Former Gov. Roy Cooper brought his 'Make Stuff Cost Less' tour to Charlotte on Friday, pitching policies to lower grocery, health-care and utility bills as he runs for U.S. Senate.

Less than a month before Mayor Vi Lyles leaves office, councilmembers led by Renee Perkins Johnson are pushing to lower the vote threshold for adding agenda items and ease same‑night unanimity.

Republican bills would cut North Carolina’s 17‑day early voting window to as few as 10 days, prompting warnings from election officials and voting‑rights advocates.

FEMA approved more than $60 million for recovery and mitigation across multiple Southeastern states, funding debris removal, drainage upgrades and buyouts. Awards will roll out as eligibility is confirmed.

County officials proposed a $207.6M FY 2026–27 budget while holding property taxes at 40.5 cents per $100. A public hearing is scheduled for June 2.

A Charlotte immigration judge ordered the removal of a Honduran asylum seeker who was killed in 2024, after attorneys say prosecutors demanded an official death certificate.

A rewritten NC bill would bar baseload retirements until regulators approve replacement nuclear capacity, changing Duke Energy’s coal‑retirement roadmap and splitting advocates and critics.

An 18-page Senate proposal would loosen environmental reviews, mandate ADUs statewide and change how courts review agency rules.

A second 7.5% base‑rate hike takes effect June 1, deepening a statewide insurance affordability squeeze and drawing criticism from Democrats and consumer advocates.

County Manager Mike Bryant pitched a $2.6B FY2027 plan that freezes the tax rate while boosting funding for schools, housing, mental‑health services and pay. Public comment is scheduled tonight.

A 3-0 North Carolina Court of Appeals ruling rejected a bid to recognize a state right to “fair elections,” upholding a dismissal of a high-profile challenge to recent maps. The decision leans on a 2023 state precedent that limits judicial oversight of partisan gerrymanders.

A bipartisan Senate bill would bar targeted sports‑betting ads to anyone under 18 on major social platforms and give the FTC new enforcement powers. Supporters point to research showing high youth exposure to gambling content online.

Newly released records show Charlotte used its risk‑management fund to pay legal fees and settlements topping $1 million in discrimination suits by Black firefighters.