Reuben Jones

I’ll be on Raleigh’s NPR station @wunc.org at noon to discuss the latest on the government shutdown and other stories from DC. #ncpol

Is Trump administration violating the Hatch Act? Attacks over the federal government shutdown are coming from the White House and agencies that are supposed to be free of partisanship.

Numerous federal agencies have banners on their websites blaming Democrats for the government shutdown.

Is it a violation of the Hatch Act?

A closer look👇

spectrumnews1.com/ma/worcester...

I’m back in DC after an amazing fellowship with the RIAS Berlin Kommission.

Me and a group of US journalists traveled through Germany and Brussels taking part in meetings in German newsrooms, Parliament, the EU, NATO and much more.

It was an honor to be a part of this group.

Trump asks pharmaceutical companies to 'justify' success of 'COVID Drugs' Last week, the Trump administration announced it fired the CDC director, Susan Monarez, leading to pushback from some who formerly held the role

“I think he should resign or…be removed.”

I spoke with former acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser about the concerns being raised from former CDC leaders about Sec. Kennedy.

Meanwhile, RFK is pushing back and saying CDC changes are needed.

My report 👇

spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/mountain/...

Re-upping

BREAKING:

After less than a month on the job CDC Director Susan Monarez is being removed from her position, according to HHS.

(First reported by Washington Post)

Lejeune water victims waiting for justice Very few of the hundreds of thousands of people who have filed Lejeune water claims have received settlements.

“Quite frankly Congress should be looking into this.”

Three years since the Camp Lejeune Justice Act very few victims have actually received justice.

A bipartisan bill to speed up cases has yet to get a vote in Congress.

spectrumlocalnews.com/sc/south-car...

Trump's DEI crackdown cancels a plan to help end sewage backup in Alabama homes Funding cut for communities lacking sewage and septic systems

“When you don’t have any money you can’t move. So I’ll just pray about it."

A plan to help Alabama residents who can’t afford septic systems and have raw sewage in their backyards was recently canceled by the Trump Admin. over DEI.

I traveled to Alabama:

spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte...

"Slow train to nowhere": Lejeune water victims have cases pending Very few of the hundreds of thousands of people who have filed Lejeune water claims have received settlements.

New: 400,000 damage claims have been filed under a 2022 law allowing compensation for exposure to toxic water at Camp Lejeune. But fewer than 900 have been settled - and the Navy has cut nearly half of the 123 staffers processing them, @reubenjones1.bsky.social reports.

ny1.com/nc/charlotte...

Trump's DEI crackdown cancels a plan to help end sewage backup in Alabama homes Funding cut for communities lacking sewage and septic systems

Residents in this part of Alabama live with raw sewage in their backyards.

A plan to help address the problem by the Biden Administration was recently canceled by the Trump Administration.

The reason: DEI.

I traveled to Alabama for this report:

spectrumlocalnews.com/al/alabama/n...

The road to recovery for business owners in western N.C. after Helene The road to recovery is long for some people in western North Carolina nearly a year after Helene hit. The challenge can be especially hard for small businesses.

Nearly a year since Helene hit western North Carolina the road to reopen for small business owners can be challenging.

I spoke with 2 business owners about the journey:

spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/mountain/...

YouTube video by Reuben Jones Has Trump kept his promises on Helene recovery in North Carolina?

“It’s been a little bit of a roller coaster ride, honestly.”

6 months since President Trump took office how has the administration done with Helene recovery in western North Carolina?

I traveled to NC for a closer look.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=iYWI... #ncpol

6 months since taking office, has Trump kept his promises to N.C. on Helene? Survivors in western North Carolina say the Trump administration’s response to the historic storm has been mixed.

President Trump promised to fix what he said was a "horrible" response to Tropical Storm Helene in North Carolina by the Biden Administration.

6 months into his administration, has he followed through?

I traveled to western NC to find out.

spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/mountain/... #ncpol

Benefitting from Supreme Court ruling Alabama democrat charts course in Congress Shomari Figures talks about the past six months as a lawmaker

Alabama was forced to redraw its congressional map after the Supreme Court ruled in 23' it likely violated the Voting Rights Act.

That paved the way for @repscfigures.bsky.social who is the first Black lawmaker to represent his district in 200~ years.

Watch: spectrumlocalnews.com/sc/south-car...

This is what it currently looks like outside Union Station in DC.

Benefitting from Supreme Court ruling Alabama democrat charts course in Congress Shomari Figures talks about the past six months as a lawmaker

As redistricting takes focus one state is very familiar with the issue: Alabama.

After the Supreme Court threw out the state's congressional map the path was paved for @repscfigures.bsky.social

@reubenjones1.bsky.social sat down with him:
spectrumlocalnews.com/sc/south-car...

The history of Montgomery is often dark. Much of it runs through the heart of the city, along the Alabama River. For decades, the trafficking of tens of thousands of enslaved people who were brought to America from Africa was often glossed over. “You couldn’t find the word slave, slavery or enslavement anywhere in the city landscape,” Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, said. “This is a majority Black city.” In 2018, that changed in a big way, with the opening of the Legacy Museum – which provides an immersive journey through America’s complicated and often painful history of race relations. #SpectrumNews #Alabama #BryanStevenson #LegacyMuseum For more on this and the latest news from across the country: http://specne.ws/AeVey9 Watch live news: http://specne.ws/YTliveSN Get the Spectrum News App on all your favorite devices: http://specne.ws/GetSNApp2 How the Legacy Museum is changing the way people see America’s history

Bryan Stevenson, Executive Director of EJI, recently spoke with Spectrum News about the origin and expansion of the Legacy Sites in Downtown Montgomery.

Read the full article here: spectrumlocalnews.com/al/alabama/n...

Legacy Museum CEO reflects on Alabama museum's impact, current moment in history Montgomery was chosen as the location because much of its history is dark.

“I absolutely worry about the kind of counter narrative that says you should just ignore the history, you should not read that book"

More from my interview with Stevenson who was portrayed by Michael B. Jordan in the movie “Just Mercy”: spectrumlocalnews.com/al/alabama/n...

Legacy Museum CEO reflects on Alabama museum's impact, current moment in history Montgomery was chosen as the location because much of its history is dark.

One of the most impactful museums about the history of slavery in the U.S. is in the former capitol of the Confederacy: Montgomery, Alabama.

I traveled to the Legacy Museum to speak with founder Bryan Stevenson about what can be learned. @legacysites.eji.org

spectrumlocalnews.com/al/alabama/n...

Legacy Museum CEO reflects on Alabama museum's impact, current moment in history Montgomery was chosen as the location because much of its history is dark.

Seven years since the renowned civil rights Legacy Museum opened in Alabama a lot has changed.

I traveled to Montgomery to sit down with CEO Bryan Stevenson to discuss this moment in history and the impact of the museum. @legacysites.eji.org @eji.org

spectrumlocalnews.com/al/alabama/n...

Bill to combat tick-borne diseases named for Kay Hagan Legislation in Congress aims to combat the problem and it’s named after Kay Hagan, the North Carolina senator who died from the disease.

Tick-borne diseases are increasing in the U.S.

A bipartisan bill aims to combat this and it's named after former NC Sen. Kay Hagan who died from a tick-borne disease in 2019.

I interviewed Hagan's husband:

spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triad/new... #ncpol @kirstengillibrand.bsky.social

Future of AmeriCorps uncertain as Trump targets it President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for the year beginning October 1 calls for the elimination of the program.

Members of AmeriCorps were a key part of western North Carolina's recovery after Helene.

Now, the future of the program is in limbo as President Trump tries to eliminate it.

I traveled to NC for a closer look.

spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte...

New:

Former Rep. @wileynickel.com has officially exited the race for Senate in NC and endorsed @roycoopernc.bsky.social.

#ncpol #NCSEN

Rep. Don Davis has been exploring a run for Senate in NC.

Following Gov. Cooper’s entry, a person familiar tells me Davis is very glad to see someone from eastern NC getting in the Senate race.

Davis is from ENC and the Democrat represents the state’s biggest swing district.

Former Gov. Roy Cooper makes it official that he’s running for Senate. #ncpol

Wrapping up a packed week of on the ground reporting in North Carolina.

Lots of stories coming soon. #ncpol

NEW:

RNC Chair Michael Whatley will run for US Senate in NC and receive President Trump’s endorsement, sources with his NC campaign tell @timboyumnews.bsky.social.

First reported by Politico. #ncpol

I’m back in North Carolina for a reporting trip this week.

Stories coming soon.

Will PBS North Carolina have to make job cuts now that Congress has cut federal money from public broadcasting?

"I don't yet know.

Hear from longtime journalist and PBC NC CEO David Crabtree tonight at 7 on Capital Tonight. #ncpol

WFAE reduces staff to cope with difficult budget, loss of federal funding WFAE is reducing its workforce by a half-dozen staff members as it faces a difficult revenue environment and the loss of federal funding due to the defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting...

Charlotte NPR station @wfae.bsky.social says it's cutting 6 staff members.

This comes after Congress voted early this morning to cut $1.1 Billion from public broadcasting. #ncpol

www.wfae.org/inside-wfae/...