Month: August 2025

2. Medicaid cuts create hurdle for rebirth of Martin Co. hospital

Jane Winik Sartwell/Carolina Public Press East Carolina University is officially pursuing the idea of reopening Martin General Hospital, the shuttered hospital in Eastern North Carolina. But first, it needs $220 million — and for cuts to Medicaid to stop coming. That’s starting to seem increasingly unlikely. The uncertainty around the plan for Martin General shows […]

Written by on August 26, 2025

3. Sports gaming: Georgia panel encouraged to act by former North Carolina lawmaker

Kim Jarrett/The Center Square  North Carolina far exceeded its projected revenues of $64 million in its first year of legal gaming, bringing in $116 million, a Georgia House committee studying the legalization of sports gaming in Georgia was told Monday. Former North Carolina Rep. Jason Saine touted the benefits legalized sports betting brought to his […]

Written by on August 26, 2025

4. Changes to federal SNAP, Medicaid programs will require changes to NC’s school meal programs

Emily Walkenhorst/WRAL News Changes to federal benefit programs will likely mean a loss in free school meals for some students, advocates warn. The “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law by President Donald Trump in July, tightens eligibility for the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance (SNAP) and Medicaid programs. Two airstrikes kill 20 people, including 5 […]

Written by on August 26, 2025

5. Several high schools host walkouts over WS/FCS budget cuts; more protests planned around district

Nicholas Ragone & JD Franklin III/WXII News Hundreds of students at multiple Winston-Salem/Forsyth County high schools are holding walkouts Monday to protest the planned job cuts for educators around the district. Glenn High School held its protest around 9:30 a.m. Similar demonstrations are planned at other schools around the district in the afternoon. At Glenn, […]

Written by on August 26, 2025

6. The impact of free school meals for all students in one rural NC county

Analisa Sorrells Archer/Education NC As students return to school in Jackson County, they will all receive school breakfast and school lunch at no cost. Now in its second consecutive year of operation, these no-cost meals are funded by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, which provided more than $500,000 last school year to ensure all […]

Written by on August 26, 2025

7. Climate and environmental legislation to watch in Raleigh

Zachary Turner/WFAE Radio Congress has cut federal funding for public media — an $800,000 loss for WFAE. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism. The next leg of the 2025 legislative session begins in Raleigh this week, though no votes are expected as […]

Written by on August 26, 2025

8. Records show how Coltrane grant fell short

Pat Kimbrough/The High Point Enterprise Budget records show how a state-funded project to restore John Coltrane’s childhood home in High Point fell short of completion. The High Point Preservation Society provided the Enterprise summaries of how it disbursed $250,000 that it was awarded by the N.C. General Assembly in 2022 to help transform the 118 […]

Written by on August 26, 2025

9. East Fork Pottery sues insurer after $1.1M Helene claim denial. Could more suits follow?

Will Hofmann/Asheville Citizen Times East Fork Pottery is suing Travelers Insurance after the company denied its business interruption insurance claim after Tropical Storm Helene. The nationally known pottery company is one of many in Western North Carolina still seeking insurance payouts almost a year after the storm, experts say. Among the impacts to its several […]

Written by on August 26, 2025

Feds make deal over Medicare fraud

Federal prosecutors say a Charlotte company has agreed to pay a $1.4 million criminal penalty “to resolve a criminal investigation into a healthcare fraud and identity theft scheme.” The non-prosecution deal will keep Troy Health out of court, even though an FBI official said “the subjects in this case defrauded not only their own patients, […]

Written by on August 26, 2025

Genentech breaks ground

Barely three months after announcing the project, Genentech officials have broken ground on their planned $700 million fill-and-finish factory in Holly Springs. “By the end of the year, you’ll see dirt moving, you’ll see things starting to go up,” said Fritz Brittenbender, a Genentech senior vice president and the drugmaker’s global public-affairs chief. “Our goal […]

Written by on August 26, 2025

1. Welcome back to school, North Carolina’s teacher leaders

Mebane Rash/Education NC The first day of school is full of wonder for me and for many of us. Seeing the big yellow buses hit the road. Hearing the banter about Friday night football. Seeing the students’ smiles, their eyes lit up, their double thumbs up, and their nervous anticipation. Watching our teachers take their […]

Written by on August 25, 2025

2. Medicaid expansion helped hundreds of thousands in NC. Now, it’s future is uncertain

Nick de la Canal/WFAE Radio North Carolina lawmakers return to Raleigh this week to continue hammering out the state budget, and one of the biggest questions hanging over them is the future of Medicaid expansion. Nearly 680,000 North Carolinians have gained coverage since the program launched in 2023. But President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” […]

Written by on August 25, 2025

3. Exodus at VA: 10,000 employees are resigning in September. Here’s the list

Leah Rosenbaum/The War Horse It’s been six months since a now-infamous email presented millions of federal workers with a pivotal decision: They could reply “resign” to give up their job and receive full pay and benefits through the end of September. Or they could stay in their positions and hope they didn’t get laid off […]

Written by on August 25, 2025

4. Erin leaves most turtle nests on the Northern OBX overwashed but intact

Brian Tress/Outer Banks Voice In the wake of Hurricane Erin, teams with N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles) began assessing sea turtle nest damage along the Northern Outer Banks. Prior to the storm, a total of 29 nests had been laid — 18 remained intact in the ground, while 11 had already produced hatchlings. According […]

Written by on August 25, 2025