Month: April 2026

6. Freeman elected Waccamaw Siouan chief, vows to preserve the ‘old time ways’

Joseph Williams/The (Whiteville) News Reporter Lacy Wayne Freeman, 59, of Buckhead will serve as the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe’s next chief. Freeman won the Saturday election with 220 votes, defeating Vice Chief Pamela Young-Jacobs, who received 123 votes, according to results published by the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe. Freeman spoke with The News Reporter Monday about his […]

Written by on April 29, 2026

7. ‘Your vote has consequences’: Spring Lake fights Manchester Elementary closure

Dasia Williams/CityView On Monday inside the multipurpose room at Manchester Elementary School, Kendra Dale approached the podium quietly, a sheet of paper in hand. The kindergarten instructional assistant turned to face board members seated at the front of the room. Across her chest, her message was already written in bold letters: “Our students are not […]

Written by on April 29, 2026

10. The Guilford County Family Justice Center has a new director

David Ford/WFDD Radio Guilford County has named Sonya Desai as the new Family Justice Center director. The center in Greensboro helps victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and elder abuse. Desai began her work there in 2015 as what’s called a front-line navigator, conducting safety assessments. She soon transitioned to a coordinator position […]

Written by on April 29, 2026

1. NC Democratic lawmakers unveil bill to protect students from ICE and Border Patrol

Brandon Kingdollar/NC Newsline State House Democratic lawmakers announced a bill on Tuesday aimed at protecting students in schools from the impact of immigration operations in North Carolina. Named for a landmark Supreme Court case that prohibited schools from discriminating against undocumented students, House Bill 1061: The Plyler Educational Protections Act, would bar public schools from […]

Written by on April 28, 2026

3. General Assembly passes Medicaid rebase

Alan Wooten/The Center Square  For short session priorities, Medicaid is off the board and headed to the desk of first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein for signature. Health Care Practitioner Transparency Act, as House Bill 696 is known, passed 112-3 in the House of Representatives late Tuesday afternoon and a little while later 45-3 in the […]

Written by on April 28, 2026

4. Saint Augustine’s University files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, stops accreditation fight

WRAL News Saint Augustine’s University has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to court documents filed Monday in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Chapter 11 allows an organization to reorganize its debt so it can remain operating. “This structured, court-supervised process will enable SAU to organize its financial affairs in an orderly and transparent […]

Written by on April 28, 2026

5. New partnership brings Lexus to Pinehurst

The Southern Pines Pilot Pinehurst Resort and Lexus have announced a new partnership naming the luxury automaker as the “Preferred Vehicle” of Pinehurst Resort. In a release, Pinehurst said the collaboration of the two “iconic brands rooted in craftsmanship, heritage and innovation” marks Pinehurst’s first shared brand partnership with the United States Golf Association (USGA), […]

Written by on April 28, 2026

6. Durham and Raleigh’s economies went two different directions last year

Zachery Eanes/Axios Raleigh While the Raleigh metro area was one of the biggest winners for jobs last year, it was a completely different story in the Durham-Chapel Hill metro. Why it matters: Durham shed around 3,800 jobs in 2025, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The losses appear to be […]

Written by on April 28, 2026

7. Army Corps Revising Harbor Deepening Report, After Objection From State Officials

Emma Dill/WilmingtonBiz Roughly two months after receiving objections from state officials, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is working to revise its report on the proposed deepening of Wilmington’s harbor. North Carolina’s Division of Coastal Management issued an objection in February to the proposed project that would deepen Wilmington’s harbor from 42 feet to […]

Written by on April 28, 2026

8. Hydropower expert says to conserve water, as mandatory restrictions likely in May

Zachary Turner/WFAE Radio North Carolina is approaching its eighth month of drought. And it seems increasingly likely that we’ll see mandatory water restrictions put in place, something the state hasn’t seen since its worst drought on record in 2007. WFAE’s Zachary Turner spoke with Bryan Walsh, the vice president of regulated renewables at Duke Energy, […]

Written by on April 28, 2026

10. CFCC launches commercial craft brewing program

Hannah Hall/WECT Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) has crafted a new program offering for students. According to CFCC, a new commercial craft brewing program will launch at the downtown Wilmington campus this summer. CFCC said students will have the ability to learn about the brewing process through classroom instruction and real-world experience, as well as […]

Written by on April 28, 2026