Cover

• Slush funds survive party change
• Appeals Court blocks state beach claim

North Carolina

• Local taxes and fees increase in 2009 over 2008, Page 2
• Bill would impose tax on appliances lacking energy certificate, Page 3
• Cities, lawmakers, tussle over broadband, Page 4
• N.C. Briefs, Page 4
• Taxpayer Bill of Rights would limit growth of N.C. General Fund, Page 5
• Legislation would make state employees pay health premiums, Page 6

Education

• USDA nixes using school lunch data for assignment purpose, Page 7
• Terry Stoops commentary: Collective bargaining and educational outcomes, Page 7
• School staff recruits students to lobby vs. charters, Page 8
• JLF education analyst calls for testing ‘repeal and replace,’ Page 9

Higher Education

• NCCollegeFinder.org helps ease search for a college, Page 17
• Duke Cheston commentary: High priests of diversity, Page 17
• Core curriculum mixed bag for N.C. colleges, Page 18
• Campus Briefs, Page 18
• Issues in Higher Education: Veiled Intentions: The ‘Ground Zero’ imam speaks at UNC-CH, Page 19

Local Government

• COGs face scrutiny in tight budget times, Page 10
• Town and County, Page 10
• Objections from some in GOP sink Sunshine Amendment, Page 11
• Michael Lowrey commentary: Local govt’s: WHAT recession?, Page 11
• Charlotte water-usage charges anger state’s environmentalists, Page 12
• From the Newsstands, Page 12
• Residents of one of N.C.’s poorest counties riled over 42% raise, Page 13

Learning Curve

• Book review: Revenge raises many questions but offers few answers, Page 20
• From the Liberty Library, Page 20
• Troy Kickler commentary: ‘Gentleman Pirate’ had brief but eventful plundering career, Page 21
• Merlefest succeeds with harmony, Page 22
• Short Takes on Culture, Page 22
• Book review: Malanga: Conspiracy of pols, interest groups robbing taxpayers, Page 23

Opinion

• Editorial: Stop the sleaze, Page 24
• Becki Gray commentary: Different approaches to job creation, Page 24
• John Hood commentary: How the GOP is doing so far, Page 25
• Editorial: The emerging suburbs, Page 25
• Editorial: Starving freedom, Page 25
• Michael Walden commentary: ‘Loss of clout’ worries overblown, Page 26
• Editorial Briefs, Page 26
• Andy Taylor commentary: The rule of ‘experts’ in government, Page 27
• Marc Rotterman commentary: Scott Walker’s PATCO moment, Page 27

Parting Shot

• Basnight scours Earth’s resorts for warming evidence (a CJ parody), Page 28