Traci Summers Staff Writer North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction, Mark Johnson, has been given $700,000 to hire a new staff for his office. According to Lynn Bonner of the News and Observer, his allowance was not easy to come by, as in June of this year; the North Carolina School Board of Education fought this budget through lawsuit claiming the legislature was violating the … Continue reading North Carolina Superintendent Hires New Staff

Ian Hammock Staff Writer Recently the North Carolina State Supreme Court agreed to hear a case on behalf of parents in Halifax County. The case, Silvers et al. v Halifax County Board of Commissioners, deals with the underfunding of the schools in the Halifax County school district. The plaintiffs, represented by the UNC Center for Civil Rights, argue that the actions of the defendants go … Continue reading Halifax County Reaches the North Carolina Supreme Court

Sarah Kate Purnell Staff Writer On the morning of  Oct. 17, House Republicans overturned Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto to Senate Bill 656, canceling the 2018 judicial primaries. The passing of the bill will postpone judicial primary filing from February to June. “Most of the bill deals with easing ballot access requirements for third parties as well as for unaffiliated candidates,” Laura Leslie at WRAL reported. … Continue reading NC 2018 Judicial Primaries Cancelled

Sarah Kate Purnell Staff Writer On Sept. 22 the North Carolina Historical Commission voted to delay a decision to relocate three Confederate monuments from Raleigh to the Bentonville Battlefield. The three monuments include the 1895 Confederate Monument, the Henry Lawson Wyatt Monument and the North Carolina Women of the Confederacy Monument. The Historical Commission declared the delay after Gov. Roy Cooper asked for the monuments … Continue reading NC Historical Commission Delays Relocation of Confederate Monuments

MaryKent Wolff Staff Writer In “Testing Miss Malarkey” by Judy Finchler, it’s called “THE TEST DAY.” It’s a day that creates anxiety for students and teachers alike. Mothers prepare their children for “THE TEST” during bedtime and ask if “this test will hinder [their child’s] Ivy League chances.” Teachers line up for the school nurse before “THE TEST” starts. The North Carolina Board of Education … Continue reading The Testing Debate

Kevin Liu Staff Writer North Carolina’s State Board of Education had to make legislative cuts to meet legislature’s $3.2 million demand as part of a two-year reduction for the state’s top education bureaucracy. Members had already passed down $2.5 million in legislative cuts in late July by ordering layoffs and reducing operations which are likely to impact professional development and support systems of the state’s … Continue reading Budget Cuts Continue for NC Education

Chris Funchess Staff Writer There’s a good chance that you’ve never heard of Jones County, North Carolina. Located in Eastern North Carolina, and tucked between the familiar cities of Jacksonville and New Bern, it is home to an estimated 10,381 people (2000 Census). With this population, it ranks as the fifth-least populous county in North Carolina, sitting in 96th place out of 100 counties. Historically, … Continue reading The Story of Jones County

Jayce Shore Staff Writer On Aug. 28, 2017, North Carolina Supreme Court Justices heard the case of Cooper v. Berger and Moore, a challenge filed by current Governor Roy Cooper. The case was filed after conservative legislative leaders attempted to limit Cooper’s power after his governor’s seat victory in November 2016. Former Governor Pat McCrory and his fellow Republicans met during a special session prior … Continue reading Supreme Court Case: Cooper v. Berger and Moore