Month: January 2026

4. Elon University to open new academy for students with dyslexia

Chantal Brown/Education NC North Carolina’s only university-based private school for students with dyslexia is set to open on Elon University’s campus in fall 2026 following a philanthropic donation, according to a November press release from the college. Initially, the Roberts Academy at Elon University will only admit third and fourth grade students in a temporary […]

Written by on January 29, 2026

5. Endowment gives city, county $7.7M for land acquisition, conservation

Port City Daily The largest nonprofit group funneling money into New Hanover County has announced its first grants of 2026, with more than $7 million going to the city and county government for land preservation. The Endowment announced a grant of $7.7 million to help the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County governments acquire […]

Written by on January 29, 2026

6. Record breaking year of growth takes place Downtown Raleigh

Haylee Kennedy/CBS 17 News New numbers show 2025 was a record-breaking year for downtown Raleigh, with new restaurants, apartments, and shops opening up. Nearly 16,000 people call the downtown home and the majority of those residents moved in just this past year, creating a higher demand for places to live, work, and have fun. New […]

Written by on January 29, 2026

7. North Carolina’s first lady takes on rehabilitation and reentry

Rachel Crumpler/NC Health News More than 600 people gathered in Raleigh last April at the North Carolina Rehabilitation and Reentry Conference. One perhaps unexpected attendee sat front and center: first lady Anna Stein. The reason soon became clear. Stein addressed the crowd, announcing rehabilitation and reentry as one of three priority issues she planned to […]

Written by on January 29, 2026

8. Declining enrollment feeds $5M deficit for Cumberland County schools

Dasia Williams/CityView Cumberland County Schools is facing a recurring budget gap of about $5 million, largely because it is operating more school buildings than it needs for a shrinking student population. Jay Toland, the district’s associate superintendent of business operations, told the Cumberland County Board of Education on Friday that recurring expenses now exceed recurring […]

Written by on January 29, 2026

9. Waynesville goes solar on town building

Andrew Marshall/The Waynesville Mountaineer The town of Waynesville is moving forward with plans to install solar panels and solar energy battery storage to its public works building. The project, funded primarily through a grant from the Dogwood Health Trust for almost $500,000, will create a resilient disaster response hub for Waynesville during natural disasters, as […]

Written by on January 29, 2026

10. Former Charlotte Checkers owner indicted on federal tax fraud charges

Kenneth Lee Jr./WFAE Radio The former owner of the Charlotte Checkers has been indicted on federal tax fraud charges. Federal prosecutors say Michael A. Kahn is charged with filing false tax returns and failing to report income he allegedly took from his charitable foundation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina […]

Written by on January 29, 2026

Tillis, Budd and Noem

The hold-ups of federal Hurricane Helene recovery subsidies are figuring in U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis’ public condemnations of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “She’s not even handling the other part of her job,” Tillis told reporters this week after being asked whether he has confidence in the former South Dakota governor following two fatal […]

Written by on January 29, 2026

Info about colleges’ NIL program hard to come by

UNC System schools are mostly sticking to the position that the details of the name, image and likeness programs they use to pay their athletes aren’t up for public discussion. Spokespeople for UNC Chapel Hill, NC State and East Carolina University both responded to recent Business North Carolina queries by declining to disclose data about their fundraising […]

Written by on January 29, 2026

1. Civil engineers give North Carolina infrastructure a ‘C-minus’ in new report card

Bradley George/WUNC News North Carolina’s infrastructure gets a C- in a new report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The report card’s authors looked at the condition of stormwater, wastewater, dams, roads, bridges, drinking water, and aviation. One area of concern is making sure water utilities can expand as the state continues […]

Written by on January 28, 2026

2. ‘Protect Ours.’ NC A&T students take the wheel on early voting.

Sarah Michels/Carolina Public Press A NC A&T student came up to county elections board Democrat Carolyn Bunker in tears after the North Carolina State Board of Elections’ January meeting. The board had just voted 3-2 to exclude two Guilford County college campuses from early voting primary plans. Unlike many of her fellow students, the student […]

Written by on January 28, 2026

5. 29 counties unite to support Blue Ridge Parkway future

Smoky Mountain News The boards of county commissioners and county supervisors in the 17 counties in North Carolina and 12 counties in Virginia that host the Blue Ridge Parkway have passed resolutions of support calling for funding to repair the national park and implement the Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan. On Jan. 12, Yancey County […]

Written by on January 28, 2026

6. Small business concerns voiced for downtown Wilmington

Bob Liepa/Wilmington StarNews The perception of crime, homelessness, aggressive panhandling and the cost of parking is taking a bite out of small businesses in downtown Wilmington. So says Tom Harris, one of the owners of Front Street Brewery at 9 North Front St. Now he hopes a meeting with the city manager can help address […]

Written by on January 28, 2026