N.C.
WakeMed and UnitedHealthcare Sign Three-Year Commercial Contract Effective Oct. 15; Medicare Advantage Remains Out of Network
The deal returns WakeMed hospitals and specialists to UnitedHealthcare's employer-sponsored commercial network on Oct. 15, 2026, after about 11 months out of network, but hospital and specialist care stays out of network for the insurer's Medicare Advantage members.
WARN Notices Show 253 Job Cuts at Truist Affiliate Regional Acceptance in Pitt County, N.C.
Regional Acceptance Corp. told North Carolina on Sept. 15 that it will close offices in Greenville and Winterville as Truist sells $5.5 billion in near-prime auto loans and exits the business.
NC Utilities Commission Denies Duke Energy's $584 Million Gas Turbine Near Planned Amazon Data Center
Regulators said Duke had not proven the 255-megawatt turbine was needed or shown how customers would be shielded from its cost; one commissioner dissented, and Duke may reapply.
National Weather Service Logs 69 MPH Gust at Greensboro Airport as Storms Cut Power to More Than 20,000 in Guilford County
Forecasters issued a string of severe thunderstorm warnings across central North Carolina on Friday, September 18; utilities and city crews reported downed trees and outages into Saturday.
Speakers at Two NCDOT Hearings Oppose 135-Foot Fixed-Span Option for Cape Fear Memorial Bridge; Comment Period Runs Through Oct. 15
More than 60 people spoke in Wilmington on Sept. 14 and about 30 in Leland on Sept. 15, with speakers backing the movable-span design and opposing tolls, as NCDOT says a roughly $773 million to $800 million gap remains on a project now estimated above $1 billion.
Navy Opens Leased Aircraft Maintenance Complex at N.C. Global TransPark in Kinston; State Loaned $350 Million for the Site in 2023
Gov. Josh Stein and Navy officials cut the ribbon Sept. 17 on a state-built, Navy-leased maintenance hangar that officials say will employ more than 400 people in Lenoir County.
UNC Board of Governors Committee Hears Athletics Finance Report: $640 Million in Expenses Against $412 Million in Revenue Across 15 Programs
System staff told the budget committee on Sept. 16 that no UNC campus covers its athletics costs from athletics revenue, and floated subsidy limits and new reporting rules; the committee took no vote.
UNC System Reports Record Fall 2026 Enrollment of 260,199, With Increases at 11 of 16 Universities
The public university system says total enrollment rose 1.4% over fall 2025, with five campuses down and the first in-state tuition increase in nine years taking effect this fall.
Charlotte to Host WTA Finals From 2027 to 2029 Under $14.4 Million State Grant; WTA to Move Headquarters From Florida
Gov. Josh Stein announced the Women's Tennis Association will hold its season-ending championship at Spectrum Center for three years and relocate its global headquarters to Charlotte, with $14.4 million from a state fund financed by sports-betting taxes and $5 million from the city and county.
Law Firm Gives Wake County Schools 15 Days to Grant Religious Opt-Outs Tied to Transgender Music Teacher
The Thomas More Society, representing a group of Middle Creek Elementary parents, sent a pre-suit demand letter seeking class opt-outs and pronoun protections; the district says it follows state and federal anti-discrimination law.
Fourth Circuit Hears Arguments Over North Carolina's Ballot-Selfie Ban
A three-judge federal appeals panel heard argument Sept. 15 in Libertarian voter Susan Hogarth's First Amendment challenge to five North Carolina laws barring photos of marked ballots.
Son of Huntersville Commissioner Charged With First-Degree Murder in Charlotte Teen's Death
Police say Evin Quarles, 21, shot 17-year-old Cameron Brice on Kittansett Drive early Sunday; he is held without bond, and a second man killed nearby the same night remains an open case with no charges announced.