Month: August 2026

Chamber report calls for repealing franchise tax

A new report commissioned by the NC Chamber contends state leaders should repeal North Carolina’s franchise tax on business net worth, arguing that it punishes innovative start-ups that have yet turn a profit. The tax is expected to raise $851.2 million in fiscal 2026-27, according to the state budget. That’s just 2.4% of the state’s […]

Written by on August 27, 2026

1. Dolly Parton leaves legacy of millions of free books for North Carolina children

Nick de la Canal/WFAE Radio Country music legend Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday at 80, leaves a legacy in North Carolina that extends well beyond her music. Since 2017, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has provided more than 24.6 million free books to young children across the state through North Carolina’s Smart Start network. More than […]

Written by on August 26, 2026

2. NC Attorney General Jackson sues to stop Postal Service ballot control

Lynn Bonner/NC Newsline State Attorney General Jeff Jackson and other state attorneys general are suing to stop the U.S. Postal Service from controlling who receives absentee ballots. The lawsuit stems from President Donald Trump’s executive order that would have the US Postal Service block delivery of some absentee ballots. Under the Postal Service rules, it […]

Written by on August 26, 2026

3. NC Children’s hospital moves toward construction after $208M state boost

Zac Ezzone/Triangle Business Journal North Carolina Children’s hospital aims to start construction in 2027 in Apex. The organization has raised multiple multimillion-dollar donations and aims for over $1 billion total. Duke Health and UNC Health secured antitrust protections to merge their pediatric operations into the independent system. Construction on North Carolina’s first freestanding children’s hospital […]

Written by on August 26, 2026

4. As Raleigh’s housing gap grows, advocates focus on affordability

Michael Perchick/WTVD As housing costs remain high across the Triangle, affordable housing advocates, builders and real estate leaders are searching for ways to expand options for residents increasingly priced out of the market. “There are so many people that we think are served by the Habitat (for Humanity) program. Teachers qualify for our program, policemen […]

Written by on August 26, 2026

5. Piedmont Advantage Credit Union to combine with Truliant Federal Credit Union

Lonyae Coulter/WXII News Piedmont Advantage Credit Union will merge with Truliant Federal Credit Union. In a statement, members officially voted yes to approve their proposed merger. The vote was finalized Monday, Aug. 25, during a special meeting and follows regulatory approvals received in June for the merger to proceed. Both credit unions said they are […]

Written by on August 26, 2026

6. Antares awarded Army Janus Program agreement to construct and operate nuclear microreactor power at Fort Bragg

The Greater Fayetteville Business Journal Antares announced today that it has been awarded an Other Transactions Authority agreement under the U.S. Army’s Janus Program. The U.S. Army and Defense Innovation Unit selected Antares to own, construct and operate nuclear microreactor power at Fort Bragg, N.C., in support of the Army’s energy resilience mission. The Army, […]

Written by on August 26, 2026

7. St. Aug’s bankruptcy hearing: Judge says there are too many ‘surprises’

Destinee Patterson/WRAL News A judge says Saint Augustine’s University’s bankruptcy case has had too many “surprises.” During Wednesday’s bankruptcy hearing, Judge David Warren said he was “surprised by the lack of professionalism” exhibited by the school’s previous board. His reaction came up as part of a discussion related to a pending lawsuit against St. Aug’s […]

Written by on August 26, 2026

8. Should NC’s government sell its underused historic Raleigh houses?

Colin Campbell/WUNC News The Wilson House on East North Street was built in 1918 and has an assessed value of $1.4 million. It’s used to store exhibit materials for the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and some would like to see it sold and restored. North Carolina’s state government owns multiple historic houses […]

Written by on August 26, 2026

9. YMCA discussion continues in Southern Pines

Ana Risano/The Southern Pines Pilot The future of a local YMCA facility remains in discussion as regional affiliate representatives emphasize a desire to have a presence in the Southern Pines area. On Tuesday, the Southern Pines Town Council heard an update about the project from YMCA of the Sandhills CEO Jeff Darling and Bruce Griffin, […]

Written by on August 26, 2026

10. ‘A professional encourager’: Jamezetta Bedford’s Chapel Hill memorial service honors her life of service

Brighton McConnell/WCHL Chapelboro The one request Jamezetta Bedford made for her funeral, according to the officiant on Saturday afternoon, was to have a gospel choir perform to help it feel more uplifting than somber. Even with the quartet from Mt. Zion AME Church belting to the heavens, many people in attendance of Bedford’s celebration of […]

Written by on August 26, 2026

1. Owed $6 million in overdue utilities balances, Apex wants to help residents pay

Jane Porter/IndyWeek About 13% of Apex’s 30,883 utilities customers owe money to the town, Apex leaders heard in a work session this week, and on average, residential customers owe about $1,100 apiece. The work session took place seven weeks after the town’s July 1 deadline for resuming collection of late fees and disconnection of services […]

Written by on August 25, 2026

2. CRC meets amid debate over NC’s hardened shoreline structures ban

Mark Jurkowitz/Outer Banks Voice The debate over whether to repeal or amend the state’s ban on hardened structures for shoreline protection resumes this week when the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) meets on Aug. 26 and 27 at the Dare County Government Complex in Manteo. A major catalyst behind the effort to re-examine the […]

Written by on August 25, 2026

4. Flock backlash growing in some Western NC communities

Walker Livingston/Carolina Public Press Law enforcement agencies across North Carolina have been using automatic license plate reader, or ALPR, technology quietly for the past several years to little knowledge of residents. But this technology has become controversial nationwide and synonymous with Flock cameras, which take images of license plates at a singular point in time […]

Written by on August 25, 2026