Local News

Bans on diverse picture books? Young kids need to see their families represented, experts say

Across the country, books and lessons that represent different families and identities are increasingly the target of conservative pushback — even when they're for the youngest of learners. Educators and free-speech advocates say the books and lessons caught up in these bans often simply acknowledge the existence of different identities. That's crucial, experts say, to help young children develop empathy and an understanding of themselves — especially for children whose families include people of color or LGBTQ+ relatives. Of the bans targeting picture books, about three-quarters are books that address LGBTQ+ themes and roughly half mention race, PEN America says.

Salem College reports record growth and $5M gift

Salem College officials announced a second year of record growth, with the number of new students on campus increasing by more than 50 percent. The Winston-Salem-based women’s college also received an all-time high number of applications for a second consecutive year.

Triad hospitals are in a high stakes battle over Certificate of Need — but what is it?

Earlier this month, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services gave its conditional approval to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s quarter-billion-dollar plan for a new hospital in Greensboro. Atrium says their new hospital proposal is meant to help people get health care close to home. Competing health care provider Cone Health has appealed the decision, claiming that the plan is all about profits.