Free Republic

When Covid-19 first struck North Carolina nearly three years ago, Governor Roy Cooper responded with a series of executive orders that closed or limited the operations of schools, businesses, public amenities, and even churches. Cooper’s attempt to regulate worship services didn’t survive legal challenge, but most of his other pandemic policies stayed in place for quite a long time — and were often stricter than the policies enforced in nearby states. You may believe the governor’s approach was wise. . . .

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) escalated his feud with the federal government's leading infectious diseases expert on Monday, calling Anthony Fauci a "petty tyrant" for suggesting Americans vaccinated against the coronavirus should not eat or drink indoors. "Fauci continues to ignore 100 years of vaccine science," Paul wrote in a tweet Monday morning. "His only real theme is 'do what I say' even when it makes no sense." Americans who have recovered from or been vaccinated against the coronavirus should "go about your life," Paul said. "Eat, drink, work, open the schools. Enough with the petty tyrants!" Fauci, during an appearance...

Gov. Tom Wolf’s former business, a cabinet supply company in central Pennsylvania, has continued operating during the coronavirus shutdown despite having its waiver rescinded by state officials, PA Post and Spotlight PA have learned. Last week, in response to questions from the news organizations about how the company qualified as “life-sustaining,” the governor’s office said in a statement that a waiver that had been issued to Wolf Home Products allowing it to stay open would be revoked, forcing it to close.

CARACAS -- President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday threatened to nationalize Venezuela's largest telecommunications company if it does not comply with a court order to make owed pension payments. Chavez said he would give Compania Anonima Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela, or CANTV, a grace period to comply, but did not specify how long that period would be. "If they don't want to comply with that, I am going to nationalize CANTV," Chavez said in a televised speech. CANTV has shares traded on both the Caracas and New York stock exchanges. It is the dominant provider of fixed line telephone service in...