N.C.
Buncombe County Says Charter Fiber Break Blocked Some Landline 911 Calls on Aug. 14
County officials said the 911 center's own lines stayed up, and told residents to call or text 911 from a cell phone instead.
NOAA Puts Odds of a Very Strong El Niño Above 90% for Winter 2026-27, as Drought Still Covers More Than 81% of North Carolina
The Climate Prediction Center's August 13 update says El Niño is intensifying; state officials say summer rain has already eased North Carolina's drought, and NOAA's official winter outlook is not due until later this fall.
NC Reports 2,031 Opioid Overdoses in Emergency Rooms Through June 2026, Down 27% From Same Period in 2025; Fayetteville Police Report Local Increase
State health data show fewer opioid overdoses treated in North Carolina emergency departments in the first half of 2026, while Fayetteville police say they have seen a recent local rise they suspect is tied to a potent or contaminated drug supply.
NC Budget Corrections Bill Ratified Aug. 6 Adds No Wake County Prosecutors; Office Funded for 45 of the 69.7 Positions a State Workload Study Lists
House Bill 268 passed the House 79-28 on Aug. 5 and was ratified Aug. 6 without new assistant district attorney positions for Wake County, which the state's prosecutor workload study ranks as the most understaffed office in North Carolina.
National Weather Service Issues Coastal Flood Advisory for Lower Cape Fear River, in Effect Until 1 p.m. Friday
The advisory, the fifth in five days for the Wilmington waterfront, cites high tide levels; forecasters did not attribute the flooding to Tropical Storm Bertha, which dissipated over Texas on July 23.
Moore County Deputies Charge Pinebluff Man With Three Counts of Murder and First-Degree Burglary
Sheriff Ronnie Fields says Demetrius Louis Aggelis, 40, is jailed without bond after Flock Safety license-plate camera data and surveillance video conflicted with his account of finding three relatives dead at a Pinebluff home.
North Carolina Panel Approves 43 Short-Term Training Programs for Federal Workforce Pell Grants
The NCWorks Commission voted unanimously on August 12 to approve 43 programs at 16 community colleges; the U.S. Department of Education must sign off before students can use the aid.
Elon University Poll Finds Cooper at 53% and Whatley at 42% Among Likely North Carolina Voters
The July 23–31 survey, released August 12, gives Democrat Roy Cooper an 11-point lead over Republican Michael Whatley for Thom Tillis's open Senate seat, with a margin of error of 5.6 points for likely voters.
North Carolina Commits $40 Million Over Four Years to Greensboro PGA Tour Event; Tour Names It a 2028 Championship Series Stop
Gov. Josh Stein signed a budget bill funding the Greensboro tournament on Aug. 11, and the PGA Tour announced the next day that the event will be called GO by Raymond James and join its new top tier in 2028.
Prysmian Announces More Than $1 Billion Expansion and 385 Jobs at Claremont Plant in Catawba County
North Carolina awarded the Italian cable maker a $1 million performance-based grant for a fiber and glass project the state calls the largest manufacturing investment in Catawba County history.
Federal Judge Rules Nexstar Violated Order Separating It From Tegna, Bars Its Executives From Tegna's Board
U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley found on August 6, 2026 that Nexstar Media Group broke the hold-separate injunction in the states' antitrust case over its $6.2 billion Tegna deal by seating its own top executives on Tegna's board; Nexstar says it will comply while it appeals.
Storm Prediction Center Places Central North Carolina at Level 1 of 5 Severe-Storm Risk for Wednesday; Heat Advisory Covers Two Counties
Forecasters expect scattered damaging wind gusts between about 4 p.m. and 10 p.m., a flash-flood watch running into Friday morning, and heat index values up to 107°F in Cumberland and Wayne counties.