John Hood: GOP Still Ahead on Key Issues

RALEIGH — A little over a year ago, I penned a column using polling data to explore why North Carolinians appeared to favor Republicans over Democrats in generic-ballot tests.

“No, it isn’t just because of unfair redistricting,” I wrote. “Nor is it a lack of resources. North Carolina Democrats have raised and spent lots of money on races they still ended up losing. What I mean is that, on many of the public’s top concerns, Democrats lack credibility with the swing voters they need to prevail.”

Recreational fishing license fees to increase July 1

Coastal Recreational Fishing License fees will increase July 1. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC), which administers the recreational fishing license sales system for the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), announced last week that it will increase hunting, fishing, trapping and activity licenses, permits, stamps and certifications

Governor Cooper Visits Charlotte Child Care Center, Highlights Urgent Funding Need For Early Childhood Education and Child Care

On Tuesday, Governor Roy Cooper visited The Early Learning Center Preschool in Charlotte and visited several classrooms to see strong child care in action as well as learning and growing through engaging activities. The Governor was joined by President and CEO of Child Care Resources Inc. Janet Singerman and local officials as he highlighted the urgent funding need for early childhood education and child care. The Early Learning Center Preschool is a 5-star licensed child care center and NC Pre-K program provider.

AG Stein Leads 44 States Urging Congress to Protect Kids

(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today led a bipartisan group of 44 Attorneys General in sending a letter to Congress endorsing the Child Exploitation and Artificial Intelligence Expert Commission Act of 2024. The Act would establish a commission to investigate and make recommendations on solutions to protect kids online and improve the ability of law enforcement agencies to prevent, detect, and prosecute child exploitation crimes committed using artificial intelligence (AI).

John Hood: Don't be misled by averages

Mark Maye and I made an excellent team back in the day. That “day,” I should add, was actually a few weeks in 1977. I was eleven. Mark was a bit older. He and I played together on a basketball team in Charlotte. We won every game. To be more precise, we dominated every game. There’s a reason my dresser subsequently featured a shiny basketball trophy.

Attorney General Josh Stein Launches Online Tool to Illustrate how DOJ Delivers for NC

(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today announced the launch of DOJ Delivers, an online tool and resource that allows all North Carolinians to see the work of the North Carolina Department of Justice (NCDOJ) in their communities. North Carolinians invest their tax dollars in the Department of Justice; this tool is a way to illustrate the return on that investment.