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By: Jordan Meadows Staff Writer Gov. Josh Stein signed four bipartisan bills into law Monday at the Executive Mansion, capping the General Assembly's short session with legislation addressing gang violence, the state's involuntary commitment system, housing affordability and a sweeping overhaul of how North Carolina hires and retains state employees. "Today I am proud to sign into law four bills," Stein said. "Each will make North Carolina stronger in different

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer On Monday, July 6th Govenor Josh Stein signed House Bill 1173 widely known as Jaleeyah's Law in the presence of Jaleeyah's mother, family, and community leaders. Jaleeyah's Law is designed to increase penalties for gang-related crimes and provide stronger tools for prosecutors. The law is named in memory of 13-year-old Jaleeyah Tune who on December 21, 2025, was shot and killed while walking home with

By Jordan Meadows Staff Writer Nine people were shot and at least 29 arrests were made after an estimated 8,000 teenagers gathered across two Raleigh locations over the Fourth of July weekend in what police described as large, social media-organized "teen takeovers," prompting renewed scrutiny of juvenile laws. The incidents unfolded late Saturday night into early Sunday morning, on the Fourth and fifth of July, beginning at Brier Creek Commons

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Readers, writers and families gathered inside the historic Second Ward Gymnasium on Saturday as the fourth annual Charlotte African American Book Festival returned to the Queen City, transforming the venue into a vibrant celebration of Black literature, literacy and culture. Hosted by Virginia Business Expo Corporation, the free festival welcomed community members from across the Charlotte area for a day centered on books, education and meaningful connections

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer For generations, municipal elections in the state's smaller towns have operated on a simple premise: neighbors voting for neighbors based on local issues, free from the toxic polarization of national party politics. Senate Bill 876 aims to dismantle that tradition by forcing a mandatory partisan framework onto all 11 municipalities in Moore County, as well as its school board. Senate Bill 876 features several mandates

By Jordan Meadows Staff Writer Educator and civil rights advocate Rose Butler Browne played a key role in advancing educational access in North Carolina and across the United States during the 20th century. Born in Boston in 1897, Browne was raised in a family that emphasized education despite financial hardship. In her autobiography, Love My Children, she described the influence of her great-grandmother, whom she called the "High Priestess," as

Columbia, S.C. - Logan Wells, a rising senior from Columbia, South Carolina, has been crowned Miss South Carolina's Teen, becoming just the second African American woman to earn the title in the past 24 years. Her historic victory follows the groundbreaking achievement of Danielle Wilson, who was crowned in 2002 and remained the only African American titleholder until Wells' recent win. Wells will now represent South Carolina on the national

By Jordan Meadows Staff Writer Community members, county officials and local treatment providers gathered Wednesday morning at the McKimmon Center at NC State University for Wake County's annual opioid settlement community meeting, an event meant to both report back on how the county has spent its share of national opioid settlement funds and gather input on where that money should go next. Wake County is set to receive more than

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer Lillington, NC -  Driving meaningful change requires both a deep commitment to the community and a willingness to evolve. That spirit of enduring dedication and forward momentum was on full display at the latest board of directors meeting for Johnston Lee Harnett (JLH) Community Action. The inspiring session brought together long-serving members, agency leaders, and community advocates, all unified by a shared mission: securing grant

By Jordan Meadows Staff Writer Saint Augustine's University (SAU) is financially restructuring as the Raleigh-based historically Black university appears in federal bankruptcy court on Tuesday for a formal Chapter 11 hearing tied to its ongoing effort to stabilize operations amid mounting debt, lost accreditation, and federal scrutiny over millions in grant funding. The hearing comes roughly two months after SAU filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April, a move