Beware of legislation promising “competition.” A bill passed by the General Assembly last year that was intended to jump-start competition in the cable TV industry has had the unforeseen consequence of costing the state and local governments across North Carolina millions of dollars in lost revenue. And six months after the law went into effect, […]
Fiona Morgan
Posted inGuides
Angel Collie is a young transgender Christian on a mission of love
One of the Christian college students Angel Collie met last year asked him a question that almost stumped him. “‘How can you justify having sex with another man?’ I was like, how do I answer this question?’” A 21-year-old transgender man covered in piercings and tattoos, Collie is used to personal questions. He’s getting used […]
Posted inNews
Google fights for muni broadband
Google and Intel have voiced their opposition to a bill in the state legislature that would severely restrict the ability of local governments to set up broadband operations (“Anti muni-broadband bill moves forward,” June 13). Both companies wrote letters to House Speaker Joe Hackney on June 18 regarding HB 1587, currently before the House Finance […]
Posted inUncategorized
Anti muni-broadband bill moves forward
Opposition is rising against a bill that would severely restrict cities from providing Internet and other communications services. The bill passed the House Public Utilities Committee last week. House Bill 1587, “The Local Government Fair Competition Act,” would create requirements and restrictions for any city or local government in North Carolina seeking to provide broadband […]
Posted inNews
Richard Harkrader
Progress Energy has approximately $3.1 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida and operates four nuclear power plants. So, when Progress announced recently that it would implement a set of energy-efficiency programs and delay building a new nuclear power plant at the Shearon Harris site until at least 2018, environmentalists were pleasantly surprised. […]
Posted inBest of the Triangle
Cary: The charm of a fast-growing small town
Of all the areas of the Triangle, I probably know Cary the least. By reputation, at least, it seems to be the antithesis of what I love about my own hometown of Durham and places like Carrboro, certain parts of Chapel Hill and downtown Raleigh: The funky, gritty mix of people and places jumbled together […]
Posted inNews
Marisol Jimenez McGee
Coverage of President Bush’s immigration reform bill, currently before the U.S. Senate, has mostly concentrated on politicsthe way it’s managed to alienate the core Republican base while also earning opposition from Democrats. The bill would create a path to citizenship, or at least temporary legal employment, for some of the 12 million undocumented immigrants in […]
Posted inUncategorized
Cities fight bill to limit broadband
The state legislature is considering a bill that would severely restrict the ability of local governments to provide broadband Internet access. It would affect everything from Chapel Hill’s evolving plan for downtown wi-fi access to city partnerships with private industry to some rural communities’ efforts to provide access to citizens stuck with nothing but dial-up. […]
Posted inNews
In the weeds
After the rain come the weeds. If you feel overwhelmed, don’t despairand don’t reach for the toxic chemicals. Roundup is agribusiness giant Monsanto’s top seller, largely because the product’s active ingredient, glyphosate, is considered safe as milk. But its other ingredients, unlisted on the label because they’re part of a trade-secret formula, worry environmentalists. Many […]
Posted inNews
Deborah Proctor
Internet radio is in danger. Most Webcasters say they will be driven out of business if a proposed royalty rate increase becomes effective July 15. In March, the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board ruled in favor of rates proposed by SoundExchange, which collects digital royalties for the recording industry. The rates are targeted at big companies […]
