Ace couldn’t open to crowds larger than 25 while other outdoor events, such as churches and protests, are exempted from the mass gathering restrictions.

Johnson said he believed Cooper’s threats to Ace Speedway were political. He wondered why other speedways, such as 311 Speedway in Stokes County, are operating without Cooper threatening to shut them down.

“I assure you that I respect the Office of the Governor of North Carolina but I have serious reservations on the legality of his order,” Johnson wrote in a statement released Monday night.

Located in Altamahaw, near Elon, Ace Speedway held events on May 23 and 30 and June 6. All three times, there were thousands of people in attendance and all exceeded the 25 allowed at outdoor events under Cooper’s executive order that moved the state into Phase Two of his reopening plan on May 22.

Cooper called the events “reckless and dangerous” given the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

“People shouldn’t run a money-making operation that puts in danger not only their customers but people who come in contact with their customers,” Cooper said during a Monday news conference. “This is a reckless decision being made by the owners, pulling people together in that way that can cause spread of the virus.”

The imminent hazard order is signed by Cohen, secretary of the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. In it, Ace Speedway’s events are considered “likely to cause an immediate threat to human life, an immediate threat of serious physical injury, an immediate threat of serious adverse health effects.”


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: acespeedway; automotive; closure; cooper; covid; northcarolina; racing
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To: Rumplemeyer

SO THEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY RECOUNT FOR A WEEK UNTIL THEY WIN?


41 posted on 06/09/2020 11:18:35 AM PDT by Luke21
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To: buckalfa

Clearly the best and only response to this should be as follows:

Contact the race track, let them know you will be there. If if you are no fan of racing...

... THAT RACE TRACT SHOULD BE PACKED WITH FANS FOR THE NEXT RACE.

With the way cops are being treated these days, you might get no resistance at all from them.

People, at some point, you’ll HAVE to get in this battle (read: war). This is just another opportunity.

just my $0.02


42 posted on 06/09/2020 11:21:23 AM PDT by jimjohn (The 2nd American Civil War began shortly after 12:00 on January 20, 2017)
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To: hal ogen

He won by only 10,000 votes out of 4.7 million against Pat McCrory. Some ascertain the McCrory lost because of House Bill 2 but he lost North Mecklenburg by 12,000. This was an area that always voted Republican but McCrory lost them due to his plan to make I77 a toll road. They said he would pay for that and apparently they made good on that threat.

Hopefully with all his dictatorial degrees and keeping the state locked down will result in Cooper being defeated. 82% of our Covid deaths are over the age of 65. Vast majority in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. It is a nominal threat to healthy North Carolinian’s under the age of 50. Dan Forest looks strong in the polls and I will be so happy to cast my ballot for him in November.


43 posted on 06/09/2020 11:21:30 AM PDT by NCMom57
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To: Hot Tabasco; gas_dr

Who cut the cheese?


44 posted on 06/09/2020 11:29:27 AM PDT by Big Red Badger (He Hath Not Given Us A Spirit Of Fear)
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To: buckalfa

One thing you don’t F__ __ K with is NASCAR FANS!!


45 posted on 06/09/2020 11:35:07 AM PDT by RobertoinAL
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To: NCMom57

It did not hurt that they kept the polls open in Durham County until they thought Cooper had enough votes to win. I remember thinking that this blatant voter fraud could not be taking place in the state in which I have lived all my life! He will do it again, so the only thing to prevent that is for the rest of us to come out to vote in such overwhelming numbers that he cannot cheat enough to win.


46 posted on 06/09/2020 11:43:19 AM PDT by srmorton (Deut. 30 19: "..I have set before you life and death,....therefore, choose life..")
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To: Edgar3

He can put an insomnia person to sleep in 2 minutes.


47 posted on 06/09/2020 11:59:30 AM PDT by DownInFlames (Galsd)
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To: LoveMyFreedom

Since 1901 NC has had 3 GOP governors and 19 Democrats.
Don’t get your hopes to high.


48 posted on 06/09/2020 12:05:45 PM PDT by deport
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Last Saturday


49 posted on 06/09/2020 12:10:34 PM PDT by deport
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To: buckalfa

TRUMP rallies will also be a danger, and must be closed.
EFFING TYRANTS!


50 posted on 06/09/2020 12:12:21 PM PDT by gathersnomoss (Welcf theome to North Mexico, Gringxo's it...)
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To: buckalfa

In the year 2020, one mustn’t be seen “having a good time”.


51 posted on 06/09/2020 12:13:42 PM PDT by gathersnomoss (Welcf theome to North Mexico, Gringxo's it...)
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To: hal ogen

See what voter fraud gets you?


52 posted on 06/09/2020 12:17:20 PM PDT by who knows what evil? (Yehovah saved more animals than people on the ark...siameserescue.org)
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To: buckalfa

https://myfox8.com/news/alamance-county-sheriff-responds-to-gov-cooper-closing-ace-speedway/

Posted: Jun 9, 2020 / 03:05 PM EDT

ALAMANCE COUNTY, N.C. — Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson has responded following Gov. Roy Cooper’s order that ACE Speedway will be closed immediately.

Johnson says he asked for clarification when the executive order mentioned certain activities being exempt, and the governor’s office did not respond.

“It puts me in a heck of a position as a sheriff, and any sheriff in this state, to try to write a citation to enforce the governor’s order when in fact it’s a constitutional violation in my opinion and the other sheriffs in this state,” Johnson said.

He told FOX8 that he isn’t sure why ACE Speedway was singled out when he was told that multiple other speedways in North Carolina have been running for several weeks.

“The governor stepped up and issued an order of abatement of imminent hazard, which he could have done in the very beginning, and none of this would have been going on,” Johnson said.

Johnson says his original concern with being asked to issue ACE Speedway a citation was that it violated the first amendment of the Constitution.

“In his orders, he talked about the following are exempt: churches, weddings…and he stated other activities, which is covered under the first amendment,” Johnson said. “Paying to go see a race and be with your family is certainly a first amendment right. And with that order, I had a problem going and serving those citations.”

Johnson says a chief deputy and a major were sent to the speedway on Saturday and saw crowds with signs calling for unity.

“That puts it in a different light, too. They have a right to protest. Some people say ‘well, they paid money. Nobody else had to pay money.’ You have a right if you want to pay money and go in,” Johnson said.

He says he wants to work with Cooper, but he needs to be convinced that officials aren’t violating the rights of North Carolinians.


53 posted on 06/09/2020 12:31:45 PM PDT by abb
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To: Edgar3

Yes our governor is! I’d open it anyway take it to court if cited and then argue how the rioters/protesters are given a pass, even on curfew!


54 posted on 06/09/2020 12:39:14 PM PDT by Harpotoo (Being a socialist is a lot easier than having to WORK like the rest of US:-))
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To: buckalfa

Im hoping that on the 19th several thousand race fans show up for racing and all bring their favorite gun.
Led by the local sheriff.


55 posted on 06/09/2020 12:52:07 PM PDT by Joe Boucher ( Molon Labe' Baby, Molon Labe)
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To: Psalm 73

My state is your state friend. But I’m worse off. I have property in Richmond and in Coastal North Carolina as well. So I get Gov. Blackface and Gov. Riots not Racetracks.

I’ll be glad when I finally retire and move the hell out of Virginia. I thought I would die here but it’s time to move on. At least in Carolina I have the beach


56 posted on 06/09/2020 3:09:42 PM PDT by confederatecarpetbag
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To: buckalfa

Move the GOP convention away from NC!


57 posted on 06/09/2020 3:13:54 PM PDT by Fledermaus (ONLY A MORON THINKS 6 FEET IS A MAGIC NUMBER!)
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To: buckalfa

The attendees need to bring their BLM signs and they’ll be fine...


58 posted on 06/09/2020 3:18:06 PM PDT by Magnatron
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To: Magnatron

The Sheriff needs to write a ticket for this violation.

Y’know, an $18 ticket!


59 posted on 06/10/2020 2:02:06 AM PDT by Does so (Neo-Venezuelans = Democrats = Rioters = Looters)
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To: MuttTheHoople

Great idea but I see several security issues that would be difficult to cover.


60 posted on 06/10/2020 12:53:41 PM PDT by LastDayz (A blunt and brazen Texan. I will not be assimilated.)
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