One of the best ways to save black lives and help poor North Carolinians would be to increase funding for North Carolina police departments and sheriffs.
All in Opinion
New fundraising numbers filed for Senate candidates battling to succeed Burr
Both former Governor Pat McCrory and Congressman Ted Budd can claim some positive momentum in their campaigns for U.S. Senate after 2nd quarter fundraising totals were posted Thursday, July 15. McCrory outperformed all his primary opponents in the North Carolina race, raising $1,237,000 from April through June of this year.
House Freedom Caucus stymied in voting machine probe
Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the N.C. State Board of Elections, is blocking attempts by the N.C. House Freedom Caucus to inspect voting machines for possible irregularities.
NC now has a state-certified COVID-19 vaccination card. What does that mean?
Earlier this year, Governor Roy Cooper said his administration was exploring the development of a vaccine passport for residents of North Carolina.
Berger says he will combat Critical Race Theory 'with everything that I have'
The exclusive teaching of Critical Race Theory in public school classrooms would be outlawed under a bill making its way through the N.C. Senate.
Right and Left differ on personal agency
Because political behavior is a rich and fascinating field of study, you can find many valid and useful theories to explain why conservatives and progressives disagree about the proper role of government. Here’s one with salience right now: the Right and Left disagree about personal agency.
Costs and control in focus as major energy legislation discussed in House
An energy bill under consideration by state lawmakers prescribes retirement for certain coal-fired plants, increases sourcing from renewables, and significantly alters the oversight authority of the N.C. Utilities Commission.
Hooks retires after four years of storms, riots, and a pandemic
Hooks, secretary of the state Department of Public Safety, has served in the role since the beginning of Cooper’s first term. He helped oversee North Carolina's response to hurricanes, violence in understaffed prisons, mob teardowns of Confederate statues on public property, last summer’s riots and protests, and the COVID pandemic.
Legislative policy experts call to rein in governor’s power
It’s now a time in North Carolina to dismiss policy based on politics and embrace a move toward legislation focusing on common sense, John Locke Foundation legislative experts said in a policy debate forum on Monday.
Graduate of one of N.C.’s first charter schools comes full circle
Tim Taylor could scarcely have imagined when he began attending Arapahoe Charter School in 1997, that he would one day come full circle and send his own sons there decades later.
Electoral Outcomes Aren’t Inevitable
Will North Carolina Republicans have smashing victories in the 2022 midterms? Many politicos are acting as if they will, and it isn’t hard to understand why.
Cooper vetoes at a record high, reshaping political strategy
Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed more legislation than all other North Carolina governors combined. With the past three vetoes stamped over the past three weeks, Cooper’s total comes to 57 vetoes, and the session isn't over.
Robinson helps national campaign against anti-American indoctrination
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is backing a national group's fight against "anti-American indoctrination," including critical race theory, in public school classrooms. The group 1776 Action released a video this week with Robinson explaining his support for the campaign. The group released the video on Twitter.
Democrats' N.C. Supreme Court majority on the line with two seats up in '22
N.C. Appeals Court Judge Lucy Inman is aggressively campaigning for a seat on the state Supreme Court. Inman announced her intentions shortly after being defeated by fellow Court of Appeals Judge Phil Berger Jr. in 2020 for an open seat on the state's highest court. Berger defeated Inman 51% to 49%, a margin of 71,517 votes.
Education board OK’s final portion of documents for social studies standards
The N.C. State Board of Education has approved the final round of “unpacking documents” for new controversial social studies standards for K-12 public schools.
We All Want Better Schools
North Carolinians disagree about a great deal. But here’s a proposition virtually all of us endorse: the future of our state is closely tied to the amount and quality of education our people receive.
Truitt: New analysis shows weaknesses in state's social studies standards
A new report from the Fordham Institute argues that North Carolina’s controversial social studies standards flunk the test on history and civics, ranking worst in the Southeast.
N.C. claims middle ranking in new list of most patriotic states
It would be hard for North Carolina to end up closer to the average in a new ranking of the most patriotic states. WalletHub.com ranks the Tar Heel State No. 25. The new rankings arrive a couple of weeks before Independence Day.
Supreme Court backs student free speech, rejects Stein's argument
An 8-1 free-speech ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court out last week rejected arguments N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein offered in a friend-of-the-court brief.
U.S. Supreme Court backs donor privacy
The U.S. Supreme Court backed donor privacy in a decision released Thursday, July 1. The closely watched ruling was based on a case from California in which the state's then-Attorney General Kamala Harris tried to require nonprofit organizations to disclose the identities of donors by requiring them to file an unredacted “Schedule B” with their taxes, which would reveal the identities of anyone giving $5,000 or more in money or goods.