John Boyle/Asheville Watchdog What an absolute mess Black Mountain has on its hands. I’m not talking about the recent ice storm, or even Tropical Storm Helene recovery. Or the recent strange collapse of an old ticket booth wall at White Horse Black Mountain, an entertainment venue. (Hey, when it rains...

David Beasley/The Center Square Managing a state university system comes with many challenges – educating thousands of students while also providing security while they are on campus. That requires many universities to operate large police departments, sometimes as big or bigger than the cities where the campuses are located. Recruitment...

Coastal Review Online Millions of dollars have been marked for coastal freight rail upgrades and improvements to include tracks, trestles, culverts and port infrastructure. The projects are part of a total $16.3 million to go toward freight rail infrastructure improvements to a dozen short-line railroads and at the state Port...

Shelby Swanson/The Raleigh News & Observer Mike Krzyzewski said he would defer to Roy Williams as the debate over the future of North Carolina’s basketball arena continues, adding that any changes should preserve Dean Smith’s legacy. The retired Duke coach, who had a 17-19 record at the Smith Center, said...

Sarah White/The (Waynesville) Mountaineer A main water line break in Waynesville has caused low pressure and outages across the town, leading to a boil water advisory issued for all residents on Sunday morning. The break occurred just off Allens Creek Road on Camp Branch. The town does not yet know...

Dan DeWitt/Asheville Watchdog The Buncombe County Board of Elections unanimously denied the challenge to Asheville Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley’s candidate eligibility Tuesday, finding that her primary residence is in Asheville. John Miall Jr., the longtime former city of Asheville employee who filed the complaint on Jan. 8, submitted evidence that...

Paula Span/KFF Health News Month after month, Patricia Hunter and other members of the Nursing Home Reform Coalition logged onto video calls with congressional representatives, seeking support for a proposed federal rule setting minimum staff levels for nursing homes. Finally, after decades of advocacy, the Biden administration in 2023 tackled...

Aaron Sánchez-Guerra/WUNC Radio Walking 3,200 miles throughout the South can wear you out. On Thursday, the 19 monks doing so took a break for lunch before resuming their trek on U.S. Highway 64 toward downtown Pittsboro. Onlookers parked their cars for miles along the highway, while Chatham County Sheriff’s officers...

Kate Denning/Carolina Public Press Criminal charges against a UNC-Greensboro student, Alisia Rea, 22, and her partner Quinten Thomas, 24, were dismissed Wednesday. The charges were issued in October after UNCG Police stopped Thomas for a traffic violation, though the situation turned physical when officers grabbed and cursed at Thomas for...

Sarah Krueger/WRAL News A WRAL investigation into increasing euthanasia rates at shelters statewide prompted many emails and comments from viewers, including from animal rights groups and rescues wanting to push for solutions. One solution they are hoping for is a state spay-and-neuter law, along with increased access to low-cost spay...

Adam Wagner/NC Newsroom North Carolina has reported more measles cases since December than it did between 2014 and 2025, with patients largely testing positive in parts of the state where vaccination rates are slumping. Speaking to reporters on a webinar Wednesday, Zack Moore, the N.C. Department of Health and Human...

James Farrell/WFAE Radio Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is considering an overhaul of its magnet programs — one that would reduce the number of magnet themes from 16 to six, while expanding career and technical education programs to every high school in the district. Administrators presented the proposal to the CMS school board...

Sergio Osnaya-Prieto/Education NC A two-year, $4 million investment in high-quality pre-K classrooms across Forsyth County led to strong student outcomes, high teacher retention, and increased family engagement, according to a new report from The Pre-K Priority. The report evaluates the Pre-K Model Cohort Classroom initiative, a program started in 2023...

Jennifer Allen/Coastal Review Online A powerhouse in the marine science and coastal management community, Dr. B.J. Copeland, 89, died Wednesday, Jan. 14. Copeland left a lasting impact on the state as the director of North Carolina Sea Grant, a N.C. State University professor, and through his work with the Albemarle-Pamlico...

Matthew Sockol/CBS 17 News A work break led to a Johnston County man winning the first top prize of a new game, lottery officials said. Harlee Aliff of Kenly was on his break when he bought a $20 Stacks of Cash scratch-off from the Handy Mart on Wilson Mills Road...