A new DPI report presented to the State Board on Wednesday shows more than 6,200 North Carolina classrooms began last year without a licensed teacher and highlights persistent turnover.

A Hillsborough woman pleaded guilty to second‑degree murder and was sentenced to 16–22 years; the court heard she has schizophrenia and will receive treatment while behind bars.

A U‑Haul allegedly fled a Hillsborough hit‑and‑run and was stopped on I‑40 with stop‑sticks; the driver now faces felony elude and other charges.

A consultant is urging Hillsborough to consider 7.5% water and sewer rate increases after Tropical Storm Chantal and rising operating costs, even though a 7.5% hike took effect last summer.

A Durham judge moved the criminal cyberstalking trial of TikTok influencer Brenay Kennard to May 7, 2026, after the plaintiff requested a continuance ahead of a spring birth.

Reese Brantmeier and the NCAA say they’ve agreed on material settlement terms in a class action over prize‑money rules. The deal, now paused for final paperwork, could affect thousands of college athletes.

Hops & Flower opened in Durham even as a federal 0.4 mg THC cap threatens to remove most hemp-derived edibles and drinks; owners are scrambling to lobby for rules.

Durham is launching a phased $158M program to upgrade three sewer outfalls and a Jordan Lake–connected transmission main, with $3.1M set aside for project management.

A Carrboro mother and UNC researchers are testing an enzyme therapy that aims to slow brain decline in children with Hunter syndrome.

Design and engineering firms are jockeying for work on UNC’s Carolina North as the university moves from planning to procurement and trustees clear planning funds.

A federal judge has paused the Kadel v. Folwell case challenging the State Health Plan’s exclusion of transition‑related treatments, leaving coverage for state workers in limbo. Appellate rulings in related cases will determine the next steps.

Soif opens at 331 West Main in Durham: a 13-seat coffee-by-day, spritz-and-cocktail bar with no Wi‑Fi and a single‑bartender setup.

Duke's trustees extended President Vincent E. Price’s tenure after a campus review, keeping him in the post through July 1, 2027. The move arrives amid budget debates and a major fundraising push.