Former Gov. Roy Cooper, who is running for U.S. Senate, speaks during a roundtable about health care costs and Medicaid at Chavis Community Center in Raleigh, North Carolina on Sept. 19, 2025. (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)
As a state senator representing the hardworking people of North Carolina, I've always believed in the value of college sports. It’s brought pride to our communities, boosted our economy, and enriched the educational experience at our universities. From the roar of the crowd at Appalachian State when they slay a football giant to the excitement of basketball in Wilmington, athletics have been a unifying force.
In this era of medical innovation, some of the most powerful technologies aren’t new drugs or devices, but new tests. Advanced diagnostics are becoming personalized – like biomarker tests, which analyze patients down to the molecular level and enable clinicians to personalize each person’s treatment plan.
Months before Hurricane Helene, UNC-Chapel Hill warned that North Carolina faced a shortage of “decent, secure, and affordable housing.” After Helene destroyed 100,000 homes, the crisis deepened. While efforts to strengthen the housing market are underway, recent proposals risk cutting off a critical source of supply.
Childhood vaccines continue to be a major point of discussion here in North Carolina and across the country. As a respiratory therapist, I help patients of all ages manage and treat breathing and cardiopulmonary disorders. For babies with breathing issues, this care helps strengthen lung function and overall respiratory health. Given how even minor respiratory issues can be serious for small, vulnerable infants, I encourage parents to have personal conversations with their doctors about vaccines so they can make carefully considered, medically supported decisions.
Raleigh, N.C. - The state’s seasonally adjusted November 2025 unemployment rate was 3.8 percent. The national rate was 4.6 percent. October 2025 data are unavailable due to the lapse in appropriations.
There is, of course, nothing new about the spectacle of everyday people being forced to endure great suffering because of the whims, foibles, fears and egos of powerful rulers and politicians. From the forced labor that helped construct the pyramids to the countless wars waged to boost a leader’s domestic political standing, millions of people throughout history have suffered greatly because of a powerful man’s – and it’s almost always been a man’s – desire for power.
Members of the North Carolina Council of State kicked off the new year with a direct message for the General Assembly: Finalize the budget and properly fund state agencies.
I live every day managing numerous chronic conditions including gout, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Years ago, I was obese, and it took serious medical care, discipline, and access to effective treatments to turn my health around. Today, I rely on five prescription medications to keep these conditions under control. Without them, my quality of life and my future would be at risk.
December 8, 2025 – Approximately 70 business leaders, economic developers, and elected officials gathered at Greensboro's Proximity Hotel on Monday, December 8, 2025, for the 11th Annual North Carolina Clean Energy Champion Awards. U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) gave the keynote remarks and received the Legacy of Clean Energy Leadership Award for his nearly 20 years of engagement with industry leaders and support of clean energy policies to expand economic investment opportunities.
In 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina. Over a year later, we're still picking up the pieces. Infrastructure is still being repaired. Small businesses are still trying to rebuild. The folks in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where I own a fishing gear business that also offers guided fishing trips, have worked tirelessly to restore river access and reopen the outdoor spaces people travel from all over the country to enjoy.
Agriculture remains one of North Carolina’s strongest economic pillars, supporting livelihoods from small family operations to major agribusinesses. But while crops, livestock, climate, and markets vary widely across the state, producers share one universal need: dependable access to affordable fertilizer. In recent years, that need has become harder to meet.
