Education
NEWS & OBSERVER: More NC third graders
retained for poor reading
The second year of the state’s public school literacy law saw
more third graders – about 1 in 7, in all – retained
because they were not reading well.
NEWS & OBSERVER: Lots of talk by NC
legislators, but not much movement on education
Legislative Republicans met privately in a retreat last winter, in
advance of this year’s long General Assembly session, to talk
about their ideas on education. A key goal was to
establish where the House and Senate could agree on significant
policy changes.
Elections
WRAL: Earlier NC primary means quicker decisions
but some confusion
Moving North Carolina's primaries for hundreds of elected posts
up by seven weeks to align with early presidential contests could
save counties money, reduce voter confusion and boost overall
turnout.
WRAL: Advisory letter could permit bigger role for
outside groups in NC elections
Recently published guidance will pave the way for advocacy groups
to more closely work with official campaign committees of
candidates running for office in North Carolina.
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: NC Rep. Jacqueline Schaffer
won’t run for third term; Tim Morgan will seek seat
Republican Rep. Jacqueline Schaffer, a champion of socially
conservative issues, said Friday she won’t run for a third
term.
WRAL: Attorney general primed to begin run for NC
governor
Attorney General Roy Cooper is now prepared to tell North Carolina
residents he's a candidate for governor next year.
Energy & Environment
FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER: Law bars local fracking
regulations
Before adjourning their session last week, North Carolina lawmakers
passed a law prohibiting towns, cities and counties from adopting
any regulations or ordinances on natural gas drilling or the
controversial practice commonly known as fracking.
STAR NEWS: Area residents concerned about wind
turbines
Five energy companies have voiced interest in putting wind turbines
off the North Carolina coast.
Health Care
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: Charlotte area among highest for some medical costs, survey shows
Charlotte ranks in the top four of 30 U.S. cities for the price
consumers pay for four common medical procedures, according to the
2015 Castlight Health Costliest Cities Index.
WNCN: Louisburg hospital closing is part of larger
trend among rural hospitals
Next week’s closure of Novant Health’s Franklin Medical
Center is part of a larger trend among struggling rural hospitals
that shows signs of accelerating, according to UNC’s Dr. Mark
Holmes.
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: Cardinal-CenterPoint merger
could occur as early as Feb. 1
CenterPoint Human Services could merge as early as Feb. 1 with the
state’s largest behavioral health managed-care organization,
according to its top executive.
Insurance
WRAL: Lawmakers weigh optional insurance
overhaul
State lawmakers are considering making big changes to optional
insurance policies offered by state agencies next year, following a
report by the Program Evaluation Division that shows little
oversight of the policies.
Legislature
WCTI 12: Urologist to join N.C. House, succeed
Brian Brown
A Greenville urologist will serve out the term of a North Carolina
House member who resigned this week to go work for U.S. Sen. Thom
Tillis.
STAR NEWS: Lawmakers reflect on lengthy General
Assembly session
The area's representatives in the General Assembly agree on at
least one thing: The most recent legislative session was too
long.
NEWS & RECORD: Fall adjournment 1
unpredictable twist of 2015 session
Some figured the 2015 General Assembly would be more subdued
compared to recent years when Republicans who wrested control of
state government from Democrats initially imprinted their
conservative philosophy upon North Carolina.
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