Smart Start is a comprehensive public-private initiative to help all North Carolina children enter school healthy and ready to succeed, and provides children from birth to age five access to high-quality and affordable child care, health care, and other critical services. This document comprises the first two issues of "Smart Start News," a newsletter detailing project activities and accomplishments. The May 1999 issue includes articles on: the receipt of the 1998-99 Innovations in American Government Award; the Smart Start Web site; a state initiative to expand programs helping with child caregivers' health care costs and salary bonuses; programs illustrating collaboration; characteristics of quality child care; recent findings from Smart Start impact studies; needs and challenges of Smart Start communities; the availability of parent materials; ways to assist in children's intellectual development; and vision screenings. The fall 1999 issue includes articles on: initiatives to introduce advocacy and volunteer efforts into Smart Start; state family support initiatives; state health insurance plan; additional recent findings from Smart Start impact studies; private sector child care; child care license standards; Smart Start partnerships around the state; and 1999 local Smart Start award winners. (KB)