by Andrew Dun, Carolina Journal News Service RALEIGH — The General Assembly will consider a measure to enshrine North Carolina’s right-to-work policies in the state constitution. Sens. Carl Ford, R-Rowan, and Jim Burgin, R-Harnett, have introduced a bill — Senate Bill 624 — that would guarantee N.C. workers would not be forced to join a labor union…

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by John Hood RALEIGH — On March 31, the North Carolina Senate passed the hugely controversial SB 387, titled the Excellent Public Schools Act of 2021, by margin of 48 senators in favor, none opposed. The following day, the North Carolina House of Representatives took up the same SB 387, that same slapdash and extremely…

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by Andrew Dunn, Carolina Journal News Service RALEIGH — A bipartisan group of senators is crafting legislation that would find ways to expand broadband access in North Carolina. The bill, filed Monday, appears unfinished. Several sections remain unfilled, presumably with details to come in later editions. But the goals are significant, starting with the title: “Innovative Statewide…

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by Andrew Dunn, Carolina Journal News Service RALEIGH — N.C. Treasurer Dale Folwell says N.C. hospitals aren’t being transparent on their pricing, despite federal rules requiring them to do so. In 2019, President Trump signed an executive order requiring hospitals to make public the prices they charge for standard procedures. The federal government soon followed through with…

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by Andrew Dunn, Carolina Journal News Service RALEIGH — The federal government sent nearly $4 billion in COVID relief money to North Carolina, but a sizable chunk of it was returned, unwanted, a new report from the state auditor’s office finds. The report from State Auditor Beth Wood determined North Carolina’s budget office properly distributed the $3.6…

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by Gregg Thompson Running a small business isn’t easy in the best of times, and these aren’t the best of times. Social distancing and concerns over spreading COVID-19 forced many small businesses to try to connect with customers online rather than in person, but here’s the catch:  Some businesses can’t easily do that.  I grew…

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by John Trump, Carolina Journal News Service RALEIGH — A Greenville bar owner’s lawsuit challenging the state Emergency Management Act is heading to a three-judge panel. The panel will decide whether the act is unconstitutional because of the power it grants to Gov. Roy Cooper. Superior Court Judge James Gale issued a two-page order Friday,…

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by John Hood Every argument has three parts: definitions, premises, and logical reasoning. When conservatives and progressives disagree about a specific issue, each side often leaps to the conclusion that the other side is being illogical (or dishonest, or stupid). In my experience, however, most disagreements don’t stem from faulty reasoning. We usually disagree because…

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by John Hood RALEIGH — It may sound preposterous at the moment, with North Carolina’s unemployment rate still significantly above its pre-COVID rate, but I think our leaders should be talking about the state’s coming labor shortage. No, I don’t necessarily mean that businesses will have a hard time finding young, low-skilled workers to do…

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by John Trump, Carolina Journal News Service RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper is further easing restrictions on state residents and businesses that began one year ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cooper’s latest executive order takes effect 5 p.m. Friday, March 26, and expires April 30. The state’s general mask mandate remains in effect. Cooper says 31%…

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