A federal review finds North Carolina behind on special education: slow evaluations, staffing holes and a push to study weighted funding.

Belmont approved an 8% water rate increase and secured a $10M state loan to move its intake and shore up an aging system after a 'distressed' listing. City leaders say upgrades and emergency interconnects will protect supply.

Gov. Stein signed HB1104 to change how North Carolina handles involuntary psychiatric commitments, ordering telehealth pilots, data upgrades and studies.

State Auditor Dave Boliek reassigned Dallas Woodhouse and discontinued the auditor’s elections-liaison role after reporting showed Woodhouse pressing local boards over early‑voting sites.

Gov. Josh Stein signed a law on July 6 that raises paid parental leave for eligible North Carolina state employees to 12 weeks as part of a broader HR overhaul. The State Human Resources Commission will write rules on eligibility, prorating and implementation.

Lawmakers approved a roughly $34B budget on July 2 that pairs teacher and state‑worker raises with tax changes. Gov. Josh Stein now has 10 days to act.

Gov. Josh Stein signed four bills in Raleigh addressing human trafficking, police staffing and protections for seniors' finances. SB 595's tax changes drew industry pushback.

State election officials say bulk mailings from Ready to Register Inc. used outdated forms, wrong addresses and QR codes that could expose other people’s data. County boards and the State Board are urging voters to verify their registration.

A 35‑page roadmap lays out 17 goals to protect residents, upskill workers and modernize state services as North Carolina positions itself for an AI era.

Union County adopted a $664.31M FY2027 budget that keeps the property tax rate at 43.42¢ and directs nearly half the money to schools and capital needs.

House Bill 1083 would let hiring parties — including app platforms — contribute to portable benefit accounts owned by independent contractors, allowing them to buy health and retirement coverage without reclassification.

FEMA has cleared another major package — roughly $179M in public‑assistance and $18M in mitigation grants — to accelerate Helene recovery across western North Carolina.

Duke Energy will relinquish the Carolina Long Bay offshore wind lease and redeploy about $129 million into generation and grid upgrades across the Carolinas. The move pauses a major coastal project and shifts planning inland.