At least five tornadoes were confirmed across central North Carolina on Sunday as remnants of Hurricane Isaias crossed the state. Damage was reported in northeast Raleigh and Fayetteville, while storms also uprooted trees, damaged buildings and left vehicles stranded in floodwater. Tornado watches covered a wide area, including Wake, Durham, Cumberland and Johnston counties.
Heavy rain brought 4.5 to 7.5 inches to parts of Ashe and Watauga counties and 3 to 6 inches to parts of Burke County, with localized Blue Ridge totals reaching 8 to 10 inches. Emergency crews reported dozens of water rescues: bystanders pulled a driver from a submerged vehicle on N.C. 126, and rescuers helped a 99-year-old resident cross a footbridge to escape flash flooding. Charlotte’s 22-member Task Force 3 stood by in Huntersville for possible deployment, while Mooresville and Harrisburg teams also prepared to assist.
Voters will decide in November whether to amend the North Carolina Constitution to limit property-tax levies, a proposal now drawing attention as local governments weigh tax revenue against rising costs. The proposed cap would constrain how much local governments can raise property taxes, with supporters presenting it as a check on tax increases and critics warning it could restrict local services. It is the first time the question has appeared on a statewide ballot.
Gov. Josh Stein signed a law suspending North Carolina’s 41-cent-per-gallon motor-fuel tax from Oct. 10 through Nov. 30. The measure passed the House 111-1 and the Senate 41-0, and requires consumer prices to reflect the tax savings, although retailers may first recoup taxes paid on fuel already in storage. Lawmakers estimate the suspension will cost $362.3 million, with state reserves covering the lost transportation revenue; the law also extends a waiver allowing farmers to use dyed diesel on public roads.
The North Carolina State Health Plan and Treasurer Brad Briner sued Atrium Health in Wake County Superior Court, seeking to block a program scheduled to begin Jan. 1, 2027. Atrium says its Health Affordability Protection Program would give plan members the lowest cost-sharing for care at Atrium facilities, while the plan argues Atrium lacks authority to alter member costs and that the proposal could raise the plan’s total expenses by 30% to 40%. The suit seeks a temporary restraining order, with the dispute focused on who has legal authority to set copays, deductibles and coinsurance.
Chatham County commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution opposing Enbridge Gas North Carolina’s proposed 28-mile pipeline from Moncure to Siler City. The company says the 12-inch pipeline is needed to meet rising energy demand in Chatham and neighboring Lee County, while residents fear effects on private property, drinking-water wells and public health. The route would pass through communities where per-capita income is about $25,000, roughly half the regional figure; Enbridge could still seek land through eminent domain, and the state environmental agency has not received a permit application.
Mecklenburg County commissioners are weighing an audit advisory committee to review Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ finances as the district faces five investigations into alleged irregularities. A comparable committee in Forsyth County was formed after a nearly $46 million budget shortfall at Winston-Salem schools. County Manager Michael Bryant said any confirmed financial irregularities would factor into his budget recommendation next spring; commissioners say there is no confirmed misuse of funds so far.
Parents at South Academy of International Languages are asking CMS to explain a recommendation to move the school’s start and dismissal times an hour later next school year. A survey of 400 people connected to the language-immersion magnet found that nearly half said they would not return if the change went ahead, according to parents. Because students must enter the program in kindergarten, parents say departing students’ places could not be filled in later grades, potentially putting the school’s enrollment and program at risk.
The North Carolina Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Nov. 10 in Gov. Josh Stein’s challenges to laws restricting his authority to fill judicial vacancies and appoint members to state boards and commissions. Legislative leaders argued in new filings that the governor’s power to appoint appellate judges does not prevent lawmakers from limiting the pool of nominees, and defended changes that shifted some of Stein’s board appointments to other Council of State members. The cases pit Stein against Senate Leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall.
A federal judge has allowed the Republican National Committee and North Carolina Republican Party to intervene in a case challenging state guidance on mail-in ballots. The suit concerns how election officials handle absentee ballots that do not meet certain statutory security requirements, including rules for return envelopes. U.S. District Judge Thomas Schroeder scheduled a hearing Wednesday on a preliminary injunction that could block the guidance before the general election.
Opponents of a proposed Rockingham County casino told the North Carolina Supreme Court that nearby residents should be able to challenge the rezoning without meeting a heightened legal standard. The dispute concerns whether plaintiffs in Camp Carefree v. Rockingham County can proceed with their lawsuit after an appeals court allowed it to move forward. County supporters are asking the state’s highest court to reverse that decision; oral arguments are set for Nov. 10.
Sanford and Lee County officials are considering up to $8.4 million in economic incentives for companies planning factories tied to health care, food-service and energy products. The proposed projects could add about 670 jobs and are the latest potential investments in an area that has attracted a series of major development deals. Local officials are weighing the incentives as part of the effort to secure the facilities.
A former ProPublica reporter told WFAE that proposed federal changes to the 2030 Census could exclude noncitizens without green cards and eliminate questions about race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. Demographic experts warn that a narrower count could affect population data used to distribute political representation and public resources. North Carolina’s communities of color are among those whose size and needs could be less visible in the resulting data.
Isaias brought substantial rain to parts of the state, but the storm is unlikely to end a drought that has affected much of North Carolina for about a year. WRAL reported that the rainfall was not enough to reverse the long-term deficit, even as it eased conditions in some areas. Heavy rain can raise immediate flood risks without replenishing soil and water supplies enough to erase prolonged drought conditions.