Jack Igelman/Carolina Public Press Fanned by strong winds, stoked by low humidity and fueled by dry organic soil, the Great Lakes Fire in the Croatan National Forest in 2023 burned towards hundreds of homes along the forest’s boundary. The enormous fire scorched 32,000 acres of forest land and threatened nearby...

Jaymie Baxley/NC Health News People of color, low-income populations and other marginalized groups are disproportionately affected by certain health risks, yet remain underrepresented in clinical trials and studies that shape medical practices. The disparity can create inequities in care — something Chris Shank, president and CEO of the North Carolina...

Hannah McLeod/Smoky Mountain News Macon County officials held a press conference last week to address illegal political signs and get ahead of some misinformation that has been circulating about absentee voting in the county. “As we approach the upcoming election, the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with local election...

Kara Fohner/Gaston Gazette Three projects could be coming to Gaston County which would mean more jobs and more investment. A company is considering investing $1.5 million to establish a manufacturing facility in Gaston County, according to county documents. The project, referred to in county records as “Project Flower,” would upfit...

Chris Burritt/Business North Carolina Greg Lowe, the North Carolina president of HCA Healthcare, is taking charge as CEO of Asheville’s Mission Hospital months after state and federal regulators cited it for failures in following to comply with health and safety regulations. Mission Hospital CEO Chad Patrick is returning to HCA...

Liz Schlemmer/WUNC Radio New data collected from public school superintendents show the number of teaching vacancies and total school employee vacancies across the state has improved this school year. For the past four years, the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association (NCSSA) has surveyed its members on how many teaching and...

Jack Igelman/Carolina Public Press Less than two months after the Great Lakes Fire seared 32,000 near the central North Carolina coast, the Pulp Road Wildfire on June 15, 2023, began when a prescribed fire in a longleaf pine forest the previous day slipped from the grasp of the burn team....

Peter Castagno/Port City Daily A council member and former mayor of Carolina Beach argues infrastructure modernization efforts need to take priority after the town was inundated with some of its worst flooding due to tropical cyclone eight hitting the region Monday. A National Weather Service gauge measured over 18 inches...

Jennifer Bendery/The Huffington Post In a newly unearthed video from 2022, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) scoffs at the idea that young women should have access to birth control and, repeatedly waving his hand near his groin, says they just need to “get this under control.” During a...

Megan Plotka/NC Newsline AT&T workers with the Communication Workers of America (CWA) in the Southeast returned to work Monday after a 30-day strike. Approximately 300 AT&T technicians, customer service representatives and other workers in north Alabama were on strike for the past month. They joined 17,000 CWA District 3 members...

Alli Lindenberg/Education NC “I cannot tell you how good it feels to be back in eastern North Carolina,” said Dr. Maria Pharr, president of Pitt Community College. In mid-August, Pharr began her tenure as president at Pitt Community College after serving as president of South Piedmont Community College for seven...

Elvis Menayese/WFAE Radio Smith, 15, has been looking after horses at Shining Hope Farms in north Charlotte for four months. On a recent weekday, he was learning how to ride one. Being around the farm is a new experience for him — it’s one he’s enjoying. “I never had an...

Kimberly King/WLOS News Clay Eddleman, the chairman of Henderson County’s Election Board, addressed about 50 citizens on Monday, Sept. 16, during an emergency board meeting to state Linda Rebuck would remain on the board. The meeting comes after last week’s controversy around Rebuck’s email to about 30 Republican state legislators....

Paul Nielsen/The (Waynesville) Mountaineer It’s back to the drawing board for a proposal that would allow Waynesville property owners to build additional homes on their lots in town. The Waynesville town council unanimously voted at its meeting Tuesday night that the town’s planning staff and its planning board get on...

Paul Woolverton/CityView The Sandhills summer put a sheen on the forehead of Fayetteville State University Chancellor Darrell T. Allison on an early July morning. Despite the stifling temperature and humidity, Allison kept his blazer buttoned as he shook hands and greeted construction workers, politicians, trustees, and students. They were gathering...