Paul Specht & Will Doran/WRAL News Several North Carolina lobbyists who had been named in a public corruption scheme involving influence-buying at the state legislature could soon have their criminal charges dismissed, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman told WRAL on Thursday. Her office in April brought charges against four...

Emily Sawaked/Port City Daily The North Carolina Department of Transportation held two public hearings this week before it chooses its design for the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement, expected by the end of the year. Almost all Wilmington-area residents who signed up to speak called for the 65-foot bridge and...

Jaymie Baxley/NC Health News  Sweeping federal restrictions on Medicaid, the government-funded health insurance program that covers one in every four North Carolinians, are about to take effect. Recently described by Melanie Bush, head of NC Medicaid, as “probably the most significant changes in the history” of the program, the provisions...

Lucas Thomae/Carolina Public Press  Ophthalmologist Jay Singleton has performed more than 30,000 eye surgeries in his career. For more than 20 years he’s run a vision center in New Bern, where patients receive routine checkups and treatments for eye disorders. But for most of his career, Singleton performed his surgeries...

Rebecca Noel/The Charlotte Observer A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools employee raised concerns about $30,000 monthly payments the district made to a consulting firm without an official contract with the company. She made the allegation in a human resources complaint filed Aug. 21. It was later shared with The Charlotte Observer, and the...

Celeste Guajardo/WUNC News Shaun Ingram keeps his black aviator sunglasses on as he sits inside a local community center. Metal chairs form a rough circle in the center of this large room where the Richmond County Coalition for Justice and Black Empowerment meets every Thursday. “ The Coalition came together based...

Corey Williams & Kristin M. Hall/The Associated Press The death of a Black Mississippi woman found hanging from a tree has stirred distressing memories of the grim history of lynchings across the U.S. South. The body of Tasia Fortune, 29, was found behind an abandoned home in Jackson, the state...

Brian Murphy/WRAL News University of North Carolina defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, the son of head coach Bill Belichick, is resigning following an internal investigation that found actions within the football program that demonstrated “a disregard for Carolina’s values and standards of conduct,” the University said Thursday. Steve Belichick has been...

Connor Smith/WECT A massive Bladen County pork processing plant recently paid more than $35,000 in federal penalties following an investigation into an employee death earlier this year, records show. In January, 43-year-old Abundio Villa Miranda died at the Smithfield Foods plant in Tar Heel. Lisa Lanier, an attorney for his...

Pat Kimbrough/The High Point Enterprise Developers of a new business park in north High Point say its location is proving to be a big draw for current and prospective tenants. Sandy Ridge Business Center co-owner Michael Hunter said the first building at 8229 Tyner Road is fully leased with three...

Kyle Ingram/The Raleigh News & Observer The North Carolina Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld the legislature’s decision to strip Democratic Gov. Josh Stein of his appointments to election boards and transfer them to the state auditor, a Republican. In a 51-page order, a panel of judges ruled 2-1 along...

Andy Weber/Queen City News President Donald Trump touched down in Gastonia Wednesday evening for a campaign rally supporting Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley in a rare visit to the Charlotte area. Crowds began arriving at Gastonia Municipal Airport as early as 2 p.m., facing temperatures in the upper 80s...

Alan Wooten/The Center Square  Halting development of data centers in North Carolina’s second-largest city is up for discussion when the Raleigh City Council meets in October. In closed session Tuesday away from public transparency, elected city leaders directed legal counsel to draft a proposal. Mayor Janet Cowell held a press...

Colin Campbell/WUNC News State employees will likely pay more for healthcare if they use hospital systems in four rural counties north of the Triangle. The State Health Plan is wrapping up new insurance coverage agreements with hospitals across the state, as part of its “Preferred Provider” program to reduce costs....

Justin Lundy/WRAL News After months of community discussions, Raleigh City Council members are no longer pursuing a youth curfew. City Councilwoman Jane Harrison confirmed the decision to WRAL. Harrison said the proposal was halted based on data city leaders gathered from other municipalities and conversations with the community and Raleigh...