News
First K-9 airlift exposes rural emergency gaps
Clay County incident highlights air purifier risks and lack of formal transport systems for police dogs in North Carolina
Opinion
Beware them mama bears!
Mama bears. The image that comes to mind is a giant female grizzly going berserk upon realizing something or someone has come between her and her baby. My wife says “I bore that child in pain,” and all of that pain, and more, will come down on anything, or anyone, threatening that divine biological womb-bond....
News
Madison Cawthorn plans to change congressional districts setting up a potential match with Tim Moore
[Update / Nov. 10, 2021: U.S. Congressman Madison Cawthorn confirmed he will run in a different congressional district than the one he currently represents. In a call with GOP county chairs in his current District (NC-11), Cawthorn announced he would be running in the adjacent new NC-13, not the new NC-14, which is remarkably similar to the...
Opinion
History shows redistricting presents no open-and-shut case for judges
The U.S. Supreme Court's 1962 decision to open the door to redistricting disputes followed heated debate.
News
Birth center advocates caution against overzealous regulations
Impulsive legislative action over four infant deaths at a Cary natural birth center operated by midwives could limit access to a healthy, lower-cost alternative for expectant mothers, says one of North Carolina’s top nurse midwives. We may fall further behind other states in access to midwifery as a result. “This is a super upsetting situation...
News
Beer, Snacks for AG’s Hired Lawyers Challenged
RALEIGH — Beer and snacks were on the agenda at a recent meeting of the North Carolina Council of State — and they had one executive-branch officer fuming. Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry, one of two Republicans on the council, objected to past reimbursements for two private law firms assisting Cooper with his lawsuit against the Tennessee Valley Authority.
News
Lawyers Spent Gas-Tax Funds on Beer and Candy
RALEIGH — Washington lawyers assisting Attorney General Roy Cooper in his suit against the Tennessee Valley Authority used North Carolina gas-tax revenue to purchase alcohol, candy, airline flight upgrades, and valet parking, an investigation by Carolina Journal reveals.
News
Friday Interview: The State of Franklin
RALEIGH — For nearly five years, in the 1780s, western North Carolina was actually a separate autonomous state. It was called the State of Franklin. Carolina Journal Radio’s Donna Martinez discussed recently this fascinating piece of North Carolina history with Dr. Troy Kickler, director of the North Carolina History Project. (Go to http://www.carolinajournal.com/cjradio/ to find a station near you or to learn about the weekly CJ Radio podcast.)
Opinion
Let’s Keep on Trucking
A proposal to build truck-only toll lanes along major U.S. highways wouldn't affect North Carolina directly -- but state motorists might well cheer its adoption.
News
Letting the Education Data Speak
RALEIGH — For a man whose professional passion in life is statistics, Dr. William Sanders has devoted an enormous amount of his career to education. Sanders’ studies have found that teacher quality is as much as 20 times more important than any other factor in explaining student achievement. And class size has an effect only when it approaches the level of private tutoring. Reducing class size by two, or five, he said, is insignificant. Instead, he argues for variable class size, determined by the needs of the students.
