Month: August 2026

1. How Polywood built more than a factory in North Carolina

Ray Allegrezza/Furniture Today When manufacturers announce a major expansion, the story is usually told in numbers: Dollars invested. Square footage added. Jobs promised. But buildings don’t operate machinery. Incentive packages can’t run extrusion lines. And hiring hundreds of people in a community where a company has never operated takes more than posting a few help-wanted […]

Written by on August 12, 2026

2. NCCU launches first AI Research Institute at an HBCU

DeJuan Hoggard/WTVD North Carolina Central University marked a historic milestone Monday with the grand opening of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research, becoming the first HBCU in the nation to launch a dedicated AI research center. The 5,000-square-foot facility, located on the northwest corner of Fayetteville and Lawson streets, cost $7.2 million and […]

Written by on August 12, 2026

4. Target is naming its first chief AI officer as retailers race to integrate AI

Cris Tolomia/Quartz Target $TGT +0.18% named Chandhu Nair as its first chief AI officer on Tuesday, adding a dedicated executive to coordinate the retailer’s artificial intelligence efforts across its business. Nair will join Target on Aug. 24 as senior vice president and chief AI officer, the company said. He spent more than six years at […]

Written by on August 12, 2026

5. After new pay raises, Wake teachers will still make less than peers in other states

Emily Walkenhorst & Destinee Patterson/WRAL News Wake County teachers earn less on average than their peers in comparable southeastern metropolitan areas, a WRAL News data analysis shows. That’s despite a recent state budget that drastically boosted early career teacher pay and provided more modest pay increases for more experienced teachers. The state provides the vast […]

Written by on August 12, 2026

6. Taxpayer Philanthropy: North Carolina paying trans nonprofit despite ban

Johnny Edwards/The Center Square  A southern state that banned medical gender transition for children is funding a network of doctors and therapists who promote some of those same controversial treatments, an investigation by The Center Square found. A nonprofit called Charlotte Transgender Healthcare Group openly touts puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones as treatment options for […]

Written by on August 12, 2026

7. CMS parents push for ‘Essential Six’ tech policy changes

James Farrell/WFAE Radio A group of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools parents is making a push for six specific policy changes before the new school year begins, aimed at limiting technology use in CMS classrooms. Leading the charge is Sherri Bissell, president of the Collinswood Language Academy PTA and a leader of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg chapter of Schools Beyond […]

Written by on August 12, 2026

8. NC environmentalists continue pushing back on Duke Energy rate hike

Christine Zhu/NC Newsline Environmental activists and a Democratic state lawmaker are calling on Duke Energy to lower its rate hike request as the North Carolina Utilities Commission reviews its case. Evidentiary hearings for Duke Energy Progress’ rate case start this week before the Utilities Commission, which will determine how much the company can raise residential […]

Written by on August 12, 2026

9. Dunrovin owner: Store a ‘total loss’

Ana Risano/The Southern Pines Pilot The eclectic Dunrovin Country Store off U.S. 1 in Vass was heavily damaged by a fire that lasted several hours on Saturday night. “It’s been very devastating,” said owner Patrick Milcendeau while at the store Monday afternoon. “I worked seven days a week from morning to night, 12 hours a […]

Written by on August 12, 2026

10. Fayetteville punts data center regulations to late October

Paul Woolverton/CityView The Fayetteville City Council, after a sometimes contentious meeting on Monday, voted 7-3 to have city staff revise proposed regulations for data centers and reconsider them by late October. The council meeting, which also included a public hearing, included sharp words between Councilmember Shaun McMillan, who wants a data center moratorium, and Mayor […]

Written by on August 12, 2026

2. Former BB&T headquarters in Winston-Salem heads to auction with $300,000 starting bid

Richard Craver/Winston-Salem Journal Want to own a 20-story, former corporate headquarters building in downtown Winston-Salem? It could be possible, given a starting bid of $300,000, for the vacant BB&T Financial Center. The 272,820-square-foot building, situated on 1.22 acres at 200 W. Second St., is up for online auction from noon Sept. 8 to noon Sept. […]

Written by on August 10, 2026

3. Durham announces new police chief

Hannah Leyva/WNCN The City of Durham has announced it has selected a new chief of police. Stephanie Mardis will be the city’s next law enforcement leader following the retirement of Chief Patrice Andrews earlier this year. After a nationwide search for her successor, the city decided to hire someone already in the state, as Mardis […]

Written by on August 10, 2026

4. Despite academic gains, achievement gaps at CMS remain stubborn

James Farrell/WFAE Radio Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools leaders have in recent years celebrated what they describe as historic academic gains. CMS cracked the top 10 districts in North Carolina for academic growth during the 2024-25 school year and removed a record number of its schools from the state’s low-performing list. District leaders have also hinted at strong […]

Written by on August 10, 2026

5. Federal aid now available for NC businesses impacted by drought

Neal Charnoff/WFDD Radio Businesses impacted by the recent drought are now eligible for federal disaster assistance. The U.S. Small Business Administration will offer low-interest loans beginning March 15, 2027. Up to $2 million in assistance will be available to small businesses, private nonprofits, faith-based organizations and small agricultural entities. Eligible counties in North Carolina include […]

Written by on August 10, 2026