Transgender State Workers Are Facing Whiplash
Accused of Using Racial Slurs, State Senate Candidate Sues for Defamation, Wiretapping
Republican former Dare County Judge Jerry Tillett was accused of using a racial slur in a widely circulated audio recording. He denies it.
Lost and Found
Hurricane Helene swept away many beloved possessions for Western North Carolina residents. Meet the teams working to reunite people with their missing mementos.
N.C.-Based Nonprofit Sues Trump Administration Over Organ ‘Hunger Games’
The state’s largest organ procurement organization argues new rating system will lead to cutthroat competition and fewer lives saved.
70,000 Voters Must Fix Their Registrations or Face Hurdle at the Polls
Unless they update their registration information, these voters will have to cast a provisional ballot this year.
Politics
A House District Divided
Incumbent Valerie Foushee and challenger Nida Allam present starkly different approaches to politics. Could it be a bellwether for Democrats?
The Blame Game
A list of inmates released early under former Gov. Roy Cooper included DeCarlos Brown’s identification number, even though Brown served his full term.
Greg Bovino’s Last Stand
North Carolina native Greg Bovino was known for being theatrical and hyperaggressive. Those traits just cost him his job.
Culture
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?
North Carolina’s Snow Day Problem
Sprawling districts, a shortage of bus drivers, and painful memories of bad calls have made school leaders more likely to close for wintry weather.
Imagine All the People
The Buddhist monks walking to Washington, D.C. have become a viral feel-good story. Our reporter followed their journey to learn why.
Higher Ed
UNC System Board Advances Academic Freedom Policy, Despite Pushback
Lawyers for a faculty group said the policy would “effectively weaken the definition and historical scope of academic freedom.”
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.
Audit: UNC-CH Isn’t Meeting System’s Emergency Alert Training Requirements
UNC-Chapel Hill officials responsible for the university’s emergency alert system haven’t received annual training on threat-notification requirements under federal law, according to an internal audit obtained by The Assembly. The audit, completed in December, found that UNC-CH was not in compliance with part of the UNC System’s regulation on “campus emergency communication and alert systems.”…
From Our Network
Are Border Belt Schools at Risk of a Measles Outbreak?
A 95% vaccination threshold is necessary to protect against the highly contagious disease, according to the CDC.
‘Come For One, Face Us All’: Durham Nurses Mourn Alex Pretti at VA Candlelit Vigil
Pretti’s killing came amid an already turbulent period for VA nurses, as the Trump administration has shed tens of thousands of employees from the agency.
Data Centers Are Eyeing Fayetteville. Here’s How to Learn More
Data centers are controversial. Local economic development officials are hosting a public discussion on Thursday to answer questions.
Former Fayetteville State Cheer Coach Sues School Over Firing
LaWanda Miller filed a lawsuit against Fayetteville State University, claiming discrimination and breach of contract after her dismissal.
Public School Districts Continue to See Enrollment Drops in N.C.’s Border Belt
Two Durham Public Schools administrators and an elementary school principal were indicted on charges of obstructing justice this week.
By The Numbers: Greensboro Crime Statistics
Serious crimes are down in nearly every category tracked by the Greensboro Police Department.
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.