Now that the N.C. House and Senate have reached an agreement on a spending figure for the 2015-16 state budget, negotiators can haggle over state government’s priorities for spending that money. John Locke Foundation Vice President for Outreach Becki Gray assessed the impact of this week’s state budget developments during her latest appearance on Time Warner Cable News’ statewide “Capital Tonight” program.

The Triangle Business Journal sought Gray’s expert analysis for an article about unresolved issues during this year’s legislative session, including a budget provision that could boost government transparency. The Kernersville News published Gray’s recent column on transparency, while a pair of articles in the Asheville Citizen-Times quoted Gray on the practical and political impact of delays in completing a state budget deal. The Fayetteville Observer published Gray’s column on freezing North Carolina’s renewable energy mandate.

Gray made her regular Monday appearances on WWNC and WTSB radio, while Senior Political Analyst Mitch Kokai fills in for Gray this afternoon with Carl Lamm on WTSB. The Winston-Salem Journal interviewed Kokai for articles about changes in state unemployment law and the results of a Medicaid-related state audit.

Director of Education Outreach Lindalyn Kakadelis made a pair of appearances with Lockwood Phillips on WTKF’s “Viewpoints Radio.” Kakadelis analyzed this week’s recommendations from the state Academic Standards Review Commission and legislative changes to a controversial kindergarten health assessment form. Director of Research and Education Studies Terry Stoops also joined Phillips to discuss the state’s recent takeover of Halifax County public school operations. Stoops discussed school choice and N.C. education spending during an appearance on Freedom Action Network’s “What Matters with Chad Adams.” Stoops is scheduled to discuss the state of public schools in North Carolina during an appearance this evening on “Capital Tonight.”

Vice President for Communications and Marketing Donna Martinez and Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson assess the week’s top political news for Curtis Media Group’s syndicated “People In Politics” program. Henderson discusses CJ‘s latest stories and the week’s top political news during an appearance this afternoon with Bill LuMaye on Talk Radio WPTF.

In addition to air time, JLF experts continue to attract attention for public presentations. The Raleigh News and Observer promoted President and CEO Kory Swanson‘s speech to the Johnston County Republican Women. The EducationNC.org website covered this week’s JLF Shaftesbury Society speech from Brenda Berg of the BEST NC education advocacy group.