Cover

• Clues point to undisclosed air service for governor
• Half of sampled school lunch applicants can’t prove eligibility

North Carolina

• Easley, Campbells silent on flying activities, Page 2
• Ethanol firm officials indicted in bribery, extortion, Page 4
• Peer review raises serious questions about climate change, Page 4
• State employees’ health plan in crisis, Page 5
• North Carolina bankrolled climate change nonprofit, Page 6

Education

• New N.C. dropout grants have little impact on grad rates, Page 9
• Kristen Blair commentary: Old drug war, new enemy, Page 9
• Guilford schools move at snail’s pace on bonds, Page 10
• More families in North Carolina choosing to homeschool, Page 11
• Change in test causes drop in scores, Page 12

Higher Education

• UNC trustees could be on collision course with BOG, Page 13
• Point/Counterpoint: Football at UNCC, page 14
• George Leef commentary: Accountability for colleges — or accountability for students? Page 15

Local Government

• Court: Preservationist panel in error, Page 16
• Drought law could permit regulation of private wells, Page 17
• Chad Adams commentary: Financial chickens coming home to roost, Page 17
• Local Innovation Bulletin Board, Page 18
• Local governments cut outlays as economy slows, Page 18
• Taxpayers pay price for lightly used Charlotte light-rail line, Page 19

Learning Curve

• Book review: Reid Buckley’s An American Family, the Buckleys, Page 20
• From the Liberty Library, Page 20
• Troy Kickler commentary: N.C. has a rich history of resisting oppressive taxation laws, Page 21
• Short Takes on Culture, Page 22
• Book review: Daniel Shapiro’s Is the Welfare State Justified?, Page 22
• Book review: Don Corace’s Government Pirates, Page 23

Opinion

• Michael Lowrey commentary: Criminal injustice in Durham, Page 24
• Editorial: Beware of widget salesmen, Page 24
• Editorial: CON is a con, Page 25
• Editorial: Educational hope, Page 25
• John Hood commentary: The problems with fuzzy definitions, Page 25
• Michael Walden commentary: What’s a worker worth? Page 26
• Becki Gray commentary: Keep calm and carry on, Page 27
• Letters to the editor, Page 27

Parting Shot

• Easley proposes NASCAR sponsorship bailout plan (a CJ parody, Page 28