Top Stories
Unexpected severe drought plagues parts of NC, withering crops
Three clusters of NC counties face devastating drought conditions due to low rainfall since June. Forecast offers some hope for relief.
What NC county elections directors say about their jobs and why they left
Former elections directors in Jackson and Bladen counties discuss their very different experiences over the course of their careers.
Alcohol-monitoring for some NC parents could save lives. Uncertainty about the law presents a roadblock.
Continuous alcohol-monitoring bracelets aren’t clearly mentioned in the laws used by NC social services agencies. Advocates want to change that.
SPECIAL REPORTS
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Low pay is driving the rapid loss of experienced NC county
elections directors. What makes the situation challenging,
and what policy changes could fix the problem.
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Social services in NC may be in the hands of people
who don’t meet minimum qualifications.
Why and how it happens, and how other states avoid the problem.
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How climate change affects North Carolina’s fisheries
and the people who rely on them for a living.
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The importance of sexual assault nurse examiners
and the difficulty of locating them in North Carolina
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Justice elusive for NC sexual assault survivors
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Climate change is causing erratic weather events and altering
ecosystems in the forests of Western North Carolina’s mountains.
What these changes mean and the challenges
they pose for managing the forests.
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How and why North Carolina counties decide to build
or expand jails, the costs of those decisions
and possible alternatives.
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Inconsistency and inequity in child welfare policies across NC
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Struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic in state’s prison system
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Is one of North Carolina’s main systems
for housing those with mental illness failing?
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MORE STORIES
Novo Nordisk expansion with 1,000 jobs touted as biggest life science investment in NC
Manufacturer of weight-loss products and other drugs, Novo Nordisk, plans major expansion of plant and workforce in Clayton, North Carolina.
Which NC politicians are gambling interests putting their money on?
Odds may not favor getting friendly legislation passed right now, but gambling interests are anteing up for NC legislators anyway.
Contract expires but nurses continue talks with Mission Hospital. Strike vote possible.
If the only nurses union in NC ultimately votes to strike at HCA-owned Asheville hospital, plans are in place. Both sides say they would prefer to reach a deal.
Finding new homes for hellbenders on the Watauga River
Conservationists work to transplant protected eastern hellbenders, a large salamander species, ahead of dam removal on the Watauga River.
Fight against forever chemicals in NC water reaches pivotal point
Litigation against companies polluting NC rivers with PFAs heats up, while rural communities await guidance on how to clean up their water.
Rapid loss of NC elections directors tied to low pay, CPP investigation finds
NC counties with low pay for elections directors most likely to have someone with less experience in charge, CPP data analysis shows.
Crime & Justice
What does Supreme Court decision on guns and domestic violence mean for NC?
Justices upheld federal law on domestic violence and guns. This keeps NC law intact, could lead to changes.
Economy
Seriously and severely unaffordable. Report rates Charlotte and Raleigh housing markets.
Housing unit shortage, plus newcomers with deep pockets, have made homes in biggest NC metro markets too costly for many people.
Education
Yancey County Pride display sparks wider debate over book bans and LGBTQ representation in libraries
An LGBTQ Pride display became the center of controversy over book bans, resulting in a change in library leadership in Burnsville.
Environment
Racing to save white ash trees from extinction in the NC mountains
Invasive emerald ash borers threaten to wipe out white ash trees in NC mountains. Conservation efforts saving many trees.
Health
Future of Mission Health could hinge on what happens in July
HCA’s management of formerly nonprofit Mission Health, serving Asheville and other NC mountain communities, faces key tests.
Politics & Government
DMV hopes backlog in NC drivers licenses is over
After glitch caused backlog in drivers licenses, NC has switched to vendor with center in nearby Virginia, will issue new more secure design.