Opinion Roundup: Budget plans need a reality check

LEAH ASMELASH: Budget Holds Dollars for Aging Services Steady (N.C. Health News column) -- North Carolina's aging population is growing rapidly, the statehouse budget might not be keeping pace.

KIRK ROSS: House, Senate Plans Differ on DEQ Cuts (Coastal Review column) -- The House and Senate must reconcile policy choices and a $15 million difference in funding for the Department of Environmental Quality as work on a final budget deal begins.

CAMMIE BELLAMY: Wilmington’s all-girls charter school grows in busy 1st year (Wilmington Star-News column) -- North Carolina’s first all-girls public charter school is about to close out its inaugural year. This August Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington will double in size with a new 100-girl sixth-grade class, eventually becoming a 6-12 school, and Principal Laura Hunter said school leaders have found a winning formula.

Lumbee recognition gaining momentum (Fayetteville Observer) -- This is encouraging: We’re seeing more stars align for the Lumbee tribe’s recognition efforts this year than we’ve ever seen in the past. The latest development came as Gov. Roy Cooper visited Robeson County last week to speak at the tribe’s second annual Lumbee Nation Economic Summit at UNC-Pembroke. Cooper said he is pushing the federal government to move ahead with full recognition.

Hepatitis on Rise: Opioid Use Could Be to Blame (Public News Service) -- After decades of being on the decline, hepatitis cases are taking a sharp upswing in North Carolina and the rest of the country

Sheriff’s office scores social media hit with deputy selfie project (Wilson Times) -- On the heels of a viral video that spread millions of smiles and sparked positive conversations about community policing, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office is again showcasing its social media savvy.

Soccer over schools? A question about Mecklenburg’s priorities (Charlotte Observer) -- While Mecklenburg County haggles over school spending for CMS, officials shovel money toward an MLS soccer stadium.

MARISSA PAYNE: UNC’s baseball team has a secret weapon — a service dog named Remington (Washington Post column) -- The golden retriever standing with the North Carolina baseball team for the national anthem isn't a mascot.