Month: September 2025

1. Enbridge Gas makes case for rate increase before NC Utilities Commission

Christine Zhu/NC Newsline Enbridge Gas North Carolina is asking for a 12.37% increase to its residential natural gas rates, which it says would result in a $6.30 increase in the average residential customers’ monthly bill. Last week, the North Carolina Utilities Commission heard expert testimony from Enbridge employees on the need for the increase and […]

Written by on September 30, 2025

2. NCDEQ greenlights fugitive dust plans for Wilmington port facilities

Charlie Fossen/Port City Daily State regulators are to begin enforcing new air quality requirements at two Port of Wilmington facilities after finalizing plans to control industrial dust following years of community concerns. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality approved dust control plans for wood pellet manufacturer Enviva and wood-chipping company […]

Written by on September 30, 2025

3. ‘Things could have gotten even worse.’ Southport shooting suspect makes first court appearance

Nikolai Mather/WHQR Nigel Edge has been charged with multiple counts of murder following Saturday night’s shooting at American Fish Company, which left three dead and five injured. During the proceedings, District Attorney Jon David shared additional allegations about Edge, who could face the death penalty. Edge made his first court appearance via video call from […]

Written by on September 30, 2025

4. Trump administration awards $53 million for NC charter schools

Liz Schlemmer/WUNC Radio The North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools has won a nearly $53 million federal grant to support the state’s charter schools. The association will use most of the funds on 42 subgrants to charter schools seeking to open or expand seats to more students. The subgrants will prioritize schools that provide […]

Written by on September 30, 2025

5. Damage from Helene creates conservation headaches for crucial highland spruce-fir forest

Jack Igelman/Carolina Public Press Swaths of downed timber are a common sight throughout Western North Carolina after Tropical Storm Helene, even a year later. Near Roan High Knob, along the North Carolina-Tennessee state line in Mitchell County, 100-mile-per-hour winds uprooted and shredded hundreds of trees, leaving a 25-acre patch of the high-elevation spruce-fir forest floor […]

Written by on September 30, 2025

6. Sand is vanishing on east side of Ocean Isle’s $11M erosion fix

Trista Talton/Coastal Review Online When the Army Corps of Engineers issued its final decision on the terminal groin project here more than eight years ago, the document conveyed a prescient warning. A terminal groin “may increase erosion along the easternmost point of Ocean Isle Beach, down-drift of the structure.” Today, the shoreline east of terminal […]

Written by on September 30, 2025

7. After death of Charlie Kirk, UNC Board of Trustees reviews upgrades to campus security

Henry Taylor/WCHL Chapelboro Following the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10, the UNC Board of Trustees reviewed current plans to bolster campus security, and reviewed recent upgrades during committee meetings on September 24. UNC Police Chief Brian James addressed the board directly, providing updates on a number of […]

Written by on September 30, 2025

8. TV pilot shot in Wilmington for major network will be made into a full series

John Staton/Wilmington StarNews A TV show whose pilot episode shot in the Wilmington area in 2025 will be made into a full series, according to multiple stories by national entertainment industry publications. “RJ Decker” stars Canadian actor Scott Speedman (“Felicity,” “Grey’s Anatomy”) as “a disgraced newspaper photographer and ex-con who starts over as a private […]

Written by on September 30, 2025

9. Grad student works in pain after being denied medical leave on UNC insurance plan

Maria Sullivan/The Daily Tar Heel UNC graduate student Sean Taylor spent a year of his doctoral program begging for relief. Following a series of unexpected surgeries and medical setbacks, Taylor asked the University for medical leave. The answer was a resounding no. Taylor began his doctoral degree in sociocultural anthropology at UNC in the fall […]

Written by on September 30, 2025

10. Hendersonville to pitch $10 million road bond issue to voters

Bill Moss/Hendersonville Lightning The city of Hendersonville is poised to send a $10 million road bond issue to taxpayers next March in hopes of expediting city street repaving, making handicapped curb ramps ADA-compliant and improving pedestrian and bicycle safety. The city council last week heard details of the proposed borrowing plan and received a timeline […]

Written by on September 30, 2025

Fitch calls Duke Health’s margins “compressed”

There’s a bit more to say about Duke Health and its finances, given the heat State Treasurer Brad Briner’s office is putting on the hospital system over its ongoing contract negotiations with Aetna. As recounted here Monday, the worry stems from Aetna’s role as administrator of the State Health Plan. Basically, if Duke is too […]

Written by on September 30, 2025

Trouble in Rocky Mount

Rocky Mount’s government announced last week that “for over two years, the city has spent millions more each month than it received.” This requires at least $30 million in cutbacks, they say. To get there, layoffs affecting at least 10% of the town’s full-time employees and half of its part-time staff are required. City leaders are also […]

Written by on September 30, 2025

1. Debate over policy vs. funding dominates violent crime hearing in Charlotte

Andy Weber/Queen City News A congressional field hearing held in Charlotte Monday morning turned emotional and, at times, contentious as families of violent crime victims shared painful stories and lawmakers clashed over how to reduce crime in communities. The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held the hearing just weeks after Iryna […]

Written by on September 29, 2025

2. Medicaid standoff could put health care for many North Carolinians at risk

Jaymie Baxley/NC Health News Efforts to prevent cuts that could significantly lower reimbursement to providers for services for North Carolinians on Medicaid stalled last week amid a three-way standoff between the state’s Senate, House of Representatives and governor. Lawmakers are at odds over dueling proposals to fully fund the state’s Medicaid rebase, an annual budget […]

Written by on September 29, 2025

3. After Southport shooting, NC Gov. Stein urges fix for ‘broken’ health care system

Josh Shaffer/The (Raleigh) News & Observer North Carolina “must fix its broken health care system” to prevent more violent attacks, Gov. Josh Stein said Monday, urging change two days after police charged an ex-Marine suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder with killing three people in a popular Southport bar. The governor made his remarks hours after […]

Written by on September 29, 2025