Laura Youngs

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Plan would help laid-off workers

By Laura Youngs | April 27

RALEIGH — State officials aimed Tuesday to give a boost to North Carolina’s laid-off workers with a 10-step plan to help the unemployed get back into the job market. “It was four years ago when the recession hit in North Carolina,” said Andy Anderson, chairman of the Dislocated Worker Advisory Committee of the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center. “We all hoped that once the recession ended, things would get back to normal. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened.” The report was presented by the Raleigh-based center.

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Bill would dig up slavery ties

By Laura Youngs | April 15

Some North Carolina lawmakers are looking to delve deeper into the state’s past. If passed, a bill now before the state House would require businesses working with the state government to research and fully disclose any connections they had to slavery, including profits. “There are a lot of things we need to be addressing that are important, but I think it’s important to the African-American community,” said Rep. Alice Underhill, D-Pamlico.

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The final lap

By Laura Youngs | April 13

All that red carpeting in the Legislative Building finally got a taste of Carolina blue. Hundreds of legislators and Tar Heel fans packed the N.C. Senate floor Tuesday to honor the 2005 national champions in a joint session of the General Assembly. Members of the UNC men’s basketball team — including Coach Roy Williams and his assistants — received a standing ovation as they filed in one by one onto the Senate floor, shaking the hands of those lining the path to greet them.

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Controversial bill is latest salvo in battle

By Laura Youngs | March 30

A bill designed to protect students and faculty from political discrimination hit the N.C. Senate floor last week, but some say it’s unnecessary and potentially ineffective. Sen. Andrew Brock, R-Davie, introduced a bill that would require UNC-system schools to adopt an “academic bill of rights” protecting political beliefs on campus. He said the document would provide students and faculty with equal protection in an academic setting.

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Black edges lottery vote toward floor

By Laura Youngs | March 28

Prospects for a state lottery moved forward Thursday as the leader of the state House called for the formation of a legislative panel designed to put a bill on the chamber’s floor. Speaker Jim Black, D-Mecklenburg, said that though he has reservations about lotteries, he doesn’t want North Carolina to keep losing money to its border states, all of which have a lottery.

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Students want clarity about fees

By Laura Youngs | March 23

Student leaders and UNC-system officials hope to clarify student fee policies after a series of hikes at most universities, but some say now is not the time to tackle the issue. The UNC-system Board of Governors decided last year to create a policy encouraging schools to propose fee increases every two years instead of every year. During off years, schools can initiate inflationary fee increases without having to go through a normal review process. Leaders hoped the move would stave off proposals for larger hikes during those years.

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Hate crime bill in Senate

By Laura Youngs | March 11

A bill introduced in the N.C. Senate on Thursday could expand the reach of hate crime statutes to include sexual orientation, but some say such a move would be a step in the wrong direction. Sen. Jeanne Lucas, D-Durham, introduced a bill that would add age, gender, disability and sexual orientation to N.C. statutes on intimidation. Such changes are essential for dealing with crimes based on sexual orientation, said Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange.

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Budget gives boost to UNC system

By Laura Youngs | February 25

UNC-system schools got a boost from the governor this week with a budget proposal that promises to fully fund enrollment growth and financial aid needs. But with an estimated $1.3 billion debt looming over the state, debate has just begun about how to allot the money.

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UNC system looks at draft of health plan

By Laura Youngs | February 18

The UNC system could be moving closer to devising its own health care plan as officials go forward with blueprints to take employee coverage out of the state’s hands. A system task force has been researching for months ways to create a separate health care plan, which officials say would be more cost-effective and provide more choices for their employees. A preliminary draft revealed during the UNC-system Board of Governors’ Budget and Finance Committee meeting in February outlines 12 different objectives officials are exploring for the plan.

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Easley backs lower tuition

By Laura Youngs | February 16

As legislators look for ways to balance the state’s needs, Gov. Mike Easley has come out strongly against tuition increases for UNC-system schools — issuing a call to keep higher education accessible. In a Feb. 9 letter sent to the system’s Board of Governors, Easley announced his intentions to improve state funding for higher education — including meeting enrollment growth needs and compensating for cuts to federal Pell Grants — without raising tuition. Easley praised BOG members for their stance on tuition freezes.