Jason Canady/CityView The Hope Mills Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 on Monday to amend the town’s charter to establish four-year staggered terms for elected board members. Until now, the mayor and commissioners have served two-year terms. The change will take effect this election cycle in November. Board members Bryan Marley...

WRAL News Gov. Josh Stein visited one of the hardest hit areas from Tropical Depression Chantal Tuesday afternoon to tour the Lake Michael Park in Mebane and survey the flood aftermath. The dam Stein surveyed was under construction at the time of the flood, closing the park until further notice....

Lola Oliverio/NC Health News North Carolina lawmakers have been debating for years about regulating hemp and marijuana products. Now state lawmakers and an advisory council tapped recently by the governor are looking again for ways to control the growing synthetic hemp and unregulated cannabis market described by some as a...

Kate Denning/Carolina Public Press While Helene’s impact on North Carolina varied across the region, the 2024-2025 school year was anything but ordinary for most Western North Carolina school districts and created significant obstacles to student learning. Districts like Ashe County, in the state’s northwestern corner, missed upwards of 40 days...

The Associated Press The longtime sheriff of a western North Carolina county whom some women accused of sexual misconduct has quit before he could be permanently removed. Curtis Cochran, who was first elected Swain County sheriff in 2006, retired from the post effective July 1, according to a statement from...

Hendersonville Lightning AdventHealth invites the community to learn more about its plan to apply for a Certificate of Need to add 129 acute care beds to the hospital already approved for construction in Buncombe County. The expansion reflects the voices of the community and AdventHealth’s commitment to delivering more access,...

Elena Marsh/The (Southern Pines) Pilot Taylortown’s building moratorium, implemented earlier this year to give itself time to cope with unexpected development requests, has been officially overturned by state legislation. State Sen. Tom McInnis, whose district includes Moore County, requested the insertion of a clause in a bill before the Senate...

Sophia Walsh/Port City Daily In a contentious vote, Southport’s aldermen chose a new leader to conduct business on its planning board. After serving since 2022, Sue Hodgin was not reappointed to her position on the board Monday, despite support from some current planning board members and aldermen. The Southport Board...

Amanda Geduld/The Sanford Herald Childhood vaccination rates have markedly declined across the U.S. since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new Johns Hopkins University research showing 78% of more than 2,000 counties reported drops, and the average immunization rate had fallen to 91% — below the 95% threshold...

Tom Joyce/The (Mount Airy) News If citizens didn’t know better, they might think Mount Airy officials have gone into the real estate business given their extensive land-sale discussions recently involving property on North Main Street once intended for a city fire station. The latest development concerns the Mount Airy Board...

Scott Bolejack/Johnstonian News The Smithfield Historic Foundation is stepping in to preserve one of downtown’s most iconic buildings — and the town is getting behind the effort. At their meeting on July 1, Town Council members voiced support for the foundation’s plan to purchase and restore the former Howell Theatre...

Allen G. Breed/The Associated Press Heavy rain and flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Chantal forced dozens of people to flee their homes in central North Carolina, officials said Monday. The Chapel Hill Fire Department and neighboring agencies completed more than 50 water rescues, many of them in areas...

Grace Vitaglione/NC Health News Doctor: “Good evening, Just checking in.” Advanced practice nurse: “Hi! All is well here. No changes or concerns.” A phone with a text conversation shows a conversation with an advanced practice nurse and a supervising physician. Those texts cost one advanced practice registered nurse in North...

Morgan Casey/CityView 82nd Airborne soldiers William Rambin and Jesus Naranjo were 8 miles deep in the pine forests surrounding Fort Bragg as part of a training exercise when they got called to shoot the mortar system they were carrying. Their squad was a mile outside of the shooting range. By...

Sarah Honosky/Asheville Citizen Times At the end of the street of one-story bungalows, a boom truck lowered roof trusses onto a home’s new wooden frame. From the base of the green wall sheathing to the roof, the house promised to look similar to the others on the street — a...