On November 11th each year we pause to honor our nation’s veterans. In our home, like so many others in North Carolina, pictures of family members who served line our shelves — two fathers, three uncles, cousins, a brother-in-law, and my grandfather — are among them. My 18-year-old grandfather had fought in France in WWI a young NC farm...
Winston-Salem based Novant Health has suspended more than 300 employees effective this week for not getting a COVID-19 vaccine. According to a press release from the hospital system, those who have not either had one dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine or a first dose of Moderna or Pfizer will not be allowed to...
From flattening the curve to trending, tracking, and tracing. From PPE shortages, to months–long lockdowns and millions of unemployment claims. To stretching our constitutional rights to go along with months of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Through all this one thing is certain: The COVID-19 pandemic has created a tremendous amount of stress, falling upon our...
UPDATED with statements from Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and Senate leader Phil Berger. North Carolinians face a few more months of at least partial isolation, based on recommendations Gov. Roy Cooper made at a Thursday, April 23, news conference. The governor extended his stay-at-home order, imposed March 27 to limit the spread of COVID-19, from...
Flags and signs. “Seven Nation Army” and “Smoke on the Water” blaring from speakers in the bed of a pickup. Car horns blaring and Harleys revving. Dozens of people, including a handful of families, gathering across the street from the Legislative Building, openly violating Gov. Roy Cooper’s Executive Order 121 banning gatherings of more than...
Worries about the safety of health care workers and the shortage of protective gear dominated the second meeting of the House Select Committee on COVID-19 Health Care Working Group on Thursday, April 2. North Carolina has just 30% of the protective equipment providers need across the state. Fourteen pallets of PPE are headed to the...
Hospital leaders are sharing concerns about protective equipment and lower revenue as lawmakers look for ways to help the health care system fight COVID-19. The health care working group of the House Select Committee on COVID-19 met for the first time virtually Thursday, March 26. Lawmakers said they would translate the committee’s findings into law...
An overemphasis on per-pupil expenditure hurts the education debate in this state.
Which public school systems exhibit the greatest success in helping disadvantaged students achieve proficiency?
RALEIGH — The state’s second largest school system has taken a step to open its books to the community. Where other Local Education Agencies and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction publish only the aggregated numbers, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has posted data on its website detailing per pupil expenditures at every school in the system.
