John Locke Foundation President and CEO Kory Swanson makes his first appearance this weekend with Don Curtis on Curtis Media Group’s syndicated “Carolina Newsmakers” radio program. Topics range from Swanson’s background to JLF’s assessment of the current legislative session and the push during the foundation’s 25th anniversary year to promote the new First in Freedom initiative. Speaking of Curtis Media Group, Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson and JLF Director of Outreach Donna Martinez focus on the week’s top political news during the latest edition of CMG’s syndicated “People in Politics” program.
Vice President for Outreach Becki Gray analyzed recent legislative developments during an in-studio appearance with Pete Kaliner on WWNC Radio in Asheville. During that same trip to Western North Carolina, Gray spoke to the Buncombe County Republican Women and the Blue Ridge Republican Women’s Club. She heads to Franklin Saturday for the WNC FreedomWorks meeting. Gray joins JLF Chairman John Hood again this week on the syndicated “N.C. Spin” television program, and she continues twice-weekly politics and public policy updates for WTSB Radio.
Director of Regulatory Studies Jon Sanders outlined North Carolina’s aggressive occupational licensing regime during a presentation to a Duke University political science class taught by N.C. Rep. Jonathan Jordan, R-Ashe. Sanders’ latest Spotlight report recommends voluntary certification as a replacement for most occupational licensing to boost N.C. job creation, lower consumer prices, and increase opportunities for low-income families.
Health and Human Services Policy Analyst Katherine Restrepo devoted her latest Forbes column to hospitals’ self-interested support for certificate-of-need restrictions. The Wake Weekly and NCPoliticalNews.com published Restrepo’s latest research newsletter on CON.
The Kernersville News published Director of Fiscal Policy Studies Sarah Curry‘s column on targeted tax incentives and N.C. economic development. The N.C. Spin website cited her “Locker Room” blog entry on the state’s new gas tax plan. NCPoliticalNews.com and N.C. Senate Republicans’ daily press email promoted Curry’s research newsletter analyzing a proposal for a new state cabinet-level department focusing on information technology.
The Senate GOP also cited Hood’s column on the importance of public policies that promote growth of private capital and CJ Associate Editor Dan Way‘s story on a bill to extend North Carolina’s renewable energy tax credit. The N.C. Spin website picked up Associate Editor Barry Smith‘s article on a bill to bump North Carolina’s presidential primary back to March 2016.
The Whiteville News-Reporter published Director of Research and Education Studies Terry Stoops‘ column on millennials‘ poor academic preparation. A Perquimans Weekly letter writer cited that column. (In the March edition of the Carolina Journal a commentary detailed an assessment made by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. “The performance of sampled students in the United States was stunning. While they earned a problem-solving score that was slightly below average, their average score for literacy was well below the international average, the numeracy score was appalling, besting only Italy and Spain.”) NCPoliticalNews.com promoted Stoops’ column on declining enrollment in university education schools.
Director of Education Outreach Lindalyn Kakadelis discussed school health assessment forms and the latest court hearing linked to the Leandro public school lawsuit during two appearances with Lockwood Phillips on WTKF’s “Viewpoints Radio.” The Master Resource blog promoted Vice President for Research and Resident Scholar Roy Cordato‘s 23-year-old column on fallacies associated with carbon taxes and global warming.
The Lumberton Robesonian published JLF Director of Communications Mitch Kokai‘s column welcoming an unlikely addition to the ranks of state tax-hike critics. An Asheville Citizen-Times article on legislation designed to boost University of North Carolina faculty teaching requirements mentioned the Pope Center for Higher Education Policy’s origin as a JLF project. The McDowell News cited a 2013 JLF report on the potential benefits of moving misdemeanor offenses involving 16- and 17-year-olds from adult courts to the juvenile system.
