Cover

• Easley ethics forms omitted rental income
• How much does your congressman cost?

North Carolina

• Chapel Hill’s Hookah Bliss plans to defy new smoking ban, Page 4
• Forced annexation pits towns against residents in western N.C., Page 5
• Cowell proposal brings risks to pension, Page 6
• N.C. briefs, Page 6
• Realtors’ Kent recounts 24-0 record against land transfer tax, Page 7

Education

• Reformers and old guard knock heads on Wake school board, Page 9
• Kristen Blair commentary: Skills vs. substance: 21st century smackdown?, Page 9
• N.C. school systems slightly more parent-friendly, Page 10
• North Carolina stands pat in effort to win ‘Race to the Top’ grant, Page 11
• ‘Wacky Wednesday’ policy unusual for N.C. districts, Page 12

Higher Education

• UNC spending: much more than instruction, Page 13
• Campus briefs, Page 13
• Apart no more? Nation’s HBCUs heading into an era of change, Page 14
• George Leef commentary: Privatize UNC School of the Arts?, Page 14
• Issues in Higher Education: A realistic way to think of college administrators: self-interested, Page 15

Local Government

• Yadking jail raises issue of judge’s power, Page 16
• Town and county, Page 16
• Court rules against Union’s public facilities ordinance, Page 17
• Michael Lowrey commentary: Charlotte’s eastside quandary, Page 17
• Meck sixth locality to approve same-sex partner benefits, Page 18
• Local Innovation Bulletin Board, Page 18
• Greensboro City Council in choppy waters over aquatic center, Page 19

Learning Curve

• Book review: Whatever happened to growing up and moving out?, Page 20
• From the Liberty Library, Page 20
• Troy Kickler commentary: Slave Omar ibn Said important figure in North Carolina history, Page 21
• Book review: Rogue a story of accomplishments, Page 22
• Short Takes on Culture, Page 22
• Book review: Brookhiser’s Right Time, Right Place works on different levels, Page 23

Opinion

• Editorial: Hagan’s health care tax hikes, Page 24
• Roy Cordato commentary: Tax reform should honor first principles, Page 24
• Editorial: Rancid Davis-Bacon, Page 25
• Editorial: Treasurer’s bad idea, Page 25
• John Hood commentary: Stop digging the debt hole, Page 25
• Michael Walden commentary: Is tax reform in N.C.’s future?, Page 26
• Editorial briefs, Page 26
• Andy Taylor commentary: Will 2010 be 1994 redux?, Page 27
• Becki Gray commentary: N.C. stimulus funds stimulated government, Page 27

Parting Shot

• Sneak peek: Mike Easley tell-all Alligator Arms (a CJ parody), Page 28