Republican legislative leaders have reached agreement on a 2019-20 General Fund budget cap of slightly more than $24 billion, shaving about $500 million from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s proposed spending plan. (See Editor’s note at end of this story.) Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, made the announcement Tuesday, March...
East Carolina University Chancellor Cecil Staton didn’t initiate his resignation, and discussions with UNC leadership about his impending exit have been ongoing, he confirmed at a news conference Monday. Carolina Journal first reported Staton’s pending resignation Sunday night. At the news conference, the departing chancellor said he signed a non-disparagement agreement last week, and he...
Departing East Carolina University Chancellor Cecil Staton will receive nearly $600,000 in a separation agreement from the UNC System, a document from the system states. Staton will resign as of June 30 and receive his regular salary and benefits through the period. “An interim chancellor will be appointed to begin serving following the May 3...
University of North Carolina Interim President Dr. Bill Roper acted unilaterally, at the direction of Board of Governors Chairman Harry Smith, to reach a termination agreement with East Carolina University Chancellor Cecil Staton’s employment, one BOG member says. The BOG had no chance to weigh in on the termination of Staton, a violation of UNC’s...
Update: The story has been updated since its original publication at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 17. East Carolina University Chancellor Cecil Staton announced his resignation Monday, March 18. Carolina Journal had learned Sunday about Staton’s plans to leave the job May 3. He’ll stay until June 30 to advise UNC System Interim President Bill Roper...
It’s nothing new. Reporters, government accountability activists, and residents often grapple with government institutions, which can be slow to respond to and or even hostile toward any attempt to shine light on their operations. Some states have taken steps toward transparency, yet others have seemingly doubled down on restrict people’s right to know. As part...
A nearly $2 billion school construction bond proposal sailed through its initial House vote with bipartisan support. On Wednesday, March 13, the House approved the school construction bond bill in a 109-6 vote on second reading. The bill is on Thursday’s calendar for final approval. Then it’s off to the Senate, where House Bill 241...
“Chapel Hill professors question group’s public records requests.” “Governor and NC media settle dispute over McCrory’s records.” “Public records lawsuit filed against state Rep. Beverly Boswell.” All real headlines. All spanning North Carolina’s news cycles over the past decade. All present important questions about transparency and access to government records, which are, by statute, open...
The Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a bill to protect state whistleblowers from retaliation. Senate Bill 127, which heads to the House, would bring North Carolina in line with laws in dozens of other states. Senators said the bill didn’t arise from any specific situation. But they acknowledged it would apply to a showdown lawmakers...
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, March 7, with comments from Wake County ABC General Manager Ike Wheeler. A week or so ago, a group of people who don’t like the idea of people drinking liquor got together to denounce efforts to privatize the state monopoly on alcohol sales, storage, and distribution....
Gov. Roy Cooper proposed a $25.2 billion General Fund budget for 2019-20 that would increase spending by more than $1.3 billion over the current fiscal year. He recommends spending $25.9 billion in the second year of the budget cycle. “We have to be determined to be bold,” Cooper said at a Wednesday news conference. He...
