Gov. Roy Cooper is further easing restrictions on state residents and businesses that began one year ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
All in Opinion
Let’s head off labor shortages March 24, 2021
It may sound preposterous at the moment, with North Carolina’s unemployment rate still significantly above its pre-COVID rate, but I think our leaders should be talking about the state’s coming labor shortage.
Freshman rep takes up decade-long push for mountain college
For years, Tri-County Community College has wanted to offer in-state tuition to Georgians who live in one of those counties. That, administrators say, would help fill empty seats in their classrooms while also funneling more people to North Carolina employers and universities.
Biden plan bribes N.C. to expand Medicaid
State lawmakers will give Gov. Roy Cooper’s budget director Charlie Perusse his first legislative grilling on the governor’s 2021-22 budget proposal Thursday morning at 8:30. Expect Perusse to push large raises for teachers, school support staff, and state employees.
Bill would give $1,000 tax credit for each homeschooled child
Interest in homeschooling has surged in North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, Republican lawmakers in the state Senate want to give these families tax relief to help meet expenses.
Local bills seek to allow counties to post public notices online
More N.C. counties would be allowed to post public notices online instead of paying to run them in newspapers, under two local bills introduced in the House.
Suburban voters form largest bloc
If you think about regional differences in North Carolina politics, economics, or culture in terms of urban blue and rural red, you are missing a thick slice of the story: the suburbs. And, no, you can’t just paint the suburbs purple. That’s an oversimplification.
New board members chosen to lead in governing UNC System
The General Assembly is set to add new members to the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors.
General Assembly advances bill to rein in governor’s emergency powers
More than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic brought North Carolina to a screeching halt, Gov. Roy Cooper shows no sign of relinquishing the sweeping and open-ended emergency powers he has claimed under state law.
Lt. governor announces task force on academic bias in public schools
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson announced on March 16 the creation of a task force dedicated to giving “students, parents, and school faculty a voice to speak out about cases of bias, inappropriate materials, or indoctrination they see or experience in public schools.”
Liquor business should be private
North Carolina governments shouldn’t be in the liquor business. Two recent stories illustrate this story well.
Republican senator’s bill would expand controversial N.C. film grants
Wilmington’s Republican senator has teamed up with a Winston-Salem Democrat to push a bill that would expand North Carolina’s film grant program — a program critics say is actually a money loser for the state.
Austin appointed to Lead Far Western Highway Division Burch promoted to western deputy chief engineer
For the second time in its history, a woman will lead a highway division for the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Rick Henderson: SAVE the primary care providers!
Responding to COVID-19’s death, suffering, and loss, by necessity governments swept aside some rules that let patients get care from medical professionals who weren’t doctors. As we approach widespread immunity, either with vaccinations or COVID patients recovering, questions about whether these regulations that blocked patients from seeing health providers were needed. Period.
COVID stimulus bill is reckless
The $1.9 trillion “COVID relief” bill just enacted by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden gives out $1,400 checks to most Americans. It boosts the child-tax credit, keeps weekly unemployment-insurance checks $300 higher than normal, and throws lots of other (borrowed) money around.
Teacher’s union continues opposition over school reopening law
Even as a bill to reopen schools across North Carolina garnered unanimous bipartisan support and was fast-tracked through the legislature, North Carolina’s teacher’s union released a statement blasting Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and lawmakers from both political parties for the compromise.
A new episode of the North Carolina Judicial Branch podcast All Things Judicial was released today. In this episode, hosted by Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism Executive Director Mel Wright and entitled “The Way to Practice Life,” Mel welcomes Kinston attorney James S. “Jimbo” Perry.
John Hood: Polls underestimate GOP support
Just before the 2020 elections, the RealClearPolitics.com polling average had Joe Biden leading Donald Trump nationwide by 7.2 percentage points. Biden did end up winning the popular vote, yes, but by 4.5 points. There were even larger gaps between pre-election surveys and vote totals in some battleground states.
Three School Initiatives Show Promise
In North Carolina politics, few issues are as contentious as education. For years, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and the Republican-led General Assembly have locked horns on such issues as funding formulas, teacher pay, and parental choice.
John Hood: Levers help charities meet needs
In my role as president of the John William Pope Foundation, I’ve learned that while it’s easy to give money, it’s difficult to give money away well. There’s no shortage of promising ideas turned into well-meaning enterprises by well-meaning people. Alas, many have disappointing results.