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McCrory-era policy a roadblock to N.C. 12 work

Keeping N.C. 12 open along the Outer Banks is a constant battle with Mother Nature — and, apparently, with former Gov. Pat McCrory’s legacy. N.C. Department of Transportation engineers say they’ve spent $94.2 million over the last 15 years or so cleaning sand off the road or repairing storm damage...

By Ray Gronberg

March 6, 2026

Rucho resigns from state elections board

Former state Sen. Bob Rucho resigned from the State Board of Elections on Thursday after officials found he’d made campaign contributions to the incumbent sheriffs in Iredell and Catawba counties. The $259 contribution to Iredell Sheriff Darren Campbell occurred last October; a $1,000 donation to Catawba Sheriff Don Brown followed...

By Ray Gronberg

March 6, 2026

Scout faces class-action over marketing plan

Volkswagen dealers have filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court to prevent the German carmaker from selling its Scout line of EVs direct to the consumer. Filed Tuesday in Alexandria, Virginia, the complaint accuses VW of breaching its contract with its dealers across the country. It seeks an injunction and...

By Ray Gronberg

March 5, 2026

Wilkes towns get LGC backing for water project

North Carolina’s Local Government Commission has given Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro permission to borrow $15.2 million from the state to build themselves a new water intake on the Yadkin River. The joint project’s one Town Manager Ken Noland told the commission has taken the entirety of his 27-year tenure to...

By Ray Gronberg

March 5, 2026

GOP criticizes Cooper’s handling of lacrosse case

Republicans’ search for a Willie Horton to use against former Gov. Roy Cooper on the campaign trail in this fall’s U.S. Senate race are now looking to the Duke lacrosse case. The woman whose false rape allegation touched off that now-notorious controversy, Crystal Mangum, left prison on parole on Feb....

By Ray Gronberg

March 4, 2026

Sawyer weighs in on I-77 widening

A key Republican senator is backing the N.C. Department of Transportation’s decision to stretch out the timeline for finding a potential toll-lane partner for the next stage of the widening of Interstate 77 in Charlotte. The three-month delay will give the agency time to “get additional feedback from the community,”...

By Ray Gronberg

March 4, 2026

Keeping up with the Jones

Democratic leaders aren’t keeping up with the Joneses — or one Jones, specifically — when it comes to fundraising for General Assembly races. House Majority Leader Brenden Jones, R-Columbus, reports that he’s raised $537,080 through mid-February for the 2025-26 election cycle. House Democratic Leader Robert Reives, D-Chatham, has raised $236,407...

By Ray Gronberg

March 4, 2026

Groups seek delay to I-77 widening project

Two of Charlotte’s state senators have added their voices to a coalition that wants Gov. Josh Stein to hit the pause button on the idea of adding more lanes to Interstate 77. Via a letter, Sens. Caleb Theodros and DeAndrea Salvador asked Stein to order the state Department of Transportation...

By Ray Gronberg

March 4, 2026

Treasurer’s office prepping new RFP State Health Plan claims processing

Aetna’s only been administering claims for the State Health Plan for a little over a year, but officials in Treasurer Brad Briner’s office are already looking aheadto perhaps replacing it. The plan’s executive administrator, Thomas Friedman, recently briefedpotential vendors about his expectations going forward. He minced no words, saying he’s...

By Ray Gronberg

March 4, 2026

Foushee seeks third term; Allam opposes for second time

Not too long ago, the Triangle’s 4th Congressional District was North Carolina’s most stable and predictable U.S. House seat. But former U.S. Rep. David Price, a former state Democratic Party chairman, retired instead of seeking re-election to an 18th term in 2022. His successor, U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee, has found...

By Ray Gronberg

March 2, 2026

Berger proposes freezing tax values for a year

Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, says he’s going to file a bill in April that would “halt all property tax revaluation changes for 12 months” while legislators study broader changes to local-government tax law. Announced on Friday, the proposal would interrupt the property valuation cycles of Guilford County and other...

By Ray Gronberg

March 2, 2026

State pension returns in double digits

North Carolina’s state pension system had a 13% annual return in 2025, the N.C. Investment Authority reported this week. When excluding fees, that performance ranked in the 54th percentile of U.S. public pension funds with assets topping $20 billion, according to a report filed by State Treasurer Brad Briner. (Lower percentiles reflect...

By Ray Gronberg

March 2, 2026

Get to know Rep. Kelly Hastings

Kelly Hastings lives in the Gaston County town of Cherryville, although about 30% of his Republican-leaning district includes Cleveland County. He will be 65 at the end of his eighth term and in the spring of 2025 said he did not plan on running again, citing his length of service,...

By Ray Gronberg

March 2, 2026

DEQ objects to Wilmington port dredging plan

Gov. Josh Stein’s administration questions whether the planned $1.4 billion deepening of the Port of Wilmington’s ship channel makes economic sense. The concern appears in the Department of Environmental Quality’s objection, released this week, to the project as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers currently envisions it. DEQ officials said...

By Ray Gronberg

February 27, 2026

Italian gun-maker makes play for Ruger

One of Rockingham County’s largest employers, firearms maker Ruger, is the target of an apparent takeover bid by a competitor that’s recently acquired nearly 10% of its stock. Beretta Holding on Thursday announced that it’s going to nominate a four-person slate for the Ruger board at the company’s annual shareholders...

By Ray Gronberg

February 27, 2026