Columbus approved its FY2026–27 budget Thursday, holding the property tax rate at 51.5¢ while hiking water and sewer rates and adding a $3 card fee.

The North Carolina House approved HB1029 to let state‑chartered banks custody crypto and create a licensing path for payment stablecoins, with strict reserve and audit rules.

North Carolina's Supreme Court declined to review a records fight over UNC Chapel Hill files tied to COVID‑19 origins, leaving thousands of research pages sealed under state law.

A federal challenge to North Carolina’s HB 808 was dismissed with prejudice, ending the Voe v. Mansfield case while related appeals and policy fights continue to play out.

UNC trustees refused a tenured hire in women's and gender studies, reopening a fight over tenure, transparency and budget choices at Chapel Hill. Faculty and students are pushing back.

A 36‑page elections package was revived in Raleigh and a short public‑comment portal closes at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Gov. Josh Stein says the bill would politicize election administration.

FEMA approved about $45 million for more than 40 Hurricane Helene recovery projects in North Carolina, funding debris removal, road repairs and buyouts in mountain communities.

After public pushback, Durham officials moved to restore roughly $770,576 to community partners, including funding for the DEAR expunction clinic and Lyon Park programs. Council will vote June 15.

A bleeped parody featuring Senate leader Sydney Batch has prompted GOP demands for discipline as North Carolina’s yearlong budget stalemate inches toward a deal.

DOE issued a brief emergency order allowing Duke Energy to boost output this weekend to prevent blackouts as North Carolina endures extreme heat. The allowance is limited and timebound.

UNC‑Chapel Hill and UNC‑Greensboro deleted Pride Month posts after the UNC System cited its 2024 equality policy and reviewed campus social messaging.

Former state auditor Beth Wood has returned to the NC auditor’s office as an independent contractor for a redacted investigative review, per a public contract. Her work is capped at $25,000 and must finish in mid‑August.

Lawmakers sent Gov. Josh Stein HB 315 on June 12, 2026 — a bill that would bar outside investors from funding lawsuits and reshape how some big cases are financed in North Carolina.