‘Illegal alien’ suspension controversy drives NC legislators to take policy action

Legislators in the North Carolina General Assembly are expected to consider a new statute that would expand students' rights to appeal school suspensions, following outrage over a public school suspending a student for saying the word ‘illegal alien.'

Brianna Kraemer

Locke’s Mitch Kokai analyzes polling in NC governor’s race

Mitch Kokai, John Locke Foundation senior political analyst, discusses recent polling in North Carolina’s race for governor. Kokai offered these comments during the May 31, 2024, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Mitch Kokai

State appeals federal judge’s ruling against felon voting crime

State government lawyers are appealing a federal judge’s recent decision striking down North Carolina’s law criminalizing felon voting. Felons who cast ballots in this state’s elections could have faced new felony charges before the judge’s ruling.

CJ Staff

NC city ranks worst in nation for growing auto loan debt

The city with the highest-growing auto loan debt in the nation is Winston-Salem, North Carolina, according to a new report from the financial website WalletHub. Compared to the national average auto loan balance of over $13,000 per household, Winston-Salem residents hold an average loan balance of $18,373. Between quarter four of 2023 and quarter one...

Brianna Kraemer

State Supreme Court takes case involving Cooper’s COVID bar shutdowns

The North Carolina Supreme Court will consider at least one of two pending cases related to Gov. Roy Cooper’s 2020 shutdown of bars during the COVID-19 pandemic. The court issued an order Thursday granting the governor’s September 2023 request to take up the case Howell v. Cooper. The order arrived nine days after the governor asked the high court to take up a second case brought by the North Carolina Bar and Tavern Association. Justices have not yet acted on the second case.

CJ Staff

Let’s recommit to letting economic freedom ring

This "Fourth of July," let's recognize just how much we need the principles from our founding and recommit ourselves to ringing the bell of economic liberty loud and clear.

Jeff Moore

Luke Niforatos, Paul Brintley

Bill puts marijuana pipe dreams before NC health and safety

Today’s high-potency marijuana and THC drugs are medically and scientifically linked to lower IQ, psychosis, depression, suicidality, motor impairment, and schizophrenia — especially for young people with developing brains.

North Carolina: Early to the revolution

In early 1776, battle lines in NC had already been drawn between loyalists to the British crown and American patriots. At the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge, these lines burst into the open.

Jane Shaw Stroup

Citizens should clarify voting rights

North Carolina voters will be asked this fall to remove a troubling ambiguity in the state constitution. An overwhelming, bipartisan majority of state legislators — 40 of 50 senators, 104 of 120 representatives — voted to place the amendment on the ballot. Nevertheless, say some left-leaning critics, the measure is at best an unnecessary distraction...

John Hood

Scott W. Gaylord, Thomas J. Molony

Reestablishing universities as guardians of free speech

Protest is an important and powerful form of expression. But so is reasoned argument in defense of a contrary position. Universities should remain neutral caretakers of both.

Biden rallies with Stein in Raleigh hours after alarming debate with Trump

A much more energetic President Joe Biden greeted his supporters at a rally in Raleigh Friday afternoon after what both sides of the aisle is calling a disastrous performance in a debate against former President Donald Trump Thursday night.

Theresa Opeka

What to watch for in Thursday’s presidential debate

Don't expect to witness your favorite candidate in the same persona you see at rallies. Debates are usually a different audience and a different strategy.

Rape-kit backlog in focus in governor’s race

A new television ad launched by the Republican Governors Association (RGA) claims the Attorney General Josh Stein “failed women” by taking years to address nearly 12 thousand untested rape kits across the state that could lead to capturing suspected sexual offenders that were yet to be identified.

Dallas Woodhouse

Robinson rallies NCGOP with vision for economic and educational change at state convention

North Carolina's Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson headlined the NCGOP State Convention Saturday night with a powerful speech drawing stand ovations from the crowd of an estimated 1,000 party faithful.

Jacob Emmons

Knott is officially NC Republicans’ nominee for Congressional District 13

The Republican runoff race for Congressional District 13 was finalized Tuesday evening, with Brad Knott officially becoming the Republican nominee. Knott was facing a runoff with Republican Kelly Daughtry, but earlier this month Daughtry announced she was dropping out.

CJ Staff

Democrats run anti-Morrow bill in NC Senate

Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, D-Wake, is running Senate Bill 867, Superintendent of Public Instruction Minimum Requirements. The measure mandates that the state superintendent “must have at least one year of experience as a teacher or school administrator in this State or a member of a local board of education or the State Board of Education.” The legislation notably leaves out homeschool educators, and few other Council of State positions have such requirements.

David N. Bass

Carolina Journal’s Donna King assesses NC budget stalemate

Donna King, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses the latest developments in North Carolina’s state budget debate. King offered these comments during the June 14, 2024, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Interview: State Superintendent Candidate Michele Morrow

Carolina Journal contributor David Bass sits down with with Republican State Superintendent Candidate Michele Morrow to discuss her goals, qualifications, and campaign. Editor’s note: Equal time was offered to her opponent, Democratic candidate Mo Green, who declined to be interviewed.

Locke’s Mitch Kokai analyzes polling in NC governor’s race

Mitch Kokai, John Locke Foundation senior political analyst, discusses recent polling in North Carolina’s race for governor. Kokai offered these comments during the May 31, 2024, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Mitch Kokai

Carolina Journal’s Donna King assesses changing NC budget surplus numbers

Donna King, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses the potential impact of a smaller North Carolina state budget surplus than officials had projected. King offered these comments during the May 10, 2024, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”

Interview: Jack Clark, Republican candidate for State Auditor

As the May 14th second primary approaches, Carolina Journal invited the candidates into our studios to talk about their goals and the 2024 race. Under North Carolina’s election laws candidates must win their primary with 30%, plus one, of the vote or the second place finisher in the contest may request a second primary. There...

Interview: Dave Boliek, Republican candidate for State Auditor

As the May 14th second primary approaches, Carolina Journal invited the candidates into our studios to talk about their goals and the 2024 race. Under North Carolina’s election laws candidates must win their primary with 30%, plus one, of the vote or the second place finisher in the contest may request a second primary. There...

Theresa Opeka

Luke Niforatos, Paul Brintley

Bill puts marijuana pipe dreams before NC health and safety

Today’s high-potency marijuana and THC drugs are medically and scientifically linked to lower IQ, psychosis, depression, suicidality, motor impairment, and schizophrenia — especially for young people with developing brains.

NC school district files motion to dismiss ‘illegal alien’ suspension lawsuit

They argue that Christian’s due process rights were not violated because he was afforded a hearing prior to his suspension in compliance with state law and school policy. They say he was not entitled to appeal his short-term suspension under state law.

Brianna Kraemer

Let’s recommit to letting economic freedom ring

This "Fourth of July," let's recognize just how much we need the principles from our founding and recommit ourselves to ringing the bell of economic liberty loud and clear.

Jeff Moore

News consumers deserve better than automated click bait

Baiting someone to click on an irrelevant article may be a small victory, but it's a bad long-term strategy. Because some of the those who click may never click again.

Justice and redemption: Standing up for NC’s Second Chance Act

If we're considered innocent until proven guilty in this nation, how can we allow a process that punishes people who are not guilty or have dismissed charges?

Philip Cooper

For healthy civil society, politics needs to stay in its lane

Political and cultural causes are important. They motivate us to make the world around us better and hone our sense of justice. Also, the excitement of fighting the good fight can be, for lack of a better word, fun. But everything has its time and place. And even if we think a particular political issue...

Flashback: North Carolina’s Easter Monday tradition forged on the baseball diamond

On Good Friday state offices will be closed in North Carolina for Holy Week, along with 10 other states. However, that has not always been the case in North Carolina. The Monday after Easter — rather than Good Friday — was a legal holiday in North Carolina for 52 years, and for many years before...

Dallas Woodhouse

Carolina Journal’s Donna King discusses Disney going ‘woke’

Donna King, Carolina Journal editor-in-chief, discusses Disney’s controversial programming changes. King offered these comments during the April 8, 2022, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “Front Row with Marc Rotterman.”

Locke’s Mitch Kokai discusses New York Times’ warning about free speech

Mitch Kokai, John Locke Foundation senior political analyst, discusses the New York Times’ column warning about America’s “free-speech problem.” Kokai offered these comments during the March 25, 2022, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “Front Row with Marc Rotterman.”

Mitch Kokai

Jordan Peterson returns to Durham 4 years after city moves to ‘cancel’ him

Canadian professor, author, and psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson on Thursday offered a non-political and largely academic lecture on the psychology of beauty, dreams, and purpose. The reaction from city officials and activists to the address at the Durham Performing Arts Center was night-and-day from the one leading up to his appearance four years earlier. It...

Ukrainian people in NC rally to support homeland

As the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine continues to escalate, North Carolina’s local Ukrainian population is rallying to bring attention to the suffering of people in their homeland and to gather supplies to help them. Donna Goldstein, co-president of the Ukrainian Association of North Carolina, finds herself at the forefront of these efforts. Goldstein has...