Look around and you'll notice it everywhere on the roads - drivers looking down at their phones. Tonight at 6 p.m., what lawmakers and parents are doing to protect the group most at risk in North Carolina - teenage drivers.  

Tonight at 6: It's blamed for more crashes among NC teens than speed and alcohol combined. WRAL Investigates distracted teen driving.

Have you noticed an unusual smell or flavor in your tap water over the past few days?

What's wrong with Raleigh tap water? Algae bloom at Falls Lake behind the smell, color

'Earthy and musty:' Here's why your tap water may taste strange this weekend in Raleigh

The "Dueling Dinosaurs" exhibit opening this weekend at Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will feature what's believed to be the most complete T. rex skeleton ever discovered.

'Dueling Dinosaurs:' One-of-a-kind dig, laboratory access at Raleigh science museum

DinoLab at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

All assets associated with the tag: John Locke Foundation

John Locke Foundation Coverage

New polls 'are good for Budd, but they do not say this race is over,' one political observer says.

North Carolina's US Senate race remains tight, new polls show

Beasley, Budd field questions during NC's US Senate debate

Instead of getting into bidding wars with other states for projects with a poor track record of creating the promised number of jobs, North Carolina should make the state more hospitable for all businesses. Here's how.

Guest opinion: Stop corporate welfare in big job deals, make NC more hospitable for all businesses

A right-leaning think tank stepped up its war of words with the state's largest teacher's group over the last few weeks, putting up billboards suggesting teachers leave the organization.

STATE, FAMILIES CAN SEE THE INCREASE BEGINNING OCTOBER 1. >>> A THINK TANK HAS STEPPED UP ITS WAR OF WORDS AGAINST THE LARGEST TEACHER'S GROUP, PUT UP THIS BILLBOARD SUGGESTING TEACHERS LEAVE THE GROUP. WANT A $500 RAISE? HE JOINS US NOW VIA ZOOM, TRAVIS, WHAT'S THIS ABOUT AND WHERE DOES THE RAISE COME IN? >> THE $500 IS ABOUT WHAT IT COSTS TO BE A MEMBER OF THE NCAB NORTH CAROLINA EDUCATORS, THAT'S THE CLOSEST THING TO A TEACHERS UNION WE HAVE THIS N THIS STATE, THE NCAU WAS THE ORGANIZING FORCE BEHIND THE LARGE TEACHER MARCHS YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER A FEW YEARS AGO IN RALEIGH, THE REPUBLICAN- CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE PASSED A COUPLE OF BUDGETS WITH SMALL RAISES, GOVERNOR ROY COOPER VETOED THOSE RAISES CRITICS WOULD SAY THE GROUP IS IN LOCK STEP WITH THE DEMOCRAT PARTY, BECOME MORE OF A POLITICAL FORCE, THE SUGGESTION BEHIND THIS CAMPAIGN, IT DOESN'T REPRESENT TEACHERS ALL THAT WELL. >> A GROUP CALLED THE JOHN LOCK FOUNDATION, PRETTY WELL KNOWN IN NORTH CAROLINA POLITICS, THE START OF THIS YEAR WITH THE CIVIC HOSS INSTITUTE, THESE ARE BOTH RIGHT-LEANING GROUPS A MAJOR REPUBLICAN DONOR WHOSE FAMILY OWNS A CHAIN OF BUDGET RETAIL STORES, HE IS WELL KNOWN IN RIGHT WING POLITICS, THIS GROUP PUSHED BACK AGAINST THENCAE BEFORE, THERE ARE BILLBOARDS HERE IN WAKE COUNTY, ONE YOU SEE ON THE VIDEO ALONG CAPITOL BOULEVARD, I'M TOLD THERE ARE BILLBOARDS IN JOHNSON COUNTY, GILBERT COUNTY AND MECKLENBURG. >>> QUICKLY, TRAVIS, ANY REACTION FROM TEACHERS YOU TALK TO? >> WE REACHED OUT FOR THOUGHTS ON ITS BILLBOARD, SO FAR THE GROUP DECLINED TO COMMENT, WE DID REACH OUT TO TEACHERS DIRECTLY, DOES SEEM LIKE THE

John Locke Foundation goes after NCAE with billboard campaign

The John Locke Foundation put at least one bilboard up in Raleigh recently telling teachers to leave the N.C. Association of Educators. Image courtesy John Locke Foundation.

The billboards are an escalation of years of push back against the North Carolina Association of Educators.

Think tank to teachers: Leave NCAE, get a raise

A report released Thursday by the John Locke Foundation shows North Carolina counties paid out about $144 million in economic development incentives over the last five years.

Study: NC counties paid $144M in incentives over 5 years

One sheet at a time

A controversial bill to freeze the state's renewable energy portfolio standard is on a fast track to the Senate floor despite an unclear vote from the Senate Finance Committee.

Renewable energy freeze on fast track

Solar panels

Republicans are hammering incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan with the fact her husband's company landed stimulus grants after she voted for the bill. Hagan says it is Republican Thom Tillis who has conflict of interest problems.

Hagan stimulus story hits the ad wars

Kay Hagan and Thom Tillis, 2014 U.S. Senate race

On the day that has become synonymous with taxes, Gov. Pat McCrory promoted the changes to North Carolina's tax code that lawmakers approved last year, saying they are already helping state taxpayers.

April 15 provides soapbox for backers, critics of NC tax overhaul

Money generic, dollars

The proposed constitutional amendment would limit state spending increases based on population growth and inflation. Opponents say it could hurt the ability of the state to manage debt and deal with climbing health care costs. 

Proposal to limit future state spending moves forward

Education advocates, state employees and advocates for the poor expressed concern Wednesday for various provisions in Gov. Pat McCrory's $20.6 billion spending proposal for the coming year.

Educators, others skeptical of proposed budget

Rodney Ellis

The think tanks and nonprofit advocacy organizations that try to drive public opinion and the legislative agenda in the state capital fall into two 'families.' A better understanding of their funding can help the public know who to believe.