Last month, the Chapel Hill Town Council agreed to participate in planning the Co-Gen Rail Transformation Project alongside Orange County and Carrboro. This project aims to convert a 10-mile rail line into a multimodal greenway that would bring economic and environmental benefits. Still, it is currently limited by UNC’s reliance on the coal the rail line provides.
Read MoreWhile the deadline for voter registration in North Carolina ended on October 11, 2024, the effort to increase voter turnout continues as we near election day. Early voting began in NC on October 17, 2024, and will end at 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, 2024.
Read MoreFor generations, public universities have served as a hotbed of political activity and particularly, UNC-Chapel Hill. At a public university with a largely left-leaning student body ina swing state that has the ability to decide the election, student groups are more active than ever.
Read MoreOne of the most polarizing races on North Carolina’s ballot this year is the fight for Superintendent of Public Instruction, the chief administrative officer for the state’s public school system. Mo Green, the Democratic candidate, is the former Superintendent of Guilford County Schools. Michele Morrow, the Republican nominee, is a registered nurse from Cary who homeschooled her children, running on a platform of parental rights, a reorganization of educational institutions and funding, and opposition to critical race theory.
Read MoreIn 55 minutes, the Town Council—minus Karen Stegman, who was absent—discussed a development that wanted an exemption from light rules, trash in the Haw River, affordable housing, changes to a right-of-way, and updated stormwater regulations
Read MoreAs a Congressman who gained a large reputation on the app, many users saw this as an act of betrayal. On March 16, Jackson took to the platform to address the vote, apologizing for his lack of transparency. “I would feel like I deserved an explanation.”
Read MoreTurnout and interest in student government elections at UNC have not been particularly high in recent years. This year it was 7.22 percent.
Read MoreTo understand why one bond is required to fund two school systems within the same county, it’s important to go back to the history of the two school systems.
Read MoreWhile it is unclear whether Robeson County will remain conservative for the foreseeable future, given the Republican Party’s embrace of former President Trump and their committed investment in Robeson, it seems Republicans can count on winning Robeson in the next election.
Read MoreH.B. 259’s health spending should be taken with a mixture of optimism and caution. Optimism, because the legislature has shown they can be convinced to make bipartisan decisions in the interest of the state, such as Medicaid expansion. Caution, because it took the state losing $5 billion federal dollars a year plus an extra signing bonus to reach that point. Optimism, as the bill makes historic investments in mental health and rural health infrastructure and workforce incentives. Caution, since these investments were made with one-time funding with no clear path to renewal in the context of aggressive tax cuts limiting future revenues.
Read MoreMost college-aged students today are aware of the opioid crisis and are or know someone who has been personally affected by it. With fentanyl, this can range from full-blown drug addiction to a one-time drug use gone wrong.
Read MoreChapel Hill’s polling stations will also find themselves busy, as the mayor’s office, four seats on the town council, and four seats on the school board are all up for election. Issues such as changes to zoning in Chapel Hill, progress on the Bus Rapid Transit line, and possibly more planned buildings on Franklin Street promise to make this election an impactful one for Chapel Hill’s future.
Read More“One bill is a wide-ranging regulatory reform bill that would speed up environmental permits for projects like the Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline. Another provision would change the regulations around hog waste lagoons, a move that opponents say could prevent state agencies from considering civil rights issues when they issue permits.”
Read More“Increasing affordable housing takes funding and extensive organization; however, its attention in the plan marks a vital first step. One of the most important ways the plan will achieve affordable housing is by providing financial incentives like an increase in density bonus for rental units that provide housing to residents whose average income is below 80% of the Average Median Income, AMI, of the community.“
Read More“...the PSA National Political Science Honors Society represents a unique opportunity for political science students and the entire Chapel Hill community.”
The North Carolina Senate has started off their new legislative session with a flurry of activity. One of the first things Senate Republicans brought to the floor was Senate Bill 49, better known as the Parents’ Bill of Rights . . . . Now that the North Carolina version of the “Don't Say Gay” bill is in the hands of the Republican-controlled North Carolina House of Representatives, many LGBTQ+ affirming and progressive education groups are preparing for the worst.
“Although these men come from vastly different backgrounds, they got up on stage to promote the same message. Both men are part of a political collective called “No Labels,” a group that “demands American leaders and citizens alike declare their freedom from the anger and divisiveness that are ruining our politics and most importantly, our country.“
Read More“Leandro v. The State of North Carolina was first brought before the North Carolina Supreme Court in 1994. Fast forward almost 30 years later to March 2022 and Leandro is back on the docket of the state’s highest court. The Leandro litigation team brought to the courtroom a sense of deja vu, again arguing that the state of North Carolina was violating its students’ right to a sound education by underfunding its public education system.”
“Excerpt: On the 75th anniversary of Dr. Frank Porter Graham’s negotiation of the Renville Treaty, the Carolina Asia Center held a joint conference between The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) in Jakarta which discussed Indonesia’s past, present, and future on the world stage…Indonesia is rapidly gaining economic and political influence on the world stage via increasingly diverse foreign direct investment, Indonesia’s sway within ASEAN, and the desire to forge an independent Indonesian path.“
Read More“The North Carolina Supreme Court has restored the right to vote for 55,000 individuals. As a result, the swing state of North Carolina may have new tie breaking voters in its midst.“
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