By Paul Krugman The New York Times (The Gazette’s editor/publisher, Carol Pelosi, is publishing this editorial and the following one to provide a background and solid information about the state of education in much of the country and in North Carolina specifically.) Matt Bevin, the conservative Republican governor of Kentucky, lost it a few days ago. Thousands of his state’s teachers had walked off their jobs, forcing many schools to close for a day, to protest his opposition to increased education funding. And Bevin lashed out with a bizarre accusation: “I guarantee you somewhere in Kentucky today a child was sexually assaulted that was left at home because there was nobody there to watch them.” He later apologized. But his hysterical outburst had deep roots: At the state and local levels, the conservative obsession with tax cuts has forced the GOP into what amounts to a war on education, and

As the daughter of a dedicated, always optimistic elementary school teacher, I have been appalled at the war the North Carolina legislators have waged against our public schools, public school teachers and public school students in the past decade. In her first year of marriage, Mother drove 35 miles each way through upstate New York winters to finish her first college degree to be able to teach. After she was widowed and for all the years until she retired she took classes every school year Saturday and every summer school. She completed a master’s degree when I graduated from high school and only needed a thesis for a doctorate when she retired. Teaching gave her the means to support two children and a nice home, to travel when we left home and to live comfortably when she retired. The following is from The Progressive Pulse, a blog from NC Policy

Beginning in June, Wake Forest will offer a new way to get around town. In April the town commissioners approved a two-year agreement that allows the dockless bicycle-sharing company, LimeBike, to offer bicycles for a fee anywhere in the town limits. As part of the initiative, LimeBike will bring approximately 200 bright green-colored bicycles to Wake Forest and place them in clusters in high traffic areas around town, including downtown and in parks and greenways. (Editor’s note: The Gazette has left a message with Suzette Morales, the town’s transportation planning manager, asking if child-sized bicycles will be included in the 200 so that families can ride together. Because the press release was late on Wednesday, there has been no response yet.) Each bike comes enabled with GPS and 3G technology. Once the bicycles are in place, customers must simply download the free LimeBike app onto their smartphone to access available

The Grey Seal Puppets will present “A Tangle of Tales” highlighting “The Frog Prince,” “The Three Billy Goats Gruff” and “The Three Little Pigs” on Friday, May 11, at 5 p.m. Each story will come to life through a different style using a variety of puppets. Free and open to the public, the performance will take place in Centennial Plaza, the gateway to the Wake Forest Town Hall at 301 Brooks Street before Friday Night on White. As an added bonus, Saving Grace Pet Rescue will be onsite in celebration of National Pet Week. “A Tangle of Tales” is part of the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre’s Arts For All free community performance series, which is supported by United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County

With hurricane season less than a month away, the Town of Wake Forest is urging area residents to use Hurricane Preparedness Week to learn how to protect themselves and their families from hurricanes and tropical storms. Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage due to winds varying from 74 to more than 157 miles per hour and torrential rain, which can lead to extensive flooding. In addition, hurricanes and tropical storms can also spawn tornadoes. Hurricane season begins June 1 and continues through Nov. 30, but the National Weather Service has designated the week of May 6-12 as Hurricane Preparedness Week. Each day from May 6-12 carries a different meaning. Sunday was used to determine whether you live in an area which could be at risk for hurricanes and Monday was intended for people and families to develop an evacuation plan. Make sure you know if you live in a hurricane evacuation