Cover

• Legislature: Some new voices, same tune, page 1
• Coalition seeks redistricting reform for voter choice, page 1

North Carolina

• Site gets ‘intense interest’ of Congressional staff, page 4

Education

• JLF analysts say student testing has failed, page 8
• Guilford Schools ease path for minority subcontractors, page 9
• Kakadelis commentary: Looking back on a dismal year, page 9
• CMS family wants school choice to help son, page 10
• Research: Certification doesn’t ensure high quality, page 11

Higher Education

• Carolina North project divides town and gown, page 12
• Democrats now formulating their higher-education agenda, page 13
• Leef commentary: Market will test online education, page 13
• Course of the month: No book, no second test, and — frequently — no class!, page 14
• With budget shortfall looming, UNC, Bowles seek more funding, page 14
• Issues in higher education: Alexander Hamilton Center stirs hopes, page 15

Local Government

• Are ETJ regulations stifling growth in Angier? page 16
• Audit questions sit-in group, page 17
• Adams commentary: Corruption ignored, page 17
• Charlotte Mill venture costly, page 18
• State loses class-actioni battle in appeals court, page 19

Learning Curve

• Book review: Street Smart makes case for private roads, page 20
• Kickler commentary: Quotes illustrate importance of fighting for freedom, page 21
• Movie review: “Facing the Giants” page 22
• Movie review: “Flags of Our Fathers” page 23

Opinion

• Chesser commentary: Values apply to all issues, page 24
• Editorial: How to make bonds appealing, page 24
• Editorial: Robust debate here to stay, page 25
• Hood commentary: Trade is now a partisan issue, page 25
• Walden commentary: Who’s winning the economic race in N.C., page 26
• Rotterman commentary: Republicans, not conservatives, lost on Nov. 7, page 27
• Letters to the editor, page 27

Parting Shot

• CJ parody: Gov. Mike Easley on the gift that keeps on giving, page 28