Southport closed parks and suspended programs after a forensic accounting review; four Parks & Recreation employees are on paid leave and the case was referred to the NC SBI.

Durham's second-quarter check shows revenue gains and modest expense savings, leaving departments poised to finish the fiscal year within budget. Officials say they will keep monitoring receipts.

The State Health Plan says it will not extend Aetna or CVS Caremark deals and will instead solicit bids for new TPA and PBM contracts tied to a Jan. 1, 2028 start. The move could reshape drug negotiations and provider networks for roughly 750,000 members.

Medicaid spending on autism therapy is surging in North Carolina, prompting an auditor review and a package of proposed reforms from the health department.

Wake County is eyeing the Well Fed community garden across from Athens Drive High as a replacement library site — a neighborhood win that raises questions about price and parking.

A Raleigh firefighter was released from the hospital after breaking his arm during a forceful removal from a Senate hearing; charges have been filed and local leaders are reviewing the case.

A federal judge in Raleigh dismissed a First Amendment challenge to North Carolina’s ballot‑selfie ban, saying the law helps prevent vote‑buying and protects polling‑place integrity.

State Sen. Graig Meyer will resign March 31 to become executive director of the North Carolina Justice Center, triggering a party-led appointment for his District 23 seat.

Legislative leaders asked a federal court to intervene in a class action challenging HB 805, setting up a legal fight over prison access to gender‑affirming care.

Gov. Josh Stein rolled out a short-term "critical needs" budget Monday to address urgent funding gaps as the state remains without a full two-year budget. The proposal aims to shore up Medicaid, recovery and frontline staffing.

The North Carolina auditor will publish a performance audit into Rocky Mount's 2025 budget crisis at a March 9 press conference in Raleigh. The findings could clarify where millions went and whether billing errors masked deeper problems.

Gov. Josh Stein says nearly $70 million in FEMA reimbursements are headed to Avery, Buncombe and Yancey counties to cover debris removal and road repairs after Hurricane Helene. Officials welcomed the cash but say more aid will be needed to finish rebuilding.

Early returns from Tuesday's primary tightened the at-large race and left incumbents holding ground across Raleigh's council contests.