Commentary/Opinion
Hospitals Can’t Win Every Policy Battle
By John Hood RALEIGH — North Carolina’s hospital sector employs one of the most effective teams of strategists, lobbyists, and marketers in the state. Still, under present circumstances, I’d be…
Hospitals Should Battle In The Marketplace, Not The Courtroom
By David Larson Carolina Journal Two weeks ago, there was a nice groundbreaking ceremony with a lot of smiling faces. Gov. Josh Stein traveled all the way out to the…
Leandro Should Have Ended Long Ago
By John Hood RALEIGH — For all the confusion, finger-pointing, and rancor that accompanied the North Carolina Supreme Court’s final ruling in the Leandro school-finance case, the primary emotion it conjured in…
You Decide: Is The Economy Headed For A Nosedive?
By Mike Walden At the beginning of 2026, most economists, including me, were predicting a reasonably decent year for both businesses and households. We expected growth, a jobless rate between…
Facts Must Come Before Explanations
By John Hood RALEIGH — Who is to blame for North Carolina losing its industrial base over the past two decades? Misguided federal lawmakers who passed free-trade agreements? Foolish state…
Letter To The Editor: Save Our Historic Fremont School
Fremont Elementary School has been a part of our community’s story for more than a century. Built in 1923 through the dedication and generosity of Fremont’s citizens, the school has…
You Decide: Is The Homebuying Market Improving?
By Mike Walden Ever since COVID-19, buying a home has been a challenge, especially for first-time buyers. Buyers have been hit by a triple-whammy. Home prices surged, homes for sale…
Letter To The Editor: Red Cross Month Honors Neighbors Who Give Hope When Help Can’t Wait
As our country marks its 250th year, I’ve been thinking about what truly brings communities together. For me, it always comes down to people — neighbors caring for neighbors. In…
When War First Came To Fayetteville
By John Hood RALEIGH — A couple of weeks ago, I was privileged to speak at a ceremony honoring those who fought at the first major southern engagement in the…
You Decide: Will Tariffs 2.0 Be Different Than 1.0?
By Mike Walden Tariffs continue to be an ongoing issue in the country, receiving much attention. Recently, there was a Supreme Court decision that some of the tariffs imposed by…
State Shouldn’t Rest On Its Laurels
By John Hood RALEIGH — Over the most-recent 12-month period, North Carolina’s economy expanded by an inflation-adjusted 3%. Among the 50 states, only South Carolina (3.5%) posted a significantly faster…
Carolinians Thwarted Britain’s Southern Gambit
By John Hood RALEIGH — During the first few months of America’s war for independence, the British redcoats occupying the rebellious city of Boston won one major battle (for Bunker…
