N.C.
Trump Rallies in Greenville for Whatley as Two October Polls Show Cooper Leading N.C. Senate Race by 7 and 14 Points
President Trump is scheduled to speak at about 7 p.m. Tuesday at Pitt-Greenville Airport for Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley. The main GOP super PAC has canceled its remaining North Carolina ad reservations, and registered Democrats have cast the largest share of early-vote ballots so far.
Tillis Memoir 'How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents' Goes On Sale; He Calls His Hegseth Vote His 'Biggest Regret'
The retiring North Carolina Republican's book prints profane texts he says he sent Trump and criticizes several Trump officials. A senior White House official answered the leaked texts with an insult; on 'The View,' Tillis said he hopes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gets fired.
North Carolina Stops Issuing Plate Stickers and Routine Registration Cards as of Oct. 1; Printed Copies Are Free to Self-Print or $5 From the DMV
A state budget provision moves NCDMV to digital-only registration and removes $4.8 million from the agency's budget. Officials say police already check registration electronically. Some residents worry about drivers who are offline, about privacy, and about drivers no longer seeing when their registration has run out.
NC 12 Reopens on Ocracoke's North End as Pea Island Section Stays Closed; Hatteras-Bound Ferries Limited to Residents, Workers and Vendors
NCDOT reopened the Ocracoke stretch of N.C. 12 on Sunday, Sept. 27, and restarted limited Hatteras-Ocracoke ferries. Dare County's state of emergency limits Hatteras-bound travel to essential personnel, critical business vendors and permanent residents while crews rebuild a dune at Pea Island.
NC Court of Appeals Rules 2-1 That State Auditor, Not Governor, Can Appoint Elections Boards
Two Republican judges upheld a 2024 law moving elections-board appointments from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein to Republican Auditor Dave Boliek, and one Democratic judge dissented. Stein says he will appeal to the state Supreme Court.
Voter Groups Sue North Carolina Elections Board Over Absentee Ballot Rules Adopted in Sept. 4 Party-Line Vote
Three nonprofits and two voters asked a federal court to block new rules on unsealed inner envelopes, signature checks and ballot drop-off, after more than 8,000 mail ballots had already been cast.
Four Hospitals in Granville, Vance, Person and Franklin Counties Placed in State Health Plan's Non-Preferred Tier for 2027
State Treasurer Brad Briner's office says the new three-tier network will cut costs and protect rural access; a Democratic state legislator and hospital leaders say patients in one multi-county area north of the Triangle have no nearby preferred or access hospital.
NC Court of Appeals Rules 2-1 That Elections-Board Appointments Can Stay With State Auditor; Stein Says He Will Appeal
The September 16, 2026 panel decision reversed a trial court and left Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek in control of appointments that the governor held for more than a century.
NWS Wilmington Issues Coastal Flood Advisory for Lower Cape Fear River on Sept. 15; Separate Flash Flood Warning Covers Part of New Hanover County
The advisory warned of up to a half-foot of tidal inundation in downtown Wilmington, while a separate warning cited 2 to 4 inches of rain in north-central New Hanover County.
Charlotte City Council Takes Up Nine-Month Extension of Data Center Building Pause
The council was scheduled to vote Monday on adding nine months to a 150-day construction moratorium that expires Nov. 5, while city staff finish new zoning, noise and power rules.
North Carolina's 100 County Boards Begin Mailing Absentee Ballots Sept. 4 While USPS Rule Stays Blocked by Court Order
North Carolina is the first state to send 2026 general-election mail ballots, and it is doing so under a federal judge's temporary block on a Postal Service rule that 23 states, including North Carolina, are challenging.
National Weather Service Issues Heat Advisory for Union, Anson and Richmond Counties; Charlotte Forecast High of 97 on Sept. 3
Forecasters say heat index values could reach 107 to 108 degrees in the three advisory counties, with strong thunderstorms expected to end the hot stretch Saturday.