The latest U.S. Drought Monitor, released Thursday, shows a massive rainfall deficit of more than ten inches since last August. This persistent dry spell has pushed parts of the northern Coastal Plain into the "Extreme" category—the second-highest severity level.

The move involves roughly 248 acres of land, including a massive 229-acre site on Sarge Martin Road and smaller tracts on Bishop and East Ocean Roads. While the land is already used by the town, officials say the goal is operational independence.

Officials say the upgrades will lower flood levels for roughly 200 nearby homes and businesses. It will also help ensure that East Fire Tower Road—a major artery used by more than 33,000 drivers every day—stays open and passable even during torrential rain.

The Environmental Management Commission has launched a series of public hearings on proposed rules that would require industrial facilities and water treatment plants to monitor for 1,4-dioxane and three specific types of PFAS—PFOA, PFOS, and GenX.

The tour, which included stops in Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Dare, Hyde, and Pamlico counties, focused on identifying high-priority capital projects for the 2027 fiscal year.

The 2023 law changed same-day registration rules, making it easier for ballots to be disqualified if a single address-verification letter is returned as undeliverable by the post office.

Police say Bobby Jackson was arrested Tuesday after officers responded to reports of a masked man armed with what appeared to be swords at Maplewood Cemetery on South Queen Street. Upon arrival, officers found Jackson actively damaging headstones.

Montes is accused of using a cellphone camera to record a person inside one of the changing rooms at Plato’s Closet.

Officials with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said more than 150 officers from 13 different agencies worked in Nashville to stop online exploitation, resulted in more than 80 criminal charges.

The report also confirmed a clear favorite for North Carolina consumers: Tito’s Handmade Vodka remains the state’s top seller by a landslide, moving over 300,000 cases.

Senator Ted Budd urged the President to advocate for the release of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri. The lead pastor of Zion Church is one of many Christian leaders currently imprisoned as part of what lawmakers call a "violent crackdown" on unsanctioned churches in China.

U.S. Attorney W. Ellis Boyle said the updated program offers a path to leniency for insiders who come forward with information before an investigation begins.

Yellowstone's creator is back with two new shows set in the American West. Marshals struggles, but The Madison offers a thoughtful portrait of a family in flux.

The House Ethics Committee held a rare public hearing on allegations that Rep. Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick, a Florida Democrat, committed financial crimes.

Citing ongoing talks with Iran, President Trump said on social media Thursday that he was delaying a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face destruction of its power plants.

NPR's A Martínez speaks with Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado, who served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division, about U.S. troop deployments to the Middle East.

As the trailblazing Swedish star returns with her first album since 2018, she talks through going on IVF and solo parenting, expressing sexuality, and the negotiation of being a self-aware pop star.

President Trump delays deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Senate votes overnight to fund much of DHS but not ICE, Iran war tests loyalty of Trump's base at this year's CPAC.

NPR's Steve Inskeep sits down with Governor Wes Moore, Democrat of Maryland, to talk about the troops heading to the Middle East and what he hopes to see in the next President.

Airlines used to do some financial magic to keep airfare down as oil prices increased, a strategy called "fuel hedging." But they stopped. Now fliers are on the hook for a lot of the difference.

Cuban Americans who ship goods to relatives on the island are now seen as propping up Cuba's communist regime as the economy there continues to deteriorate.

The Senate approved a bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security early Friday. The bill does not fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement.