Hallie Golden/The Associated Press A bucktoothed llama that spends his days comforting chronically ill children at a North Carolina camp founded by NASCAR royalty has been crowned the world’s oldest llama in captivity. At 27 years and more than 250 days, the selfie- and snuggle-loving llama called Whitetop dethroned Dalai...

Sarah Michels/Carolina Public Press Upon taking office, President Donald Trump wasted no time before issuing a series of wide-reaching executive orders impacting federal funding, immigration, diversity efforts and environmental work. Now, some North Carolina lawmakers are falling in line while others are planning how to fight back. For state Senate...

Felicia Sonmez/Blue Ridge Public Radio The City of Asheville on Tuesday released its draft proposal for spending $225 million in federal Hurricane Helene disaster recovery funds, with a trio of public input sessions scheduled for later this month before the plan heads to City Council for approval in April. The...

David Beasley/The Center Square North Carolina state employees and retirees could soon have health insurance premiums nearly doubled, state treasurer Brad Briner said Tuesday. The state insurance plan is projected to have a $500 million shortfall in 2026 which will increase to $800 million in 2027, Briner said during a...

Liz Schlemmer/WUNC Radio A bill to study whether North Carolina’s five biggest school districts might be too large advanced Tuesday. The House K-12 Education Committee approved House Bill 82, which would create a commission to study whether a school district experiences any negative outcomes caused by a large student population....

Jaymie Baxley/NC Health News In December 2023, North Carolina became the 40th state to expand eligibility for Medicaid, opening up the government-funded health insurance program to low-income adults who previously made too much money to qualify. Nearly 630,000 people have gained coverage since expansion took effect, surpassing state health officials’...

Jenna Fryer/The Associated Press NASCAR’s revenue-sharing charter system is under threat of being disbanded according to a Wednesday counterclaim filed by the stock car series against Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports that singles out Jordan’s longtime business manager. The contentiousness began after more than two years of...

Peter Castagno/Port City Daily The Rules Review Commission is challenging a judge’s recent decision to uphold regulations meant to safeguard the state’s coastal habitats. Lawmakers recently approved additional funds for the lead attorney behind the appeal, who is also representing the NC GOP in ongoing election policy lawsuits. Wake County...

Andrew Marshall/The (Waynesville) Mountaineer Should hikers pay for the privilege of walking on North Carolina’s game lands? Hunters, anglers, and trappers think so. That’s the question at the heart of a series of public forums conducted by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The most recent was held at Haywood...

Ashley Mahoney/Axios Charlotte Distro Beer Hub, a new beer hall, is expected to open in South End this spring, a spokesperson confirmed to Axios. Why it matters: The project brings together four North Carolina breweries in a unique collaboration. What to expect: Distro Beer Hub will feature Charlotte-based Heist Brewery...

Zachary Turner/WFAE Radio On a warm, dry day last week, prescribed burn coordinator Zachary O’Donnell ignited his drip torch and passed it to the landowner. They stood on the edge of a forest, somewhere between Marion and Old Fort, North Carolina. The woods sloped downward, and prickly hollies hugged the...

Josh Boak, Paul Wiseman & Rob Gillies/The Associated Press President Donald Trump launched a trade war Tuesday against America’s three biggest trading partners, drawing immediate retaliation from Mexico, Canada and China and sending financial markets into a tailspin as the U.S. faced the threat of rekindled inflation and paralyzing uncertainty...

Shane Shoemaker/Sporting News On Tuesday, four ongoing lawsuits involving Florida State and Clemson battling their own conference, the ACC, were put to rest as a settlement was reached, according to ESPN’s Andrea Adelson. All three parties agreed to terms that focused on two major objectives. The first involves a new...

Brenna Flanagan/Port City Daily A federal grant that is set to cover half of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge’s 135-foot replacement is now on pause, an NCDOT representative said — one day after agency workers told the Wilmington City Council the grant could be in peril if the council takes...

Catherine Muccigrosso/The (Raleigh) News & Observer The chief executive officer and board chair of The Kroger Co., parent company of grocer Harris Teeter, abruptly resigned Monday following an internal investigation into his “personal conduct.” The investigation began Feb. 21 into Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen’s conduct, and it was not related...