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Trump aims to shore up support for Whatley in NC with Wednesday visit

North Carolina Republican Senate hopeful Michael Whatley (R) speaks alongside U.S. President Donald Trump at the Rocky Mount Event Center on Dec. 19, 2025 in Rocky Mount. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

By Christine Zhu

North Carolina’s open US Senate seat could be key to majority control of the upper chamber.

President Donald Trump is visiting North Carolina on Wednesday to campaign with Republican U.S. Senate nominee Michael Whatley.

It’s a sign the party is concerned about its prospects in the purple state. 

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A new report highlights the scarcity of maternal care in rural NC

North Carolina’s infant mortality rate declined in 2024, but racial disparities remained. (Photo: Getty Images)

By Lynn Bonner

One in six North Carolina counties is a maternity care desert, with no birthing facilities or obstetric clinicians, according to a new report from the March of Dimes.

About 61,000 women ages 18 to 44 live in maternity care deserts, and 4,000 babies are born each year to mothers who live in maternity care deserts. Almost 67% of maternity deserts are in rural counties. Twelve percent of counties have only one obstetric clinician. 

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Federal judge ends North Carolina mental health settlement after 14 years

By Ahmed Jallow
A federal judge on Monday ended nearly 14 years of court oversight of North Carolina’s program to help people with serious mental illness move from institutional settings into community housing. 

U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III approved a request from North Carolina and the U.S. Justice Department to end the 2012 settlement. The program, known as Transitions to Community Living, was created as part of the agreement.

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Bishop William Barber, NC faith leaders call for ‘conspicuous courage’ to combat voter confusion

By Clayton Henkel

One month before early in-person voting begins in North Carolina, civil rights leader and Repairers of the Breach President Bishop William Barber said voters should not fall victim to the confusion surrounding voting in the midterms.

The Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to approve the president’s executive order restricting mail-in voting ahead of the midterm elections, directing the postal service to refuse to deliver mail ballots to certain voters.

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