State Rep. Joe Hackney won’t be in line for another term as House speaker, but he hopes to serve as the Democrats’ leader when the General Assembly convenes in January.

Republicans swept both chambers in the Nov. 2 general election, and the GOP plans to nominate Thom Tillis, of Mecklen-burg County, as the new speaker.

But Hackney announced last Friday that he plans to seek the position of House minority leader in January. The Chapel Hill attorney has served as speaker for the past four years.

“Next year, we must cooperate with the new Republican majority when their direction is good for North Carolina,” Hackney said in a news release. “But we must vigorously oppose them when they seek to move North Carolina in the wrong direction, such as when they act to erode the quality of our public education, or our excellent business climate.”

Hackney serves a district that includes one and a half precincts in Moore County.

TRANSITION — State Sen. Phil Berger, of Rockingham, who will lead the Republicans in the new legislature, has named members of a transition team to prepare for the change in leadership.

Sen. Bob Rucho, of Mecklenburg County, and Sen. Richard Stevens, of Wake County, will lead the team. The transition team will prepare the Senate Republican Caucus to take control when the legislature convenes on Jan. 26.

FETZER — Tom Fetzer will turn in his resignation as chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party in January.

In his announcement Saturday to the GOP Central Committee, Fetzer cited family reasons for his resignation.

Former Congressman Robin Hayes has indicated that he will seek the chairmanship. Hayes is a former gubernatorial candidate and was the District 8 congressman until 2008, when he was unseated by Democrat Larry Kissell.

Fetzer is a former mayor of Raleigh. His successor, to be chosen at a Jan. 15 meeting of the GOP state executive committee, will serve until the state convention in June. Hayes will be eligible to seek a two-year term as chairman at the convention.

CLOSINGS — Thanksgiving Day is a holiday for all local, state and federal offices.

State and county offices, along with most municipal offices, will be closed both Thursday and Friday.

The Moore County public schools are closed today (Wednesday) as well as Thursday and Friday. This applies to schools on the traditional schedule and year-round schools.

Thanksgiving is also a bank holiday. Post offices will be closed and there will be no home delivery Thursday.

The Pilot office will be closed Thursday, but the Friday edition will be published as usual.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at florence@thepilot.com.