Along with their scheduled presentations to county commissioners, John Locke Foundation researchers have been busy providing analysis of important public policy issues. The Charlotte Observer quoted Terry Stoops’ response to a flap over efforts to scrap four mandatory North Carolina high school end-of-course tests. The chief sponsor of legislation designed to eliminate the tests, Rep. Bryan Holloway, R-Stokes, cited Stoops’ report on questionable test questions during an appearance on WPTF Radio. The Public School Forum of North Carolina cited Stoops’ comments about the disputed tests in its weekly newsletter. (Access the PDF file by clicking Friday report for Feb. 25 at this link.) The Triad Business Journal and the Heritage Foundation’s “Insider Online” cited Stoops’ recent Spotlight report calling for a statewide public school curriculum course audit. Stoops discussed education budget issues during an appearance this week with Chad Adams on the WLTT Radio morning show. The N.C. Senate’s daily press e-mail promoted Joseph Coletti’s state budget proposal. The Charlotte Business Journal cited JLF efforts — led by Daren Bakst and Roy Cordato — to repeal the renewable energy mandates associated with 2007 N.C. legislation known as Senate Bill 3. The Heritage “Insider” promoted Cordato’s Spotlight report urging Republican lawmakers to rethink their environmental policies. The Richmond County Daily Journal picked up Bakst’s recent column on two sensible tort reforms. Jon Sanders, Associate Director of Research, used his latest TownHall.com column to discuss “Nir Rosen and the soft misogyny of immoral equivalence.” Michael Sanera continued to work with the Wake County Sustainability Committee as it discussed energy issues.