The Latest

• State funds for downtown revitalization. Now they just need a downtown.

  News & Observer reports on the $30,000 appropriation for Cleveland (N.C.) for “downtown revitalization.” Problem is–Cleveland–located in Johnston County outside Raleigh–has never incorporated, so there is no downtown: North Carolina legislators this summer earmarked $30,000 for Cleveland, a fast-growing crossroads community of shopping centers and subdivisions that does not…

  Sam Hieb, July 25, 2017, 239 words

• College students need to study more than just the classes that sound good to them

  Shannon Watkins of the Martin Center takes aim at the UNC-Chapel Hill curriculum. Recently, a general education course at UNC-Chapel Hill, “Big-Time College Sports,” was canceled. This sparked controversy after the course’s professor, Jay Smith, argued that the class, which he had taught in previous semesters, was axed because…

  Mitch Kokai, July 25, 2017, 289 words

• An argument for firing Jeff Sessions … but not because of Russian nonsense

  Glenn Reynolds explains at USA Today why he would get rid of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Attorney General Jeff Sessions wants to steal from you. Oh, he doesn’t call it that. He calls it “civil forfeiture.” But what it is, is theft by law enforcement. Sessions should…

  Mitch Kokai, July 25, 2017, 196 words

• Placing the Senate’s Obamacare process under increased scrutiny

  Christopher Jacobs uses a Federalist column to raise concerns about the process the U.S. Senate is pursuing to address the repeal of Obamacare. In trying to win support for their Obamacare “repeal-and-replace” bill, Republican Senate leaders are making a process argument to their fellow senators: We know you…

  Mitch Kokai, July 25, 2017, 261 words

• Meadows attracts increased attention

  Al Weaver of the Washington Examiner profiles N.C. congressman Mark Meadows. Less than 24 hours after Washington celebrated Independence Day, in the midst of a two-week stretch of round-the-clock discussions on healthcare reform and the GOP agenda, Rep. Mark Meadows drove up to the White House to talk…

  Mitch Kokai, July 25, 2017, 203 words

• Climate alarmists oppose summer fun

  Julie Kelly parses the latest pronouncements from the prophets of climate doom in a National Review Online column. The Merchants of Misery — a.k.a., climate scientists — are working overtime to shame you about all the pleasures you’re enjoying this summer and how your selfish indulgences will cause…

  Mitch Kokai, July 25, 2017, 247 words

• Ending Title IX’s ‘kangaroo courts’

  Tiana Lowe uses a National Review Online column to send a message to U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. DeVos has taken it upon herself to deconstruct perhaps the most contentious of the Department of Education’s jurisdictions: Its directives for campus sexual-assault cases, which are issued pursuant to Title…

  Mitch Kokai, July 25, 2017, 277 words

• New Carolina Journal Online features

  Dan Way reports for Carolina Journal Online on two N.C. State researchers who say they’ve been silenced by the solar energy lobby. Rick Henderson’s Daily Journal explains why a special N.C. legislative election might not produce the results Democrats seem to expect.

  Mitch Kokai, July 25, 2017, 41 words