NCDEQ is accepting public comments through July 9 on proposed air permit revisions for the Egger-Lexington Particleboard Plant in Davidson County.
All in Health
NCDHHS says Healthy Opportunities Pilots reduced Medicaid costs
NCDHHS says a Medicaid pilot focused on nonmedical needs reduced monthly health care costs for participants.
Hon. Thom Goolsby: Parents, Not Politicians, Should Decide Kids’ Online Access
North Carolina lawmakers are right to be concerned about children’s safety online. Many apps available to kids can expose them to bullying, predators, harmful content, and addictive algorithms that many parents are struggling to manage. Doing nothing is not an option.
Brent Heath: Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA) bill
Lenoir County currently has a 3.5% unemployment rate, and the median income is just over $45,000. Legislation is moving through Congress that would hand Washington bureaucrats sweeping new authority over workplace contracts in eastern North Carolina and across the nation. As a conservative, I see this as disastrous, but this bill should gravely concern you regardless of your political affiliation. It will empower union bosses and unaccountable government arbitrators at the expense of workers and
businesses alike.
NC bill would ask voters to define life as beginning at fertilization
RALEIGH — A North Carolina House bill would ask voters in 2026 whether to amend the state constitution to declare that human life begins at fertilization and is entitled to legal protection from fertilization until natural death.
Rev. G.E. Parker: Helene Recovery Demands More Than Public Dollars
North Carolina received $1.4 billion in federal funding for Hurricane Helene recovery. More than half was designated for single‑family housing. A year and a half later, only 30 single‑family homes have been completed through HUD‑supported programs—a pace that clearly falls short of the need in Western North Carolina.
R. Lee Currie, Jr.: Senator Budd Must Deliver the REPAIR Act for North Carolina
Modern cars generate massive amounts of data—information that determines not only how they drive but also who can repair them, and which parts can service them. Right now, major automakers are leveraging this data to exclude both independent repair shops and aftermarket parts manufacturers from accessing the diagnostic information North Carolina drivers depend on. Unless Congress intervenes, this quiet power grab will negatively impact our state's manufacturing base, mechanics, and consumers.
Jackson joins lawsuit challenging federal student loan rule for health care degrees
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson has joined a multistate lawsuit challenging a U.S. Department of Education rule that his office says would restrict federal loan access for students pursuing advanced health care degrees.
Senate committee to discuss bill allowing organ donor registration on tax returns
RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Carolina Senate committee is scheduled to discuss a bill Wednesday that would allow residents to register as organ and tissue donors through their state income tax returns.
House committee considers broad alcohol, gaming bill
RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Carolina House committee is scheduled to consider a broad alcohol and gaming bill that would affect ABC stores, mixed beverage permittees, premixed cocktails, nonprofit raffles and game nights.
Stein points to overdose death decline while pushing opioid treatment, fentanyl enforcement funding
RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Josh Stein is pointing to a reported decline in overdose deaths in North Carolina while calling for additional state funding for opioid treatment and fentanyl enforcement.
Matt Swain: North Carolina’s Hemp Loophole Is a Kid Safety Problem
Walk into almost any gas station in North Carolina and you’ll find gummies and vapes in bright, candy-colored packaging with names designed to appeal to children. They look harmless, but they aren’t. These are hemp-derived THC products, and right now, North Carolina has no age restrictions on their sale, meaning children can legally buy them.
House panel weighs healing arts licensing bill
RALEIGH — A North Carolina House committee is considering a bill that would create a new state licensing framework for reflexologists and music therapists, placing both professions under a proposed North Carolina Healing Arts Commission.
Senate bill would repeal CON rules for surgery centers, rehab
RALEIGH — A North Carolina Senate committee is scheduled Wednesday to consider legislation that would repeal certificate-of-need requirements for ambulatory surgical facilities and inpatient rehabilitation services, facilities and beds.
Rep. Jonathan Almond: At a crossroads in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease
America stands at a crossroads in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. As a representative serving Cabarrus County, I see firsthand how this illness devastates families, drains savings, and places enormous strain on caregivers. It is not a distant policy issue—it is personal for millions of Americans. Congress must act now to challenge the President and his administration to launch a bold, coordinated national initiative to defeat Alzheimer’s once and for all.
Bobby Hurst: Prescription drug prices are hurting North Carolina families
I am a former Fayetteville City Councilman and a lifetime business owner with firsthand experience navigating high prescription drug costs.
Matt Adams: North Carolina’s Growth Depends on Getting Housing Right
As a former city councilor in Fayetteville, I know keeping communities safe never really ends. There is always work to be done, legislation to improve, and new concerns to address. Over the past several years, one of those threats has been the spread of intoxicating hemp products sold at gas stations and convenience stores in candy-like packaging with no age requirements for purchase.
Bobby Hurst: Keep intoxicating hemp products away from children
As a former city councilor in Fayetteville, I know keeping communities safe never really ends. There is always work to be done, legislation to improve, and new concerns to address. Over the past several years, one of those threats has been the spread of intoxicating hemp products sold at gas stations and convenience stores in candy-like packaging with no age requirements for purchase.
Jackson, Sangvai defend NC Medicaid fraud enforcement before House oversight panel
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai appeared before a House oversight committee Thursday as Republican lawmakers pressed state officials over fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicaid program and questioned whether existing safeguards are keeping pace with the program’s size and cost. The hearing put one of the state’s largest spending areas under a sharper political spotlight as lawmakers weigh broader budget demands and oversight priorities.
Murphy Introduces Legislation to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs for Drugs
Washington, D.C. — Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D., introduced the Every Dollar Counts Act, legislation to require out-of-pocket expenditures for covered drugs to count towards the patient’s maximum out-of-pocket and deductible, regardless of where such drugs are purchased.