SUMMARY: Fourteen stores in 12 North Carolina counties face fines due to price scanning errors detected in the last quarter of 2024. The incidents spanned locations in the Piedmont and Coastal Plains regions. The state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will conduct inspections every 60 days until compliance is achieved. Stores include Advance Auto Parts, Circle K, and various Family Dollar and Dollar General locations. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler emphasized the importance of consumer awareness and encouraged shoppers to check their receipts and report any discrepancies to store managers. Additional penalties may be imposed for continued violations.

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SUMMARY: The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction announced a $25 million initiative to improve student achievement in rural and economically distressed communities. Funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation, the program will focus on school culture, teaching practices, math instruction, and career readiness. It will involve 20 middle schools, divided into two cohorts: 10 low-performing schools and 10 with strong programs aiming for student-centered learning. The initiative uses the Marzano High Reliability Schools framework for step-by-step improvement. Schools in rural counties with persistent Tier 1 or Tier 2 economic status can apply beginning January 13, 2025.

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SUMMARY: Senate Democrats expressed concerns over a scheduled hearing for Governor Doug Burgum, President-elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Interior, before he completed essential paperwork and an FBI background check. Democratic leaders, including Chuck Schumer and Martin Heinrich, criticized this precedent, highlighting that nominees typically need to submit a questionnaire, financial disclosures, and ethics reviews before hearings. Chairman Mike Lee defended the decision, asserting that Burgum’s paperwork was in order and emphasizing the need to advance Trump’s energy agenda. Other nomination hearings are planned, but the Senate cannot vote on nominees until Trump is inaugurated on January 20.

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