Cover

• N.C. rejects exchange, Medicaid expansion
• State’s ‘unjust land grab’ attempt continues

North Carolina

• Renewable energy mandates may face changes, Page 2
• McCrory signs bill designed to help pay state’s UI debt to feds, Page 3
• Soles choice reveals state award shortcomings, Page 4
• State Briefs, Page 4
• N.C. doctors and hospitals battle over certificate-of-need law, Page 5
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau eyeing retirement savings, Page 6

Education

• Rules commission rejects ban on Pre-K religious instruction, Page 7
• Kristen Blair commentary: In the shallows on school violence, Page 7
• School choice advocates turn attention to funding alternatives, Page 8
• Advocates pushing for more charters in rural areas, Page 9

Higher Education

• N.C. couple backs center promoting study of liberty, Page 17
• Jay Schalin commentary: UNC’s cure worse than the disease?, Page 17
• UNC system considers more out-of-state students, Page 18
• Campus Briefs, Page 18
• Issues in Higher Education: Competition bringing marketplace mechanisms to campuses, Page 19

Local Government

• Sparks fly as CLT authority bill moves ahead, Page 10
• Town and County, Page 10
• Cumberland County connects premiums to employee health, Page 11
• Michael Lowrey commentary: US-American merger shouldn’t hurt Charlotte, Page 11
• Court: Counties can’t change property revaluations arbitrarily, Page 12
• Amendments limiting union activity may go to voters, Page 13

Learning Curve

• Book review: Essays on voluntary aid shatter myths of welfare state, Page 20
• From the Liberty Library, Page 20
• Troy Kickler commentary: Fletcher offered entertaining perspectives on early N.C. history, Page 21
• Movie review: ‘Argo’ has gripping suspense even though you know the outcome, Page 22
• Book review: Spero urges conservatives to push back against the left, Page 22
• Book review: Gelles’ ‘Blueprint for Change’ would bulk up government, Page 23

Opinion

• Editorial: Educational opportunities, Page 24
• Becki Gray commentary: If it’s broke, fix it, Page 24
• Editorial: A freedom agenda, Page 25
• Editorial: Saying no is a start, Page 25
• John Hood commentary: Seasons of change in North Carolina, Page 25
• Michael Walden commentary: What’s the best ‘COLA’?, Page 26
• Editorial Briefs, Page 26
• Andy Taylor commentary: Tea Party helps and harms GOP, Page 27
• Marc Rotterman commentary: Obama’s imperial presidency, Page 27

Parting Shot

• Order of the Loblolly Pine (a CJ parody), Page 28