A court battle over legislative redistricting escalated Tuesday, July 2, into a tug-of-war over records that may or may not be considered public. The decision over the private/public question could be a game-changer in a lawsuit involving allegations of partisan gerrymandering. The dynamics of a fractured…
While initial rulings in the Leandro case had nothing directly to do with charter schools, recent discussions are bringing the traditional public school alternative into the conversation. Terry Stoops is vice president of research and director of education studies…
N.C. lawmakers, one could argue, have had unprecedented success this legislative session in reforming the state’s archaic laws governing spirituous liquor. Senate Bill 290 — which passed the Senate, 39-4, and was sent to the House, where it passed the House ABC Committee and now sits…
During a Friday, June 28, conference call, the State Board of Education agreed to delay implementing Istation, the state’s newly picked K-3 reading diagnostic tool. The decision, proposed by the Department of Public Instruction, resulted from concerns about a compressed timeline to put…
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 1:30 p.m. June 25 to clarify a fee regarding expungements. In April, Raleigh-based law firm Osborn, Gambale, Beckley, and Budd launched an RV-based legal clinic providing free legal advice to communities that lack services nearby. Most…
A new poll from Triangle Community Coalition and Fallon Research and Communications show Raleigh residents are torn between concerns over housing prices and the rate of growth in the city. Fallon Research surveyed 401 likely…
Just days after warning of the need to regulate solar panel disposal, Sen. Paul Newton, R-Cabarrus, scrapped his bill for a relaxed version. Facing opposition from solar-friendly senators and the renewable energy lobby, Newton gave regulators…
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, June 19, approved a bill making it easier for former criminal offenders to become licensed professionals. The measure, which passed the House by unanimous vote May 3, now heads to the Senate Rules Committee. Hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians…
A bill that would align laws for North Carolina craft distilleries more closely with rules governing wine and craft beer easily cleared the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, June 18. It now heads to Senate Rules. Senate Bill 290, Distiller Regulatory Reform Bill,…
North Carolina’s criminal code is a muddled, archaic monstrosity. The laws that govern criminal behavior are often unclear, encouraging senseless litigation and allowing bad actors to slip through the cracks. Many of these laws predate the American Revolution. And thanks to years of inattention, these laws are scattered throughout thousands…
