On the cover

• Many fights, few wins for Cooper

 

News

• Quick Takes, Pages 2 and 3

• Civil asset forfeiture expansion may harm innocent North Carolinians, Page 4

• Researchers say solar lobby silencing them, Page 6

• Looking Back: Randy Parton first performed 10 years ago, Page 8

• Multilingual notaries in demand, hard to find, Page 10

 

Interviews

• Gary Salamido: Legal fights between governor and legislature lead NC Chamber to start a litigation division, Page 18

• Darpana Sheth: Civil asset forfeiture threatens property rights, Page 19

 

Opinion

• John Trump commentary: Trying to establish a state religion, Page 11

• Julie Tisdale commentary: Local governments getting millions, and something’s just not right, Page 14

• Mitch Kokai commentary: Those who ignore recent political history are doomed to look silly, Page 15

• Shannon Watkins commentary: Why colleges should limit students’ federal loans, Page 16

• Kristen Blair commentary: Reversing the U.S. slip-and-slide in math, Page 17

• J.T. Klimek commentary: Student governments can help restore faith in higher education, Page 17

• Editorial: Unjustified usurpation, Page 20

• Mitch Kokai commentary: Political fight could hurt targeted tax giveaways, Page 20

• Rick Henderson commentary: Another no-drama budget cycle, Page 22

• Michael Walden commentary: Has North Carolina’s economy taken a U-turn?, Page 22

• Andy Taylor commentary: Our so-called ‘expertise’ can sometimes be enshrined in law, Page 23

• Becki Gray commentary: A never-ending fight for freedom, Page 23

• Terry Stoops commentary: N.C. families benefiting from school choice victories, Page 24

 

John Hood commentary

• Why Left and Right disagree, Page 21

• Deregulation boosts state economic growth, Page 21

• Subject mastery produces best teaching, Page 21