* The N.C. Institute for Constitutional Law filed a lawsuit Wednesday to force Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte to give back the money the state has given to the culinary and hospitality school.

The institute, a conservative-leaning legal think tank, said the $10 million promised to the school by then-House Speaker Jim Black and other legislative leaders in 2004 doesn't qualify as an economic incentive. The school was not required to create jobs or invest in the state, the steps that state officials typically include to justify the public purpose for a corporate handout.

"This is simply a gift from Jim Black to the school," said Bob Orr, the institute's executive director. "Unfortunately it is one the taxpayers are footing the bill for."

Former Lt. Gov. Dennis Wicker, an attorney for the university, said he expects the courts will not agree with the institute. The courts have yet to agree with suits the institute has filed over incentives to companies such as Dell and Google.

"This went through the legislative process and enjoyed bipartisan support," Wicker said. "Educating our kids is always a public purpose." (N&O)

* As more college students seek financial aid in the troubled economy, the U.S. House of Representatives today is set to overhaul the nation's student loan system.

For students, little in the application process would change beyond a shorter and more simplified form. But more money could be coming their way, and Congress would rework the bureaucracy to potentially save $87 billion in the next decade. (N&O)

* A state task force will try to prevent ex-convicts from going back to prison.

Gov. Beverly Perdue announced 34 members of the StreetSafe Task Force, which will try to find ways to curb recidivism. Every year, 28,000 people are released from prison into a world where their pasts make it difficult to find a decent job and a place to live. Perdue said keeping people from going back to prison is one of the best ways to keep state residents safe.

"This is all about being tougher on crime," Perdue said. "We help people stay out of prison by giving them a life and a job and a capacity to succeed in the community and that's what we want so dare not anybody tell me, 'Oh Bev, you're going soft.' Because I tell you what, if 'soft' means keeping people from being repeat offenders, then I think North Carolina should adopt that motto." (N&O)

The House budget proposal calls for a study to find ways to improve financial aid for community college students.

The budget includes a provision calling for a study by a legislative education committee, with particular emphasis on how to better serve adult working students and how to increase the number of community colleges that participate in federal student loan programs.

The provision echoes recommendations by the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research, which last month released a report calling for better financial aid at the state's 58 community colleges. The report quoted a national study that ranked North Carolina third-worst in the country because only 47 percent of the state's community college students have access to federal student loan programs.

Only 23 of 58 community colleges now offer their needy students low-interest federal loans. Those that don't participate in the loan programs fear they'll lose all federal financial aid if too many of their students default on loans. The center recommended that all colleges create loan default prevention programs. 

The U.S. Senate voted today to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, which toughens guidelines for colleges and lenders after questions of ethics have swirled around the student-loan industry.

Sen. Richard Burr touted two of his amendments that were included in the legislation, reports Jane Stancill.

One would expedite a study on simplifying the long and complex federal financial aid forms. The other would require universities that prepare future teachers to set yearly goals for increasing the production of teachers in high need areas such as math, science, special education and English as a second language.

In a news release, Burr said the legislation would also ensure that parents and students have more information about tuition and fees and continue support for North Carolina's ten historically black colleges and universities.