Category: Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Local News
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Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, has a personal connection to the avalanche in Tahoe that claimed nine lives and is the deadliest slide in state history.
“Turns out, a lot of mutual friends in Marin County. I’m just learning some of my wife’s old family friends,” Newsom told reporters during a press conference about public transit in Daly City.
A neighbor identified one victim as Kate Coakley Vitt, a mom of two and executive at SiriusXM who lived in Greenbrae, a small town in Marin County near where the Newsoms live.
It was unclear if the Newsoms’ family friends were among the victims, or if those friends knew people who had perished in the Sierra Nevadas on Tuesday. A Newsom spokesperson was not able to provide more details on the record.
At least one person remains missing but is presumed dead. On Thursday afternoon, authorities said weather conditions were too dangerous for them to recover the eight victims’ remains.
“My son just came back from Tahoe, and he easily could’ve been one of those folks in Sugar Bowl,” the governor said, referring to his elder son Hunter, 14, and the ski resort where 15 backcountry skiers were caught in the slide.
“I’ve been in that area many, many times. I stayed in those cabins just a year or so ago, and (I’m) very mindful the terrain and nature of this, but just it’s tragic, it’s the most devastating avalanche,” Newsom said.
“Our hearts go out to those that lost their lives, and a community of skiers and a community of families from the Bay Area.”
This story was originally published February 19, 2026 at 7:20 PM.
Lia Russell covers California’s governor for The Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Bureau. Originally from San Francisco, Lia previously worked for The Baltimore Sun and the Bangor Daily News in Maine.
ABERDEEN, N.C. (WTVD) — Authorities are taking extra caution after someone threw a flashbang at an early voting site on Wednesday afternoon in Moore County.
At 2:30 p.m., the Aberdeen Police Department responded to reports of a loud noise and a small explosion near the early voting poll at Aberdeen Lake Park. Witnesses reported the incident occurred around 2:15 p.m. and initially believed a transformer had blown.
Investigators later found a civilian-style flash bang several feet from the roadway at US-1 and Lake Shore Drive, about 150 yards from the voting site.
Police say 30 witnesses were interviewed, with many saying the device appeared to have been thrown from a moving vehicle headed southbound on US-1. There were no suspect or vehicle descriptions provided.
“We heard a pop, one or two pops,” said eyewitness Mike Freidel. “It was just so sudden, so fast.”
Nobody was injured, but some people working at the early voting site were rattled.
“I saw it burst into three parts,” said eyewitness Ray Daly. “Why would somebody do that?”
No property damage was reported.
In response, the Aberdeen Police Department has increased patrols and maintained a presence out of an abundance of caution.
“I think if there was a few more pops, we all would have been ducking,” said Freidel.
Authorities believe this is an isolated incident with no additional threats reported.
“It’s kind of concerning – trying to intimidate voters, election time – pretty scary,” Daly said.
The investigation is ongoing, and evidence will be sent to the State Crime Lab for testing.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Captain Blackburn at 910-944-4566, send tips via Facebook Messenger, or leave anonymous tips at 910-944-4561. A $500 reward is being offered for verifiable information leading to an arrest.
Lee County deputies arrested a man accused of crimes associated with the criminal gang MS-13 on Wednesday.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and the State Highway Patrol were called to a crash with injuries in the southern portion of Lee County on U.S. Highway 1.
When law enforcement arrived, they tried to talk with one of the drivers involved in the crash.
He allegedly gave five different variations of his name to authorities. After they were unable to track down any of the provided names, matching the date of birth provided, deputies arrested the man for further investigation.
Initially unable to verify his identity, deputies charged him under the alias “Juan Doe” with resisting, delaying and obstructing an officer and identity theft.
A fingerprint scan identified the man as 30-year-old Jonathon Josue Ayala Melendez of El Salvador.
LCSO contacted U.S. Homeland Security Investigations agents, who then contacted FBI agents, who confirmed that Ayala Melendez is wanted for kidnapping, drug trafficking, homicide and attempted homicide charges in El Salvador.
FBI agents said Ayala Melendez is a transnational member of MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha 13).
U.S. authorities had been searching for Ayala Melendez for some time, according to LCSO’s press release.
Ayala Melendez remains in the custody of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office without bond and has an immigration detainer, issued by the Department of Homeland Security.
Anna-Marie Ethridge, the former PTA treasurer at Wake Forest Elementary, was charged with one count of embezzlement Wednesday.
The News & Observer
WAKE FOREST
The former treasurer of the Wake Forest Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association was accused of embezzling tens of thousands of dollars in PTA funds Wednesday.
Anna-Marie Ethridge, 56, of Wake Forest, was charged with one count embezzlement of funds by public officers and trustees, the town of Wake Forest said in a statement Wednesday night.
Ethridge is accused of misappropriating $32,635.42, according to the town’s statement. Ethridge turned herself in Wednesday. Court records show she posted a $15,000 bond Wednesday night.
The Wake Forest Police Department started investigating Ethridge after receiving a report on Nov. 6, 2025, according to the statement.
Twumasi Duah-Mensah is a Breaking News Reporter for The News & Observer. He began at The N&O as a summer intern on the metro desk. Triangle born and Tar Heel bred, Twumasi has bylines for WUNC, NC Health News and the Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media. Send him tips and good tea places at (919) 283-1187.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — Bowman Gray Stadium released its 2026 season schedule on Wednesday. The 2026 schedule will feature 18 weeks of racing as part of the NASCAR Local Racing Series powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts. You can see the schedule below: Date Events Saturday, April 18 Hayes Jewelers 200 (200-lap Modified Feature);40-lap Sportsman Feature […]
LONDON — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — formerly known as Prince Andrew and the younger brother of King Charles III — was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, ABC News understands.
In a statement, Thames Valley Police said they had “arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.”
“The man remains in police custody at this time. We will not be naming the arrested man, as per national guidance,” the statement said.
Photos from Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in eastern England showed what appeared to be police officers arriving in several unmarked vehicles. Thursday marks Andrew’s 66th birthday.
Andrew’s arrest on Thursday follows the emergence of documents detailing communication between Andrew and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Several emails released by the U.S. Justice Department showed Epstein’s correspondence with a Andrew’s aide David Stern and suggest the royal may have planned to use his role as a special U.K. representative for trade and investment to further his own business interests.
The emails in question date back to 2010. Andrew served as a British trade envoy from 2001 until 2011, when Buckingham Palace announced that he would give up the role following criticism over his friendship with controversial figures, including Epstein.
Andrew has previously denied wrongdoing with respect to Epstein.
Thames Valley Police told ABC News last week that they were assessing reports of Andrew’s alleged misconduct in office as trade envoy.
“We can confirm receipt of this report and are assessing the information in line with our established procedures,” a Thames Valley Police spokesperson said in a statement on Feb. 9.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
ABC News’ Angeline Jane Bernabe, James Hill and Melanie Schmitz contributed to this report.
Terminal 1 at Raleigh-Durham International Airport will open to the public with some new changes on Thursday.
New restaurants and stores are opening, including the Raleigh Beer Garden, an Italian restaurant and a candy store, upgrades to the ACC Café and news and gift shops.
The work is part of the airport’s ongoing $2.5 billion expansion projects, including the early construction that started this week to widen John Brantley Boulevard.
The efforts aim to improve traveler experience, reducing congestion and minimizing bottlenecks.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Will Alphin lives in a modern build not far from the Village District. The home is three floors and is filled with floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s a sleek outdoor space perfect for entertaining.
He’s been trying to sell it for months, and after little movement, Alphin is getting ready to come down in price to meet Raleigh buyers where they are.
“It’s been challenging,” said Alphin. “The market has just sort of settled down, kind of getting a little chillier, so we haven’t seen as much activity as we were hoping to see.”
Paul Corsa of Cambridge & Associates Real Estate Group said there’s more negotiating room than a few years ago for buyers, and this past January, the average home in Raleigh sold for 5% below the original list price.
The latest MLS data shows that in Raleigh, homes are sitting on the market longer. The average for January was 46 days, which is longer than the same period last year, and in 2024 it was 32 days.
MLS also finds that Wake County inventory has increased, and the latest data from Zillow shows the average Raleigh home is valued at nearly $425,000, nearly a 3% drop from this time last year.
“We had the weakest fourth quarter in almost 10 years,” said Erica Sizemore with Keller Williams.
The spring housing market is around the corner, and ABC11 was told that new construction is helping buyers with deals.
“There are some opportunities with builders’ incentives … that’s going to help your buyers come back in, but they’re also going to be met with competition with the market moving up in spring. So it’s going to be a mixed bag,” said Sizemore.
Alphin developed his property and moved into the space to save money while he waits to see whether the price adjustment works.
“We’re hoping that that will help move the needle,” he said. “It’s a lesson in why small developments don’t happen as often because it’s so cost-prohibitive.”
Sometimes the best victories are the ones you don’t expect.
Cuthbertson track and field coach Dustin Allen thought his boys’ team had a pretty good shot of winning the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s Class 7A indoor track and field championship Wednesday.
The girls’ team? Well, not so much.
“The girls’ team really had a tough season,” Allen said. “They took blow after blow.”
But the Cavaliers’ girls delivered Wednesday, giving Cuthbertson a sweep of the boys’ and girls’ team championships at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem.
The Cavaliers swept state titles in 2022 and ’23. The girls’ program has won eight state titles, and the boys’ program has three — all under Allen.
But this year’s victory by the girls was special, the Cavaliers’ head coach said.
“They had to deal with injuries and other problems,” he said. “I challenged them a week ago. I told them they needed to challenge themselves.”
Two standouts – Sophie Hoang and Ava Jones – did not compete much of the season due to ankle injuries.
“They could have accounted for 40 points today,” Allen said.
But with several Cavaliers turning in clutch performances, Cuthbertson had just enough to edge runner-up Marvin Ridge 83-77.
Cuthbertson’s boys had a more dominant performance, scoring 81 points and easily outdistancing Weddington, Reagan and Marvin Ridge, the 2-3-4 finishers.
In the boys’ competition, Cuthbertson’s Ryder Sgherza won the pole vault, and the Cavaliers took two relays.
Isabella Kartsonis took the pole vault for Cuthbertson’s girls, and the Cavaliers also won a relay.
But, Allen said, it was the other athletes — those who finished fourth, fifth or sixth — who made a big difference.
For the girls, Colby McCollum won the 1,600-meter run. But she also added points by placing in the 1,000 and 3,200 meters. Kaleigh Arnold and Cecilia Taft got points by placing in distance events.
For the boys, Bryce Gatlin (300 meters) and Teegan Smith (500 meters) earned points with sixth-place finishes.
The team arrived home late Wednesday afternoon and was escorted to the school by Waxhaw police and fire personnel.
“The kids were really excited about this,” Allen said. “They really had a big day. It was special.”
(with top-five finishers from Charlotte and Raleigh areas)
55-meter dash
1. Alijah Monroe (West Cabarrus), 6.26 seconds; 2. Manny Martin (Clayton); 3. Ace Clements (Weddington); 4. Owen Green (Cary).
300 meters
1. Jordon McNeil (Southwest Guilford), 33.30; 2. Aiden Smith (Marvin Ridge); 3. Alijah Monroe (West Cabarrus); 4. Henry Luley (Weddington); 5. Tyler Adams (Hillside).
500 meters
1. Jayden Wilson (R.J. Reynolds), 1:04.31; 2. Jaden Kelly (Hopewell); 3. Dominic DeLuca (Cardinal Gibbons); 4. Justin Wilson (South Garner); 5. Caleb London (South Garner).
Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams told WRAL News he is
putting plans in action this week to address the issue.
“I am working on pulling together an emergency
task force that can help mitigate the engagement of non-profits in our
community,” Williams said. “Crime is overall going down, I want to highlight
that, but our youth violence is out of control.”
Williams argued the priority for everyone,
including elected officials and community members, should be the issue of
crime.
“We have fare free busing. We have HEART. We have
our CIP. we have Vision Zero for transit; why can’t we have a Vision Zero for
our youth from killing each other? Why can’t we have more youth centers
downtown?” Williams said. “If we’re going to shoot down anything that
involves the police, we’re not going to keep people safe.”
Williams said community members who want to be involved
to attend community sessions for the joint City County Comprehensive Violence
Reduction Plan. He also encouraged people already working with youth to keep up
their endeavors.
“If you have an idea, go do it. Don’t come to the
city for funding yet, because we operate on a fiscal year. I say to our
corporate community, find a non-profit and invest in them,” Williams said.
“I do think they [the programs] should come back, but we’re going
to have to let the data tell us that,” Williams said. “What resources we
have are going to be data led.”
When it comes
to that long-term plan, the next community session you can participate in is
virtual, on Feb. 24. There are two more in-person meetings
scheduled for March 13 and March 20.
Remember to cast your vote in the November election.
To help voters learn which candidates are on their ballot and where they stand on important policy issues, The News & Observer is publishing candidate questionnaires in all state and federal races in North Carolina on the March 3, 2026, ballot.
Below are the candidates running for NC House District 110 who responded to our questionnaire, in order by the date their responses were received. Not all candidates submitted a photo. The district includes Cleveland and Gaston counties.
The incumbent is Republican Rep. Kelly Hastings. He is being challenged by Caroline Eason, who did not respond. Hastings’ answers are below.
Kelly Hastings
Age as of March 3, 2026: 64
Political party: Republican
Campaign website: www.kellyhastings.com
Current occupation: Realtor and legislator
Professional experience: I am a Realtor and current member of the General Assembly.
Education: Bachelor of Science – Appalachian State University; graduate certificate in teaching – UNC Charlotte
Please list any notable government or civic involvement: I am currently a member of the North Carolina General Assembly. I chair the Higher Education and Appropriations, Capital and Information Technology committees.
What is the most important issue in your district and what do you want to do about it? Economic security is a very important issue. I am part of the team, starting in 2011, that makes North Carolina No. 1 for business and No. 1 for workforce development. I plan to continue to build on these successes to help people achieve economic security.
The legislature sets teacher base pay. What do you think the salary range should be for teachers, from starting to 30+ experience? Since 2012, we have passed numerous pay raises for teachers and state employees, and we cut taxes for everyone in the public and private sectors. Continuing with salary increments, bonus supplements, incremental steps, supplement assistance allotments, and great health benefits, retirement benefits, and other benefits will help us as we strive to be the best in the country.
As of January, North Carolina was the last state not to have passed a new, comprehensive budget. What would you do to help make sure a budget passes? We have a budget in North Carolina, and we continually pass budgetary and finance provisions. Striving to remain fiscally conservative will help us as we continue to adjust our budgets and balance our budgets.
North Carolina’s income tax rate for individual taxpayers is 3.99%. Should that be reduced further? I support tax cuts and balanced budgets. Under current law, taxes will be even lower if certain revenue targets are met.
Do you think the state is using taxpayer money efficiently? Why or why not? We are cutting taxes, balancing budgets, reducing debt, working to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse, and we are maintaining our AAA bond rating. We are striving to be as efficient as possible.
Do you support legalizing medical marijuana use? Why or why not? Based on the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, marijuana will continue to be illegal if it is illegal at the federal level.
What do you see as the biggest barrier to health care access in your district, and what actions would you take to address it? Obamacare cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicare. This caused many doctors to withdraw from practicing, and this caused care to be scarce. To help with accessibility and care, we must continue to strive to enhance opportunities for education in all areas of health care, including medicine, dentistry, nursing, etc. This, in turn, could help with affordability also.
Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan is the Capitol Bureau Chief for The News & Observer, leading coverage of the legislative and executive branches in North Carolina with a focus on the governor, General Assembly leadership and state budget. She has received the McClatchy President’s Award, N.C. Open Government Coalition Sunshine Award and several North Carolina Press Association awards, including for politics and investigative reporting.
NEVADA CITY, Calif. — Crews pushed through mountainous wilderness near Lake Tahoe during a snowstorm to rescue six backcountry skiers who survived an avalanche but were trapped by its snow and ice. Nine others from their tour group remained missing.
Two of the six were taken to a hospital for treatment, said Ashley Quadros, a spokesperson for the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office said Tuesday night that there were 15 skiers on the trip – not 16 as initially believed.
Search and rescue crews were dispatched to Frog Lake in the Castle Peak area, northwest of Lake Tahoe, after a 911 call reporting an avalanche and people buried. A powerful winter storm was moving through California at the time.
This image provided by the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office shows members of a rescue team in Soda Springs, California on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
Nevada County Sheriff’s Office
Extreme conditions in the Northern California mountains slowed the rescue effort. It took crews several hours to reach the skiers and take them to safety, where they were evaluated by the Truckee Fire Department.
The sheriff’s office said it would provide another update on rescue efforts at a news conference Wednesday morning.
A three-day ski trip
The skiers were on the last day of a three-day backcountry skiing trek, said Steve Reynaud, a Tahoe National Forest avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center, which had contact with people on the ground in the area. He said the skiers spent two nights at huts on a trip that required navigating “rugged mountainous terrain” for up to 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) while bringing along all food and supplies.
Nevada County Sheriff Capt. Russell Greene said authorities were notified about the avalanche by the ski tour company that led the expedition, Blackbird Mountain Guides, and by emergency beacons the skiers were carrying. Rescuers made their way cautiously toward the scene of the avalanche because of the danger of more avalanches.
Blackbird Mountain Guides said in a statement on its website that it was coordinating with authorities on the rescue operation.
Dangerous backcountry conditions
California is being walloped this week by a powerful winter storm bringing treacherous thunderstorms, high winds and heavy snow in mountain areas.
“It’s particularly dangerous in the backcountry right now just because we’re at the height of the storm,” said Brandon Schwartz, Tahoe National Forest lead avalanche forecaster at the Sierra Avalanche Center, based in Truckee.
The center issued an avalanche warning for the area in the Central Sierra Nevada, including the Greater Lake Tahoe region, starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday with large slides expected into Wednesday.
Snow falls on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 in Truckee Calif.
(AP Photos/Brooke Hess-Homeier)
The town of Soda Springs, near where the avalanche took place, recorded at least 30 inches (76 centimeters) of snow during a 24-hour period, according to the Soda Springs Mountain Resort.
The dangerous conditions were caused by rapidly accumulating snow piling on fragile snowpack layers coupled with gale-force winds.
The storm wreaked havoc on roads from the Sierra Nevada to Sonoma County. Traffic was halted temporarily in both directions on I-80 over and around Donner Summit due to spinouts and crashes, the authorities reported.
Several Tahoe ski resorts were fully or partially closed due to the weather. Resorts along highways have avalanche mitigation programs and were not expected to be at as high of a risk as the backcountry, where travel in, near or below avalanche terrain was strongly discouraged, the center said.
Area has dark history
Castle Peak, a 9,110-foot (2,777-meter) mountain north of Donner Summit, is a popular backcountry skiing destination. The summit, which can be perilous in snow, is named for the infamous Donner Party, a group of pioneers who resorted to cannibalism after getting trapped there in the winter of 1846-1847.
In January, an avalanche in the region buried a snowmobiler in snow and killed him, authorities said. Each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the U.S., according to the National Avalanche Center.
Training in avalanche assessment and rescue and safety equipment is highly recommended for backcountry skiing, also known as off-piste skiing, involves venturing deep into the wilderness far outside the confines of a resort. Backcountry skis are wider and heavier and have other features to handle going up and down ungroomed terrain, unlike cross-country skis, which are narrower and designed for flat, more groomed trails.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — With North Carolina’s primary election day less than two weeks away, tens of thousands of people have already made their voices heard in some high-profile races. Some of the contests are expected to be the most-watched in the entire country. As of Tuesday, over 133,000 people have cast their ballots, according […]
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin’s turbulent, 12-year Olympic journey came full circle Wednesday when she won the slalom by a massive 1.50 seconds to break her long medal drought at the Winter Games.
Shiffrin put in two dominant runs in gorgeous conditions amid the jagged peaks of the Dolomites to show, again, why she is regarded by many as the greatest Alpine skier of all time.
It was the third-largest margin of victory in a women’s Olympic slalom, the event she won as a fresh-faced teenager in Sochi in 2014 to underline her status as a skiing star.
Twelve years later, she delivered again in her favorite race and the emotions came out in the finish area after being embraced by world champion Camille Rast of Switzerland, who took silver, and bronze-medalist Anna Swenn Larsson of Sweden.
The 30-year-old Shiffrin pumped her fists to the crowd and then was fighting back tears as she approached her mom and coach, Eileen, for a long hug on the sidelines.
Shiffrin said it was “really hard to understand and process” her victory.
“Maybe,” she added, “just today, I realized what happened in Sochi. It’s crazy.”
For Shiffrin, maybe it also was a release of all the pressure after failing to win an Olympic medal since adding gold and silver to her collection in Pyeongchang in 2018.
A nightmarish 0-for-6 performance in Beijiing was followed in Cortina d’Ampezzo this year with an 11th place in the giant slalom and a fourth-place finish with Breezy Johnson in the team combined, in which Shiffrin placed 15th in the slalom portion.
That’s all in the past.
Shiffrin has now won three golds and a silver at the Olympics to add to her record total on World Cup wins — it’s 108 and counting, including 71 in slalom.
___
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Remember to cast your vote in the November election.
To help voters learn which candidates are on their ballot and where they stand on important policy issues, The News & Observer is publishing candidate questionnaires in all state and federal races in North Carolina on the March 3, 2026, ballot.
Below are the candidates running for NC House District 43 who responded to our questionnaire, in order by the date their responses were received. Some candidates did not provide a photo.
District 43 is in Cumberland County, next to Fort Bragg. It has two primary elections — both Democratic and Republican. The seat is currently held by Republican Rep. Diana Wheatley. Wheatley is being challenged by Clarence Goins Jr. Wheatley’s questionnaire answers are below. Goins did not respond.
In the Democratic primary, the two candidates are Janene Ackles and Ronald Pittman. Ackles’ responses are below. Pittman did not respond.
Janene Ackles
NC House candidate Janene Ackles
Age as of March 3, 2026: 55
Political party: Democratic
Campaign website: electackles@gmail.com
Current occupation: Business consultant
Professional experience: Nonprofit consultant/ grant writer
Education: Strayer University, AACS
Please list any notable government or civic involvement: Brought $925,000 to the city of Rocky Mount for infrastructure in less than 60 days, gave free grant writing services to 12 Cumberland County nonprofits which netted over $200,000 in funding to put on various programs across the city.
What is the most important issue in your district and what do you want to do about it? Economy — especially affordability. Families are struggling with rising housing, food, child care and utility costs while wages lag behind. I will fight for livable wages, worker protections and strong support for small businesses. My focus includes stabilizing housing costs, expanding affordable housing, strengthening tenant protections, and investing in education, job training and reentry programs so our local economy works for everyone, not just those at the top.
The legislature sets teacher base pay. What do you think the salary range should be for teachers, from starting to 30+ experience? North Carolina should pay teachers in a way that reflects their value and keeps great educators in our classrooms. I support a competitive salary scale: $50,000–$55,000 starting, $60,000–$70,000 mid-career, and $75,000–$90,000 for 15–30+ years. This approach improves recruitment, rewards experience, boosts retention and ensures students benefit from stable, experienced teachers.
As of January, North Carolina was the last state not to have passed a new, comprehensive budget. What would you do to help make sure a budget passes? As a legislator, I would push for early, transparent negotiations and keep the focus on core needs like education, health care, and public safety. I would work across party lines, use public accountability to keep the process moving, and refuse to let political gridlock delay pay raises, services, and funding that families and communities rely on.
North Carolina’s income tax rate for individual taxpayers is 3.99%. Should that be reduced further? North Carolina’s 3.99% income tax rate should be fair and support both families and essential services. Rather than cutting it further across the board, I support targeted relief for low- and middle-income taxpayers to ease cost-of-living pressures while ensuring we can fund quality public schools, health care, and infrastructure that benefit everyone. Broad tax cuts shouldn’t come at the expense of the services our communities depend on.
Do you think the state is using taxpayer money efficiently? Why or why not? No. Too much taxpayer money is being diverted to private school vouchers instead of strengthening public education. Meanwhile, Cumberland County continues to face serious infrastructure issues, including flooding and poor zoning decisions. Tax dollars should be used more efficiently by prioritizing public schools, safe infrastructure and responsible planning that benefits the whole community.
Do you support legalizing medical marijuana use? Why or why not? Yes, I support legalizing medical marijuana for pain management when prescribed and monitored by a licensed physician. It can provide relief for patients with chronic pain or serious medical conditions and offers a safer alternative to opioids when used responsibly under medical supervision.
What do you see as the biggest barrier to health care access in your district, and what actions would you take to address it? The biggest barrier to health care access in my district is distance, especially in eastern areas like Cedar Creek, where it can take 30 minutes or more to reach a hospital. Many residents lack transportation, making timely care difficult. I support establishing satellite or mobile clinics to bring essential health services directly to rural communities — because access to care can be the difference between life and death.
Diane Wheatley
N.C. House Rep. Diane Wheatley
Age as of March 3, 2026: 74
Political party: Republican
Campaign website: www.DianeWheatleyNC.com
Current occupation: Retired registered nurse/ business owner
Professional experience: Registered nurse, small business owner
Education: A.D. in nursing, continuing education in business administration and nursing
Please list any notable government or civic involvement: Past chair of Board of Education, past county commissioner, three terms in N.C. House, over 25 various boards and commissions and decades of service to the community.
What is the most important issue in your district and what do you want to do about it? Continuing to return funding for infrastructure, clean water, education, health care, public safety and lifestyle improvements. I will continue to partner with the mayors of the communities in my district to identify their needs and use my seniority and influence to provide grants and funding to meet those needs. I have returned over $5 million of tax dollars to our community in my first two terms.
The legislature sets teacher base pay. What do you think the salary range should be for teachers, from starting to 30+ experience? The current state contribution to teacher salary is $41,000 with adjustments for advanced degrees. That compares with $38,000-$42,000 in adjoining states. I would like to see it quickly increase to $50,000, keeping in mind that starting salaries are supplemented by additional funds from federal and local money. I would also like to see the cap on experienced teachers removed so that we can keep these skilled teachers and mentors in the classroom.
As of January, North Carolina was the last state not to have passed a new, comprehensive budget. What would you do to help make sure a budget passes? As a member of the House, I voted for a very good budget that included increases for teachers and state employees, among other things, while still cutting taxes and balancing the budget. As a fourth-term member of the House, I will have the seniority and influence to help bring about a workable compromise with the Senate to get a budget passed by both houses.
North Carolina’s income tax rate for individual taxpayers is 3.99%. Should that be reduced further? Yes. Our low tax rate is a major reason for the growth of our economy. As long as the economy continues to grow, we should share that prosperity with our citizens by cutting their taxes.
Do you think the state is using taxpayer money efficiently? Why or why not? I think the growth in our economy and the increase in the rainy day fund despite the extraordinary challenges we have had to face recently speaks for itself. There will always be ways to do better and this Republican led legislature is constantly looking to improve every day.
Do you support legalizing medical marijuana use? Why or why not? I became a registered nurse to help people who were sick and in need. I would never deny a patient a therapy that would legitimately help. If a truly medical form of marijuana was produced by a major pharmaceutical company, dispensed by a recognized licensed pharmacy, based on a medical physician prescription, I would support that. I cannot support a system based on so-called “dispensaries,” sold by nonmedical individuals and based on a mere recommendation.
What do you see as the biggest barrier to health care access in your district, and what actions would you take to address it? Health care costs and health insurance premiums are too high. We have a shortage of both doctors and nurses, and we have lost too many rural health care facilities. I have supported the medical school and nursing programs teaming Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. This should increase our supply of health care professionals. I was lead sponsor of a bill to make better use of telehealth. I support expanding the health insurance market and a review of Certificates of Need.
Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan is the Capitol Bureau Chief for The News & Observer, leading coverage of the legislative and executive branches in North Carolina with a focus on the governor, General Assembly leadership and state budget. She has received the McClatchy President’s Award, N.C. Open Government Coalition Sunshine Award and several North Carolina Press Association awards, including for politics and investigative reporting.
SPRING LAKE, N.C. (WTVD) — Calls for transparency are growing in Spring Lake after the sudden firing of Town Manager Jon Rorie, a decision that passed by a 3-2 vote following a three-hour council meeting and closed session on Feb. 9.
The vote marks the latest chapter in a town that has seen more than a dozen town managers, both permanent and interim, during the past 17 years.
Mayor Kia Anthony, who voted against the termination, said she was caught off guard by the decision.
“I am concerned that this sets a precedent for back-door dealings, and I am extremely concerned that we are hiring a town manager who has no local government experience,” Anthony said.
The unexpected move has divided residents.
“He was fired with no transparency. Why was he fired? Ain’t nobody say,” said Spring Lake resident Mickey Carter Sr.
The decision comes as the town faces an estimated $75 million in infrastructure needs.
“We have decades-old infrastructure that is now on the verge of collapse due to deferred maintenance for, again, several decades. Mr. Murray came in. He’s created a plan for us moving forward,” Anthony said.
Three newly elected board members, Mayor Pro Tem Fredericka Sutherland and Commissioners Tony Burgess and Jackie Jackson, voted to terminate Rorie during the council meeting.
In a phone interview with ABC11, Jackson said the town’s water issues influenced her decision.
“The town’s water bills being extremely high, as well as the high property taxes and some other things,” Jackson said.
The three commissioners also voted to appoint Dennis English as interim town manager.
When asked how English’s name was selected, Jackson said, “Oh, randomly, randomly. I’m not exactly sure. I can’t even remember exactly sure, it came just randomly.”
When asked about English’s qualifications, Jackson said, “His qualifications will come out when it’s supposed to. I don’t go in hard on to answer that question because I’m not sure exactly what I can and cannot say. And out of respect for the statute, the rules and regulation of how things are done, I would like to do it that way. It may look bad, it may even sound bad, but at the end of the day, it is what it is.”
Rorie, who served just under two years, brought prior experience from South Carolina.
Anthony defended his tenure.
“Mr. Rorie has a stellar track record for working with distressed communities, with infrastructure issues, and budgeting issues. And he has sort with his time during his tenure with Spring Lake in the year and a half that he was here, we were able to create multiple projects, began capital improvement plans, but the strongest thing we did was build our city strategic plan,” she said.
Looking ahead, Anthony is encouraging residents to attend the next town meeting on Monday at 6 p.m. to voice their concerns.
ABC11 reached out to Rorie for comment, but had not received a response.
Police said a man who was shot
in Edgecombe County is expected to be OK.
On Tuesday, Pinetops police said
officers were called to reports of a shooting around 4:30 p.m. Police said the man
who was shot called officers while in route to the hospital.
The man and his driver were met
by EMS and Edgecombe County Sheriff’s deputies in Tarboro.
The shooting happened near East
Lashley and South Second streets in Pinetops. The man was shot in the torso area
and was taken to ECU Health, police said.
N.C. State basketball coach Will Wade called his team “soft” on Saturday after losing its second straight game and blowing a lead in the final minute of play.
He didn’t know what to expect coming into the N.C. State-North Carolina matchup. The Wolfpack hadn’t lost three straight games this season, but it has struggled at home in ACC play and against ranked opponents.
Wade’s crew responded with an 82-58 win at Lenovo Center, tying for the fewest points scored by Carolina this season.
N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland reacts on the bench following a basket by Terrance Arceneaux during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 82-58 win over North Carolina on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
It was one of the worst losses by a ranked UNC team to an unranked N.C. State team and the largest Wolfpack win over the Tar Heels since 1962.
“I thought we played with more of an edge today. Thought our guys were locked in and ready to go,” Wade said following the game. “I felt that the last couple days, we had a couple good days of prep. Guys got off the mat. You always gotta do your best work in tough circumstances. Our guys certainly did that and played with more bite to us today.”
N.C. State’s Jordan Snell and Matt Able celebrate following the Wolfpack’s 82-58 win over North Carolina on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
In the only way a rivalry can, the Wolfpack (19-8, 10-4 ACC) played with a renewed sense of motivation — like it had something to prove. It was anything but soft in dominating a UNC team playing without injured starters Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar.
The game was physical and chaotic, with several injuries to the Pack occurring in the first half. UNC’s Jarin Stevenson also left the game in the second half due to bleeding.
Despite the wild sequences of events, N.C. State fired on all cylinders to dominate the No. 16 Tar Heels (20-6, 8-5) for virtually the entire game.
North Carolina’s Seth Trimble drives past N.C. State’s Matt Able, Ven-Allen Lubin and Paul McNeil in first half action in Raleigh, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Five different N.C. State players reached double figures, while Zayden High and Stevenson led the Tar Heels with 13 points each. High led all players with 10 rebounds.
Quadir Copeland led the Wolfpack with 20 points, while Matt Able added a career-high 19 points. It was the second time in as many games that Able set a new personal best.
The Wolfpack defense held the Tar Heels to their worst first-half shooting percentages of the season, holding the visitors to 26 points. UNC went to the locker room after shooting 25% from the field and 6.3% from 3-point range.
N.C. State’s offense, meanwhile, scored 42 points on 53.1% field goal shooting and a 55.6% clip from distance. It was the sixth time in ACC that the Wolfpack eclipsed 40 points in the opening period.
The success can be partially attributed to its defense creating opportunities — it forced five turnovers — but UNC’s own defense didn’t help the cause.
“I just felt like our competitive fight wasn’t there, especially from a defensive standpoint. They didn’t feel us defensively,” UNC head coach Hubert Davis said. “They didn’t feel our presence at all. … That is our heartbeat, our lifeline. I tell the team this all the time. There’s no other way. There’s no other road. There’s no other route. It starts with us, with defense and rebounding. That’s what leads us to really good offense, and we weren’t tough enough.”
That was one of the Tar Heels’ worst first-half defensive performances after giving up 41 to Duke, 47 to Stanford and 54 to California.
The Wolfpack continued to pour it on in the second half, leading by as many as 23 points to give the Tar Heels’ their largest deficit of the season. Walk-on Jordan Snell even got minutes during garbage time.
N.C. State coach Will Wade questions a call by an official in the first half against North Carolina on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Copeland has his way against Carolina
Quadir Copeland has become one of the Wolfpack’s most valuable players. He proved that once again. Copeland, a 6-foot-6 and 220-pound guard, dominated the UNC defense with ease to score a game-high 20 points.
The Syracuse and McNeese State transfer started the game 5 of 11 from the field for 13 first-half points and five assists.
N.C. State guard Quadir Copeland (11) drives to the basket between North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac (44) and center Zayden High (1) in the first half on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
It didn’t seem to matter who guarded Copeland, either. Derek Dixon, High, Stevenson and Seth Trimble all fell victim to Copeland’s shiftiness and sheer athleticism in the lane, giving up buckets to the senior guard.
Copeland’s ability to drive inside didn’t create points for himself alone, though. He passed out of a double team, finding freshman Matt Able on the perimeter for a corner 3.
“He reminds me a little bit of (former Tar Heel) Theo Pinson,” UNC head coach Hubert Davis said on Monday during a media call. “Theo was 6-6, 6-7, and he really was a facilitator. Theo was a big guard that could do a number of things. He could handle, he could pass, he could score around a basket, he could shoot.
“Quadir reminds me a lot of him, with his ability just to make plays, not only for himself, but for his teammates, whether it’s on the perimeter or passes around the basket. He’s got a good understanding of when to pass and when to shoot, takes good shots, and does a good job of taking care of the basketball. He’s really a unique and good player.”
Copeland continued to dominate in the second half.
His defense forced an inbounds turnover and a travel in the first five minutes of the second half.
He finished with six rebounds and seven assists, without a turnover, to go with his 20 points.
Copeland has now reached double figures in four straight games, including a 21-point performance against Virginia Tech. N.C. State is 15-4 when the senior dishes out at least six dimes.
Pack wins turnover battle with ease
Both teams have taken care of the ball all season, and the ability to limit mistakes, while forcing ones on defense, was going to be a major key.
N.C. State came away victorious in that metric. The Wolfpack forced 12 UNC turnovers and only committed four of its own.
“They’re really good defensively,” Davis said. “They do a really good job of getting steals and deflections, disrupting you on the defensive end, not allowing you to, from an offensive standpoint, consistently stay in rhythm.”
This has been a defensive priority all season. N.C. State entered the game averaging 9.2 turnovers per game in ACC play (No. 2) and forcing a league-leading 12.8 turnovers, nearly nine of which were steals. Its 3.7 turnover margin led the conference.
Meanwhile, Carolina led league play, coughing up the ball only 8.4 times per game. However, it didn’t typically pressure the ball and ranked No. 16 in forced turnovers (9.7).
North Carolina struggles from deep
There was one first-half sequence that pretty much summed up UNC’s struggles from deep.
With just over six minutes remaining until halftime, Stevenson rebounded a missed jumper from Derek Dixon. What followed were three straight attempts from deep by the Tar Heels, thanks to two more offensive rebounds (three in a row when you add Stevenson’s). Was UNC’s ability to tip out the ball impressive? Was North Carolina’s inability to knock down the outside shot concerning? Even more so.
The Tar Heels shot just 6.3% from the perimeter in the first half. West Virginia transfer Jonathan Powell was the only North Carolina player to record a 3-pointer in 16 attempts by the team before halftime.
North Carolina’s early struggles from deep were a mere symptom of the team’s poor shooting performance as a whole. UNC’s 25% clip in the first half was its worst shooting performance in any half this season.
It didn’t help that the Tar Heels failed to move the ball effectively, instead relying on stagnant stretches of isolation drives to generate offense. North Carolina recorded just two assists to five turnovers in the first half. UNC moved the ball more effectively after halftime, with seven assists, but also turned the ball over as many times.
Frontcourt absences hamstring Tar Heels
Wilson (left hand) and Veesaar (lower extremity) were out for the second game in a row for UNC on Tuesday night after also missing Saturday’s contest against Pitt.
Wilson and Veesaar are the Tar Heels’ leading scorers, with Wilson averaging 19.8 points and Veesaar 16.4.
N.C. State’s Ven-Allen Lubin slams in two during the first half of the Wolfpack’s 82-58 win over North Carolina on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
In the 72 previous seasons of ACC basketball, UNC played just one game without the two players who finished the season one-two in scoring. It came on February 23, 1978, when Phil Ford and Mike O’Koren did not play in a 72-67 loss to — you guessed it — N.C. State at Reynolds Coliseum.
The absences from North Carolina’s roster felt especially pronounced on Tuesday night, especially with the bully ball tactics of Darrion Williams and Copeland. Both guards are six-foot-six and roughly 220 pounds, and both used that size to their advantage against UNC.
There was nothing complicated about the dribble drives from Williams and Copeland — outside of one nifty second-half slash from Copeland in which he used a pair of spin moves to score over Powell. For the most part, the guards simply turned their backs and muscled their way into the paint, forcing their defender — be it Stevenson, Dixon, Powell or Jaydon Young — to guard them one-on-one. The help defense of an uber-athletic Wilson or towering seven-foot Veesaar wasn’t there to save them. And, with a tightened rotation, the Tar Heels likely had to be careful not to foul.
N.C. State’s Jordan Snell reacts as he checks into the game late in the second half of the Wolfpack’s 82-58 win over North Carolina on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
North Carolina’s Jarin Stevenson drives to the basket against N.C. State’s Darrion Williams and Ven-Allen Lubin in first half action. Williams left the game with an injury to the face after hitting the floor hard, but returned to action before the half. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State forward Ven-Allen Lubin (22) battles for a rebound with North Carolina center Zayden High (1) and guard Kyan Evans (0) in the first half on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
N.C. State head coach Will Wade talks with his team late in the second half of the Wolfpack’s 82-58 win over North Carolina on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
This story was originally published February 17, 2026 at 9:21 PM.
