Author

James Burrell
James Burrell is a summer journalism fellow with NC Newsline, sponsored by the States Newsroom. He graduated from NC Central University, where he co-edited the student newspaper, the Campus Echo.
Biden’s bill to combat climate change advances as NC breaks new heat records
By: James Burrell - August 12, 2022
It’s been another hot summer for the Northern Hemisphere, the U.S., and in North Carolina. According to the North Carolina State Climate Office, it was the driest June in over three decades. In July – which is climate-wise the state’s hottest month – high pressure over the Southeast pushed temperatures to 102 in Raleigh on July […]
The monkeypox outbreak: Where things stand in NC, what you should know
By: James Burrell - August 4, 2022
With the monkeypox outbreak spreading across the country, North Carolina has reported more than 70 cases of the virus so far, according to data compiled by the state Department of Health and Human Services. Nearly half of the cases have been in Mecklenburg County.
Increased algal blooms in June lead the state to investigate two important NC lakes
By: James Burrell - July 27, 2022
Hotter summers spurred by climate change are likely making more and more bodies of water in NC unsafe There have been more than 300 public reports of algal blooms in North Carolina this year, 100 in June alone, according to the NC Department of Environmental Quality. And climate change could be at least partly responsible.
“It is meant to break your spirit”: Groups call for end to solitary confinement in NC prisons
By: James Burrell - July 1, 2022
Kerwin Pittman spent a total of 1,000 days alone, living in a drab prison cell the size of a small bathroom. He slept on a slab. His sink was connected to the toilet and lacked hot water. When Pittman was allowed to leave his cell to go outside – an hour per day – he […]
Medical marijuana advances to NC House after historic vote in Senate
By: James Burrell - June 8, 2022
On Monday, the state Senate passed a historic bill that would allow patients to receive medical marijuana through a trained physician for medical conditions such as cancer, PTSD, epilepsy and more. The bill would also remove the state-level criminal penalties for medical use, cultivation and distribution of marijuana. The measure would not change civil or […]
New bill would provide schools with free feminine hygiene products, exempt them from state sales tax
By: James Burrell - June 1, 2022
A new bill would exempt sales tax on feminine hygiene products and make them free in public schools through a recurring grant program, Rep. Julie von Haefen, the primary bill sponsor said Tuesday. At a press conference at the General Assembly, students and legislators explained how the measure could help families afford feminine hygiene products, […]