Looking Up in Chimney Rock
New Flood Maps Could Prevent Disasters. Why Are They So Outdated?
Many of the maps that dictate the riskiest flood zones in Western N.C. and elsewhere haven’t been updated in years.
Democrats’ Dilemma on Trans Issues
A proposed nondiscrimination ordinance to protect transgender people in Huntersville has divided the Democratic-controlled town board.
After Trump Directive, Feds Send Lumbee Back to Congress for Recognition
An executive order asking the Interior Department to find a path forward seems to have led to the same answer the tribe has gotten for years.
The Cattle Con
The recent sentencing of a Surry County man sheds light on how the shady world of fraudulent cattle traders operates.
Politics
An Extraordinary Exoneration
A judge overturned the convictions of four men accused as teens of murdering NBA star Chris Paul’s grandfather.
Rallying for the Rails
A project evaluating new intercity passenger rail lines across North Carolina is igniting new passion for an old form of transportation.
Naming the Bones
A forensic anthropologist and a volunteer sleuth are working to identify bodies from nearly 300 cold cases across the state.
Culture
Vets Put Their Stamp on Startup Whiskeys
While military liquor stores have been slow to warm to the trend, veteran-owned distilleries offer something unique for the armed forces.
A Private Eye, 34 Texans, and an $8,887 Bloody Mary Walk Into an N.C. Bar
A group of out-of-towners traveled to a local seafood restaurant with ambitions of breaking multiple Guinness World Records.
‘Let Me Go ’Way From This Lonely Town’
An effort to save the Tryon house where Nina Simone was born reveals the artist’s complicated relationship with her hometown.
Education
The Summer UNC-Chapel Hill Turned Pretty
The hit Prime Video series ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ filmed its recently released final season in Chapel Hill, giving the campus new clout online.
Saint Augustine’s to Keep Accreditation While Litigation Continues
A court order means the school can open for the fall semester, but the Raleigh HBCU said its board chair would step down.
Higher Ed 2.0: N.C. Schools Tackle AI
Institutions scramble to keep pace with the rapidly evolving technology.
From Our Network
The Strange Case of Duke’s Still Living Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies
Duke Libraries said the department would be eliminated. College leadership says that’s not true.
‘He Never Stopped Being Mayor’
The late Jim Melvin helped shape the city he loved for over half a century, earning the moniker “Mr. Greensboro.”
Groups Protest Fayetteville’s Use of ShotSpotter as Deadline for Contract Looms
Critics want Fayetteville City Council cancel the contract for gunshot detection technology.
FEMA Cancels $11 million for Flood Mitigation in Columbus and Robeson
The projects were meant to make Columbus and Robeson counties more resilient to storms and flooding.
They Can’t Sell. They Can’t Stay.
For Lou Horton and her husband, Tropical Storm Chantal was both a singular catastrophe and the yearslong culmination of watching their situation grow more precarious.
Fort Bragg’s Barracks Are in Crisis, According to Army Survey
Soldiers surveyed reported being dissatisfied with the unaccompanied housing, rating it so poorly that its total score put it in the crisis category.
Featured Stories
Pride Cometh Before The Fall
After a two-year fight over LGBTQ books and displays, Yancey County is pulling its public library out of a regional system.
Voices in the Wilderness
A traditionalist religious order is building a new home in the woods of Western N.C. Not everyone is happy to see them.
The Disappearance of Julio Zambrano
The Venezuelan asylum seeker was living in N.C. legally. So why did the Trump administration send him to El Salvador?
How the N.C. Legislature Bankrolls Anti-Abortion Centers
Over the past three years, the state legislature has given $30 million to crisis pregnancy centers, with little oversight or outcomes.
UNC’s Risky Belichick Math
UNC-Chapel Hill transferred $21 million to the athletic department last year–and that was before hiring Bill Belichick.
How a Widow’s Appointment to the State Dental Board Got Spiked
Shital Patel became a patient advocate after her husband died at the dentist. Then her appointment got mysteriously nixed.
Amid An Unprecedented Immigration Crackdown, Durham Tries to Hold the Line
As Trump ramps up deportations, Durham is contending with the limits of its ability to protect immigrants.
UNC’s Project Kitty Hawk Cleans Up After a CEO’s Departure
An audit found the UNC System failed to monitor its $97 million online ed program, which has returned $102,000 in unallowable expenses.
Nine Years After HB2, Trans North Carolinians Wonder Who Is Looking Out For Them
The ‘Bathroom Bill’ sparked an outpouring of protest. But a new wave of attacks on trans rights has failed to generate the same response.
North Carolina’s Deadliest Inlet
Last March, Oregon Inlet claimed the life of a seasoned mariner. Navigating the tempestuous waters is the stuff of legends and nightmares.
The Fight that Fractured Saint Augustine’s University
Internal complaints and lawsuits reveal deep disputes about how the board of trustees has managed the institution.
A Small City Fights to Hold on to Baseball
The minor league Kinston Wood Ducks are about to depart, and now the former tobacco hub is looking for a new baseball team.
My 50-Year Obsession with an Unsolved Mountain Murder
The rape and killing of a young woman in Madison County has captivated me for half a century. Now I know who did it.
The Abandoned Pools of Columbus County
Columbus County no longer has any public and community swimming pools—a reflection of racism, rural decay, and lost opportunity.
A Professor Walks Into a Storm
The dean of UNC-CH’s School of Civic Life and Leadership promotes civil discourse. Critics highlight the school’s conservative roots.
Jefferson Griffin Lost. The Reputation of State Courts Might Be the Biggest Loser.
The six-month challenge did more than rekindle long-simmering partisan debates over election administration. It also raised questions about the state’s judiciary.
Searching For Michael Jordan in Wilmington
The NBA superstar has become a global icon and billionaire. But you have to strain to find signs of him in his hometown.
Helene’s Unheard Warnings
As Hurricane Helene barreled toward Yancey County, there were no evacuation orders. Few grasped what was coming.