North Carolina’s public schools are expected to reopen for the fall, but they’ll face some changes linked to continuing concerns about COVID-19. Terry Stoops, John Locke Foundation vice president for research and resident scholar, analyzes state guidelines for public school operations in the 2020-21 academic year. The pandemic already has created a nearly $5 billion hole in North Carolina’s budget. Forecasters are not certain whether that hole will grow larger in the months ahead. You’ll hear recent projections from chief legislative economist Barry Boardman, along with reaction from top N.C. House and Senate budget writers. Count Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, among those who would like to see a quicker reopening of the N.C. economy. Berger shared his ideas about reopening during a recent news conference. Before the pandemic struck North Carolina, lawmakers already were taking a look at the impact of the Raise the Age initiative. It shifts most 16- and 17-year-old criminal offenders from the adult court system to the juvenile justice system. William Lassiter, N.C. deputy secretary of juvenile justice, offered lawmakers a recent status report on implementation of Raise the Age. The COVID-19 pandemic has helped focus attention on the importance of primary care. Jordan Roberts, John Locke Foundation health care policy analyst, highlights primary care’s role in a world focused on serious health care challenges.