Over the last four years, rents have skyrocketed by an average of over 30% nationwide and are a major factor in the overall inflation rate. There are a variety of factors behind the increases, including an overall housing shortage. But the Department of Justice is investigating another potential cause: a...

In May, when the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners voted to evict Cherokee County Schools from the Central Office building at 911 Andrews Road, the board did much more than that – it also took away $1.2 million in annual sales tax revenue. In the same meeting on May 23,...

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened a Title VI investigation on May 5 into UNC for discrimination against Palestinian students. The investigation was opened following a complaint filed by Palestine Legal, an independent organization, that outlined incidents of anti-Palestinian discrimination. According to a post on the...

The eCourts expansion will reach 49 of the state’s 100 counties when Track 6 goes live on Oct. 14, the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC) has announced. This latest group of counties will include Moore and Anson, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Hoke, Montgomery, Randolph, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly and Union...

North Carolina’s public universities are charting a new path without diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Last month, the University of North Carolina System’s Board of Governors voted to end DEI programs at all schools in the system. Channel 9’s Almiya White learned the change could have a serious impact on...

Charlotte City Council is considering spending hundreds of millions of dollars to renovate Bank of America Stadium. Council will potentially provide $650 million to the construction of the renovations. In return, the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC will commit to staying in Charlotte for another 20 years. It’s a story...

More than 30 people have applied for the job of Summerfield Town Manager Scott Whitaker, who is leaving June 10, according to councilman Heath Clay. Town Council started advertising the opening about a week ago, Clay said in an interview after the council’s special called meeting yesterday. He and Mayor...

A City Council committee endorsed a route for the Silver Line that runs along I-277 north of uptown and then into Fourth Ward, bypassing the core of the center city. Only part of the line is likely to be built now, however. A version of this news analysis originally appeared...

New proposals to make hiring and retention easier inside state government passed a key state Senate committee Tuesday, as North Carolina’s government agencies remain understaffed at well-above-average levels. A year ago, 20 state departments, offices and boards were grappling with the highest number of vacant positions in five years. Vacancies...

For decades, state legislators and criminal justice advocates have worked to change the juvenile legal system, striving to expand access to rehabilitation and keep young people from returning to crime. During this year’s legislative session, nearly every state has considered some form of juvenile justice legislation, according to a National...

For 16 years New Hanover County Schools has been involved in the reading competition Battle of the Books. However, some members of the county’s board of education are now speaking out against title selections. At the board’s May 28 agenda review meeting, a presentation about the Battle of the Books...

North Carolina has one of the newest — and least regulated — private-school voucher programs in the country. Given those traits of the N.C. ‘school choice’ program, which offers financial aid for students to attend private school regardless of income, a debate has emerged over the program’s accountability. “In North...

The longest-serving member of the Fayetteville City Council, D.J. Haire, has been accused of violating the city’s code of ethics by a constituent who claims the councilman covertly attempted to stop a house demolition on behalf of an alleged family member who had sold the resident the condemned property. Haire’s...

In 1999, the N.C. 211 corridor between Oak Island and St. James looked much different than it does today. Back then, residents on Oak Island’s west end had to travel several miles to the G.V. Barbee Bridge if they wanted to leave the island, the Midway Commons Shopping Center had...

The North Carolina Industrial Commission has ruled Training Officer Jeff Lyon’s November 2022 death from cancer a line of duty death, as announced by Asheville Fire Department. After serving with the fire department for 26 years, Lyons was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer in 2022, the May 28 fire department news...