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Your weekly North Carolina political news report.
Education
WRAL NEWS: UNC touts cheap tuition at three schools
North Carolina has always prided itself on trying to make higher education as affordable as possible, and the University of North Carolina system is putting new emphasis on that effort.
CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS: NC school districts face choice on attendance waivers after storms
Hurricanes Florence and Michael caused school districts in their paths to miss several days of school. The state is helping districts avoid official penalties, but educators across the state are divided about the long-term wisdom of losing so many days of instruction.
STAR NEWS: NC House school safety committee visits Wilmington
The committee is traveling the state to see what efforts schools are taking.
Economic Development
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: NCBiotech Grant to Support Economic Development in Alamance County
A $100,000 Economic Development Award (EDA) from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center will boost bioscience industry growth in Burlington and Alamance County.
Elections
WRAL NEWS: Divided court throws out legislative changes to NC elections board
A divided panel of state judges on Tuesday voided changes the General Assembly made over the last year to the state elections board, agreeing with Gov. Roy Cooper that the legislature went too far in sapping his authority to shape the board.
NEWS & OBSERVER: A spike in absentee ballot requests from NC Democrats, typically a GOP strength
Democrats in North Carolina have asked for absentee ballots far more often than registered Republicans, a change from the last midterm elections in 2014.
Healthcare
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: Folwell expands cost-cutting campaign to provider reimbursement rates
State Treasurer Dale Folwell wants to change how health-care providers are reimbursed by the State Health Plan in an initiative that could save members up to $60 million initially.
THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: Healthcare rivalry heats up in Charlotte area with plans for two new hospitals
Charlotte’s two largest hospitals systems announced on Tuesday plans to each build another hospital in the metro area, citing rapid population growth across the region.
Justice & Public Safety
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: In a new survey, powerful North Carolinians agree on weed but not on guns
A survey of some of North Carolina’s most influential people in politics, business and society found that many of them support ending the criminalization of marijuana.
SPECTRUM NEWS: NC Attorney General Pens Letter to Facebook after ‘Up to 90 million accounts’ Hacked
The state’s top attorney says he wants to make sure the app even he uses regularly is safe.
Transportation
SALISBURY POST: NCDOT wants public input on the future of transportation in N.C.
The N.C. Department of Transportation wants the public to help influence the future of transportation in North Carolina.
THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: Charlotte is asking voters to approve millions for housing, roads and other projects
Voters will get to decide this election whether to give the city of Charlotte permission to borrow more than $223 million to fund new affordable housing, new streets, trails and bike lanes, and neighborhood improvements.