Government Shutdown

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will offer 50% of typical benefits in November using a reserve fund. North Carolina was one of the states that sued to require it to use that money amid federal shutdown.

The federal program provides food, formula and support to about 262,000 people in North Carolina.

While Virginia’s Republican governor announced plans this week to continue SNAP benefits in November using state funding, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein doesn’t have the power to make a similar move.

The Trump Administration has said it will not use reserve funds to continue providing SNAP amid the federal shutdown. More than 1.3 million North Carolinians use the program to buy food.

North Carolina federal employees and others across the nation aren’t getting paid, leaving them to lean on their communities for basic necessities like food.

Federal employees impacted by the government shutdown can apply for unemployment benefits from the state while they are furloughed. However, if they receive backpay from their employer, the benefits must be paid back to the state.

Each threatened shutdown can lead to stress in the military community about missing paychecks and losing access to federal programs.

North Carolinians who rely on food and nutrition benefits could be among the first to feel the effects of a federal government shutdown. The shutdown could also close National Parks, and stop paychecks for airport workers and Air Force Base service members.

When a Vietnam War veteran died Christmas Eve with no family nearby, a community of veterans, a friend and military supporters in North Carolina stepped…

President Trump is speaking about border security at the White House.Congress passed a compromise spending measure Thursday to avert a government shutdown…