After several months of consideration, overwhelming community feedback and ongoing unanimous frustration with North Carolina school calendar legislation, the Board of Education narrowly chose Monday to adopt a “traditional calendar” that aligns with state law for the 2025-2026 school year. The contentious topic of potentially adopting an “early start” calendar...

In the late 1980s, Amelia England’s family moved to Georgia, pulling the then-10-year-old out of the North Carolina School for the Deaf in Morganton and into a mainstream school. England said it was the worst time of her life. “I was placed in special education just because I came from...

After a big rainstorm, it’s likely Joe Bell will walk outside his Pender County home and see his lawn dotted with tiny mushrooms. It’s a sight the Virginia native is used to – fungi thrive in moist climates, like that in North Carolina and its neighbor to the north. Even...

Maybe one North Carolina insurance provider should join the industry trend and advertise: “Hello Beach Plan policyholders! Do you need a new roof? Want to save on your property insurance? How about we help you out with as much as $8,000 toward a much stronger roof that is fortified to...

Kate Hanlon has worked for Durham Public Schools for 21 years. She’s been a teacher, administrator, and even worked in the central office. Hanlon is now a member of the school improvement team at Glenn Elementary in Northeast Durham. Over the past few years, Hanlon and her team have helped...

You’ve heard it before: North Carolina is growing, and fast. Or maybe you’ve experienced it in your own community. With that growth, there has been a significant increase and change in how people register to vote. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Carolina Population Center predicts the Tar...

There’s a new political movement in Vance County by the name of Down Home North Carolina — and the 20-some members have some big plans. Its focus is on organizing working-class people in counties across the state. Somewhat new, at least — the chapter launched in late February. Efforts to...

Federal prosecutors oppose a plan to split the bribery and fraud retrials of Greg Lindberg and John Gray. Both are scheduled to return to federal court on May 6. The government submitted its latest court filing Friday. The case involves the federal government’s charges that Lindberg bribed state Insurance Commissioner...

Sandhills Community College students wanting to move their educational careers on to Fayetteville now have a new opportunity. Fayetteville State University and SCC have agreed to a new arrangement, called the Bronco Benefit partnership, guaranteeing transfer admissions for qualified students. “It is exciting to expand the Bronco Benefit program because...

After months of consideration, delays, and some intense discussion, the Oak Island Town Council has approved a special building permit for a hotel expansion. Council voted 3-2 in favor of granting approval for hotel owner Kuntal Gandhi to construct a three-story, 20,000 square foot addition to the existing Ocean Crest...

New vehicles, additional police officers, and perhaps a new town park with access to Jonathan Creek may be part of Maggie Valley’s plans for 2024-25 or following years. Those were among the plans and ideas floated during the board of aldermen’s visionary session March 27 to discuss goals for the...

It has been a busy few weeks in the courts for an organization that has been a staunch advocate for North Carolinians with disabilities. Disability Rights North Carolina announced a settlement agreement on Wednesday with the state Department of Health and Human Services in a long-running state court battle known...

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida cemented economic links and cultural amity with North Carolina on Friday, following up time in Washington during his official U.S. visit by checking up on benchmark Japanese companies building in the ninth-most populous state and meeting with students. In between, Kishida lunched at the governor’s...

When Democrat Jim Hunt was elected lieutenant governor in 1972, tobacco was still the undisputed king in Eastern North Carolina. And no place was it celebrated as much as in the city of Wilson. Festive tobacco auctions were an annual ritual in the city, not far from the farming community...

The Southern Environmental Law Center is among more than 40 environmentalist groups who sent a letter warning a permit reform bill, co-introduced by Congressman David Rouzer, would “put polluter profits ahead of public health.” On March 21, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 7023 — the “Creating Confidence in...