Cover

• The terrorist attacks Sept.11 apparently motivated the General Assembly to do something about loose licensing policies at the DMV,but not quite enough.Page 1

North Carolina

• The recent budget agreement includes provisions for families to become more de- pendent on the state for health care.Page 4
• The legislature moves closer toward bringing toll roads to North Carolina. Page 4
• Republicans go ballistic over the Demo- crats ’plan for House redistricting.Page 5

Education

• The new North Carolina Charter School Evalution Report offers interesting insights on charter schools.Page 6
• Did reductions in class size improve per- formance at Draper Elementary in Rockingham?Page 7
• Most teacher turnover in the state was the result of changing school districts.Page 8
• Reading and math testing performance at Vinson-Bynum Elementary School in Wilson rose 25 percent in three years. Page 9

Higher Education

• A UNC-Wilmington student blast e-mails a diatribe against the war,then threatens to sue because she doesn ’t like some of the replies.Page 10
• The war has inspired local universities and student organizations to sponsor sev- eral panel discussions.Page 10
• Campus patriots disrupt an antiwar rally at UNC-Chapel Hill Oct.27.Page 11
• A Harvard University poll finds that about 80 percent of college students nation- wide support U.S.airstrikes in Afghanistan. Page 11
• “Look,it ’s not like they attacked the U.S.,” says one Berkeley student protesting for peace,among many other leftists.Page 12
• “Women Fight Fundamentalisms ”(yes, plural)was the subject of a UNC-Chapel Hill two-day teach-in.Page 12
• Local university students bravely step back into battle,post-Sept.11,against rac- ism and sexism.Page 13

Local Government

• City governments grab for the pot of gold that lies behind red-light traffic cameras. Page 14
• Concerned citizens fight against Scotland County ’s floor tax,which requires taxpay- ers to fund the public school system at the state average per pupil.Page 15
• Matt Hisrich says protect citizens from eminent domain by replacing it with com- pensation based on open market negotia- tion.Page 15
• An interview with Lee County Commis- sioner Chad Adams.Page 16
• Jacksonville promises $1 million in match- ing funds for a museum;garbage is piling up in Whispering Pines;and other local news.Page 17

Learning Curve

• Reviews of Egalitarianism as a Revolt Against Nature and Other Essays by Murray Rothbard and the film Training Day . Page 18
• John Hood recommends several books on Islam,the Middle East,and Afghanistan. Page 19

Opinion

• Editorials on social promotion in schools and the General Assembly ’s marathon ses- sion.Page 20
• Editorials on the state ’s battle against il- legitimacy and Durham ’s hotel occupancy tax.Page 21
• Michael Walden on spending and the recession.Page 22
• George Leef says Teach for America shames the education establishment. Page 23

Parting Shot

• The real culprit has escaped to New Hampshire,but Authoritarianism Corre- spondent Vladimir Chang takes the fall for a too-subtle parody.Page 24