Month: April 2026

4. Is there an alternative to more toll lanes on I-77? These designers say yes

Elvis Menayese/WFAE Radio Community members gathered in uptown Charlotte to view alternative concepts for adding toll lanes to Interstate 77 south of uptown. The concepts were showcased during a three-month pause in the project by the N.C. Department of Transportation. Hundreds of people gathered in uptown Charlotte on Monday to view alternative concepts for adding […]

Written by on April 14, 2026

5. New report highlights hurdles to Iryna’s Law implementation

Rachel Crumpler/NC Health News A new preliminary report from a state-funded research group identifies “key pressure points that need to be addressed” to fully implement Iryna’s Law, which passed quickly late last year. The report also outlines some initial recommendations for lawmakers to help address existing gaps in North Carolina’s mental health and criminal justice […]

Written by on April 14, 2026

6. NC House panel recommends changes to involuntary commitment system

Christine Zhu/NC Newsline A North Carolina House committee voted on Tuesday to approve interim recommendations to improve public safety in the state, but lawmakers say they’re a long way from finishing their work on involuntary commitment. The House Select Committee on Involuntary Commitment and Public Safety is recommending that county jails consider using telehealth as […]

Written by on April 14, 2026

7. Watauga schools to extend length of instructional days next year

Amy Diaz/WFDD Radio The Watauga County Board of Education has voted to extend the length of the school day starting next academic year. Elementary and middle schools in Watauga County will have an extra 25 minutes added to each day. The high school will get an extra ten. The move is a response to the […]

Written by on April 14, 2026

8. Burke County outfitter makes over 20,000 shirts for Hornets play-in game

Dave Faherty/WSOCTV It’s win or go home for the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night, and tens of thousands of fans will cheer them on with the help of custom t-shirts being made by a North Carolina outfitter. The Hornets will host the Miami Heat in the NBA Play-in Tournament with the hopes of keeping their […]

Written by on April 14, 2026

10. Dare’s A250 Faire to honor ‘Liberty, Legacy and Lift-Off’

Jennifer Allen/Coastal Review Online As the United States recognizes the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776, Dare County is celebrating its unique role in American history Saturday with “Liberty, Legacy, and Lift Off in the Land of Beginnings.” The Dare A250 Faire is a two-event celebration, with the […]

Written by on April 14, 2026

2. Good Jobs Western North Carolina announced, invitation to invest in WNC issued

Mebane Rash & Alli Lindenberg/Axios Charlotte When Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina (WNC) in late September 2024, it landed on a region already under stress. According to state estimates, the storm caused nearly $60 billion in economic damage, 19,000 jobs were lost in the weeks following the storm, and employment in the hardest-hit counties […]

Written by on April 13, 2026

3. Future of federal forest plan for NC mountains in doubt after court ruling

Jack Igelman/Carolina Public Press Only three years into the completion of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forest Land Management Plan, its future hangs in limbo, putting both current and future timber projects in Western North Carolina on pause. A federal court ruled March 31 in favor of several conservation organizations, finding that the US Forest […]

Written by on April 13, 2026

5. Follow tagged North Carolina fish — and one likely eaten by a shark

Mary Helen Moore/Axios Raleigh North Carolina researchers tagging and tracking coastal fish have created an online tracker that lets anyone see where the fish are pinging. Why it matters: Red drum are hugely popular recreational fish, and yet their movement patterns are somewhat of a mystery. Zoom in: The state line between the Carolinas is […]

Written by on April 13, 2026

6. The last barber in Papertown

Andrew Marshall/The Waynesville Mountaineer There’s a syrupy quality to the morning light streaming through the windows at Pisgah Barber Shop. It’s a gentle glow — not the blazing fluorescents of a salon chain — but enough to illuminate the steam coming off Ken Warren’s coffee, and enough for the man himself to wield a straight […]

Written by on April 13, 2026

7. CFPUA considers rate increase for next 5 years, sewer cap elimination in next budget

Brenna Flanagan/Port City Daily The Cape Fear Public Utility Authority gave a glimpse this week into needed rate increases to accommodate rising costs — including from PFAS litigation — and the replacement of the Southside Water Reclamation Facility. At the CFPUA board’s April 8 meeting, staff said a recommended budget would result in a 7.55% […]

Written by on April 13, 2026