Month: October 2025

1. Toddler did not have any dental procedures before dying at Greensboro dental office

Richard Craver/The (Greensboro) News & Record A 2-year-old Greensboro boy who died July 17 at Valleygate Dental Surgery Center had not had any dental procedures before experiencing a fatal medical emergency, the N.C. State Board of Dental Examiners said Tuesday. The cause of death for Er’Mias Mitchell has not been determined. His death is the […]

Written by on October 2, 2025

2. How could the government shutdown affect NC public schools?

Liz Schlemmer/WUNC Radio With a federal government shutdown now in effect, State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green has sent guidance to public schools on what to expect. Green’s message assures public school administrators that he expects most federal funding to continue to flow to schools, although federal support and new initiatives will be limited. The U.S. […]

Written by on October 2, 2025

5. Risk of Hand Foot Mouth Disease rises in Haywood

Sarah White/The (Waynesville) Mountaineer Haywood County has seen an increase in cases of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in school-aged children in recent weeks. The disease is a common childhood illness that can cause fever, sore throat, mouth sores, and a rash on the hands and feet. It spreads easily through coughs, sneezes and touching […]

Written by on October 2, 2025

6. UNC has paid nearly $1M for PR help since 2024, in part to find its ‘Way’ again

Korie Dean/The (Raleigh) News & Observer Last fall, a group of key UNC-Chapel Hill stakeholders gave interviews to an external public relations firm, hired by the university, and described their thoughts on the school and its reputation. Part of the firm’s findings from those interviews: “Carolina has lost its ‘Way.’” The phrase is a reference […]

Written by on October 2, 2025

7. Many adult learners are seeking continuing education over degrees. Here’s how community colleges are responding

Liz Bell/Education NC More and more adult learners are seeking short-term training for higher wages instead of degrees, according to national research. That’s also the case for the students reengaging with community college through NC Reconnect, an initiative launched in 2021 by the John M. Belk Endowment (JMBE), a private philanthropy. The effort is aimed […]

Written by on October 2, 2025

8. Why is enrollment booming across UNC System schools?

Kate Denning/Carolina Public Press The University of North Carolina System reported record enrollment numbers overall. Year-over-year increases occurred at 15 of its 16 higher education institutions for the 2025-26 year. For the system as a whole, enrollment jumped 3.4% from the previous year. This includes significant growth at Historically Black Colleges and Universities like Fayetteville […]

Written by on October 2, 2025

9. Whatley backs away from Helene role during first WNC visit

Cory Vaillancourt/Smoky Mountain News Michael Whatley’s first trip to Western North Carolina as President Donald Trump’s hand-picked Hurricane Helene “recovery czar” was not the sort of open, public event many victims of the storm had hoped for; instead, Whatley appeared Sept. 22 at a closed-door FEMA Review Council meeting in Fletcher where a leaked agenda […]

Written by on October 2, 2025

10. ‘I don’t want to give you empty promises’: Wake County Commissioners hear out HVAC issues at public schools

Haylee Kennedy/CBS 17 News The fight for better teaching conditions and learning environments continues for the North Carolina Association of Educators. The traditional school year started just over a month ago, and teachers are already facing brown water pouring out of cafeteria sinks, apparent mold on lab tables and chairs and hot classrooms due to […]

Written by on October 2, 2025

WFU president stepping down next summer

Wake Forest University President Susan Wente will leave her job on June 30, the end of her fifth year in that role. My colleague Kevin Ellis reports the decision came after discussions with board of trustees leadership about the university’s current stability, positive momentum and the need for a succession plan. According to a Wake […]

Written by on October 2, 2025

Court of Appeals wades into messy disputes

Wednesday was also a day for the N.C. Court of Appeals to issue opinions. Separate three-judge panels handed down rulings to end a restrictive-covenants quarrel in Ashe County and a battle over 911 funding between Roanoke Rapids and Halifax County. The Ashe County case arose from a long-running battle between neighbors in West Jefferson about […]

Written by on October 2, 2025

Poe Hall at NC State update

NC State has sued Monsanto and a Pfizer subsidiary over the PCB contamination of Poe Hall, seeking to shield itself from the costs of cleaning up the site and the barrage of workers’ comp claims it fears are coming its way. In addition to damages, the university’s also seeking a court order to secure its […]

Written by on October 2, 2025

1. Why tariffs may not save furniture manufacturing in North Carolina

Zachery Eanes & Mary Helen Moore/Axios Raleigh President Trump is unleashing a new round of tariffs on furniture with the stated goal of reviving North Carolina’s furniture manufacturing industry. Why it matters: After the South lured factories and thousands of jobs from the North with the promise of cheap labor in the mid-20th century, North […]

Written by on October 1, 2025