Which N.C. Lawmakers Showed Up to Vote?
UNC-Chapel Hill Civics School Investigation Can Stay Secret, Judge Says
The Assembly and other outlets sued to release the report under public records laws. The court ruled in the university’s favor.
Visiting with the Ancestors
An annual tradition brings people back to the land their families lost to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park nearly a century ago.
A Is for Average
The median college GPA is on the rise. Critics call it grade inflation. But it’s not clear why it’s happening—or if it matters.
N.C. Cotton Farmers Contend With a New Pest
The cotton jassid is a looming threat to agriculture in North Carolina. Farmers already struggling to stay afloat fear what’s next.
Politics
In District 11, It’s Underdog v. Underdog
Jennifer Balkcom inherited the nomination in a district friendly to Republicans. But Democrat Jamie Ager has the money, time, and name.
The Million-Dollar Industry Built Around NC’s Affordable Housing Tax Break
A small group of lawyers, real estate brokers, and registered nonprofits are profiting from a tax break designed to support affordable housing, some raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, an INDY investigation found.
A Contested Exoneration
A year ago, a judge dismissed murder charges against four men in the 2002 death of former NBA star Chris Paul’s grandfather. Now, a state appellate court has to decide whether the men should still be vindicated.
Higher Ed
Internships Are More Important Than Ever. N.C. Universities Are Working To Keep Up
Many students are finding there aren’t enough internship opportunities for everyone.
UNC System Expects to Respond to McMahon’s Higher Ed Letter
The letter follows Trump’s compact, which would have given schools a leg up on federal funding if they agreed to requirements that aligned with administration priorities.
More Than Half of NCCU’s Fundraising Board Has Resigned
The NCCU Foundation board saw 12 of 22 members quit in April and May. The school said the resignations brought it into compliance with term-limits.
Health
ECU Health May Have Found a Tool to Reduce Childbirth Risks: Wristbands
Nearly 50 N.C. hospitals have begun distributing the wristbands as reminders of the life-threatening risks after birth.
Same Knee Surgery, Twice the Price: Hospital Monopolies Push Up Health Care Costs
Mission Hospital in Asheville, formed by the merger of the two largest hospitals in the region, has little competition and the power to demand higher prices.
Why Would WakeMed Say No to $3 Billion?
WakeMed attracted two suitors, offering wildly different dollar figures. Why it turned down the higher number is still a bit of a mystery.
Culture
Moments of Nope?
A prominent Charlotte pastor thought he’d found a home for his growing church at a beloved YMCA branch. Then came the protests.
Sports Gambling is Going ‘Gangbusters.’ That’s Good and Bad.
Two years into legalization, the gaming industry considers North Carolina a success. But residents aren’t getting what was promised.
A New Program Aims to Make Therapy More Accessible to Restaurant Workers. Will It Reach the Back of House?
Behind You offers free counseling to hospitality workers—an industry that overwhelmingly doesn’t provide health care.
From Our Network
One Triangle Social Club’s Key to Help People Keep Showing Up
Rob Deaton, a Raleigh native, founded the members-only Ripple Social Club for people looking to make friends and commit to consistent activities. The group has quickly grown.
Out-of-State Police Search UNC Pembroke’s Flock Cameras, Records Show
A Wilmington attorney wanted to know who was accessing surveillance footage on the college campus. The answer surprised him.
Fayetteville Woman Wants Teachers To Help State’s Foster Care Crisis
After one educator changed the course of her life, Shannon Battle wants teachers to consider a different calling—becoming respite caregivers for children in foster care.
City Council Approves Data Center Moratorium, Residents Push for Longer
Mayor Pro Tem Denise Roth recused herself from votes and planning related to data centers due to her connection to the Dream Center project.
What is Veridea? Inside the Development Set to Grow Apex
Veridea, a massive development in Apex, will add housing, industry, and retail, helping to grow the size of the town’s population.
How Local Music Fans and Venues Stand to Win From New Legislation
Passed in early July as part of the state budget, The Real Tickets, Real Fans Act aims to regulate predatory ticketing practices across North Carolina.
Featured Stories
Even if Phil Berger Wins, He Lost
The Senate leader’s primary might not be resolved for weeks. But even Berger’s best-case scenario will leave the political giant diminished.
Whistleblower Pushes to Regulate Controversial Organ Retrieval Technique
A North Carolina surgeon has raised concerns about an innovative procedure that reanimates a dead body to enable organ transplants.
Greg Bovino’s Last Stand
North Carolina native Greg Bovino was known for being theatrical and hyperaggressive. Those traits just cost him his job.
As Helene Survivors Await State Help, Some Victims of Earlier Hurricanes Are Still Out of Their Homes
A new housing recovery program created to avoid the delays and cost overruns that plagued past efforts is already seeing similar problems.
The Enduring Hazards of College Hazing
Administrators have worked for years to eliminate fraternity hazing. But we found more than 1,500 pages of records showing it continues.
Well I’ll Be Dammed
North Carolina is about to get its first Buc-ee’s, the massive, cult-classic gas station. What’s all the hype about?
Lost and Found
Meet the teams working to reunite people with mementos they lost during Hurricane Helene.
If You Build It, Will They Come?
New charter schools are struggling to enroll enough students to stay solvent. One High Point school’s implosion shows the consequences.
How Tupac Came to Rest in North Carolina
The cremated remains of the rapper, still omnipresent three decades after his death, now lie in a Lumberton grave.
UNC-Chapel Hill’s Lesson in Civics
The School of Civic Life and Leadership’s hiring battle is part of a long-running rupture over the mission of similar efforts.
From ‘Superstar’ Cop to Drug Kingpin
A talented police officer busted drug rings along I-85. Then he bewildered everyone who knew him by becoming a drug trafficker himself.
How North Carolina Officials Kept the Truth About a Police Shooting Hidden
In 2019, a state trooper killed Brandon Webster claiming self defense. Evidence contradicted that account but wasn’t made public—until now.
A Tale of Two Six: J. Cole’s Fayetteville
A native son, a homecoming-inspired final album, and how Fayetteville—if only for a weekend—became the center of the hip-hop universe.
Transgender State Workers Are Facing Whiplash
The state’s health insurance plan no longer covers gender-affirming care, which has left some employees in limbo.
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.
