North Carolina professional basketball fans can rejoice: The 68th NBA All-Star Championship will be held Feb. 17, 2019, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. Charlotte originally was set to host the 2017 All-Star Championship, but the NBA rescinded the award in response to House Bill 2, otherwise known as the “bathroom bill.” In March, the...
The N.C. Department of Justice is considering how to respond to a Superior Court judge’s ruling that the state unconstitutionally charged health insurance premiums to state retirees. Already wracked by $42 billion in unfunded liabilities, the State Health Plan might have to absorb billions of dollars more in unanticipated costs, which could foil plans to...
Gov. Roy Cooper briefly visited Franklinton High School on May 23 for a tour, but he didn’t miss the chance to criticize the Senate budget and to push his own plans. “Let’s face it, the last few years, the investment in public education has not been sufficient,” Cooper, a Democrat, said. “In this Senate budget...
It’s attracted less attention than craft brewing, but North Carolina’s craft distillery business also has seen substantial growth in recent years. Carolina Journal Managing Editor John Trump details the impact of that growth in his new craft distillery guidebook, Still And Barrel. He highlighted key themes from the book during a presentation Monday for the...
CHAPEL HILL — A proposal to block academic centers from entering into lawsuits won’t harm the University of North Carolina law school’s Center for Civil Rights, Steve Long, a member of the UNC Board of Governors, told Carolina Journal. In February, Long introduced a plan to bar the UNC center — which conducts research and operates...
The principal purposes to be answered by union are these the common defense of the members; the preservation of the public peace as well against internal convulsions as external attacks; the regulation of commerce with other nations and between the States; the superintendence of our intercourse, political and commercial, with foreign countries.
Access and enforcement can co-exist, and the State Board of Elections should align its rules with the statute.
Medical spending in the US as a share of gross domestic product was 15% lower than projected 14 years earlier, and indeed was only “marginally higher” than in 2010.
Any organization receiving public payroll deductions should annually certify that it meets the law’s requirements and provide documentation sufficient to verify its membership and eligibility.
On Wednesday, Dave Boliek was sworn in as the new state auditor of North Carolina and announced his hires for senior staff and says he will start work with an audit of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The year 2024 was marked by significant developments across politics, the economy, education, and energy in North Carolina. As one of the nation’s most dynamic and closely watched states, it played a pivotal role in shaping regional and national conversations.
"Dan has been a tireless fighter for our MAGA Movement in the House of Representatives on the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees," Trump said in a press release issued Tuesday night. "Dan will implement my cost-cutting and deregulatory agenda across all Agencies, and root out the Weaponized Deep State."
The North Carolina Democratic Party filed a lawsuit Friday to ensure challenges of 60,000 ballots in the state's latest election are addressed in federal court. Republicans filed the challenges with the State Board of Elections. The challenges could affect the outcome of the state Supreme Court race between Democrat Allison Riggs and Jefferson Griffin, along with a handful of state legislative contests.
Republican North Carolina Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin is turning to North Carolina’s second-highest court for an order that would force state election officials to make a final decision about Griffin’s election protests Tuesday. The State Board of Elections had planned to hear oral arguments about the protests the following day, according to a document Griffin filed Friday with the state Court of Appeals.
This week on The Debrief, we break down the latest on Helene recovery efforts and Lake Lure bridge safety, where rebuilding, public access and long-term infrastructure questions remain front and center. We also bring you an update on North Carolina’s budget process, examine the renewed push to abolish the US Department of Education and what...
This week on The Debrief, Mitch Kokai and Donna King discuss the remaining covid lawsuits and other court cases in North Carolina. Plus, North Carolina State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes sat down with Carolina Journal’s Theresa Opeka to talk about his first year in office, including his accomplishments and what’s on the...
Donna King, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses major developments in North Carolina’s ongoing state budget debate. King offered these comments during the May 15, 2026, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”
Carolina Journal reporter David Bass speaks with former University of North Carolina at Asheville research assistant Aidan Settman about his whistleblower complaint against the university.
Mitch Kokai, John Locke Foundation senior political analyst, discusses North Carolina’s high-profile US Senate race. Kokai offered these comments during an April 21, 2026, interview with WNCN (CBS17).
A bill prohibting the possesion and sale of hemp-derived and Kratom products by any under 21 was voted throught to the House Rules Committee.
NC lawmakers consider a $10 fee on strip clubs serving alcohol, sparking debate over sexual assault funding and First Amendment rights.
The future of American civic life depends on students' continued willingness to learn real lessons from the nation's past.
As the Carolina Hurricanes continue to make their way through the Stanley Cup Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights, state Treasurer Brad Briner made known that North Carolina was presented with the opportunity to buy part of the franchise last year, but passed.
What YMCA's Youth and Government program is doing is remarkable. This year’s conference garnered interest from NC state legislators, mayors, policy analysts, and state officials.
Times change. When we introduce IOPL to potential fellows, partners, and donors, some hear the word “political” and think “toxic,” or at least “partisan.”
Like a faith gathering, it incorporated music, fellowship, shared meals, and thoughtful discourse — but with democracy as its central theme.
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...
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...