Domecast From Under The Dome

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of March 5-6. We begin this episode interviewing Bill Adair, founder of PolitiFact, a Pulitzer Prize-winning fact-checker that has partnered with The News & Observer to inspect the claims of candidates and their campaigns here. Adair explains how it works and how politicians high and low are wary of being “PolitiFacted.” In our second segment, Colin Campbell of The N&O goes deep into the state’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. We get a closer look at the candidates, where they stand and how they differ, replete with audio clips of them explaining their plans for office. And we close it out, as always, with Headliners of the Week. Who wins? It gets somewhat awkward for one member of the Domecast team. Our panel this week — a big one — includes Lynn Bonner and Craig Jarvis of The N&O, Jim Morrill of The Charlotte Observer, Patrick Gannon and Benjamin Brown of The Insider State Government News Service and A

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Feb. 27-28. This episode sees the Domecast team diving deep into the March 15 primaries, with a rundown on candidates, odds and fundraising in contests high and low on the ballot. They include races for attorney general, lieutenant governor, superintendent of public instruction and, of course, the many General Assembly districts attracting primary attention. We also focus on the blur between the candidates’ campaigns and that of the statewide bond initiative. It’s brought about two complaints filed with the state elections board. What’s the issue? It’s somewhat uncharted territory. On the panel — and closing it out with the popular Headliners of the Week segment — are The News & Observer’s Lynn Bonner, Colin Campbell and Craig Jarvis along with Patrick Gannon, editor of the Insider State Government News Service. Benjamin Brown of the Insider hosts. Subscribe to Domecast on iTunes. Learn more about your ad ch

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Feb. 20-21. The General Assembly fired back up this week, spending Thursday and Friday hammering out a new scenario for 2016 congressional primary elections that was as controversial as it was quick. The result — including new congressional electoral districts and a primary date that could instantly go null under court action — raised a lot of questions. The simplest: What just happened? And what does it mean for voters? Domecast welcomes a special guest, State Board of Elections General Counsel Josh Lawson, to help us explain it all. We also go over the nuts and bolts of this special legislative session, reactions by Democrats upset with the proceedings and what the political implications are for this year’s elections. It’s a full panel, with The News & Observer’s Lynn Bonner, Colin Campbell and Craig Jarvis and The Insider’s Benjamin Brown, rounding it out as always with our Headliners of the Week segment

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Feb. 13-14. A federal court's order to redraw two North Carolina congressional districts dominated this week's news as it sowed confusion around the upcoming March primaries. Craig Jarvis of The News & Observer and Ben Brown of The Insider break down the developments. Then we take a look at the more minor political headlines that drew our attention this week: Sen. Thom Tillis' Super Bowl poetry, a McCrory administration official who compared solar panels to coal ash, and the ongoing saga of a DMV employee accused of using his position to peddle fire extinguishers. As always, we close out with our Headliners of the Week segment. Colin Campbell of The News & Observer hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Feb. 6-7. The Iowa presidential caucuses turbo-fueled the general public’s awareness that elections season is blazing all around us and, believe it, North Carolina’s primaries are just a month away. This week, Colin Campbell brings us up to speed on candidates’ fundraising, tells us what to expect in the way of televised debates -- a quirky topic -- and looks at legislative staffers who work second jobs on their bosses’ re-election campaigns. Craig Jarvis catches us up on Gov. Pat McCrory’s recent state Supreme Court win against legislative leaders in a fight over political appointment power. Lynn Bonner helps us understand a controversy between the Department of Public Instruction and senators who are critical of the department’s alternate plan for specially marked funds. As always, we close out with our Headliners of the Week segment. Benjamin Brown of the Insider State Government News Service hosts. The

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Jan. 30-31. This week we cover a broad spectrum, from teacher salaries to budget writers to cemeteries to campaign finance to fire extinguishers. The Domecast team makes sense of it all and invites you the listener to spectate or participate in a political-fundraising quiz we break out in our second segment. And, reliably, we bring it all home with our Headliners of the Week bout. On the panel this episode is Lynn Bonner of The News & Observer alongside Benjamin Brown and Patrick Gannon of The Insider State Government News Service. The N&O’s Colin Campbell is in the hosting chair. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed on iTunes by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Jan. 23-24. It’s a full house this week, with the entire capitol team present and accounted for — The News & Observer’s Colin Campbell, Craig Jarvis and Lynn Bonner teamed with Patrick Gannon and Benjamin Brown of the Insider State Government News Service. Campbell walks us through some odd, upcoming re-dos on a series of municipal elections in North Carolina. Jarvis brings us the latest on the offshore drilling debate and what may be ahead. Bonner looks at the state’s efforts to improve mental health care and the latest approaches for treatment and recovery. Gannon gives the latest on teacher pay and how one lawmaker thinks that will be a “top of the fold” issue for the short legislative session to begin in late April. We wrap up, as always, with Headliners of the Week. Brown is in the hosting chair. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed on iTunes by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Jan. 16-17. Lynn Bonner and Colin Campbell of The News & Observer round up a busy week in political and state government news. Legislators heard new recommendations on tax policy. The NAACP opened a new front in its battle against the state's voter ID law. The U.S. Senate primary races heated up. And legislators made some eyebrow-raising comments about solar farms. We wrap up, as always, with Headliners of the Week. Ben Brown of The Insider state government news service hosts. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Jan. 9-10. Intra-party divisions, a surprise changeup in the governor’s administration, controversy with a charter schools report, police body camera questions — a packed episode and plenty for the Domecast team to sort out. The panelists also offer lightning takes on the standout newsmakers in our Headliners of the Week segment. It’s a great roundtable hosted by Colin Campbell of The News & Observer with N&O colleagues Lynn Bonner and Craig Jarvis alongside Patrick Gannon and Benjamin Brown of the Insider State Government News Service. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Jan. 1-2. For our final Domecast of 2015, we take a look back at the year in state politics. Our panel of reporters offers picks for the biggest news stories of the year and nominates Headliners of the Year. And we look ahead to 2016 with predictions of politicians to watch in the year ahead. Patrick Gannon of The Insider hosts. He's joined by Ben Brown of The Insider and The News & Observer's Lynn Bonner, Colin Campbell and Taylor Knopf. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Dec. 19-20. On the closing arc of 2016 candidate filing, some notable names have dropped out of General Assembly races in last-minute fashion — the Senate’s longest-serving member among them — joining several other incumbents known for their positions of power. What does this mean for the anatomy of the legislature? Lynn Bonner & Colin Campbell of The News & Observer walk us through it with a roundup of exiting incumbents. In our second segment, The N&O’s Craig Jarvis gives us the latest on the 2016 bond campaign while The Insider’s Benjamin Brown talks potential changes to the state’s problematic system for allocating economic aid to counties. As always, we cross the finish line with our Headliners of the Week — a very special edition this time around. Andy Curliss of The N&O hosts. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Dec. 12-13. The 2016 campaign season is heating up with the entry of Republican gubernatorial challenger Robert Brawley. The News & Observer's Colin Campbell explains what he'll bring to the race. Then Patrick Gannon of The Insider discusses a very public divide in the House GOP caucus. In our second segment, Benjamin Brown of The Insider explains why top legislators are weighing in on the closing of a major brewing facility in Eden, and Lynn Bonner of The N&O talks about covering the recent Donald Trump rally in Raleigh. Headliners of the Weeks rounds out the program. Andy Curliss of The N&O hosts. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Dec. 4-5. The filing period for the 2016 elections has begun, and we pore through some of the standout races ahead — not the least of which is for governor of North Carolina. We look at the campaign video Gov. Pat McCrory put out this week with a statement about having been unemployed. It led to a fact-check, and then a criticism of the fact-check, which we sort out on this week’s episode. We also check into some of the candidate filings, races to watch and some surprise announcements from incumbents this week. As always, we close out with our popular Headliners of the Week segment. In the studio this week are Colin Campbell and Craig Jarvis of The News & Observer with Benjamin Brown of The Insider. Patrick Gannon, Insider editor, hosts. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Nov. 21-22. The episode finds no shortage of controversial or curious stories in state politics, going deep on so-called pay-to-play dramas in the legislative and executive branches with reporters Joseph Neff and Craig Jarvis of The News & Observer and editor Patrick Gannon of The Insider. Neff also details the latest on Dana Cope, the former head of the State Employees Association of North Carolina sentenced to prison for thieving funds from the organization. The N&0's Bruce Siceloff discusses his story on truckers finding themselves the target of an unusual state campaign to punish violators of an obscure no-parking law. And, as always, we wrap up with nominees for Headliner of the Week. The N&O’s Andy Curliss hosts. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Nov. 14-15. This week we lay out the latest in the intersection of sweepstakes and political contributions, developments at the UNC Board of Governors and settling elections with coin tosses (really). Joined by a surprise guest, we round it out with our popular Headliners of the Week segment. Behind the microphones are Craig Jarvis, Jane Stancill and Colin Campbell of The News & Observer with Benjamin Brown of The Insider. Insider editor Patrick Gannon hosts. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Nov. 7-8. This week features an interview with Joe Neff of The News & Observer, who broke a story about Gov. Pat McCrory's meeting with a prison contractor and campaign donor who sought to expand the contract. Then the N&O's Craig Jarvis talks about an Ethics Commission review that cleared McCrory in a separate incident, and Colin Campbell of the N&O discusses the retirement of polarizing state Sen. Bob Rucho. The program wraps up with Headliners of the Week. Patrick Gannon of The Insider hosts. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 1. This week we spend much of the program talking about the rocky process that led to Margaret Spellings' appointment as the new president of the UNC system. Jane Stancill and Lynn Bonner of The News & Observer offer their insights and look at what's next for the state's public university system. We wrap up with Headliners of the Week from The N&O's Liz Bell, Craig Jarvis and Colin Campbell. Andy Curliss of The N&O hosts. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Oct. 24-25. This week we spread our arms and sweep in myriad big-ticket topics from around state government: earmarks in the state’s new budget; lawmaker salaries and legislative schedule; and the $2 billion bond proposal that will go before voters in a matter of months. The News & Observer’s Colin Campbell and Craig Jarvis and The Insider’s Benjamin Brown go behind the microphones to discuss. Then The Insider’s Patrick Gannon and N&O intern Liz Bell join in for our Headliners of the Week. Can you guess our nominees? Andy Curliss of The N&O hosts. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Oct. 17-18. Two Democrats, Roy Cooper and Deborah Ross, launched their campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate this week. The News & Observer's Craig Jarvis and Colin Campbell recap the big announcements. Andy Taylor, political science professor at N.C. State University, weighs in with analysis of the 2016 campaigns. A number of legislators and other elected officials say they won't run again next year. Patrick Gannon and Benjamin Brown of The Insider explain who's stepping down and why. Then The N&O's Taylor Knopf joins the other panelists for Headliners of the Week. Nominees include State Treasurer Janet Cowell, Department of Public Safety Secretary Frank Perry, Congresswoman Renee Ellmers, Board of Elections Chairman Josh Howard and Rep. Larry Pittman. Andy Curliss of The N&O hosts. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch

Domecast, our weekly podcast on government and politics in North Carolina, is ready for the weekend of Oct. 10-11. With plenty going on at the state and federal levels this week, the end of the legislative session didn't slow us down. We bring on John Murawski of the News & Observer to discuss with fellow reporter Craig Jarvis what's happening between Duke Energy, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (formerly the Department of Environment and Natural Resources) and coal ash. Then we get into a little General Assembly trivia with Colin Campbell of The N&O and Benjamin Brown of The Insider. What legislators stood out this session and why? Who voted most or least with the majority? And more fun stats. As always, we close it out with our popular Headliners of the Week, with The N&O's Lynn Bonner and Liz Bell joining in. Andy Curliss of The N&O hosts. The Domecast is available and can be subscribed to on iTunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices