A plan by State Treasurer Dale Folwell to reform the nearly insolvent State Health Plan faces legislative pushback, prodded by hospitals and large medical providers. Folwell has no plan to abandon the reforms, which actuaries say would prevent the plan from going broke within four years.
After a week of public turmoil and bad press, University of North Carolina Board of Governors member Steve Long opened a March 22 meeting at Appalachian State University by offering his regrets for how he handled his criticism of board Chairman Harry Smith. On March…
Carolina Journal Executive Editor Don Carrington knows a thing or two about uncovering stories of corruption in government. As an investigative reporter for CJ Carrington has broken several stories detailing cases of government corruption and incompetence. Carolina Journal Associate Editor Lindsay Marchello sat down with Carrington on…
Gov. Roy Cooper and his staff laid out a comprehensive plan to sell the public on the approval of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and a $57.8 million discretionary fund connected to the project, documents show. The parties involved in this PR campaign included the N.C. Democratic Party, Cooper’s campaign manager,…
A bill in the N.C. House would authorize public colleges and universities to allow the sale of alcohol at stadiums, athletic facilities, and arenas located on school property. Reps. John Bell, R-Greene; James Boles Jr., R-Moore; Ken Goodman, D-Richmond; and David Lewis, R-Harnett, are the primary…
Lawmakers in the House are working to give the Senate some options for changing how school performance grades are calculated, including one change that would split the single performance grade into two separate grades for achievement and growth. The House K-12 Education Committee approved a…
North Carolina high schoolers may be required to pass a financial literacy course in order to graduate, but a certified financial planner says children should start learning about finances even earlier and parents can take the initiative to teach these lessons. A bipartisan proposal to…
Allies of UNC System Board of Governors Chairman Harry Smith are trying to silence a critic on the board, Carolina Journal has learned. Board member Tom Fetzer is lining up votes to introduce an official resolution of censure against Steve Long, a board member…
Republican legislative leaders have reached agreement on a 2019-20 General Fund budget cap of slightly more than $24 billion, shaving about $500 million from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s proposed spending plan. (See Editor’s note at end of this story.) Senate leader…
The child welfare component of the state’s NC FAST computer system is a $92 million money pit. Its epic malfunction is putting children’s safety at risk. State Department of Health and Human Services officials and directors of county social services departments gave that grim assessment to…
