N.C.
North Carolina Elections Board to Decide Early Voting Plans for 20 Counties on Aug. 20 After Local Boards Split
State officials approved plans for 80 counties that agreed unanimously; 20 divided counties, most of them arguing over Sunday hours, now go to the state board.
North Carolina Legislature Sends Two-Year, $34.4 Billion Budget to Gov. Stein After a Year-Plus Impasse
The Republican-led General Assembly gave final approval to a spending plan with income-tax cuts and pay raises; Gov. Josh Stein has 10 days to sign it, veto it, or let it become law.
North Carolina's Aug. 27 Drought Map Lifts Dry Designations in Parts of Onslow and Jones Counties While Most of the State Stays in Drought
State environmental officials say recent rain helped a few areas, but part of Brunswick County remains in the map's most severe category and conditions worsened in parts of Edgecombe and Halifax counties.
North Carolina Gov. Stein Signs $34 Billion State Budget Without Vetoing It
The budget cuts the personal income tax rate to 3.49%, raises teacher and state-worker pay, and became law after bipartisan majorities gave it veto-proof support.
Central North Carolina Drought Hits 'Exceptional' as Record-Breaking Heat Wave Strains Health Systems and Duke Energy Runs Plants Past Pollution Limits Under Federal Order
Record-breaking heat pushed Durham into the U.S. Drought Monitor's most severe category, drove a rise in heat-related illness, and prompted federal emergency orders letting Duke Energy exceed environmental permit limits to keep the grid running.
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.
CMPD Officers Shoot and Wound Man on Autumn Frost Trail After Protective-Order Call; State Bureau of Investigation Reviewing
Charlotte police say 39-year-old Darnell Simms fired first and officers returned fire on Sept. 1; the North Carolina SBI and CMPD Internal Affairs are both investigating, and no body-camera video has been released.
Friday Storms Prompt FAA Ground Stop at Charlotte Douglas; Duke Energy Outage Reports Range From 18,100 to More Than 45,000
Severe thunderstorms hit the Charlotte metro during the Aug. 28 evening commute, halting inbound flights and downing trees and power lines, while eastern North Carolina was also under a National Weather Service flood and severe-storm outlook the same day.
Duke Energy Progress and North Carolina Public Staff Sign Settlement Cutting Requested Rate Increase by More Than Half
The August 5 agreement follows a similar July deal covering Duke Energy Carolinas customers; the North Carolina Utilities Commission has not yet ruled, and the state attorney general has declined to sign either settlement.
Raleigh Lifts Stage 1 Water Restrictions as Falls Lake Reaches 84% of Water Supply Pool
The city ended its April drought rules on August 3 after two weeks of heavy rain refilled the reservoir, while state officials say the wider drought is not over and flood watches remain posted in western North Carolina.