Colin Campbell

3 weeks ago | wfae.org | Colin Campbell

Sen. Dan Blue, D-Wake, is the only state lawmaker who’s been in office since the early 1980s, but the former House speaker is no longer serving as Senate minority leader after his fellow Democrats backed Sen. Sydney Batch for that role instead. Blue says he’ll still have a key role in Senate action, and he's "freed up to play diplomat" on issues like healthcare, education and affordable housing.

3 weeks ago | inverness-courier.co.uk | Colin Campbell

Published: 17:30, 05 June 2025 HIGHLAND MSP Edward Mountain spent an evening shadowing police around Inverness and was so shocked by the pressure officers are under that he called for Porterfield to remain in jail usage after the new deluxe Inverness Prison is opened, an event which may happen next year. This would ensure more prisoners remain locked up rather than being granted early release as a result of general overcrowding behind bars.

3 weeks ago | wfae.org | Colin Campbell

The state House is moving forward with new regulations for kratom. Lawmakers say the tropical plant with drug-like effects shouldn't be available to people under age 21. The bill would also ban sales of synthetic forms of kratom that have higher concentrations of the active ingredient. Kratom retailers would be licensed, and selling the products to anyone under age 21 would result in fines and criminal charges.

3 weeks ago | wfae.org | Colin Campbell

The state Senate is expected to vote this week on new regulations for child care facilities. The proposal would allow larger class sizes, among other provisions aimed at increasing access to child care services. The legislation is the latest effort to address a shortage of child care by making it easier to operate and staff facilities. It would allow infant classrooms to have a maximum of 15 children, up from 10 under current regulations.

4 weeks ago | inverness-courier.co.uk | Colin Campbell

Toilet arrangements when I first went to primary school in 1961 were straightforward. Facilities for the girls in Beauly Junior Secondary were indoors. For the boys it was different. The toilets were outside and consisted of a couple of six-foot high walls shaped as three sides of a triangle, akin to a segment of a prehistoric maze, and one cubicle. None of it was covered in any way.