Gaston County District Attorney Locke Bell took issue Wednesday with a proposed county mass gathering ordinance commissioners could consider later this month.
Bell cited jurisdictional and enforcement concerns related to the ordinance, which seeks to impose a fee on those who organize a protest or any other type of mass gathering of more than 25 people. They have not thought this thing through, Bell said. If 25 kids want to get together around the flag pole at school and pray, does that mean they ll have to get a permit? If 25 kids want to gather at a football field, on county property, and pray before a game will they need a permit? What about the National Day of Prayer?
By Staff reports
Gaston County government announced it plans to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed against
The Gazette, and that the county s attorney said he has been tasked with finding an alternative paper of record for the required legal notice advertising the county does with the newspaper.
County leaders threatened to shift $70,000-$100,000 annually away from
The Gazette, a move that some experts said might be unconstitutional.
Michael Grygiel, an attorney representing the newspaper, called the plede to dismiss the lawsuit a win for freedom of the press. We are pleased the county apparently recognized the First Amendment imposes a zero-tolerance limit for defamation lawsuits brought by governmental bodies based on news reports critical of their official actions, Grygiel said Friday.