A near-unanimous House agreed Tuesday evening that the state needs to put a moratorium on large new between-basins water transfers like one Charlotte wants. The only dissent from the 108-1 vote to pass House Bill 850 and send it to the Senate came from Rep. Carolyn Logan, D-Mecklenburg. If the Senate goes along, the bill […]
Data-center electricity needs are “unlike anything we’ve ever seen” and state officials will have to make their owners and operators ante up financially to avoid having North Carolinians subsidize them, the head of the N.C. Public Staff says. They and large-load customers like them “need to be willing to put money to back up” their […]
Gary D. Robertson/The Associated Press The Republican challenger for a North Carolina Supreme Court seat conceded last November’s election on Wednesday to Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs, two days after a federal judge ruled that potentially thousands of disputed ballots challenged by Jefferson Griffin must remain in the final tally. In a statement provided by his […]
WRAL News North Carolina’s tourism economy remained strong in 2024, despite Hurricane Helene’s impact on many popular destinations in the state. Gov. Josh Stein announced Wednesday that travelers spent more than $36.7 billion on trips to and within the state in 2024. That is a new record for tourism spending. The previous record of $35.6 […]
Cory Vaillancourt/Smoky Mountain News North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson visited Canton last week, meeting with local officials and new mill site owner Eric Spirtas, who gave tantalizing tidbits of what’s in store for the 185-acre parcel and promised a bold master plan within six months. “The idea of this, just […]
Catherine Kozak/Coastal Review Online Amidst the tedium of a generally uneventful two-day meeting of the state Coastal Resources Commission last week, embers of prior tensions flared anew when Commissioner Jordan Hennessy contended that the panel had not properly authorized its lawsuit seeking to restore a protective environmental rule for Jockey’s Ridge. The commission voted 9-3 […]
Lucas Thomae/Carolina Public Press Securing federal relief funds after Tropical Storm Helene has been a challenge. Now, a new NC agency must prove it can wisely manage a $1.4 billion home rebuilding program after the last effort fell short. State lawmakers are still fuming after ReBuild NC, the recovery office created in the aftermath of […]
Richard Stradling/The (Raleigh) News & Observer The Raleigh City Council has endorsed charging tolls on Capital Boulevard between Interstate 540 and Wake Forest, but, as some council members made clear, not enthusiastically. The tolls will allow the N.C. Department of Transportation to accelerate plans to turn the congested four-lane road into a six-lane expressway, with […]
Adam Wagner/WFAE Radio Raw milk sales in North Carolina would only be available through herdshares, under a provision introduced in the N.C. Farm Act. This photo shows a sign at the Chapel Hill Farmer’s Market advertises raw milk on a recent Saturday morning. After receiving hundreds of phone calls and emails from raw milk drinkers […]
Port City Daily A local senator’s bill to regulate e-bikes moved one step forward Tuesday. This came two weeks after New Hanover County commissioners also took up discussions about whether it should give a second look at ordinances regarding e-bikes. Senate Bill 576 was referred to the Senate Transportation Committee; it would change the state’s […]
Vicki Hyatt/The (Waynesville) Mountaineer There is a potential buyer for property on Buck Mountain, which was once home to Ghost Town in the Sky. Owner Jill McClure said a deal looks promising, though there is no contract in place. McClure inherited Ghost Town from her late aunt Alaska Presley, who had rescued Ghost Town from […]
Morgan Casey/CityView The North Carolina Senate is considering regulating for-profit companies that make money by charging veterans for help when they apply for federal benefits. The regulations are part of Senate Bill 693, titled “Veteran Access, Liberty, Options for Recovery.” The proposed legislation comes as many claim companies, including one based in Pinehurst, have received […]
Bankers could gain the authority to delay some financial transactions if they suspect that an elderly client is being exploited, under House bill that’s cleared two of the chamber’s committees. House Bill 754 defines exploitation as the improper use of a physically or mentally incapacitated adult’s money and other assets via deception, intimidation or undue […]
A bill that among other things would establish density minimums on residential land throughout the state is once again on the move. House Bill 765 cleared the chamber’s Housing and Development committee on Tuesday, the panel getting a second chance to review it after Speaker Destin Hall changed the bill’s review path. The panel incorporated […]
The Carolina Panthers and one of the state’s leading arts groups are opposing a House proposal that would clamp down on the ability of “ticket issuers” to restrict how their customers put tickets up for re-sale. But House Bill 598 cleared the chamber’s Commerce and Economic Development committee on Tuesday in spite of the opposition […]
