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When you have too many things you’d like to write about, and not enough space to give them all justice – or when you’ve just recovered from the most evil flu ever and 600 words aren’t quite coming together yet – this is the kind of column you get.
- he older I get, the more I realize just how important moderation is to our frail human frames.
- Food is good and, you know, essential to staying alive. But if you eat too much all of the time, especially of the wrong things, your body will pay a price.
- Dieting and exercise obviously can play a vital role in becoming healthier. But if you try to do too much at any one time, and using the wrong methods, your body will pay a price.
- Alcohol is an important part of many cold medications, and there are plenty of old-timers who will tell you a shot of whiskey is better than anything sold over the counter. But if you drink too much alcohol, even in medicine, your body will pay a price.
- Drugs can play a positive role in healing when coming from a good doctor. But if you start ingesting the illegal variety, your body will pay a price – and you might end up in a morgue.
By all means, enjoy dessert and have a second sweet tea – but if you remember not to go nuts and keep things in proper perspective, your body will thank you.
- I don’t want to be judgmental of other drivers – wait a minute, what am I thinking, of course I want to judge every other vehicle on the road – but there has to be a special place in transportation hell for people who speed up to catch the car in front of them, go to pass in the left lane and then proceed to drive side by side at 10 mph under the speed limit.
- North Carolina’s 2025 State of Technology Industry report has been released for the 11th time, and there’s some good news, courtesy of the N.C. Technology Association at nctech.org.
- The state ranks first in effective business tax rates and second in overall business climate.
- The state saw an increase in tech occupations of almost 31% over the last five years, ranking as the fourth fastest in the entire country.
- The state had the fifth-highest level of research and development at universities in science and technology fields.
- North Carolina’s tech economy ranks in the top 15 states for each of these metrics – domestic migration, foreign direct investment, new business starts and a lower cost of living.
The General Assembly taking a fiscally conservative path has paid dividends. While everyone has their own set of priorities, I appreciate the common-sense approach taken by our state legislators, Sen. Kevin Corbin and state Rep. Karl Gillespie (both R-Franklin).
- There is another side to the above story. North Carolina’s Consensus Revenue Forecast was released Friday by the Office of State Budget & Management and Fiscal Research Division. Alexandra Sirota, executive director of the N.C. Budget & Tax Center, said in a release that the forecast is a “sobering indicator that by committing to steep, long-term income tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy far into the future, legislative leaders have jeopardized the state’s ability to meet the needs of North Carolina’s communities.”
The forecast projects flat general fund revenue growth for the 2026 fiscal year – rising just 0.5% – and a startling revenue decline in the 2027 fiscal year.
“This alarming projection comes in the context of huge unmet needs in our state, including a chronically underfunded K-12 public education system, a child-care system and workforce in urgent need of support, and western and eastern N.C. residents still struggling to recover from disasters,” Sirota added.
She makes a valid point. This is where those priorities come in – do you think it’s more important to continue cutting taxes for mostly haves or providing services for mostly have-nots?
David Brown is publisher of the Cherokee Scout. Call him at 828-837-5122 or email dbrown@cherokeescout.com.