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.

Protesters showed up to thousands of events across the country this weekend to air their complaints against the Trump administration.

The war in Iran is now in its second month. More U.S. troops are arriving in the region, even as President Trump says peace talks are ongoing.

NPR's Don Gonyea talks with Johnny Jones, of the American Federation of Government Employees union, about the training TSA agents get and the stress they've been under during government shutdowns.

NPR's Don Gonyea speaks to health researcher Mark Holmes about the Rural Health Transformation Program and the Trump administration's call to use AI to improve care across the country.

NPR's Don Gonyea talks with Matt Wagner, co-owner of Danish Maid Butter in Chicago, about the little Easter lambs made of butter that sell around the country this time of year.

The volcanologist on the island of Vanuatu who walks barefoot over cooled lava fields tells NPR's Don Gonyea how to see nature at its most primeval.

An obsession with making the world's largest golden egg brought down one family's storied jewelry business. NPR's Don Gonyea talks with Serena Kuchinsky about her memoir, "Kutchinsky's Egg."

NPR's Don Gonyea speaks with filmmakers Suzannah Herbert and Darcy McKinnon about their new film, "Natchez," about the Mississippi town's antebellum tourism industry.

In 1951, Bonnie Shea was the only girl in Duluth, Minnesota playing organized hockey. But when she got to high school, she couldn't play on the boys' team. Now, at age 81, Shea is still competing.

NPR's Don Gonyea speaks with military analyst Kelly Grieco of the Stimson Center about how the military strategies of both the U.S. and Iran are evolving after a month of fighting.