News
NC House committee advances constitutional amendment limiting property tax increases
4+ hour, 20+ min ago (546+ words) The state legislative building in Raleigh. A proposal to change the North Carolina constitution to give the state legislature the authority to limit local property tax increases won approval from a House committee on Wednesday, but not without criticism from…...
Mitch Kokai: Leandro's end could open door to NC education reform
4+ hour, 39+ min ago (726+ words) It's not clear whether North Carolina's top policymakers can reach bipartisan agreement on meaningful education reform. But the state Supreme Court recently removed a key obstacle. By a 4-3 vote, the high court ended the 32-year-old Leandro lawsuit. Critics blame the…...
Editorial: The Obamacare subsidy cliff that never materialized
6+ hour, 39+ min ago (321+ words) U. S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer points to a display during a news conference on Oct. 15 in Washington, D. C. It was just six months ago that Senate Democrats shut down the government rather than address the failures of Obamacare. Their rhetoric was…...
Virgil L. Smith: Failure to fund education a recipe for economic disaster
1+ day, 2+ hour ago (362+ words) Even more concerning, when measured by effort " how much of its economic capacity the state devotes to education " North Carolina ranks last in the nation, the NCAE reports. This is not merely a budgetary issue; it is a reflection of…...
Caring for their own: County social services aims to prioritize family in foster care placement
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (1135+ words) Sharon Rochelle, director of Pitt County's Department of Social Services, addresses staff during National Social Workers Month in 2023. Before last weekend's winter weather, Vera Stevens had already spent five days snowed in in Staunton, Virginia, with five kids ages 8 to…...
Matthew Richardson reveals that life is more than a scorecard
5+ mon, 4+ week ago (844+ words) Matthew Richardson is determined to pursue his dream of playing on the PGA Tour after he graduates in May 2026. When Matthew Richardson talks about his journey, the conversation often circles back to two constants in his life: golf and God....
April 3 Abby: Long relationship has fluctuated over the years
2+ week, 3+ day ago (383+ words) DEAR ABBY: I have a situation with this guy I've known for five years. We dated in the summer of sixth grade, but it wasn't serious, and we broke up after a month. But we always kept in touch and…...
Mark Gongloff: Flying is abysmal and it's only getting worse
4+ week, 4+ hour ago (425+ words) No matter how punishing air travelers might have thought flying was in recent history, it just seems to keep getting worse. It's certainly not the most important thing going on in the world right now, but it adds to a…...
Matthew Stevens: Mountain mint is the Perennial Plant of the Year
9+ mon, 4+ week ago (179+ words) The foliage of mountain mint is aromatic and attractive, with a gray-green cast that is noticeably different from the standard green leaf color found in most landscapes. Just try to find a mountain mint plant in bloom without an insect…...
Alexander H. Jones: Josh Stein civility contrasts with MAGA fervor
7+ mon, 2+ day ago (402+ words) I have been surprised by the civility that seems to have overtaken politics in our state capitol. I never thought Gov. Josh Stein was a left-winger. But I did expect, based upon his strong liberalism in the Senate and the…...