News
Country music star Eric Church to buy more land to house Helene victims
Eric Church looks to buy more land for Helene victims as the first development has sold out.
News
Private law enforcement group urges top NC court to reject TV reporter’s appeal
A private law enforcement agency is asking the North Carolina Supreme Court to reject a petition from Charlotte television news reporter Nick Ochsner. He seeks the names and addresses of two security guards involved in a fatal 2023 shooting.
News
Bill boosts parental control over health, sex ed, and school library materials
Legislation filed Monday in the NC House of Representatives aims to enhance parental oversight in health and sex education, ensure age-appropriate instruction, and regulate access to materials in schools and libraries.
News
Nothing could be finer: North Carolina’s happiest cities
Two North Carolina cities have cracked the top 30 in WalletHub’s first annual Happiest Cities in America report. The rankings were determined using 29 metrics, with Raleigh (22) and Durham (29) leading the way for North Carolina. Key factors included Emotional & Physical Well-Being, Income & Employment, and Community & Environment. Source: WalletHub While it’s...
News
NCDOT gives update on WNC roadways six months after Helene
Six months after Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has made significant progress in repairing roads and bridges that were damaged in the storm.
News
Judge allows ‘ballot selfie’ lawsuit to move forward, drops AG as defendant
A federal judge will allow a Wake County Libertarian voter to move forward with her lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s ban on “ballot selfies.” A court order Friday denied motions from most defendants to have the case dismissed.
Opinion
Opinion
NC school boards should be courageous, protect girls’ privacy
The girls of Cabarrus County deserve the same Spartan courage Union County showed against Cooper, Cohen, and the left-wing administration in Raleigh.
Opinion
Federalist 20: Insufficiency of Present Confederation to Preserve Union cont..
Experience is the oracle of truth; and where its responses are unequivocal, they ought to be conclusive and sacred.
Opinion
Recipe for good government
The documents that reflect the ingredients of good government have been preserved because of their importance to all North Carolinians.
Opinion
Budget deal sets up a busy week
As lawmakers finalize the details of that budget, I hope they take one more factor into consideration: NC is not adequately prepared for another natural or economic disaster.
Elections
News
Boliek sworn in as state auditor, says he’ll start with audit of DMV
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.
News
2024 in review: A year of civic engagement in NC
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.
News
Trump nominates Bishop to be deputy director for budget at OMB
"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."
News
Democrats want federal court to address GOP challenge of 60,000 NC ballots
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.
News
Griffin asks Appeals Court to order decision on election protests by Tuesday
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.
Videos
Video
UNC-Asheville whistleblower complaint explored
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.
Video
Locke’s Mitch Kokai analyzes NC’s marquee Senate race
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).
Video
Locke’s Donald Bryson analyzes NC teacher pay proposals
John Locke Foundation CEO Donald Bryson discusses current ideas for raising teacher pay in North Carolina. Bryson offered these comments during the April 10, 2026, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”
Video
Locke’s Mitch Kokai analyzes Berger’s election concession
Mitch Kokai, John Locke Foundation senior political analyst, discusses Sen. Phil Berger’s concession in his primary election loss to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page. Kokai offered these comments during the March 27, 2026, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”
Video
Carolina Journal analyzes Berger’s election concession
Nick Craig of the Carolina Journal News Hour and the John Locke Foundation’s Mitch Kokai discuss Senate Leader Phil Berger’s election concession on March 24, 2026.
Culture
News
Eric Church’s viral commencement to UNC Class of ’26
“The world does not need another cover song, it needs an original,” Church said.
News
Rally urges NC lawmakers to protect female school spaces
Following the rally, Vaughan confirmed the NC Values Coalition is speaking with lawmakers about possible legislation this session to protect females in bathroom facilities.
Civil Society
Opinion
The importance of civic engagement 250 years after the founding
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.
Opinion
Institute fosters stronger public leadership
Times change. When we introduce IOPL to potential fellows, partners, and donors, some hear the word “political” and think “toxic,” or at least “partisan.”
Opinion
NC leaders champion post-election unity through ‘Civic Saturdays’
Like a faith gathering, it incorporated music, fellowship, shared meals, and thoughtful discourse — but with democracy as its central theme.
Opinion
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...
Opinion
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...