Liz Schlemmer/WUNC Radio North Carolina House lawmakers have passed a budget bill that would raise beginning teacher pay by about 22% by fall 2026. The House’s budget makes several moves to raise teacher pay that are absent in the Senate’s budget bill. During the House’s final debate of its budget...

Gerard Albert III/Blue Ridge Public Radio There’s no property tax increase planned, for the fourth year in a row, in Henderson County. Despite the economic burden from Hurricane Helene on local governments, commissioners say they won’t raise taxes on property owners. The county is one of the only in Western...

Jane Winik Sartwell/Carolina Public Press Darlene Fore is terrified. She’s a nurse at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Asheville: a hard, but stable, federal job. Last year, her family was devastated by Tropical Storm Helene. Now, as she reaches 60 years old, her job, and her retirement benefits, could...

Kyle Perrotti/Smoky Mountain News More than two years after he was shot by Cherokee Indian Police Department SWAT Team members, Jason Harley Kloepfer has reached a $10 million settlement with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee County, ending any chances of what was shaping up to be a...

F.T. Norton/Fayetteville Observer Cumberland County Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green will leave her position at the end of the year due to her spouse’s military relocation. Green oversaw several key initiatives during her tenure, including programs addressing the opioid crisis and maternal health. County officials praised Green’s leadership and contributions...

Drew C. Wilson/The Wilson Times There weren’t any stupid pet tricks or top 10 lists, but there was small-town news when David Letterman showed up at Daniel’s Fine Dining in Wilson on Wednesday night. The late-night television talk show host known to millions sat down for a meal of crab...

Emma Dill/WilmingtonBiz The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has formally recommended that a replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge have a vertical clearance of no less than 135 feet. Following its review of the proposed replacement project, the Army Corps sent a letter to Trevor Carroll, the N.C. Department...

Pat Kimbrough/High Point Enterprise The city of High Point has put a hold on its efforts to enact its proposed Southwest Mill District. The plan to rezone a 171-acre old industrial area around W. Green Drive may conflict with recent changes in state law that limit local governments’ abilities to...

Kyle Perrotti/Smoky Mountain News Since his inauguration, President Donald Trump has made headlines by targeting the United States’ most well-known colleges — those with the largest endowments and lowest admission rates — but now, in the latest twist in a year-long saga, his administration is shifting its attention to Cullowhee....

Bill Moss/Hendersonville Lightning Henderson County commissioners want to use a 25-year-old utilities agreement to force to the city of Hendersonville to provide sewer service to an Upward Road cidermaker, although City Manager John Connet says talks are under way to resolve the request. Under the so-called Mud Creek Agreement of...

Peter Castagno/Port City Daily A renewable energy advocacy group is urging Gov. Josh Stein to oppose legislation that would allow Duke Energy to charge customers upfront costs for new power plants. The nonprofit argued ratepayers should not bear additional risks since Duke has a history of expensive canceled nuclear projects....

Sarah Michels/Carolina Public Press When Anderson Clayton took control of the North Carolina Democratic Party at 25 years old, she knew she needed to make some changes. The previous election cycle, Democrats had left a quarter of the state’s legislative seats unchallenged, giving Republicans a free ride to Raleigh. From...

Mary Helen Moore/NC Newsroom Sports betting brought in $128 million in taxes the first year it was legal in North Carolina. With that figure projected to grow, legislators are seeking to change who gets a cut, a move that will benefit state schools’ athletics departments. Both chambers’ budgets would, for...

Felicia Sonmez/Blue Ridge Public Radio Norfolk Southern will rebuild a key section of track east of Asheville, officials confirmed Tuesday. The plan may pave the way for the eventual return of passenger rail service to Western North Carolina. The 16-mile stretch was severely damaged by Hurricane Helene. It includes the...

Jaymie Baxley & Rose Hoban/NC Health News Sally Herndon has spent more than three decades working to get North Carolinians to quit smoking. As head of the state Health Department’s Tobacco Prevention and Control branch, she oversaw various initiatives aimed at reducing tobacco and e-cigarette use among young people. She...