The presidential race grabs the headlines, and North Carolina’s gubernatorial and U.S. Senate contests are attracting some attention as well. But voters will face other important decisions on their November election ballots. The Institute of Political Leadership is promoting three of them with a series of “Hometown Debates” this month. Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson profiles the three hotly contested elections scheduled for debates in Wilson, Asheboro, and Statesville. For years, the words “Title IX” cropped up primarily during discussions about ensuring that women had adequate access to athletic teams on college campuses. But Title IX has taken on new significance under President Obama’s administration. Kellie Slappey Nothstine, Title IX coordinator at Campbell University, discusses changes in Title IX and the impact for her campus. North Carolina’s status as a battleground state in the presidential election means voters have seen multiple visits from Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. The Tar Heel State also has faced frequent visits from Clinton’s and Trump’s running mates. Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine and Republican counterpart Mike Pence have focused attention on the economy during recent speeches to N.C. audiences. The federal debt officially tops $19 trillion. That doesn’t include unfunded liabilities that drive the total debt even higher. Bob Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition, spends much of his time focusing on raising awareness about the federal debt. Bixby explains what his group is doing to help address the mounting debt burden. Young people in Raleigh are learning this weekend about the value of entrepreneurship. More than 40 young business owners are taking part in the first Raleigh Children’s Business Fair at the North Hills Commons. These budding entrepreneurs will sell their products to members of the community while independent judges evaluate their work. Joyce Pope and Kayla Nguyen of the John W. Pope Foundation explain the purpose of the business fair and offer details for those who would like to take part.