NC housing advocates face challenges from federal funding uncertainty
America is experiencing a housing crisis, according to Renee M. Willis, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
June 2026
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Trump ‘slush fund’ echoes scorned 19th-century spoils system, academics say
The comparison isn’t exact. The spoils system was associated with the distribution of government jobs to political allies, a practice called patronage. Trump’s new fund would instead deliver taxpayer dollars directly to favored individuals. Yet, academics who have studied the spoils system and the presidency see parallels between the past and present.
High-profile child deaths spark push for welfare agency transparency
Several states have enacted or considered laws this year to increase reporting and oversight of child neglect and abuse. Some of the new laws came after high-profile deaths or abuse cases, with lawmakers citing warning signs such as repeated visits from child services or complaints about unsafe family dynamics. The issue often draws support — even unanimously — across party lines.
Measles, whooping cough spike amid low vaccination rates
Vaccine hesitancy fed by misinformation is causing new surges of measles and whooping cough, while COVID-19 hotspots persist in some states and a new threat looms from an Ebola outbreak in central Africa.