The Carolina Journal News Hour on WBT

A federal judge is sending Griffin’s NC Supreme Court election complaint back to state court, the state elections board appealing the judge's decision, and Wilmington is the top metro area for inbound migration in 2024. John Hood discussed the decline in post-COVID scores in North Carolina, while Katie Zehnder reported on NC universities receiving over $17 million in sports betting tax reven...

Jefferson Griffin defending a request to return a North Carolina ballot dispute to state court, wet weather across the state, and North Carolina's five new GOP representatives being sworn into Congress alongside Robinson's response to a lawsuit over an unpaid campaign bill. David Larson from the Carolina Journal highlighted the focus on North Carolina's 2026 U.S. Senate race See omnystudio.com/lis...

North Carolina's personal income tax rate has decreased to 4.25% starting in 2025. Governor Josh Stein issued five executive orders to support recovery efforts in western North Carolina, with updates provided on the topic. The deadline for FEMA assistance related to Hurricane Helene's damage has been extended. State Auditor Boliek was sworn in and plans to begin with an audit of the DMV. Additiona...

A news update covers a celebration in New Orleans that turned into terror in the French Quarter. Statewide news highlights include the elections board urging a federal judge to maintain the NC Supreme Court dispute and rule against Griffin, Charlotte’s $650 million Bank of America Stadium renovation being labeled 2024’s "Worst Economic Development Deal of the Year," and Josh Stein bein...

Top North Carolina political stories of 2024, a reflection on Jimmy Carter's passing at 100 and a year of civic engagement in NC, challenges faced by Western NC residents after a temporary DOT bridge failure, and a report on $200 billion in COVID relief fraud. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, at 100 years old. A judge ordered the North Carolina elections board to explain why the Griffin protest is in federal court. Statewide updates covered a man killed by a falling tree in Mooresville, commentary on Jimmy Carter's passing, and North Carolina's ranking as the ninth-highest state for gas taxes. Additional reports highlighted issues...

Charlotte airport is experiencing a record-breaking post-Christmas travel rush. Governor Cooper and Attorney General Stein are challenging recent changes to the NC elections board in court. Hendersonville and Cary have been recognized as two of the "Cutest Christmas Towns in the South." The NC State Supreme Court has ruled in favor of bars and restaurants in a COVID-related insurance dispute. Nort...

On Christmas Eve, American Airlines flights were grounded, and Griffin sought an injunction with an expedited schedule in an NC Supreme Court ballot dispute. President Biden commuted 37 death sentences, including a convict involved in a Camp Lejeune murder. Chris Cooper discussed his book, Anatomy of a Purple State. Elias' clients aimed to intervene in the NC Supreme Court case, while Donna King r...

A federal government shutdown was mostly averted, and a federal judge denied a temporary restraining order in a North Carolina Supreme Court ballot dispute. President Biden commuted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates in a breaking news update. Senator Ted Budd was named vice chair of the Senate GOP’s campaign arm. Lieutenant Governor Robinson responded to CNN’s arguments for...

Blocked funding bill in Washington, D.C. Donna King of Carolina Journal reported on Governor Cooper's farewell address, where he stated, "I’m not done," in two segments. Statewide news updates included Mark Robinson's campaign paying $35,000 to settle 2020 finance allegations, federal waste and inefficiency in IT management, and NC election officials moving Griffin’s complaint from the...

Mitch Kokai from the John Locke Foundation discussed Griffin's request for the NC Supreme Court to prevent the elections board from counting unlawful ballots. House GOP leaders scrambling for a Plan B after Trump and Musk criticized the spending bill. The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina made progress toward full federal recognition, with audio from Rep. Richard Hudson. Another news update revisited...

The federal government awarded NCDOT a $1 million disaster response drone program grant. North Carolina canceled a $22.4 million grant for Infosys due to unmet hiring goals, and NC electors cast votes for Trump and Vance. Katherine Zehnder reported on Representative Foxx criticizing the Department of Education for spending over $1 billion on DEI programs. Theresa Opeka shared that Governor-elect S...

Senator Ted Budd's bill to expedite disaster relief for Western North Carolina, House Democrat Cecil Brockman criticizing his party, and Congressman-elect Tim Moore's appointment to the House Financial Services Committee. Additional topics cover the ongoing work of a House committee on Hurricane Helene recovery and a State Supreme Court decision favoring bars and restaurants in a COVID-related ins...

Senator Tillis criticizing a judge’s decision to reverse a retirement ruling, a State Supreme Court ruling favoring an Orange County school impact fee challenge, and highlights from the No Labels national conference. Jeff Moore from Carolina Journal discussed notable North Carolina figures speaking at the conference, while Katherine Zehnder reported on Amgen’s announcement of a $1 bill...

A lawsuits by Stein and Cooper to block changes to State Highway Patrol leadership control, a halt in new construction and contractor payments by NCORR, and declining national public school enrollments during the pandemic. Reports from the Carolina Journal highlighted NCDPS’s failure to monitor Hurricane Florence recovery spending, FBI inquiries into a Patel cyberattack prompted by Tillis, a...

NCSBE rejecting a GOP request to discard 60,000 ballots, NC state leaders meeting with Senators Tillis and Budd on Capitol Hill to advocate for Helene federal aid, and developments on the SB 382 veto override, featuring audio from Representative Greene. Brianna Kraemer from the Carolina Journal and Andy Jackson from the John Locke Foundation provided analysis on the SB 382 veto override and recapp...

Trump's nomination of Bishop as deputy director for budget at OMB, the lack of a full statewide hand recount in the NC Supreme Court race, and upcoming meetings by the State Board of Elections to address ballot challenges. Andy Jackson of the John Locke Foundation discussed Riggs gaining votes during sample hand eye recount, while Brianna Kraemer of the Carolina Journal examined FEMA's scrutiny ov...

A Statewide News Update covered Griffin's renewed appeal after losing in Superior Court over a ballot challenge decision deadline, protests at the NC Capitol against Senate Bill 382, and JD Vance's visit to Helene-ravaged western North Carolina, assuring residents they are not forgotten. Theresa Opeka and Donna King of Carolina Journal reported on Vance's visit and Carrboro's lawsuit against Duke...

The NC House's plans for a veto override and consideration of a 5% income tax proposal. Donna King from the Carolina Journal discusses a 2026 Senate poll for North Carolina. Mitch Kokai from the John Locke Foundation covers recent appeals court rulings on Jacksonville food truck regulations and the Open Meetings Law. Andy Ellen from the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association discussing 2024 h...

John Hood, a syndicated columnist, provides a two-part discussion on federal and state taxes and their role in government management. David Larson from the Carolina Journal analyzes the impact of North Carolina's 2024 redistricting in a two-part segment. A statewide news update highlights a proposal to cap the state income tax rate at 5%. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy Jackson and Jim Stirling from the John Locke Foundation discuss a multi-part series on reforming North Carolina’s General Assembly, exploring various aspects of potential changes and improvements. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Governor Cooper's criticism of the NC General Assembly during his final Council of State press conference. Mitch Kokai from the John Locke Foundation provides two segments analyzing the Supreme Court recount. Another update details the NCGOP's challenge of 60,000 ballots on behalf of Griffin, followed by Donna King from the Carolina Journal discussing recount conspiracies. The broadcast concludes...

Republican Judge Jefferson Griffin has called for a second recount in the NC Supreme Court race, while the Senate has overridden the governor to transfer election authority to the state auditor and passed multiple NC Constitution amendments. North Carolina has officially called for an Article V convention of states to impose term limits on Congress. Additionally, the NC Republican Party announced...

President Biden pardoning his son Hunter, a recap of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Cyber Monday spending, North Carolina producing over 1 billion pounds of turkey, the state ranking among top places for technology careers, and a significant decline in charitable giving in North Carolina. Josh Stein's appearance on ABC's this week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Griffin and two GOP Senate candidates supporting an NC Supreme Court review of a GOP election suit, election result certification, a recount update, and rising holiday spending in North Carolina. Governor Cooper vetoed a hurricane relief bill, labeling it a "sham," while the White House Christmas tree was sourced from North Carolina. Discussions also touched on 2024 holiday shopping trends in the...