Union Point Park in New Bern was mostly underwater, barely recognizable. An extension of the Neuse and Trent rivers. But, watching on TV, we could tell it was — will again be — a park. Some benches were only half submerged, a few wooden slats…
Brock McCleary, president of Harper Polling, said Republicans should be worried about the recent Civitas Institute poll, which shows Democratic candidates in the lead. “I think it’s further evidence that the 2018 midterms are setting…
In North Carolina, state law empowers county commissions to oversee school facilities and the collection and appropriation of local tax dollars to school districts. Unlike other states, cities and towns in North Carolina have few direct responsibilities for the public schools in their jurisdiction. Traditionally, municipalities have undertaken infrastructure, zoning, and…
The way North Carolina governs alcoholic spirits must change, for myriad reasons. It breeds favoritism and corruption. It’s archaic, monopolistic, and, when comparing the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control system to its counterparts in neighboring states, downright embarrassing. Clearly, lawmakers need to reconfigure, if not…
This November, lawsuits permitting, North Carolinians will vote in referendums on six constitutional amendments. The issues they will address are crime victims’ rights, a right to hunt and fish, the method for filling vacancies on the states’ courts, the establishment of a bipartisan elections commission, a cap on…
Classic literature has fallen from favor in English class. The movement away from the literary canon, begun decades ago, has accelerated rapidly following adoption of Common Core standards by most states eight years ago. Some states, including North Carolina, have revised these standards. But the devaluation of classic literature is…
An Aug. 27 federal court ruling throwing out North Carolina’s congressional maps has added new complications to an unsettled election schedule. The decision adds another wrinkle to the state’s 2018 election. Over the course of 321 pages, a three-judge panel raised…
Red4EdNC, a nonprofit education advocacy group, isn’t happy with the state of public education in North Carolina. The group, composed of public school teachers, on Friday, Aug. 24, shared a litany of concerns with how the General Assembly has handled public education. Angela…
The potential impact of unaffiliated voters on the upcoming election was the focus of the Thursday, Aug. 23 discussion of latest statewide poll by Civitas. “Unaffiliated voters are the fastest growing and second largest block of voters in the state,” Donald Bryson,…
Environmental concerns are real and warranted, particularly when it comes to public health. The GenX chemical produced by Chemours has been found in water supplies and the impact on human health is still being explored. The company has installed carbon absorption units and promises a $100-million pollution reduction project. In…
