New team in governor’s office will spearhead Helene recovery, led by ex-Wake County

[caption id="attachment_10309" align="alignnone" width="981"] Flooding in western North Carolina from Hurricane Helene. (Photo: David Davis, County Extension Director, N.C. Cooperative Extension)[/caption] NC NEWSLINE - A new team within Gov. Josh Stein's office will be tasked with leading Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in western North Carolina. Stein announced the Governor's Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW NC) on Tuesday, as he spins up infrastructure for relief in the mountains during

McDonald’s rolls back DEI programs, ending push for greater diversity

  The Guardian - Four years after launching a push for more diversity in its ranks, McDonald's is ending some of its diversity practices, citing a US supreme court decision that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions. McDonald's is the latest big company to shift its tactics in the wake of the 2023 ruling and a conservative backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Walmart, John Deere, Harley-Davidson and others rolled back their

How removing unpaid medical bills from credit reports could help consumers

NEW YORK (AP) - Lenders will no longer be able to consider unpaid medical bills as a credit history factor when they evaluate potential borrowers in the U.S. for mortgages, car loans or business loans, according to a rule the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized Tuesday. Removing medical debts from consumer credit reports is expected to increase the credit scores of millions of families by an average of 20 points, the bureau said.

Decent, humble and gifted: Jimmy Carter remembered at U.S. Capitol

[caption id="attachment_10316" align="alignnone" width="1536"] Members of the U.S. House of Representatives file past the flag-draped casket of the late President Jimmy Carter in the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)[/caption] WASHINGTON - Lawmakers, military officials and other dignitaries celebrated the late President Jimmy Carter's life and achievements before, during and after his White House term at a service in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda Tuesday where he

How A Medical Crisis Derailed Their Retirement Plans

By Noah Sheidlower Business Insider Vera Steward, 64, earned over $60,000 a year at the peak of her career. But since having a stroke at 48, she hasn't returned to work and is just scraping by. She's one of many older Americans who shared with Business Insider in recent months how an unexpected medical crisis derailed their retirement plans and what they wish they'd done differently. As of publication, over

Appeals court revives sexual abuse case surrounding former NC State sports medicine director

BY: BRANDON KINGDOLLAR NC NEWSLINE - A case concerning alleged sexual abuse by a sports medicine official at NC State will return to the federal district court in Raleigh after a unanimous three-judge Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals panel vacated its dismissal on Tuesday. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina will now consider whether the university was "deliberately indifferent" to misconduct complaints against Robert Murphy, who served as

Republicans on the NC Supreme Court block certification of the Democratic incumbent’s election

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="900"] Democratic incumbent Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs and her Republican challenger, Judge Jefferson Griffin. (Courtesy photos)[/caption] At the request of GOP Judge Jefferson Griffin, Republicans on the state Supreme Court have prohibited the state Board of Elections from certifying Democratic Justice Allison Riggs' election. Riggs, the incumbent, leads Griffin by 734 votes in the election for a seat on the state's highest court. Griffin, an Appeals

Energy Efficiency Rebates

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy released its program guidance for the Homeowners Managing Efficiency Rebates (HOMES) and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) programs, which together allocate over $208 million to North Carolina to provide energy efficiency rebates.  In March 2024, DEQ applied for the planning grant funds for the home energy rebates programs. DEQ is using these funds to complete the applications and the state rebate program

American Airlines settles lawsuit filed by 3 Black men who were ordered off a flight

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Photo from CBS interview.[/caption] BY  DEE-ANN DURBIN AP News - American Airlines said Thursday it has settled a federal race discrimination lawsuit filed by three Black men who were ordered to deboard a flight last January. Financial details of the settlement weren't released. American called it an "amicable resolution" to the lawsuit, which was filed in May in federal court in New York. "The agreement allows all parties to move