by John Hood RALEIGH — Thanks to the fiscally responsible policies of the North Carolina General Assembly, state government has some $5 billion in unspent funds and unanticipated revenues in its General Fund. And thanks to the fiscally irresponsible policies of Congress and the Biden administration, North Carolina will receive another $5.2 billion in “COVID-19…

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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 Andrew Dunn, Carolina Journal News Service RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper introduced a $55.9 billion budget proposal on Wednesday, March 24, that includes many of the goals he’s had since taking office. But this time he claims they’re needed due to the COVID pandemic. These goals include expanding Medicaid, borrowing $4.7 billion for infrastructure projects, and…

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by Andrew Dunn, Carolina Journal News Service RALEIGH — More than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic brought North Carolina to a screeching halt, Gov. Roy Cooper shows no sign of relinquishing the sweeping and open-ended emergency powers he has claimed under state law. The General Assembly is now trying once again to clarify exactly what a…

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by David Bass, Carolina Journal News Service RALEIGH — Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican lawmakers have reached an agreement on reopening public schools for in-person instruction under a compromise plan that returns most decision-making autonomy to local school boards. The compromise, announced at a news conference Wednesday, March 10, means that most students could be back…

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by John Trump, Carolina Journal News Service RALEIGH, N.C. — Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, says lawmakers are negotiating with Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, on a plan to reopen schools. Berger, in a news conference Tuesday, March 9, with Sen. Deanna Ballard, R-Watauga, offered no specifics about the plan. Berger had scheduled a news conference Monday,…

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by Andrew Dunn, Carolina Journal News Service RALEIGH — North Carolina may run out of room to borrow money for transportation projects in just a few years, according to a new report released this week by State Treasurer Dale Folwell. This puts in jeopardy the state’s Build NC Bonds, a $3 billion transportation package approved in 2018.…

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New report projects a $100+ billion U.S. market opportunity, recommends next steps to attract manufacturing supply chain to the state Raleigh, N.C. – North Carolina stands well positioned to attract a significant portion of a more than $100 billion market opportunity from the growing offshore wind energy industry, according to a comprehensive new report released today…

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by Andrew Dunn, Carolina Journal News Service RALEIGH — Lawmakers in the General Assembly have filed a series of bills that would exempt counties they represent from some or all of Gov. Roy Cooper’s COVID restrictions. These so-called “local bills” only apply to a small number of counties each. But unlike statewide legislation, these bills don’t require…

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