Reunion memories and epiphanies
Note to readers: 55 years after graduation, members of our high school class reunited to reminisce and renew friendships. I wrote this piece for our hometown newspaper and it got so much comment I... Read More
My Spin by Tom Campbell
We aren't moving the education needle far enough or fast enough for far too many
What should we expect when we invest $150 million in reading programs for our elementary students?I’m not sure what the objectives were, but I am pretty certain the results weren’t what anyone... Read More
One change that would most help rural North Carolina
If you could wave a magic wand and make one change that would provide the greatest benefit to rural North Carolina what would it be? I’ve been intrigued by that question ever since it was first... Read More
On the road to rural solutions
80 of North Carolina’s 100 counties are considered rural, understanding the definition to be a county in which the population density is less than 250 people per square mile. Our state has the... Read More
Rip Van Winkle or Dixie Dynamo? Which North Carolina are we?
You ain’t from around here, are you?” This question may not be grammatically correct but it is an increasingly accurate observation about our state. According to the Carolina Population Center, a... Read More
Restoring corporate responsibility and accountability
I knew Lynn was good. I just didn’t know how good, until I read that Lynn Good’s total compensation package had doubled in the past two years. Lynn is the CEO of Duke Energy, the second largest... Read More
Where's the sunshine?
This week was Sunshine Week, not that we saw a lot of it, either meteorologically or metaphorically. What we got for the start of the week was dark clouds, some wind and even snow. Some might say it... Read More
Help wanted: North Carolina's real economic development problem
The “help wanted” sign is popping up all over North Carolina, and while it is a good sign of a healthy economy, it also portends some larger problems. Business owners and managers report they are... Read More
Why don't we know?
The latest Elon University Poll contains disturbing, but not surprising results. More people know the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers than the names of either of our U.S. Senators. Get... Read More
Is an anti-violence tipping point near?
Prayers and condolences are no longer enough,” chanted students gathered in Raleigh to protest gun violence. Their message was clear: Our nation has seen too many incidents of school shootings and... Read More
