A Rural County’s Tax Squeeze
New Documentary Features Joan Little’s Fight for Justice
In the 1970s, Joan Little was a poor, young Black woman who killed a Beaufort County detention officer who she said tried to sexually assault her. Her case sparked an international movement.
Guilford County Brushes Off a Berger Theory
In a report recently provided to the State Board of Elections, Guilford County’s election director pushed back on the theory that some people got an incorrect ballot.
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.
What Is the Economic Impact of Data Centers? It’s a Secret.
Gov. Josh Stein wants lawmakers to rethink tax breaks for data centers. The industry’s opacity makes it difficult to evaluate costs and benefits.
Politics
Democratic Candidate Recruitment Is Booming, Even in GOP Districts
Democrats, hoping for a wave, are pushing candidates in state legislative districts that until recently went unchallenged.
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.
Charlotte Man Found Incapable of Proceeding to Trial in Iryna Zarutska Case
DeCarlos Brown had a long history of mental illness. His lawyers said a state psychiatric hospital found him unfit for trial.
K-12 Education
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.
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.
N.C. Supreme Court Reverses 2022 Ruling on Leandro School Funding Plan
Leandro v. North Carolina began in 1994, when five low-wealth counties sued the state over what they contended was inadequate funding.
Higher Ed
St. Andrews University Rape Case Ends With Settlement
Webber International University reached an out-of-court agreement with a former St. Andrews student, but few details are publicly available.
Lee Roberts Knows He Needs to Say More About That
Facing pushback against several controversial decisions, Roberts has issued a similar apology: He could have communicated better.
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.
Culture
Drawing from Real Life
“Islands in the Sky” depicts Hurricane Helene through survivors’ stories—with the help of some nationally recognized comic artists.
How an ‘Agnostic Atheist’ Got Students to Scrutinize Their Faith
Biblical scholar Bart Ehrman wanted his students at UNC-Chapel Hill to think seriously about what it means to believe—and they did.
Life in the Shadow of Big Beaver
As Buc-ee’s expands its range north, other parts of the gas-station and convenience store eco-system are feeling the squeeze. Photojournalist Kate Medley documents their survival.
From Our Network
Jonah Garson Will Succeed Graig Meyer in the N.C. Senate
The state Democratic vice chair won five of the six committee votes to fill the seat.
First Draft of Wake County Schools Budget Contains $15M in Cuts, Question Marks
Superintendent Robert P. Taylor said he won’t reduce the special education budget but hasn’t decided what he’ll cut instead.
Roy Cooper Talks Iran War, Low Prices, Health Care, Data Centers in Fayetteville Stop
The Democratic former governor, now running for U.S. Senate, says the 2026 campaign ‘is going to be a tough, close race’ against Republican Michael Whatley.
A Place to Live
A partnership between two Guilford County-based nonprofits will create housing for people living with HIV.
Did These Students With Disabilities Get the Education They’re Owed? The State Is Investigating.
The ACLU and Duke Children’s Law Clinic say that during a lockdown at the Durham Youth Home last year, students received no more than 30 minutes of instruction a day.
Both the Savory and Sweet Make an Appearance at Cary’s Annual Pimento Cheese Festival
At the April 11 downtown Cary event, the Southern staple is featured in scones, sandwiches, mac ‘n cheese, and milkshakes.
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.