North Carolina’s decade-plus charter school boom has hit a slowdown, with nine of 12 schools approved to open this August saying they can’t be ready in time. Most recently, the state on Monday granted a second delay to two schools that were initially approved to open in August 2023. Their...

Administrators at New Hanover County Schools have outlined a new process for selecting songs for the annual All County chorus and band concerts. The new selection process will require the chosen clinician to select five pieces from 117 songs in the NHCS repertoire. All-County Chorus brings together students from each...

The Greensboro Police Department issued a statement supporting Mayor Nancy Vaughan’s efforts to hold promoters more accountable citing recent incidents in the city. WFDD file photo. The Greensboro Police Department issued a statement Friday voicing support for Mayor Nancy Vaughan’s efforts to hold event promoters more accountable. According to the...

The water infrastructure in Taylortown is receiving some much-needed attention after newly hired town staff discovered the cause of water meter issues. According to Town Administrator Carolyn Cole who was hired early this year, the water meters in town have not been used correctly since their installation. So far, the...

From homeowner’s insurance to groceries, there’s no shortage of costs that have been creeping upward in recent years. But when it comes to one monthly bill — electricity — some Western North Carolina residents say the rise has been especially steep. Those concerns will likely be one of the topics...

For the first time, students can now register for classes in UNC’s new School of Civic Life and Leadership, which encourages students to pursue democratic and civil engagement. While SCiLL was officially announced to the University at a January 2023 Board of Trustees meeting, its development began years ago with...

If you’ve lived in North Carolina for the past seven years, especially in regions that get water from the Cape Fear River Basin, you’ve likely become familiar with the acronym PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. More than likely, you also know the term can trigger a strong...

More than a third of North Carolina hospitals are noncompliant with a federal price transparency rule, alleged a February report from the nonprofit Patient Rights Advocate. But some in the industry space disagree with the finding. Starting Jan. 1, 2021, federal regulations required hospitals to provide pricing information online in...

Two North Carolina congressmen met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, spoke with soldiers and civilians, and pledged to keep working in Congress to support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-Wake) and Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson) were part of a bipartisan delegation of United States representatives and...

Asana Partners wants to convert the old Duke Energy headquarters building uptown into apartments and retail. A Charlotte developer’s request for public money to help convert the old Duke Energy headquarters in uptown into apartments received a cold reception from Mecklenburg County Commissioners last week, leaving the future of the...

Norfolk Southern has agreed to pay $600 million in a class-action lawsuit settlement for a fiery February 2023 train derailment in Ohio, but residents worry the money not only won’t go far enough to cover future health needs that could be tremendous but also won’t amount to much once divvied...

The head of the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association sent a letter to the Charlotte City Council Monday urging them not to consider using taxes dedicated for tourism to pay for things the group doesn’t consider tourism-specific. The taxes on hotel rooms, as well as prepared food and beverages...

The past half year has seen a steady stream of disturbing reports about serious human rights abuses tied to industrial fishing. First came a long expose about forced labor at sea tied to hundreds of Chinese fishing ships that supply many of the biggest restaurant and grocery store chains in...

Marines are famously meticulous about their uniforms. Think of those ads with the Few and the Proud snapping to attention in perfect dress blues. But for more than a year, a shortage of several types of clothing — especially everyday camouflage tops — has meant Marines haven’t been able to...

Across the country, the pandemic highlighted and exacerbated mental health challenges — particularly among youth. In response, many states and school districts prioritized putting federal COVID-19 dollars toward mental health initiatives. More than half of North Carolina districts and charter schools collectively spent nearly $45.9 million on psychologists and mental/physical...