The newly minted N.C. State Board of Elections meets next week to discuss an investigation into absentee ballot irregularities in the still unsettled 9th District congressional election. Rick Henderson, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, analyzes the latest developments in the electoral battle between Republican Mark Harris and Democrat Dan McCready. One of the hottest topics in the world of college sports involves paying athletes for their performance. Former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr doesn’t want to get caught up in that debate. But Orr recently told the state’s Legislative Commission on the Fair Treatment of Student-Athletes that he favors allowing athletes to benefit from the “fruits of their own labor,” as the N.C. Constitution requires. During the ongoing debate over the 9th District congressional race, Harris’ lawyers asked a Wake County judge to order elections officials to certify the Republican as the winner. You’ll hear why Judge Paul Ridgeway refused to insert himself into the electoral fight. Social media has had a major negative impact on the tenor of political debate. That’s the assessment of Jonah Goldberg, American Enterprise Institute scholar and National Review senior editor. During a recent visit to Chapel Hill, Goldberg shared his concerns about political polarization and its impact on the American economic Miracle. North Carolina’s latest teacher turnover report offers good news about the number of teachers staying in state classrooms. Terry Stoops, John Locke Foundation vice president for research and resident scholar, dissects the numbers.