Month: April 2026

1. Durham asking for community help in selecting next police chief

WRAL News Durham police are asking for the public’s help in picking its next police chief. The department is requesting that residents help direct the process by filling out an online survey. The exercise asks the participant what traits he or she values in a chief. The survey also asks about relationships between the community […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

2. The federal government is on board with passenger rail expansion in North Carolina

Bradley George/WUNC News North Carolina is working with the federal government to expand passenger rail service, according to the head of the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s rail division. Jason Orthner testified before the General Assembly’s Joint Transportation Oversight Committee on April 2. He answered questions from lawmakers about the state of passenger rail service, […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

3. Two top NC lawmakers push back on council recommendation to legalize marijuana

Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi/The Raleigh News & Observer Two top Republican North Carolina lawmakers who help decide how health care dollars are spent and shape health care policy in the state spoke out Tuesday against findings from a governor-created council recommending marijuana legalization for adults, a sign the issue could again face legislative gridlock this […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

4. Is achievement obsession harming NC university students?

Kate Denning/Carolina Public Press Does a culture that obsesses with achievement drive the UNC System to a “pursuit of prestige” at the cost of ignoring other goals? Wendy Murphy, chair of the UNC System Board of Governors, told the other board members last year that she worries this is happening. “In higher education, an institution’s […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

5. UNC Charlotte launches new construction school

James Farrell/WFAE Radio UNC Charlotte has announced plans to launch a school of construction, which officials say will help boost the region’s construction workforce. The new Albert School of Construction will be housed in the William States Lee College of Engineering. UNC Charlotte says it’s the first program of its kind in the state that […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

6. Historic Carthage buggy factory faces uncertain future

Elena Marsh/The Southern Pines Pilot  The historic Tyson and Jones buggy factory building in Carthage is vacant once again, leaving downtown patrons wondering what will move in next. The Carthage Buggy Factory at 106 S. Ray St. closed its doors at the end of last year after First Citizens Bank sued Southern Pines Brewing for […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

7. Mission Hospital unit’s core nursing staff plunged in years before woman’s death following hip surgery, records show

Ted Clifford/Asheville Watchdog Lucero Sierra was in high spirits at Mission Hospital on Sept. 25, 2025, despite the newly inserted metal rod holding her femur together. The 88-year-old Miami resident had fractured her left hip just hours earlier when she fell while visiting a daughter living in Asheville. The surgery went quickly, and as she […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

8. The future of farmland: Pushing for preservation

Sarah White/The Waynesville Mountaineer A sprawling housing development swallowing up one of Waynesville’s most visible pastoral landscapes has ignited a passion for farmland preservation across the county. The latest phase of the controversial Queen Farm subdivision will convert 56 acres of farmland into 146 homes, for a new grand total of 261 homes on 88 […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

9. Local small business struggles to balance rising gas costs

Reyna Crooms/WECT As gas prices continue to rise, business owners who rely on fuel to work and make money face a challenge to navigate the spike in prices. According to AAA, the average cost of gas is $4.14 per gallon. “It’s significant, I would say it’s impacting us about 50 percent from where it was […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

10. ‘Black Church Crawl’ to be immersive, historic experience

Trista Talton/Coastal Review Online This year, the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor wanted to shake things up, get away from what has been their traditional meeting formula, and instead offer an up-close and personal, historically engaging experience. The nonprofit’s North Carolina Summit invites you to take part in the “Black Church Crawl,” an immersive tour […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

Drive safe while campaigning?

A traffic-safety group wants everyone running for a General Assembly seat this fall to pledge to practice safe-driving habits as they campaign. That means wearing a speed belt, obeying speed limits and traffic laws and above all putting down their phones while they’re behind the wheel, says Tiffany Wright, chair of the N.C. Alliance for […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

Moore, Harris speak up for Nigeria’s Christians

Several of North Carolina’s congressmen are taking an active interest in Nigeria and what they say is the persecution of that country’s Christians. U.S. Rep. Tim Moore, R-14th, announced on Friday that he’s introduced a bill to reinforce the State Department’s legal authorizations to stop participants in “particularly severe violations of religious freedom” from traveling […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

Stein-appointed group favors legal cannabis market

An advisory group is urging Gov. Josh Stein and the General Assembly to formally legalize cannabis, to the extent of allowing sales to adults through state-licensed retailers. Formalizing a market in that way would give the state “a full regulatory framework and the tools necessary to manage it responsibly,” the governor’s Advisory Council on Cannabis […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

Lee, other senators oppose Fuquay water request

Three of the state Senate’s top Republicans have come out against Fuquay-Varina’s request for permission to transfer up to 6.2 million gallons of water a day from the Cape Fear River’s basin into the Neuse River’s. If approved, the transfer promises “lasting harm” to downstream communities in the Cape Fear basin, says Senate Majority Leader […]

Written by on April 7, 2026

Garson set to replace Meyer in Senate

Democratic leaders from Orange, Person and Caswell counties have picked Jonah Garson to replace former District 23 state Sen. Graig Meyer, D-Orange. Garson, up to now the first vice chair of the N.C. Democratic Party, beat out state Rep. Allen Buansi, D-Orange, for the appointment in weekend voting by a local-party committee. Also in the mix […]

Written by on April 7, 2026