News
Inside North Carolina's prison crisis as a former inmate turns a state prison into a second-chance campus
1+ day, 10+ min ago (237+ words) North Carolina's state prison system is facing a dire operational crisis, driven by staffing shortages, budgetary deficits and an aging inmate population. With staff vacancy rates averaging near 30% across the state, and near 60% in severely impacted regions, the state's 55 active…...
Thousands of teachers plan to rally in Raleigh on Friday. Which NC school districts are closed?
4+ week, 3+ hour ago (479+ words) Update: This map was updated 4/29/26 and again on 4/30/26 to reflect the most recent closure announcements as well as Wake County's move to remote for previously-open programs. School district leaders across North Carolina faced a dilemma this week: thousands of teachers…...
Statewide burn ban in effect as wildfires burn across western North Carolina
1+ mon, 4+ week ago (471+ words) A statewide burn ban is now in effect across North Carolina, as firefighters continue working multiple wildfires in the mountains. The N. C. Forest Service issued the order over the weekend as wildfire risk increases due to dry conditions and limited rainfall....
North Carolina keeps expanding its role in immigration enforcement. Here's what changed and why it matters
3+ mon, 1+ week ago (1269+ words) Immigration enforcement is largely a federal responsibility, but over the past decade, North Carolina lawmakers have steadily expanded the state's role. Three bills passed in the last 15 months marked perhaps the biggest shift in the state's policies, codifying the mandate…...
City of Winston-Salem planners eye beltway-related development
4+ mon, 6+ day ago (196+ words) As WFDD reported earlier this month, a 17-mile section of Winston-Salem's Northern Beltway is slated to open later this year, putting additional development pressure on the newly accessible land that surrounds it." Winston-Salem and Forsyth County's Forward 2045 comprehensive plan, fully…...
After Tennessee special election, a huge focus on North Carolina's mountain district
5+ mon, 2+ week ago (503+ words) Tennessee Republican Matt Van Epps this week won a special U. S. House election for a conservative district that includes part of Nashville. The news, of course, was not that Van Epps defeated Democrat Aftyn Behn, but that he only won by…...
Border Patrol may be leaving North Carolina. Where are the people they detained?
6+ mon, 1+ week ago (1224+ words) This week, Border Patrol agents descended on North Carolina cities in an immigration enforcement action claiming to detain individuals who are in the country without documentation. A spokesperson told NC Local on Thursday that more than 370 people were arrested in…...
Raleigh startup makes glasses that captions human speech for folks who are hard of hearing
6+ mon, 2+ week ago (337+ words) "This product has to be simple," said Alex. "If it's any more complicated than 'push a button,' our population is just not going to be able to use it." "We work with a lot of older adults who live in…...
North Carolina AP scores hit new high
6+ mon, 3+ week ago (453+ words) State education officials announced Wednesday that North Carolina students posted record gains in both participation and performance on Advanced Placement exams last school year. Students across the country take AP exams to earn college credit. Last year, the number of…...
Furniture removed from downtown Winston-Salem park in response to 'disruptive behavior"
7+ mon, 3+ week ago (301+ words) On September 26, the benches, tables and chairs that once formed gathering places at downtown Winston-Salem's Merschel Park were removed by city staff. In a statement explaining the move, City Manager Patrick Pate points to a noticeable uptick in disruptive behavior…...