by Woody White Whenever it comes up, I tell people that I grew up in Elizabethtown, North Carolina – about 50 miles from Wilmington. Technically, that is not true. I actually grew up in the Abbottsburg exchange, which was a few miles outside of town. In the country. My hou
by Kari Travis The end of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline shuts the door on one example of Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive overreach. But one policy expert fears Cooper might abuse his power again in a case involving school funding. Cooper’s many clashes with Republican lawmakers indic
by Leroy Lail t seems that every sector of our nation has been hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. From sports to entertainment to restaurants, business is hurting. But I believe the industry that has seen the most dramatic drop is tourism and hospitality. Unfortunately, the nature of a
by John Hood RALEIGH — The proposed natural-gas pipeline through Eastern North Carolina is dead. Long live natural gas! Admittedly, there won’t be a coronation ceremony like there would be if a living monarch were replacing a deceased one. But when it comes to reliable, afforda
by Kevin Austin Governor Cooper should leave school reopening plans to each of our 115 individual School Districts, and here is why. In North Carolina, Local Education Agencies (LEAs) are uniquely positioned to understand all of the factors involved in how to best provide the Constitu
by Mitch Kokai Checks and balances within our government’s structure play an important role. When they work, they ensure no politician grabs more power than he’s allowed to use. But a lawsuit over Gov. Roy Cooper’s COVID-19 executive orders reminds us that checks and balances c
by Ken Raymond Last month, I posted a description of my personal encounters with law enforcement while driving the streets, roads, and highways throughout this country for the past 35 years. And just a little about me: I’m a 56-year old, 300-plus pound black man that has driven unarmed
by Donnie Harrison Some fifty-five years ago I took a solemn oath, which in part, stated that I would “be alert and vigilant to enforce the criminal laws of this State.” Now, decades later, North Carolina law enforcement officers take the same oath, an oath, which in effect, obligates us to
by John Trump The N.C. General Assembly was correct in voting — unanimously — to extend a deadline for businesses to renew state alcohol permits. The N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, in response to the governor’s lockdown orders, set a grace period for bars, restaurants, and
by Jordan Roberts America’s convoluted, public-private health care system is filled with bad policies and inefficiencies. Government intrusion into the market has rendered it unusable and impenetrable for many. A lack of price transparency is one of the most glaring issues in America’s healt
by John Hood North Carolina’s “headline” unemployment rate in May was 12.9%. That’s the highest monthly rate since the Great Depression. But on a number of occasions during the month, I talked with North Carolina restauranteurs and other business owners who were struggling to fill vacancies
by Mitch Kokai Local and national headlines have highlighted recent battles involving history. There’s the ongoing dispute over toppling Confederate monuments . Some question the merits and demerits of American Founders . We even see debate about whether 1776 or 1619 ma
