The Associated Press A North Carolina district attorney has announced an investigation into how then-State Treasurer Dale Folwell used state government vehicles is ending with no charges filed, saying the review found that any alleged policy violations were “insufficient to support a successful criminal prosecution.” Wake County District Attorney Lorrin...

Shaun Gallagher/WRAL News The future of the former site of Cary Towne Center is once again up in the air as Cary officials pulled the rezoning request for Epic Games’ planned headquarters late in 2024. The gaming company applied for a rezoning request of Cary Towne Center in 2021 after...

Shea Carver/Port City Daily It’s the largest financial acquisition in the history of a small beach town in the southern portion of New Hanover County. On Tuesday, Carolina Beach Town Council voted unanimously to settle an ongoing lawsuit by agreeing to purchase nine parcels surrounding the Carolina Beach Boardwalk for...

Alan Wooten/The Center Square  Eroding North Carolina of criminals, in particular those who entered the country illegally and then broke more laws, continues to get a push from lawmakers in the Republican Party, the president, and forecast soon ICE. The General Assembly on Nov. 20 overturned a gubernatorial veto to...

Alice Scott/The Daily Tar Heel Documents obtained by The Daily Tar Heel revealed the use of Artificial Intelligence in the UNC admissions process. The Durham-based company Measurement Incorporated provides the technology for the essay review. The Measurement Incorporated website states that the company offers automated scoring for writing through their...

Ryan Kelly/The Mount Airy News At the most recent meeting of the Town of Pilot Mountain Board of Commissioners Mayor Evan Cockerham continued his attempts to make good on a promise of increased transparency and open communication since the tumult caused by the suspension and later termination of former town...

Andrew R. Jones/Asheville Watchdog The decision to sell nonprofit Mission Health to for-profit HCA Healthcare was made behind closed doors, without public review, and, contrary to promises made by Mission’s leadership at the time of the 2019 sale, did not lead to lasting improvements at Mission Hospital, according to the...

Emily Thomas/Education NC The North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) is requesting nearly $100 million from the General Assembly this long session to implement Propel NC – a new model for funding the state’s 58 community colleges that focuses on modernizing and stabilizing their funding. The system’s 2025-27 legislative agenda...

Jane Winik Sartwell/Carolina Public Press Three central North Carolina municipalities in 2024 fought — and won — for their right to release a potentially toxic chemical into the drinking water of communities. Now, those cities — Asheboro, Greensboro and Reidsville — are taking full advantage of the court’s decision, dumping...

Rusty Jacobs/WUNC Radio The U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Monday in what one law professor called a “knotty” and “fascinating” case over North Carolina’s disputed election for a seat on the state’s highest court. A three-judge appellate panel heard arguments Monday on the uncertified statewide contest between...

Jaelyn Campbell/CBT News A U.S. appeals court ruled Monday that the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) new regulations, which aimed to ban bait-and-switch tactics and prevent auto dealers from charging add-on costs that do not benefit buyers, are invalid. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, sided with...

Zachary Turner/WFAE Radio In Gaston County, Albemarle is draining the old Kings Mountain mine to reopen it and extract the key ingredient for many rechargeable batteries: lithium. The company started drying out the mine last spring. The company expected some smells to come from the decomposed materials at the bottom...

Ashley Roque, Valerie Insinna & Aaron Mehta/Breaking Defense The defense industry is in a state bordering between confusion and panic, following what could be a pause awarding new Army contracts as the service reviews its plans under the Trump administration. The fear among industry now is that this move is...

Kanis Leung/The Associated Press Chinese tech startup DeepSeek ’s new artificial intelligence chatbot has sparked discussions about the competition between China and the U.S. in AI development, with many users flocking to test the rival of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. DeepSeek’s AI assistant was the No. 1 downloaded free app on Apple’s...

Vicki Hyatt/The (Waynesville) Mountaineer Many who lost their homes during Fred in 2021 were hit all over again by Helene in 2024. But Alex Robb of Cruso, who rebuilt his home 8 feet higher after Fred, escaped the Pigeon River’s wrath the second time around. His story offers assurance that...