Another two employees at Alexander Correctional Institution have been fired in connection with the March death of a mentally ill inmate. According to Pam Walker, the communications director for the N.C. Department of Public Safety, the two psychological services employees are among seven total workers who have been dismissed since Michael Kerr died while being […]
Jane Porter
Jane Porter is Wake County editor of the INDY, covering Raleigh and other communities across Wake County. She first joined the staff in 2013 and is a former INDY intern, staff writer, and editor-in-chief, first joining the staff in 2013.
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Raleigh “Sexy Schoolgirl” 5K cancelled
A Hillsborough Street foot race with a racy theme was cancelled Thursday, following complaints from the community. Former Raleigh police captain Paula O’Neal told City Council members she questioned the message the race sends, especially with the problems of rape and violence against women in schools and on college campuses. The Sexy Schoolgirl 5K was […]
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House, Governor “mini-budget” offers teacher pay compromise
Updated: The House voted unanimously Thursday to pass the new $21.3 billion budget. The bill allocates $1.8 million to DENR for coal ash regulation, as well as $134 million to the Medicaid risk reserve. It provides for in-state tuition for veterans and gives retirees a 1.44 percent cost of living increase. In a statement, Senate […]
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Words of wisdom from the N.C. House speaker and U.S. Senate candidate
1 At the GOP Convention in 2011, after cutting more than $100 million from K–12 expenditures 2 At a 2011 Town Hall Tour event in Asheville 3 To a News & Observer reporter in March, explaining why he says his alma mater is the University of Maryland in interviews (his alma mater is the University […]
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15 arrested at last Moral Monday of legislative session
More than a thousand people gathered at Halifax Mall Monday evening, to mark the sixtieth week of Moral Mondays since the movement began last April. Following a series of speakers, much of the crowd moved into the Legislative building for a “Sit-in, Stand-in, Teach-in, Plan-in, Pray-in.” People split up into groups to plan for a […]
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N.C. House lawmakers covered up budget shortfall
The House budget is a gamble and lawmakers knew the odds were bad, so they tried to keep them secret. The News and Observer reports that a key House budget negotiator, Rep. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake, told the executive director of the North Carolina lottery to keep quiet about concerns that increased advertising spending would not […]
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N.C. House passes toned-down environmental reform bill
Lawmakers in the N.C. House of Representatives gave final approval to a bill that makes several changes to the state’s environmental rules Thursday morning. The House bill, passed in a 105-12 vote, is a milder version of a Senate bill that made a number of harsh changes to environmental laws. “We appreciate the thoughtful and […]
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Wake County Schools’ police officers will get training
The Wake County school board unanimously approved a measure last night that requires in-service training and certification for School Resource Officers. Officers must also attend annual training sessions on topics that uniquely pertain to school environments, including cultural competency, alternatives to incarceration programs and mediation and conflict resolution processes. Additionally, officers will be required to […]
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Gambling on the lottery to increase teacher pay
Download a copy of the 2013 North Carolina Education Lottery Report House lawmakers need to call the gambling hotline. That’s what Sen. Tom Apodaca, a key budget negotiator, said this week after the House passed its $21.1 billion budget proposal that includes shoring up teacher pay with lottery proceeds. “They’ve got a gambling problem,” he […]
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Water utility surcharge rules won’t protect ratepayers
The N.C. Utilities Commission has released final rules for implementing a law that allows utilities companies to increase rates without public input. Water and sewer utilities can hike rates twice a year, in 5 percent increments, to pay for infrastructure improvements without having to hold public hearings. North Carolina’s two largest investor-owned utilities, Aqua NC […]