The latest North Carolina unemployment numbers continue to rebut the argument that Republican state budget writers produced a plan guaranteed to generate thousands of public-sector layoffs. Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson discussed his latest analysis of the numbers — including the impact on teachers — for WPTF Radio news. Speaking of CJ, the Lincoln Tribune and N.C. Senate Republicans picked up contributor Dan Way‘s report on charter school waiting lists across North Carolina. Senate Republicans also promoted Associate Editor Sara Burrows‘ article on the clash between Wake Med and Rex Healthcare. Both the Statesville Record & Landmark and Mooresville Tribune reported on John Locke Foundation President John Hood‘s speech last weekend at the Iredell County Republican Party convention. Triangle Business Journal interviewed Hood this week about the tax liability associated with N.C. State University’s new $65 million hotel, conference center, and golf course. The Senate GOP promoted Hood’s columns this week on economic policy, contrasting approaches to incentives, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney‘s presidential prospects, and eminent domain. The Richmond County Daily Journal published Vice President for Outreach Becki Gray‘s recent column on North Carolina ports policy and the connection to Caterpillar’s recent decision to build a new plant in Georgia. Gray previewed the week’s top political and policy news during a Monday appearance on WTSB Radio. She returns to WTSB this afternoon to recap the week’s top events. Gray also shared her thoughts about St. Patrick’s Day food and drink with Rick and Donna Martinez on WPTF. The Greensboro News & Record‘s “Mixing It Up” column quoted Piedmont Publius blogger Sam Hieb‘s recent entry about Greensboro’s ongoing pursuit of “mega” incentives to lure development to the Triad. The Asheville Citizen-Times and Lincoln Times-News noted the John Locke Foundation’s decision to honor Buncombe County school board member Lisa Baldwin with a James Know Polk Award for leadership in public office. The Salisbury Post published an article about Rowan County’s new A grade at NCTransparency.com. A New Bern Sun Journal article referenced JLF support for the N.C. Coalition for Lobbying and Government Reform. Mitch Kokai, JLF Director of Communications, discussed top state government news this morning with Curtis Wright on the WAAV/WFNC Radio morning program.