U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards’ Tough Mountain Test
The ABCs of PCS
You can get used to hearing those three letters a lot. The PCS process is the primary way lawmakers gut and amend bills.
Fish Your Wish
Hurricane Helene severely damaged a key Western North Carolina hatchery used to boost the trout stock of local rivers.
When Billy Graham Peered Into the Nation’s Soul
The young minister from N.C. took Los Angeles by storm in 1949, holding tent revivals that made him a national figure.
How the Trump Admin Could Speed Up a Controversial New Accreditor
A state official said the UNC System’s Commission for Public Higher Education could win federal recognition in 2027.
Politics
Lawmakers Direct Funds for Teaching Civil Rights History to Conservative Group
The General Assembly earmarked $350,000 for the Clarence Henderson Education Foundation, named for an outspoken Black Republican.
A Year After Federal Job Cuts, Workers in the Triangle Are Still Picking Up the Pieces
Hundreds of federal workers in the Triangle lost jobs in the Trump administration’s early cuts. A year later, the future still seems uncertain.
Opportunity for an Audit
Dave Boliek confirmed that his office is pursuing an audit of the Opportunity Scholarship program.
Higher Ed
Low Morale Plagues UNC-Chapel Hill Fundraisers After Overhaul
The university centralized its donor operation last year, frustrating some employees and deans. While fundraising has ticked up in the year since, employee job satisfaction took a hit.
A 60-Year Duke Professor on Literature, Grade Inflation, and Whether Academia Will Survive
Victor Strandberg reflects on what’s changed and what comes next.
UNC Charlotte Changes Course on Transgender Housing
The university cited an executive order from President Trump as the reason for the change.
Health
North Carolina’s Medical School Boom
New schools in Charlotte and Fayetteville—and soon Wilmington—could help ease the state’s doctor shortage.
UNC Offered WakeMed $5 Billion, More Than Double Atrium’s Bid
Documents reveal WakeMed snubbed its rival’s offer, despite UNC Health offering $3 billion more than Atrium.
Affordable Care Act Enrollment Dropped in Almost Every N.C. County This Year
Data show North Carolina recorded the sharpest drop nationwide in residents enrolling after Congress let premium subsidies expire.
Culture
The End of the Line
For decades, K&W Cafeterias fed the South on familiarity and habit. Their closure marks the loss of more than a restaurant chain—it signals the erosion of a shared, middle-class dining culture.
The Meaning of Mahjong
A century ago, an ‘exotic’ game from China took America by storm. Mahjong’s resurgence is again exposing questions about race and commerce.
Sunset, Sunrise
As the Family Dollar founder’s philanthropy makes a $2 billion push to help communities in need, the company faces scrutiny for exploiting them.
From Our Network
Cary Spent $330,000 on Videos Taxpayers Were Never Meant to See
The highly produced films—which include a surprise staff dance performance—offer a glimpse into governance under the former town manager.
UNC Pembroke Wants To Train More STEM Teachers
A new program will offer free tuition to students who pledge to teach math and science in the Sandhills.
Fayetteville Renews School Police Contract After Clash Over Transparency
The Fayetteville City Council approved providing 18 police officers and 66 crossing guards to public schools despite questions about whether the school resource officer program has ever been properly evaluated.
Great Things Start in Gas Stations
Pantry Fried Chicken started in a High Point gas station and has spread across N.C. and Virginia. Stop at the location on West Gate City Blvd and you’ll see why.
Cary Town Council to Consider Data Center Moratorium
Cary Town Council members voted unanimously to direct town staff to prepare a report and recommended timeline for a data center moratorium.
Durham Seeks Funding to End Homelessness by 2031
A new plan would aim to place people experiencing homelessness in the city into housing within 30 days.
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.
