When COVID-19 first struck North Carolina nearly three years ago, Gov. Roy Cooper responded with a series of executive orders that closed or limited the operations of schools, businesses, public amenities, and even churches.
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NCDOT Accomplishments Cover Land, Sea, Air
The N.C. Department of Transportation accomplished feats in 2022 that will improve the lives of North Carolinians and visitors to our state for decades to come.
Mega Millions to end 2022 with a chance at a $640 million jackpot
Someone in North Carolina could end 2022 with a big bang if in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing they took home a jackpot now worth an estimated $640 million.
North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice Releases 2022 Report
The North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice delivered its 2022 report to Gov. Roy Cooper. The report is available here. An overview of progress made in implementing the task force’s 2020 recommendations is available here. The task force is co-chaired by Attorney General Josh Stein and Supreme Court Associate Justice Anita Earls.
North Carolina's November Employment Figures Released
The state’s seasonally adjusted November 2022 unemployment rate was 3.9 percent, increasing 0.1 of a percentage point from October’s revised rate. The national rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent.
Murphy to Co-Chair Congressional Academic Medicine Caucus
Reps. Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-NC) and Kathy Castor (D-FL) announced that Rep. Murphy will serve as the Republican co-chair of the Congressional Academic Medicine Caucus (CAMC) for the 118th Congress. Established in 2009, CAMC is a bipartisan group of lawmakers that promotes academic medicine in congressional policy discussions to ensure a healthier future for all Americans.
John Hood: Judges Cannot Amend the Constitution
Most of the nine justices on the United States Supreme Court espouse some version of the originalist school of constitutional interpretation. Starting early next year, most of the seven justices on the North Carolina Supreme Court will be originalists, too.
Treasurer Folwell Seeking Public Perspective on Health Care Costs at New Bern Forum
State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA, will hold a public hearing on the Medical Debt De-Weaponization Act in New Bern from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13. Community members are invited to speak out to fight for change.
Results of Senate Republican Leadership Election
This afternoon, the Senate Republican Caucus held its internal leadership election. Below are the results:
John Hood: Gas-Tax Hike Is a Non-Starter
As North Carolina keeps growing, so will the need for our governments to ensure the adequate provision of an essential service: mobility. As they tackle the problem, policymakers need to keep two facts in mind.
Fire District Receives New Rating After Inspection
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Causey announced today that the following Fire Districts completed their routine inspection and received the listed rating, on listed effective dates. The inspection, conducted by officials with the Department of Insurance Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM), is required on a regular basis as part of the North Carolina Response Rating System
NCDOT Accepting Applications for Aviation Career Education Grants
The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation is accepting applications from public airports through Jan. 30 for its 2023 Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy Grant Program.
John Hood: Adversaries need not be enemies
Nearly a decade ago, former Canadian politician Michael Ignatieff argued in the New York Times that democracy can only thrive when its practitioners respect the difference between adversaries and enemies. “An adversary is someone you want to defeat,” he wrote. “An enemy is someone you have to destroy.”
Application period opens to study if new path is good fit for communities
The N.C. Department of Transportation is inviting North Carolina communities to apply for the Paved Trails and Sidewalk Feasibility Grant program for funding to evaluate the viability and design alternatives of planned bicycle and pedestrian paths.
NCDOT Recognized for hiring veterans
For the second year in a row, the N.C. Department of Transportation has been recognized as a military-friendly employer by Viqtory Inc., an organization that helps people exiting the military pursue civilian careers.
Junior Livestock Sale of Champions sets record at $212,500
Junior winners in the N.C. State Fair livestock shows drew a record $212,500 for the top steers, barrows, lambs, goats and turkeys in the Junior Livestock Sale of Champions Oct. 23.
National Assessment of Educational Progress shows student performance drops in NC, US during pandemic
North Carolina’s performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress given during the 2021-22 school year to fourth and eighth graders generally mirrored a national decline in reading and math skills as schools everywhere were beginning to recover ground lost to the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Halloween Booze It & Lose It enforcement campaign kicks off statewide today
There’s nothing scarier than the consequences of driving while impaired. To discourage drivers from getting behind the wheel after drinking this Halloween, law enforcement will be stepping up patrols and using checkpoints and saturation patrols as part of the statewide Booze It & Lose It campaign Oct. 24-31.
Chris Humphrey: 50+ North Carolinians Could Decide Who Controls Congress. Budd and Beasley Should Take Note
It’s fall in North Carolina, which means the leaves are changing, the Tobacco Road Rivalry is revving up, and we’re finally getting a reprieve from muggy late-summer heat – but it also means campaign season has kicked into high gear.
John Hood: Free Enterprise Is the American Way
North Carolina is one of our country’s economic powerhouses. Blessed with a favorable business climate and a creative, hard-working population, our state is home to many thriving companies that export goods and services all over the world.