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...

Felicia Sonmez/BPR News Rep. Chuck Edwards has filed a complaint against the leaders of the House Ethics Committee, alleging the panel failed to follow its own rules when it investigated allegations that he sexually harassed two young, female staff members. Edwards, a Republican who represents North Carolina’s 11th District, filed...

Catherine Muccigrosso/The Charlotte Observer Harris Teeter is investing $253 million to modernize stores in its hometown of Charlotte where grocery competition is fierce to capture shoppers. Locations in Matthews, Waxhaw, Concord and Huntersville, as well as Fort Mill and Rock Hill, are among stores Harris Teeter plans to upgrade and...

Paul Woolverton/CityView Two of the Fayetteville area’s biggest entertainment and event venues, the Crown Theatre and the Crown Arena, were suddenly closed September 10 after construction experts cited structural concerns about the buildings. The two facilities, part of the larger Crown Complex entertainment and events campus, won’t reopen until they...

James Farrell/WFAE Radio Hundreds of third graders played games alongside Carolina Panthers players Tuesday at Bank of America Stadium as the team launched a new literacy and health initiative. Students from throughout the region streamed through the stadium tunnel and onto the field, where they tossed footballs into targets and...

Cindy Bae/WTVD Holy Trinity Anglican Church is seeking approval to build a new church along Old Lystra Road in southern Orange County that would incorporate affordable housing into the project to help address housing challenges in the community. The church has outgrown its building on U.S. 15-501 and has proposed...

Lucas Thomae/Carolina Public Press In 1971, North Carolina passed its first certificate-of-need law. Copying a model which started in 1960s New York, the program would require medical providers to seek permission from the government before expanding or developing new services. The idea behind the policy was that it would prevent...

Greg Lacour/WFAE Radio After months of debate and an earlier vote that appeared to end the project, the contentious Interstate 77 toll lanes from uptown to South Carolina may move forward after all. That appeared to be the case after Monday, when Charlotte City Council members discussed what to do...

Benjamin Schachtman/WHQR There’s significant momentum behind the plans for a tolled replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, which are nearing the point of no return. Serious questions remain about the plans’ impact, and some are asking if there are any alternatives. Here’s a look at how we got here...

Shirleen Guerra/The Center Square  Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy are offering Virginia customers more bill relief and promising new jobs and investment as they seek approval for their proposed merger. The companies announced Monday they want to extend $10 monthly residential bill credits from two years to four years. They...

John Boyle/Asheville Watchdog Nearly seven months after withdrawing its application for a store in the Enka Commerce Park, Costco has submitted new plans with the City of Asheville. Costco withdrew its application for a highly anticipated new store in February, citing requests for on- and off-site improvements that had “increased...