The Assembly
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North Carolina's new digital statewide magazine. In-depth reporting and writing about the state. Reach out [email protected].
All week, candidates for Congress and other political offices traveled to Raleigh to submit official paperwork so they can run. Here are three things to know about the filings.
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File Away
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein was coy about whether he would endorse in competitive Democratic primaries.
www.theassemblync.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:38 PM
All week, candidates for Congress and other political offices traveled to Raleigh to submit official paperwork so they can run. Here are three things to know about the filings.
www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” that Congress passed earlier this year will create significant changes to how many North Carolinians access and pay for their health care, some of which will result in sharply higher premiums next year.
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How Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Is Shaking Up Health Care in N.C.
Some people on the private market are already seeing higher health insurance premiums, and thousands who rely on Medicaid could lose coverage.
www.theassemblync.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:57 PM
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” that Congress passed earlier this year will create significant changes to how many North Carolinians access and pay for their health care, some of which will result in sharply higher premiums next year.
www.theassemblync.com/news/health/...
www.theassemblync.com/news/health/...
North Carolina has seen one of the largest drops in opioid deaths in the country, after the state began receiving $1.4 billion in settlement funds from multiple lawsuits.
From Opioid Crisis to Opportunity
North Carolina has seen one of the largest drops in opioid deaths in the country. The Assembly explores how it happened.
www.theassemblync.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:03 PM
North Carolina has seen one of the largest drops in opioid deaths in the country, after the state began receiving $1.4 billion in settlement funds from multiple lawsuits.
UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Data Science and Society has been up and running for just three years. Now, it will merge with the School of Information and Library Science in a change tied to artificial intelligence.
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Why UNC-CH Revived a Plan to Merge Library and Data Science
Many questions remain about UNC-Chapel Hill’s plan to merge the schools of Data Science and Society and Information and Library Science.
www.theassemblync.com
December 4, 2025 at 9:56 PM
UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Data Science and Society has been up and running for just three years. Now, it will merge with the School of Information and Library Science in a change tied to artificial intelligence.
www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
The head of the state agency that regulates the practice of law in North Carolina rejected a legislative oversight committee’s request to turn over political information about its 101 employees.
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Bar Exam
The head of the North Carolina Bar said the agency does not—and will not—keep records of employees’ political affiliations or contributions.
www.theassemblync.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:53 PM
The head of the state agency that regulates the practice of law in North Carolina rejected a legislative oversight committee’s request to turn over political information about its 101 employees.
www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
The Raleigh-Durham area is still reeling from the millions in lost federal funds. And those impacted said the cuts could play a role in the midterms, especially with the state home to one of the most closely watched Senate races of 2026.
DOGE Eat DOGE?
North Carolina’s 4th District was the hardest hit in the entire country. Could that come back to bite Republicans in 2026?
www.theassemblync.com
December 3, 2025 at 1:09 PM
The Raleigh-Durham area is still reeling from the millions in lost federal funds. And those impacted said the cuts could play a role in the midterms, especially with the state home to one of the most closely watched Senate races of 2026.
Congressional, judicial, and district attorney hopefuls across the state flocked to Raleigh on Monday to get their names on the ballot.
The Caucus spoke with several first-time and returning candidates about what to expect from them if elected.
The Caucus spoke with several first-time and returning candidates about what to expect from them if elected.
They’re Running
The Caucus spoke with several first-time and returning candidates about what to expect from them if elected.
www.theassemblync.com
December 3, 2025 at 1:30 AM
Congressional, judicial, and district attorney hopefuls across the state flocked to Raleigh on Monday to get their names on the ballot.
The Caucus spoke with several first-time and returning candidates about what to expect from them if elected.
The Caucus spoke with several first-time and returning candidates about what to expect from them if elected.
Court documents, interviews, hearing transcripts, a report from Jeff Jackson, and personnel records indicate that the Public Safety Section of the N.C. Department of Justice has long struggled with low morale, high turnover, and recruiting and retention.
The Lawyers Who Kept Screwing Up
A section of the N.C. DOJ repeatedly erred and antagonized federal judges–even in cases they seemed guaranteed to win.
www.theassemblync.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Court documents, interviews, hearing transcripts, a report from Jeff Jackson, and personnel records indicate that the Public Safety Section of the N.C. Department of Justice has long struggled with low morale, high turnover, and recruiting and retention.
Allies of Cooper, the former Democratic governor running for Senate, have pledged to make Whatley’s role in hurricane recovery a big part of their 2026 message.
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Michael Whatley’s ‘Recovery Czar’ Title Hangs Over His Senate Bid
President Trump tapped him to oversee Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. Democrats are hell-bent on making that a liability.
www.theassemblync.com
December 2, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Allies of Cooper, the former Democratic governor running for Senate, have pledged to make Whatley’s role in hurricane recovery a big part of their 2026 message.
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www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
There’s a reason Customs and Border Protection, not just ICE, was deployed in Charlotte and Raleigh. And it says a lot about how the Trump administration is looking at immigration enforcement.
Border Patrol’s N.C. Operation Was a Test for What’s Next
There’s a reason the Trump administration deployed Customs and Border Protection, not just ICE, in Charlotte and Raleigh last week.
www.theassemblync.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:01 AM
There’s a reason Customs and Border Protection, not just ICE, was deployed in Charlotte and Raleigh. And it says a lot about how the Trump administration is looking at immigration enforcement.
For years, the process of getting your business's name on one of those blue highway signs was the same. That all changed in July, when the state privatized the program after more than 40 years managing it.
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www.theassemblync.com/news/busines...
Businesses Pay to Get On Those Blue Road Signs—and the Price Just Went Up
Ever wonder how a restaurant or gas station gets on those blue road signs? For many N.C. businesses, it just got more expensive.
www.theassemblync.com
December 1, 2025 at 9:58 PM
For years, the process of getting your business's name on one of those blue highway signs was the same. That all changed in July, when the state privatized the program after more than 40 years managing it.
www.theassemblync.com/news/busines...
www.theassemblync.com/news/busines...
In a Winston-Salem federal courtroom, arguments over North Carolina’s recently passed congressional map boiled down to whether it was retaliatory against predominantly Black voters or just legal partisan gerrymandering.
Judges Allow GOP-Drawn Congressional Map for 2026 Election
The outcome will likely have ripple effects nationally as each party attempts to gerrymander its way to a U.S. House majority.
www.theassemblync.com
December 1, 2025 at 8:30 PM
In a Winston-Salem federal courtroom, arguments over North Carolina’s recently passed congressional map boiled down to whether it was retaliatory against predominantly Black voters or just legal partisan gerrymandering.
As demand for autism services has grown, costs to the state have exploded, putting pressure on policymakers to rein in spending. www.theassemblync.com/news/health/...
More Diagnoses, More Demand
As demand for autism services soars, state health officials are trying to contain Medicaid costs. A recent lawsuit shows whats at stake.
www.theassemblync.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:23 PM
As demand for autism services has grown, costs to the state have exploded, putting pressure on policymakers to rein in spending. www.theassemblync.com/news/health/...
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December 1, 2025 at 3:00 AM
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November 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
BLACK FRIDAY SALE: Get a Premium Subscription to The Assembly for just $90 today.
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A six-page provision in the bill Congress passed to reopen the government criminalizes all intoxicating hemp products. That could mean the end of the edibles, vapes, and drinks that have proliferated throughout the state in recent years.
Up in Smoke
The deal to end the federal government shutdown will likely eviscerate North Carolina’s fast-growing hemp industry.
www.theassemblync.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:49 PM
A six-page provision in the bill Congress passed to reopen the government criminalizes all intoxicating hemp products. That could mean the end of the edibles, vapes, and drinks that have proliferated throughout the state in recent years.
Appalachian State University and North Carolina Central University are applying to join the Commission for Public Higher Education, the accreditation agency that the UNC System and several other Southern states are seeking to establish.
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Two More UNC System Campuses Join New Accreditor
Appalachian State and N.C. Central will be part of an initial cohort of 10 universities seeking to join the new accreditor.
www.theassemblync.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Appalachian State University and North Carolina Central University are applying to join the Commission for Public Higher Education, the accreditation agency that the UNC System and several other Southern states are seeking to establish.
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The story of the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency’s disaster response efforts was itself “a disaster”, concludes a scathing 506-page report by State Auditor Dave Boliek.
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Damning New Report Outlines Failures at N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency
The agency also known as North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency wasn’t good at rebuilding, monitoring budgets, overseeing contractors or helping hurricane victims.
www.theassemblync.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:42 PM
The story of the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency’s disaster response efforts was itself “a disaster”, concludes a scathing 506-page report by State Auditor Dave Boliek.
www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
As the Border Patrol’s Charlotte operation continued—or ended?—the city’s Latino businesses began to assess the damage done.
‘It’s Very Bleak’
As the Border Patrol’s Charlotte operation continued—or ended?—the city’s Latino businesses began to assess the damage done.
www.theassemblync.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:54 AM
As the Border Patrol’s Charlotte operation continued—or ended?—the city’s Latino businesses began to assess the damage done.
A photo essay from a city on edge, where fear of immigration enforcement almost kept a young mother away from a crucial prenatal appointment.
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www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
November 25, 2025 at 10:43 PM
A photo essay from a city on edge, where fear of immigration enforcement almost kept a young mother away from a crucial prenatal appointment.
www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
Collegiate tennis players are barred from keeping their earnings from competitions like the U.S. Open. A lawsuit led by a UNC-Chapel Hill star seeks to challenge that.
Reese Brantmeier v. NCAA
A UNC tennis star is challenging rules that bar collegiate players from keeping earnings at tournaments like the U.S. Open.
www.theassemblync.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Collegiate tennis players are barred from keeping their earnings from competitions like the U.S. Open. A lawsuit led by a UNC-Chapel Hill star seeks to challenge that.
North Carolina, like many other states, is dealing with a serious shortage of correctional officers. Across N.C. state prisons, an average of 35 percent of positions are vacant, but that number is as high as 60 in some facilities.
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The New Head of N.C.’s Prisons Tries to Unwind a Staffing Quagmire
Leslie Cooley Dismukes wants to prioritize reentry and reduce recidivism. But she has to solve a staffing crisis in the prison system first.
www.theassemblync.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:03 PM
North Carolina, like many other states, is dealing with a serious shortage of correctional officers. Across N.C. state prisons, an average of 35 percent of positions are vacant, but that number is as high as 60 in some facilities.
www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
www.theassemblync.com/news/politic...
Last Monday, more than 30,000 Charlotte-Mecklenburg students—roughly 21 percent of the district—didn’t show up to school. This is triple the typical rate of absence. www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
‘Where Are My Friends?’ Teachers Say Operation Charlotte’s Web Rattled Students
Some parents and teachers say they expected better communication and more understanding from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools amid CBP presence.
www.theassemblync.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Last Monday, more than 30,000 Charlotte-Mecklenburg students—roughly 21 percent of the district—didn’t show up to school. This is triple the typical rate of absence. www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
Psst! Black Friday starts early this year — get your Assembly subscription now for 40% off. www.theassemblync.com/subscriptions/
November 25, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Psst! Black Friday starts early this year — get your Assembly subscription now for 40% off. www.theassemblync.com/subscriptions/
The number of people who died of drug overdoses in North Carolina fell by 35% between April 2024 and April 2025, according to the CDC. The state saw among the biggest drops in the nation, which experienced an overall decline of 24.5% during that time.
www.theassemblync.com/news/health/...
www.theassemblync.com/news/health/...
How Rural N.C. Lowered Overdose Deaths—But Will Struggle to Keep Pace
Rural North Carolina communities are finally reversing opioid overdose deaths. But funding cuts could undo progress.
www.theassemblync.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:10 PM
The number of people who died of drug overdoses in North Carolina fell by 35% between April 2024 and April 2025, according to the CDC. The state saw among the biggest drops in the nation, which experienced an overall decline of 24.5% during that time.
www.theassemblync.com/news/health/...
www.theassemblync.com/news/health/...