Sen. Wiley Nickel, D-Wake, reflected on his time representing the 16th District in the North Carolina General Assembly and his plans for the future as a newly elected U.S. senator in the 13th District Tuesday at a farewell press conference.
North Carolinians can now view results from an ongoing survey designed to show gaps in coverage in the state, which so far indicates a lack of access to broadband. The North Carolina Broadband Survey is gauging the availability of wireline and wireless internet, as well as speeds, across the state using self-reported responses. As of...
The General Assembly will convene its biennial session Jan. 13. They’ll talk about how to get the economy back on its feet, address a learning gap in education, improve access to quality health care at an affordable price, put together a tax and spending plan and begin the centennial redistricting process. But perhaps the most immediate...
Leaders in the General Assembly and governor say they have reached a deal to ensure $30 million for the GREAT rural broadband program. GREAT is an acronym for Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology, which provides matching grants to internet service providers and electric membership cooperatives to provide broadband in poorer or rural areas....
Local communities, legislators, and businesses are having a hard time understanding why Gov. Roy Cooper’s budget office pulled the plug on $32 million in grants for rural broadband projects that had attracted 70 applicants. Although some have raised concerns Cooper is redirecting the money to a pet project, the issue seems as likely to be...
Movement to eliminate a rule for landline telephone carriers that remains in force for broadband providers could speed expansion of high-speed internet to areas lacking it. Legislation from U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-1st District, Expanding Opportunities for Broadband Development Act, would make it easier to bring broadband service to rural and unserved areas. The Eligible...
Each week, staff at Carolina Journal looks back at the week in N.C. politics and chooses what we think are some interesting, relevant stories you may have missed. Here’s a week in review: ReConnect pilot program: Columbus County will get a $7.9 million ReConnect Pilot Program grant to help expand high-speed internet. Gov. Roy Cooper...
In 2011, a then-new Republican majority in the N.C. General Assembly was alarmed at an expensive new trend in local government. Residents in Wilson, Salisbury, Mooresville, Davidson, and Morganton were being hit with higher taxes and even electricity and water rates as their cities were bleeding money. Why? To pay for their cities’ decision to...
North Carolina for many years has been a battleground over government-backed broadband services. The issue seemed to be settled in 2011, when the Republican-controlled General Assembly passed the Level Playing Field Law, which severely restricted local governments’ ability to get into the broadband business. Fair enough, some legislators say — but what about local governments...
RALEIGH — Not long after members of the House Appropriations Committee gave their approval to two bills, lawmakers left town for the weekend. One of the bills getting a thumbs-up from the committee was House Bill 13, which would give local schools systems more flexibility in primary grades class sizes. The other bill, House Bill...
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