Charles McNeair Spent His Adult Life in Prison. At 63, He’ll Go Home.
Thousands of Teachers to Rally in Raleigh Friday
At least 13 districts across the state have canceled classes due to the high number of teacher leave requests.
Five Takeaways from 1,100 Pages of Records About the Dean Dome
The documents offer a glimpse into how UNC-Chapel Hill officials landed on moving the arena to the planned satellite campus at Carolina North.
Trump Cuts Threaten to Halt Two Decades of HIV Vaccine Research
Duke University has won federal funding to lead a national HIV research consortium since 2005, with several promising vaccines ready for trials. Now the National Institutes of Health is ending its major grant.
FEMA Warns of Critically Low Funding Under Homeland Security Shutdown
The nation’s disaster response agency is now restricting its spending to save remaining disaster dollars in the event of a serious emergency.
Politics
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.
Patients Are Caught in Contract Crossfire Between Hospitals and Insurers
Clashes between large medical providers and insurance companies are on the rise, and patients are stuck in the middle.
‘Unintended Consequences’ of Republicans’ Medicaid Deal
A Department of Health and Human Services official emailed several Republicans about several provisions in the bill to fund Medicaid.
K-12 Education
Amid Enrollment Declines, Public Schools Reckon With Potential Closures
Even districts in the state’s most affluent and growing areas are under pressure. Chapel Hill-Carrboro school leaders now confront an impossible choice.
How One N.C. Charter School On the Brink of Failure Made a Massive Comeback
The Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy was at risk of closure. Now the state board that oversees charters hails the school as a success.
Is the Leandro Case Dead Yet?
The five school districts that filed the initial claims asked the state Supreme Court to put a hold on its April ruling.
Higher Ed
How N.C. Universities Plan to Prove Their Value
Three chancellors discussed pressures on higher education during a Durham event hosted by The Atlantic and The Assembly.
Community Colleges Want in on UNC System’s Push for 3-Year Degrees
Two community college presidents wrote to their system leader expressing concern about a proposal to create accelerated degree programs.
What N.C. State’s Arena Move Tells Us About the Dean Dome’s Future
Nearly 30 years ago, N.C. State basketball moved from Reynolds Coliseum to an off-campus court.
Culture
Will Federal Recognition for the Lumbee ‘Transform’ Southeastern North Carolina?
Members of the Lumbee tribe, which won full federal recognition last December, can soon access more federal programs and may open a casino.
Putting the ‘Gold’ in Golden Years
Senior communities are playing to win in the hyper competitive world of post-retirement living, as seen at Raleigh’s Liberty Games.
Brought to You By Japan, But Made in Mebane
Morinaga America is expanding its North Carolina factory to meet the growing demand of Americans obsessed with HI-CHEW.
From Our Network
‘Power to the People, Y’all’ Revisits a Revolutionary Chapter
Tressie McMillan Cottom’s new documentary short looks back on the first Black Panther Party chapter to be established in the South, and how its legacy lives on today.
Sober Living Home Ignites Opposition in Haymount Neighborhood
City officials and residents say the business violates zoning rules; the owner says she’s being harassed and unfairly targeted.
Lawmakers Threaten Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools Over Books, Policies on Gender
Republican legislators harangued school officials and announced a new bill that would withhold funding from districts that don’t comply with the Parents’ Bill of Rights.
Cumberland Commissioners Schedule Hearing on Data Center Moratorium
The public can comment on plans for a temporary ban during the hearing on May 18.
St. Pauls’ Fight Against Flooding
The Robeson County town has gotten millions of dollars from the state for flood mitigation projects. But there’s more work to do.
‘Democracy is Hard’
At the inaugural Greensboro Newsmakers event, students, and higher education leaders talked about civic health and engagement.
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.
Why Alamance County’s Pro-Trump Sheriff Iced Out ICE
Terry Johnson abruptly ended his agreement to hold immigrant detainees just before Trump’s crackdown in N.C.
Southern Discomfort
Over 200 years ago, George Washington toured North Carolina, and struggled to find its charm.
Greg Bovino’s Last Stand
North Carolina native Greg Bovino was known for being theatrical and hyperaggressive. Those traits just cost him his job.
How Much Could Trump’s Cuts Cost Your College?
We crunched the numbers on five significant higher ed cuts from the Trump administration’s first year.
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.
Lost and Found
Meet the teams working to reunite people with mementos they lost during Hurricane Helene.
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.
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?
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.