Aqua-themed metaphors abound this time of year. Is it a wave? A tsunami? A king tide?! The answer is that nobody really knows yet. Fortunately, North Carolina has an extended early-voting period, giving us fresh data each morning to examine who’s already casting ballots. I’ve been tracking these numbers during the 5 a.m. hour, nearly…
Thank you for joining us this Saturday morning. The 158th North Carolina State Fair kicked off two days ago, and it will run through next weekend. Today we look at the economic and cultural impact of one of North Carolina’s most-loved pastimes. *** The fair began in 1853 as a means of showcasing North Carolina’s…
Good morning and thank you for joining us. The Supreme Court of the United States opened its fall 2026 term this past Monday. The nine justices, currently split ideologically 6-3 with conservatives in the majority, will hear and eventually decide on more than two dozen cases this term. As we’ve done in previous years, today we’ll…
Thank you for joining us this Saturday morning. With the 2026 midterm elections 31 days away, we’re offering a breakdown of the state and national political landscape. Anyone who’s opened a newspaper in the past month knows that the outlook for Republicans is not promising. Just how bad is it, and could it get even…
Thank you for joining us this Saturday morning, a weekend that marks the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene. Today, as we check in on recovery progress, we return to a familiar theme: no federally funded disaster recovery program can realistically meet any definition of “success.” A litany of federal laws and regulations, not to mention…
Thank you for joining us this Saturday morning. In February, defense strategist Peter Singer noted that North Carolina ranks just 20th nationally in Department of War contracting and 21st in military R&D spending – despite having the fourth-largest active-duty military population in the country. But since we last wrote about North Carolina’s defense innovation ecosystem, there’s been a flurry…
Thank you for spending a few minutes with us this morning as you and your family hopefully enjoy some relaxation over the Labor Day weekend. One reason I love America is that I have the opportunity to work. I believe work is not a burden to be endured but a calling to be embraced, and…
Thank you for joining us this Saturday morning. It’s fair to assume that anybody who wore the uniform of one of America’s military branches would qualify as a “veteran” under the law. But that’s not what the law says: A less-than-honorable discharge can strip a former service member of all veteran benefits, including health care,…
Good Saturday morning and thank you for joining us. With a number of primaries completed (46 by our count) we’re taking a look at some of the political trends emerging from this year’s primary season, and what they may tell us about where both parties are headed. American politics has always had its factions. We think…