In District 11, It’s Underdog v. Underdog
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.
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.
Balkcom to Replace Edwards as GOP Candidate for 11th District
Jennifer Balkcom will now square off against Democrat Jamie Ager in the U.S. House race.
Politics
U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards Abandoned His Reelection Bid. What Happens Now?
Next week, Republicans will choose a replacement for the Western North Carolina lawmaker on the November ballot. Here’s who might advance.
Chuck Edwards Ends Campaign After Harassment Allegations
Pressure had been building among Republicans to force him out after a House Ethics report cited alleged inappropriate behavior.
The Commerce Secretary and the Unprecedented Revolt Against Data Centers
Lee Lilley grew up in small-town Williamston and knows the need for rural jobs. But he’s facing growing grassroots disenchantment over data centers.
Higher Ed
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.
What’s the Difference Between Civility and Civil Discourse?
Robert Taber, chair of the UNC System Faculty Taskforce on Civil Discourse, explains why it shouldn’t be a partisan issue.
A Greensboro Professor Sued His College for Ignoring Its Handbook
A Bennett College professor claimed the school didn’t follow its human resource policies during a misconduct investigation. The college argued it doesn’t have to.
Health
The Big Brain on Brad
Brad Briner became motivated to understand money when family struggled. Now the state treasurer is putting his stamp on that job.
New Work Rules Could Drop Thousands of Sick N.C. Residents From Medicaid
People with serious illnesses will need a doctor to verify twice a year that they’re too sick to work, or they risk losing their health insurance.
These Church Members Disagree on Politics. Together They’re Wiping Out Medical Debt.
Trinity Moravian Church, a politically diverse congregation in Winston-Salem, has been raising money to retire medical debt.
Culture
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.
(Not Just) Another Roadside Attraction
Taking a trek across the state to find out what North Carolina’s oddities and spectacles still have to offer modern travelers.
The Trill of the Chase
The World Whistlers Convention now draws hundreds of entrants to Japan every year—far from its roots in Louisburg, N.C.
From Our Network
Residents Move from Oakwood Park Encampment into Hotel Rooms
As part of a city plan to make homelessness rare and brief, the residents will stay in hotel rooms and work with case managers to secure permanent housing in the next year.
Columbus County Still Has ‘Financial Management Issues,’ State Auditor Says
The state, which has been monitoring the county’s finances since 2020, highlighted several concerns in a new report.
To Be a Town, or Not To Be a Town? In Gray’s Creek, That Is the Question
A proposal to incorporate the Cumberland County community faces fierce opposition. But residents want a say in managing population growth and development.
An ‘Interesting’ Compromise on Campus Voting Sites
Guilford County’s Board of Elections voted for a plant that does not include sites at N.C. A&T and UNC Greensboro.
‘Making a City’: RTP Marks Launch of Mixed-Use Redesign
Officials estimate RTP 3.0 will house 45,000 residents in the coming decades, creating a new community close to the size of Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina.
Why Are Durham’s Breweries Drying Up?
Long a centerpiece of social and cultural life, breweries are struggling as rents rise and the craft beer industry faces a nationwide decline. Durty Bull is Durham’s latest.
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.
