Month: October 2026

6. 3 Duke professors were named to an academic society. Months later, they learned it was a sham

Peyton Chang/The Duke Chronicle Three Duke professors were victims of a predatory “sham” academic society ostensibly for distinguished engineers, which was first exposed by a Nature investigation last month. The society, known as the European Academy of Engineering, reportedly listed researchers as members or leaders even if they hadn’t accepted its nomination. Among its over […]

Written by on October 6, 2026

7. 3 NC legislative races worth watching in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus counties

Sarah Michels/Carolina Public Press The first time Ken McCool got excited about politics was in high school, when then-Democratic Rep. Tricia Cotham came to speak to his journalism class. A decade later, McCool is running against Cotham to represent House District 105, covering southeast Mecklenburg County. Since Cotham visited McCool’s classroom, much has changed. In […]

Written by on October 6, 2026

8. Raleigh police consider driverless patrol cars that can stream live video, raising privacy concerns

Liz McLaughlin/WRAL News A police car could one day patrol parts of Raleigh without an officer behind the wheel, using cameras and other technology to monitor its surroundings and send information back to police. The Raleigh Police Department confirmed that Policing Lab, the nonprofit developing the technology, presented its autonomous patrol vehicle concept to command […]

Written by on October 6, 2026

9. Honda Aircraft delays Echelon delivery due to supply chain issues

David Ford/WFDD Radio The Honda Aircraft Company is delaying delivery of its Echelon jet. The Greensboro-based subsidiary of Honda revealed the name and key milestones for Echelon in 2023. Officials said the first-of-its-kind light jet capable of nonstop transcontinental flight would be ready for takeoff three years later and delivered in 2028. Recently, the company […]

Written by on October 6, 2026

10. Toyota veteran reveals his worst fear: ‘Everybody is shifting To EVs’

Adrian Padeanu/Motor1 For the sixth consecutive year, Toyota is the world’s best-selling automaker. However, EVs played only a marginal role in defending its crown in the battle against the Volkswagen Group. The Japanese giant has been lagging in the electric race, although recent entries like the C-HR, Urban Cruiser, and Highlander show it is intensifying […]

Written by on October 6, 2026

1. Federal authorities add to investigations of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

James Farrell/WFAE Radio The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed Monday that they’re investigating Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, joining state agencies probing the district’s finances. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte said the agencies have been looking into the school district but didn’t disclose specifics. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI have had […]

Written by on October 5, 2026

3. Diesel down 13 cents, gas 12 over the past week

Alan Wooten/The Center Square  Diesel fuel prices per gallon are down 13 cents and unleaded gasoline 12 cents in the past week for North Carolinians, according to AAA. Diesel set a state record on Sept. 19 at $6.24. Monday morning, AAA had the average between Murphy and Manteo pegged at $6.01, down from $6.14 a […]

Written by on October 5, 2026

4. North Carolina’s Latino leaders celebrate heritage, focus on voter engagement ahead of midterms

Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline Latino leaders gathered outside North Carolina’s legislative building Thursday to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and look ahead to the future. America Juarez-Maldonado with Carolina Migrant Network said it would be easy to feel anger and despair, especially at a time that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have wrongfully detained and arrested […]

Written by on October 5, 2026

5. From cubicles to communities: Research Triangle Park enters a new era

Bradley George/WUNC News Research Triangle Park is one of the country’s largest research parks, but for most of its 65-year history it was designed for exactly one thing: weekday work. That’s starting to change. RTP sprawls more than 7,000 acres between Raleigh and Durham. What was once pine forests and farmland is now home to […]

Written by on October 5, 2026

6. Cumberland Sheriff Johnathan Morgan’s legacy: Better pay for young deputies

Paul Woolverton/CityView When Cumberland County Sheriff Johnathan Morgan retires on December 1, he’ll leave office after a short tenure—fewer than 16 months. But he anticipates he will leave the Sheriff’s Office better able to build up its ranks than it was when he was appointed in August 2025 to replace Sheriff Ennis Wright. Morgan’s legacy: […]

Written by on October 5, 2026

7. How HBCUs are leveraging data to strengthen career services and connect students to strong first jobs

Analisa Sorrells Archer/Education NC The labor market awaiting recent college graduates is one defined by uncertainty — entry-level jobs are declining, and artificial intelligence (AI) is fueling increases in the number of applications submitted per job and the adoption of screening tools that sort and rank job seekers. As of June, the unemployment rate for […]

Written by on October 5, 2026

8. Carolina Curious: How safe is Greensboro’s massive fuel tank farm?

WFDD Radio It’s hard to miss the constellation of giant white domed fuel tanks lining a section of I-40 in Greensboro. Carolina Curious question-asker Bill Ameen started wondering about them while driving back from Winston-Salem one day. “Since there’s so much there, is it a safety hazard?” he asked. The tanks are part of Colonial […]

Written by on October 5, 2026

9. Struggling with food insecurity in Central NC

Lucas Thomae/Carolina Public Press For those seeking food assistance in Chatham County, visiting a CORA food pantry feels more akin to shopping at a grocery store than rummaging through a warehouse. CORA, which is an acronym for Chatham Outreach Alliance, operates two choice pantries in Pittsboro and Siler City. A choice pantry means that visitors […]

Written by on October 5, 2026

10. NC wants students to read 10 million books, as reading for fun drops

Emily Walkenhorst/WRAL News North Carolina school leaders are challenging the state’s children to read 10 million books in 2027, after nearly two decades of decline in the percentage of students nationally who say they regularly read for fun. Reading for fun is associated with higher test scores in reading. It’s a subject area that North […]

Written by on October 5, 2026