News - Carolina Journal

NC taxes on wireless internet services hold steady as national rates rises

North Carolina’s taxes on cellular users are 9.12%, more than three percent below the national average of 12.82 percent. The state rate increased only slightly from 9.05% in 2023. Nationwide, wireless service taxes increased 8.8% on average nationwide in 2024, according to a new report from the Tax Foundation. State and local taxes on wireless...

Katherine Zehnder

Federal judge rejects injunction in UNC tennis player’s lawsuit against NCAA

A federal judge has denied a University of North Carolina tennis player’s request for an injunction blocking the NCAA from enforcing its rules against student-athletes accepting prize money from pro sports competition.

CJ Staff

Local government causes stir with public support for tax increase referendum

A recent social media post by the town of Cornelius has caused in a stir in Mecklenburg County, as some believe local municipalities are expressing public support for a proposed one cent county sales tax increase referendum, conduct which may violate state law. The referendum may also appear on the ballot next year. At a board meeting...

Zach Rounceville

NC students surpass pre-pandemic AP course performance levels

North Carolina high school students participating in college-level Advanced Placement courses have set new records during the 2023-24 academic year. The new numbers mark a rebound from the setbacks experienced during the pandemic. The latest data from the NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and the College Board reveals that over 155,000 AP exams were administered,...

David N. Bass

Let’s be realistic about bipartisanship

In a more civil climate, one in which Democrats and Republicans have more productive discussions, you will still be routinely disappointed with outcomes.

John Hood

Honoring the patriotic women of NC’s Edenton Tea Party 250 years later

On Oct. 25, 1774 (250 years ago this month), 51 ladies in Edenton signed a statement supporting their husbands’ boycotts of tea and other British products.Their “tea party” is one of the first overt political activities by women in the 13 colonies.

Jane Shaw Stroup

Steer clear of auto insurance safe-driving discounts

Data monitoring could be the reason your rates go up even if you’re really a safe driver. Progressive, for example, says that 20% of those who enroll in its UBI program end up seeing a rate increase.

John T. Wheatley

Be skeptical of the skeptics too

If you fell for a few of these bizarre theories, don't feel bad. It happens to the best of us. Use it as a lesson on how to find better sources of information during the next major event.

Gov. Cooper’s flawed logic on choice in education

Cooper is not opposed to funding the education of wealthy children in public schools, so his objection is about controlling where those public dollars go — favoring public schools over the freedom for parents to choose a private school.

Donald Bryson

NCSBE forging ahead with WNC voting process after Helene

The aftermath of Helene will not hinder the election process in North Carolina, say state elections officials

Theresa Opeka

Young voter turnout rates are on the rise

More than forty million members of Generation Z will be eligible to vote in the 2024 election. This generation has higher rates of voting than previous ones did when they were young adults.

Kaitlyn Potts

Gender rift in 2024 presidential election shows in NC, national polling

A sleeper issue this year could have a potentially decisive impact on the way the election goes, including right here in North Carolina—the way men will end up voting.

David N. Bass

Robinson back on campaign trail with plans to ‘take CNN to task’ amid staff shake-up

Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson was in Wilkes County Monday, back on the campaign trail after a weekend of resignations among staff and a CNN report late last week alleging he made inflammatory posts on porn websites more than a decade ago.

CJ Staff

NCSBE faces second lawsuit from Republicans over alleged HAVA violations

In less than one week, the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the North Carolina GOP (NCGOP) are once again suing the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE).

Theresa Opeka

RFK Jr. wins legal battles with Democrat groups in three states, including North Carolina

On Friday, the campaign touted victories against DNC challenges in Maine, New Jersey, and North Carolina, calling the partisan legal efforts "frivolous and often comical." Groups aligned with the DNC, such as the super PAC Clear Choice Action, have filed challenges to prevent Kennedy from appearing on the presidential ticket in the lead-up to the November election.

Brianna Kraemer

Locke’s Brooke Medina discusses political impact of Helene’s destruction

Brooke Medina, John Locke Foundation vice president of communications, discusses the impact of Hurricane Helene on North Carolina’s 2024 elections. Medina offered these comments during the Oct. 4, 2024, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Brooke Medina

The Debrief: the latest on Hurricane Helene

This week on the Debrief, the latest in rescue and recovery from Hurricane Helene, including how the North Carolina State Board of Elections will handle the upcoming election in WNC. A hearing is scheduled in Republican’s lawsuit over thousands of voter registrations that they argue violate federal election law. Plus, North Carolina ports stop work...

Locke’s Mitch Kokai analyzes Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s response to CNN controversy

Mitch Kokai, John Locke Foundation senior political analyst, discusses North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s response to a CNN report about objectionable online comments. Kokai offered these remarks during the Sept. 27, 2024, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Mitch Kokai

Locke’s Mitch Kokai discusses Carolina Journal’s coverage of the Mark Robinson controversy

Mitch Kokai, John Locke Foundation senior political analyst, discusses Carolina Journal’s approach to a controversial story involving Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s past. Kokai offered these comments during the Sept. 20, 2024, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Mitch Kokai

Carolina Journal’s Donna King analyzes controversy surrounding NC Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson

Donna King, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses the controversy surrounding North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor. King offered these comments during a Sept. 19, 2024, interview on CBS News.

Donna King

Debrief: State Legislature passes Opportunity Scholarship Funding

This week on the Debrief, the presidential debate puts the candidates in a dead heat in North Carolina, plus there’s a squabble over the lieutenant governor debate.

Let’s be realistic about bipartisanship

In a more civil climate, one in which Democrats and Republicans have more productive discussions, you will still be routinely disappointed with outcomes.

John Hood

Coolest Thing Made in NC awards go to local snack business and jet innovation

This year’s nomination pool was the largest of the five years the Chamber's contest has been running. The state’s innovative manufacturing industry generates more than 17% of the gross state product and employs more than 10% of the state’s workforce.

Brianna Kraemer

NC leaders mark anniversary of Oct.7 attacks in Israel

State and federal lawmakers honor the first anniversary of 10/7.

Katherine Zehnder

Movie Review: Vindicating Trump

A review of Dinesh D'Souza's Vindicating Trump.

Katherine Zehnder

The uplifting human response to the hell of Helene

As we wait to learn the full extent of the devastation, this uplifting human response from locals is already buoying the spirit of these traumatized communities.

Jeff Moore

For healthy civil society, politics needs to stay in its lane

Political and cultural causes are important. They motivate us to make the world around us better and hone our sense of justice. Also, the excitement of fighting the good fight can be, for lack of a better word, fun. But everything has its time and place. And even if we think a particular political issue...

Flashback: North Carolina’s Easter Monday tradition forged on the baseball diamond

On Good Friday state offices will be closed in North Carolina for Holy Week, along with 10 other states. However, that has not always been the case in North Carolina. The Monday after Easter — rather than Good Friday — was a legal holiday in North Carolina for 52 years, and for many years before...

Dallas Woodhouse

Carolina Journal’s Donna King discusses Disney going ‘woke’

Donna King, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses Disney’s controversial programming changes. King offered these comments during the April 8, 2022, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “Front Row with Marc Rotterman.”

Donna King

Locke’s Mitch Kokai discusses New York Times’ warning about free speech

Mitch Kokai, John Locke Foundation senior political analyst, discusses the New York Times’ column warning about America’s “free-speech problem.” Kokai offered these comments during the March 25, 2022, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “Front Row with Marc Rotterman.”

Mitch Kokai

Jordan Peterson returns to Durham 4 years after city moves to ‘cancel’ him

Canadian professor, author, and psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson on Thursday offered a non-political and largely academic lecture on the psychology of beauty, dreams, and purpose. The reaction from city officials and activists to the address at the Durham Performing Arts Center was night-and-day from the one leading up to his appearance four years earlier. It...

Ukrainian people in NC rally to support homeland

As the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine continues to escalate, North Carolina’s local Ukrainian population is rallying to bring attention to the suffering of people in their homeland and to gather supplies to help them. Donna Goldstein, co-president of the Ukrainian Association of North Carolina, finds herself at the forefront of these efforts. Goldstein has...