The latest Carolina Journal front page features Executive Editor Don Carrington‘s six-year progress report on the Randy Parton Theatre debacle in Roanoke Rapids. Local sources tell Carrington his article helped spur the city’s decision to move forward with selling the troubled theater. Meanwhile, the Beaufort Observer promoted Carrington’s article on former state Sen. Fred Hobbs’ rebuttal of charges from Yadkin County government that Hobbs’ firm mishandled county grant applications. N.C. Senate Republicans promoted this week CJ contributor Dan Way’s report on state lawmakers’ interest in cost-saving efforts at North Carolina community colleges, along with Managing Editor Rick Henderson‘s Locker Room blog entry on new government layoff figures. David Bass’ latest American Spectator column focuses on the diminishing value of a college degree. In other news, the Mooresville Tribune published N.C. Education Alliance Fellow Kristen Blair‘s recent column about the importance of reading. A Lexington Dispatch column mentioned the John Locke Foundation in connection with founding chairman Art Pope.