Gov. Cooper declines to block anti-riot bill + What would Michael Jordan net from selling the Hornets?

Hey, everyone! Happy St. Patty’s Day. Drew here. Well, my bracket’s busted... anyways, let’s go Pack!

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On to your news for today.

1. Tougher penalties for rioting become law in NC, as Gov. Cooper declines to block them

House Bill 40, legislation that would raise criminal penalties for rioting, will be come law in North Carolina.

Gov. Roy Cooper said today he’s letting the bill become law without his signature. Cooper vetoed similar legislation that Republican lawmakers introduced in 2021 due to concerns about the effect stricter penalties could have in deterring protesters from exercising their First Amendment rights.

He also acknowledged the new legislation had been amended to reflect some of the concerns critics have brought up.

Avi Bajpai reports on Cooper’s decision.

2. Michael Jordan reportedly wants to sell his stake in the Hornets. How much is it worth?

Late last night, reports surfaced that Charlotte Hornets owner and Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan is in talks to sell his majority stake in the team.

But how much would he net in a sale? In 2022, Forbes estimated the Hornets were worth $1.7 billion; the 27th-most valuable team in the NBA.

In 2010, Jordan purchased a majority stake in the team for $180 million.

Evan Moore gives a brief history of the Charlotte NBA team’s value over the years.

3. Mecklenburg County property revaluation notices hitting a mailbox near you

It’s property revaluation time here in Charlotte.

Today, Mecklenburg County is mailing out notices to hundreds of thousands of property owners with what’s expected to be much higher real estate assessed values — a key component that helps determine the next tax bill.

The revaluations are a culmination of more than two years of work.

Gordon Rago, Genna Contino and Gavin Off explain what property owners can expect.

4. Some more stories to read

• A new water attraction in SC is opening this weekend. How it compares to Charlotte’s

• Should Panthers draft CJ Stroud at No. 1 overall? Breaking down Ohio State QB’s game

• Trendy fashion retailer Zara is making its NC debut in Charlotte, report says

• Can you put ‘cornhole’ on an NC license plate? Not really or these other 10,000 messages

• ‘No permanency’: Despite legislative setbacks, North Carolina ‘Dreamer’ stays hopeful.

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