Sarah Michels/Carolina Public Press In Western North Carolina, county elections officials need Porta Potties. Tropical Storm Helene caused catastrophic flooding in the region, which destroyed homes, buildings and roads; cut off communication lines, and killed at least 77 people in the state as of Oct. 8. But as Western North...

Brenna Flanagan/Port City Daily As the city recovers from Potential Tropical Cyclone #8, the Southport Board of Aldermen met Monday to discuss the storm’s toll on its stormwater system and federal assistance. Deputy Fire Marshal Brian Kolhoff reported the progress to gain financial assistance from the North Carolina Department of...

Jessica Baugh & Dania Al Hadeethi/The Daily Tar Heel According to the UNC Policy Manual, the University affirms its commitment to free speech and expression for its students, faculty, staff and visitors under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article 1 Section 14 of the North Carolina Constitution....

Jane Winik Sartwell/Carolina Public Press Even though East and Gulf Coast longshoremen agreed to return to work Thursday evening, their three-day strike at the port in Wilmington could have a ripple of negative effects on the North Carolina economy, potentially hampering recovery efforts in Western counties. Lumber products and other...

Stephen Beech/High Point Enterprise COVID-19 doubles the risk of a heart attack, stroke or dying up to three years later, according to a new study. The danger is even higher among people with blood types A, B or AB who were infected with the virus compared to those with type...

John Boyle/Asheville Watchdog Question: The city’s unwillingness to offer any timeline for water restoration beyond “weeks” is a cop-out and an insult to citizens. They could certainly give us ‘best-case’ and ‘worst-case’ scenarios. That would help the many people making decisions about whether to renew a lease, or whether to...

Gary D. Robertson/The Associated Press With many western North Carolina residents still lacking power and running water from Hurricane Helene, a hearing began Monday on the insurance industry’s request to raise homeowner premium rates statewide by more than 42% on average. A top lieutenant for Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey opened...

Peter Castagno/Port City Daily A proposed residential development failed to garner support in Surf City after a council member raised concerns it could cause fire safety risks for residents. Surf City Council unanimously rejected the rezoning request last Tuesday to shift 20.2 acres of a 29.08 parcel from the rural...

Jennifer Ludden/WFAE Radio Fewer than 300 people live in this tiny mountain hamlet, but their ties to this place are deep. “I’m a fifth-generation settler child,” says Misty Hughes. “My great grandfather was the first white settler amongst the Indians here.” The community sits along the beautiful Nolichucky River, popular...

Nora O’Neill/The Charlotte Observer Charlotte Fire Department officials said they have a plan to improve rescues and avoid fires like the SouthPark blaze that killed two workers trapped on an upper floor. CFD Chief Reginald Johnson on Monday presented an after-action report of the five-alarm SouthPark fire to the Charlotte...

Emily Walkenhorst/WRAL News A Wake County state senate candidate has been reinstated to his job as assistant principal of an alternative school after a monthlong suspension with pay. The Wake County Public School System reinstated Scott Lassiter over the weekend, Lassiter said. School system spokeswoman Lisa Luten confirmed that Lassiter...

Savanna Tenenoff/Brunswick Beacon The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners have directed county staff to investigate the county’s need for a nine- to 18-month moratorium that would temporarily halt new residential development as public safety concerns from residents continue to compound. Board Chair Randy Thompson brought the item to the board...

Mark Jurkowitz/Outer Banks Voice Dare County has now provided links to the two subpoenas, dated Oct. 2, from the U. S. Attorney’s office asking the Dare County Commissioners and Oregon Inlet Task Force to provide records for an ongoing federal probe related to, among other things, EJE Dredging and the...

Paul Garber/WFDD Radio October is usually a time when the town of Banner Elk is welcoming tourists to explore the Avery County resort area. But as the Helene cleanup continues, local officials are asking visitors to stay away, and for residents to evacuate if they have a safe place to...

Rylee Wilson/Becker’s CVS Health will lay off 416 employees at Aetna’s headquarters in Hartford, Conn. In a WARN notice filed Oct. 6, the company said 93 employees work at the facility in Hartford. The other employees work remotely in several states and report to the facility. Most of the layoffs...