Even if Phil Berger Wins, He Lost
Where in North Carolina Is ICE Looking to Expand?
Immigration and Customs Enforcement currently has field offices in Charlotte, Cary, and Hendersonville, which are also described as temporary holding spaces.
No Pipe Dream on the French Broad
Pipe from IPEX’s Asheville factory is still in the river 18 months after Hurricane Helene, with no indication the company will clean it up.
A Tale of Two Six
A native son, a homecoming-inspired final album, and how Fayetteville—if only for a weekend—became the center of the hip-hop universe.
Here’s What Happens Next in the Berger-Page Battle
As things stand, the likeliest outcome is a recount. But there are several steps before that.
Politics
What We Learned From the 2026 Primaries
Tuesday’s elections were a trainwreck for many sitting state lawmakers, and lots of new faces are headed to Raleigh.
Phil Berger’s Defeat Would Create a Power Vacuum in the Senate
If state Senate leader Phil Berger’s 16-year reign comes to an end this year, here’s who could take over as the next president pro tempore.
Elections Board Member Bob Rucho Resigns After Apparent Illegal Donations
Records show Rucho donated to a pair of candidates since taking office last year, which is prohibited by state law.
Culture
Duke’s Kara Lawson Doesn’t Care If You Underestimate Her
Duke’s women’s basketball team has turned its season around, but its coach is under more pressure than ever ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Southern Discomfort
Over 200 years ago, George Washington toured North Carolina, and struggled to find its charm.
Wrestling With the Future
Stephanie Diaz Mendoza is a reigning state champion in the growing sport of girls’ wrestling. Her prospects on the mat depend on that momentum continuing.
Higher Ed
How Phil Berger Shaped North Carolina’s Universities
With controversial funding decisions and emboldened governing boards, the powerful state senator has transformed North Carolina’s public colleges and universities.
The Duke Researcher Who Thought He Could Reform Jeffrey Epstein
The wealthy sex offender gave a former Duke University employee money for a YouTube show.
UNC-Chapel Hill Concludes Civics School Investigation, Won’t Release Findings
The university says it is confident in the school’s future under the leadership of Jed Atkins.
From Our Network
North Carolina Bands Lead Exit of Wasserman Agency over Founder’s Epstein Ties
Wednesday and Sylvan Esso have both announced that they are cutting ties with the talent agency.
Public Details About a Reported ICE Office in Cary Are Scarce
A report that ICE is leasing office space near Koka Booth Amphitheatre for a growing force of immigration agents and lawyers has prompted community opposition.
Fayetteville Crime Down in 2025 But Youth Crime Up, Police Say
Fayetteville police Chief Roberto Bryan Jr. reported a citywide drop in crime but warned council members that juvenile offenses rose significantly in 2025.
‘Not One, Not Two, But Now, Three Levels of Scrutiny’
The Greensboro City Council is making zoning ordinance changes as concerns continue over ICE detention center.
Judges Clear Way for Trial in Contaminated Water Lawsuit
Cumberland County wants Chemours, DuPont to pay damages for allowing PFAS into drinking water and fund water infrastructure in affected areas.
Faith, Finances, and Politics
Pastor and activist Greg Drumwright has waved away persistent questions about his church and personal finances as he makes another bid for the Guilford County Board of Commissioners’ at-large seat.
Featured Stories
I’ve Seen How the Neo-Nazi Movement Is Escalating. You Should Worry.
A reporter gets a first-hand look at how the ‘militant accelerationism’ movement operates.
Former Hunt Institute Employees Describe a ‘Culture of Fear’
Ex-staffers say its leader has created a toxic environment that imperils the institute’s future—and former Gov. Jim Hunt’s legacy.
UNC’s Risky Belichick Math
UNC-Chapel Hill transferred $21 million to the athletic department last year–and that was before hiring Bill Belichick.
How a Widow’s Appointment to the State Dental Board Got Spiked
Shital Patel became a patient advocate after her husband died at the dentist. Then her appointment got mysteriously nixed.
The Disappearance of Julio Zambrano
The Venezuelan asylum seeker was living in N.C. legally. So why did the Trump administration send him to El Salvador?
Pride Cometh Before The Fall
After a two-year fight over LGBTQ books and displays, Yancey County is pulling its public library out of a regional system.
Voices in the Wilderness
A traditionalist religious order is building a new home in the woods of Western N.C. Not everyone is happy to see them.
Nine Years After HB2, Trans North Carolinians Wonder Who Is Looking Out For Them
The ‘Bathroom Bill’ sparked an outpouring of protest. But a new wave of attacks on trans rights has failed to generate the same response.
How the N.C. Legislature Bankrolls Anti-Abortion Centers
Over the past three years, the state legislature has given $30 million to crisis pregnancy centers, with little oversight or outcomes.
The Cattle Con
The recent sentencing of a Surry County man sheds light on how the shady world of fraudulent cattle traders operates.
What Remains of St. Andrews
Following the sudden closure of St. Andrews University, Laurinburg grapples with a now-empty campus at the heart of the community.
An Inmate’s Unlikely Ally
Charles McNeair has been in prison for more than 45 years. He has a surprising new advocate for clemency: the police chief.