Search results

Plus: Educators protest Leandro decision. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. I’m no Luddite.  But if even the least disruptive predictions about artificial intelligence (AI) come true, we’re in the middle of a moment of great change.  So who are the leaders making plans for this new world? It might not be who you…

Plus: NC riverwalk makes top 10 in the US. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. If it’s Wednesday, we have a new Billy Ball Explains NC.  This week, I want to talk about gas prices. In politics, this is probably one of the dumbest subjects ever.  Presidents and lawmakers have limited power over what…

Plus: 3 actual pieces of good news this week Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. We begin—as we do every Friday—with three pieces of actual good news.  This week, Cardinal & Pine’s “Good News Friday” centers on the three hero cops behind daring water rescues. Among them, in February, Raleigh Police Sgt. M.T. Foran…

Plus: NC’s ‘recovery czar’ doesn’t want to be that. Share with a friend     Hey, it’s Billy. Somehow, someway, there’s a really important election in November. And one of the most important races on the ballot in North Carolina will be the race for one of NC’s two US Senate seats. One seat is…

Plus: Do your taxes for free in NC. Share with a friend     Hey, it’s Billy. Something you might not know about me:  For years, I was an education reporter. That means I specialized in writing about the goings-on at North Carolina’s schools, K-12 policy, and the state’s chronic education funding problems.  I flexed…

Plus: A NC basketball product makes history. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. An observation:  In my 20 or so years covering politics, I’ve heard a lot of people in “the business” talk about the power of women’s voting. “How do you get the women’s vote?” they ask. But too often, they seem to…

Plus: 6 upscale holiday destinations in NC. Share with a friend     Hey, it’s Billy. Last week, we wrote about SNAP, aka “food stamps.” Republicans’ “Big, Beautiful Bill” and the lingering government shutdown are causing problems for the nation’s largest food assistance program.  But—judging from the “get a job” emails—the truth is lots of…

Plus: Gov. Stein moves on Medicaid, but warns trouble ahead Share with a friend     Hey, it’s Billy. Why do people immigrate illegally? Why don’t they just get in line? Why don’t they “do it the right way?” If there were a “FAQ” page on illegal immigration, these would be the first questions asked.…

Plus: A farewell to a teacher. Share with a friend     Hey, it’s Billy. If there’s a point to our new video series, “Billy Ball Explains NC,” it’s to pull back the curtain on politics. Politicians say and do things, and their reasoning isn’t always as straightforward as you’d think. Take North Carolina Rep.…