Cover

• Easley cops felony plea
• Media reports drove Easley investigation

North Carolina

• GOP leaders predict fiscal pain for N.C. budget, Page 2
• Few details available of what’s to be cut in UNC system budget, Page 3
• Stream reclassification proposal irks Transylvania residents, Page 4
• Hoyle says law requires state to hang onto 7,000 tax refunds, Page 5
• Host of N.C. lawmakers take no-new-taxes pledge, Page 15

Education

• Youth Giving Network pushes charity of the corporate variety, Page 7
• Terry Stoops commentary: ACTing out, Page 7
• Sugar Creek Charter hits sweet spot with students, Page 8
• New GOP majority ready to tackle charters, other K-12 issues, Page 9

Higher Education

• Three N.C. educators win ‘Spirit of Inquiry’ awards, Page 17
• Jane Shaw commentary: Economics: Not so dismal, Page 17
• Facts and figures show higher-ed shortcomings, Page 18
• Campus Briefs, Page 18
• Issues in Higher Education: True believers see ivory tower as society’s problem solver, Page 19

Local Government

• Durham OKs use of Mexican ID card, Page 10
• Town and County, Page 10
• New Greensboro Police Chief Confronts Downtown Crime, Page 11
• Michael Lowrey commentary: Glass half-full on tax referendums, Page 11
• Car tax revenue takes nosedive, Page 12
• From the Newsstands, Page 12
• Hot dog vendor jailed repeatedly for operating without license, Page 13

Learning Curve

• Book review: Freedom has inadvertently conservative message, Page 20
• From the Liberty Library, Page 20
• Troy Kickler commentary: Talk of third parties not a new political phenomenon in the U.S., Page 21
• Book review: Slivinski has good advice for GOP, Page 22
• Short Takes on Culture, Page 22
• Book review: Voegeli shows that, for liberals, there’s never enough spending, Page 23

Opinion

• Editorial: Gov. Easley, we apologize, Page 24
• Becki Gray commentary: Stick to the plan, man, Page 24
• Editorial: Two barbells to lift, Page 25
• Editorial: Destruction underway, Page 25
• John Hood commentary: Adjusting to political reality, Page 25
• Michael Walden commentary: Facing economic realities, Page 26
• Editorial Briefs, Page 26
• Andy Taylor commentary: Tar Heel State now a bit redder, Page 27
• Marc Rotterman commentary: An opportunity to rebuild America, Page 27

Parting Shot

• Gov. Perdue decides to stay in touch with the TSA (a CJ parody), Page 28