State/Regional

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is welcoming news that China has pledged to resume purchases of U.S. soybeans, calling the development a major boost for farmers who have struggled with low prices and limited export opportunities. In an interview, Troxler said the announcement could help strengthen international trade and provide long-term […]

TRYON – The wine industry in North Carolina celebrates a significant milestone as the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved the establishment of the state’s seventh American Viticulture Area (AVA). The Tryon Foothills AVA, which spans around 176 square miles in Polk County and accounts for over 77 acres of quality winegrapes, provides […]

A backyard flock in Rutherford County has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI). The positive sample was identified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh.  This is the first confirmed positive in Rutherford County. In the last 30 days, there have been three backyard flocks with […]

The Maple Hill Loopers continued their winning streak in the N.C. State Fair’s Tobacco Stringing Contest Friday, Oct. 17, notching the team’s fifth straight win. The team is made up of husband and wife Sandy and Ken Jones of Maple Hill and Michael Sunday of Hendersonville. Over the contest’s 21-year history, in addition to 11 […]

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature has formally begun redrawing the state’s congressional district map. The effort aims to help the GOP gain another U.S. House seat, supporting Donald Trump’s push to retain party control at midterms. The state Senate voted Monday along party lines for new boundaries for two eastern districts. This move aims to thwart the reelection of Democratic Rep. Don Davis, one of the state’s three Black members of Congress. The proposed map should move to the House on Tuesday. Litigation challenging the map is almost certain, with allegations of harming Black voting power likely.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Large crowds of protesters have gathered in cities across the United for “No Kings” demonstrations against what they see a drift into authoritarianism under President Donald Trump. People carrying signs with slogans such as “Nothing is more patriotic than protesting” or “Resist Fascism” packed into New York City’s Times Square on Saturday. They rallied by the thousands in parks in Boston, Atlanta and Chicago. There were also demonstrations outside capitols in several Republican-led states and hundreds of smaller public spaces. Republicans disparaged the demonstrations as “Hate America” rallies, but in many places the events looked more like a street party.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Republican leaders in North Carolina have proposed a new U.S. House district map that could thwart reelection prospects of a Democratic incumbent in the state’s only swing seat. The map was revealed Thursday ahead of next week’s General Assembly session. It is part of an effort to help President Donald Trump secure more GOP seats nationwide ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The new boundaries focus on the 1st District, currently held by Democratic Rep. Don Davis, who narrowly won reelection in 2024. The changes could help Republicans win 11 of North Carolina’s 14 seats. Democrats have criticized the move, calling it an attempt to undermine fair elections.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., is urging Congress to restore the National Flood Insurance Program as part of any deal to end the federal government shutdown, warning that the lapse is hurting eastern North Carolina homeowners and small businesses. “Each day the shutdown continues, more homebuyers, sellers, and small businesses are put at […]

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina farmers and agricultural producers are set to receive more than $400 million in federal assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as part of a series of initiatives aimed at helping the state recover from natural disasters and strengthen its agricultural economy. In a keynote address at the Ag […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representative Don Davis is calling on top federal officials to take swift action to support North Carolina’s flue-cured tobacco farmers, who are facing significant financial hardship after the abrupt halt of exports to China. In a letter sent this week to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, […]