Tackling the NC food deserts that Helene created

by Walker Livingston, Carolina Public Press July 27, 2026 Every Wednesday afternoon in the heart of Swannanoa, volunteers hand out seasonal produce while community members flow through the produce market in an old church building that nonprofit Bounty and Soul hosts. Last week, it was summer squash, fresh tomatoes and

Vast produce supply chain complicates tracking food safety in the Midwest

Texas Catholic churches unite residents over ICE detention center, water concerns; How one man’s Olympic moment brought new life to Jackson, Miss. rugby

States move to limit classroom screen time

By Robbie Sequeira (Stateline) Published: July 23, 2026 After school cellphone bans passed many statehouses with bipartisan support in recent legislative sessions, state lawmakers are turning to legislation governing how long students should spend looking at screens. This year, four states passed laws restricting or regulating screen time for students

Virginia Beach doctor pushes hospitals to establish protocols for dealing with Parkinson’s patients

By Yiqing Wang/WHRO (Virginia Mercury) Published: July 23, 2026 Howard Weinberg keeps his Parkinson’s medication in a small container attached to his keychain, so he always has it wherever he goes. The retired doctor from Virginia Beach has to take the medication every six hours, at 1 o’

Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air — and industry helped keep it that way

N.C. audit clears up one Rocky Mount utility headache, draws attention to another; How South Carolina Prisons Are Limiting Access to Books; WVU Health leadership failed to address painkiller thefts for years as opioids devastated West Virginia

Democratic socialism is on the rise some places, but has roots in KY

By Berry Craig (Kentucky Lantern) Published: July 16, 2026 Democratic socialism is on the rise in some blue states, but socialists are still rare in ruby red Republican Kentucky. That wasn’t always so. Six-score years ago, Louisville hosted the Christian Socialist Fellowship movement’s first national convention. The

A key ‘forever chemicals’ lawsuit settles out of court in North Carolina

By Lisa Sorg (North Carolina Newsline) Published: July 14, 2026 This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. Forever War: This is part of a series about the PFAS crisis in

Alabama death row inmate who stopped gas execution wants to stop other methods

N.C. advances plan to reopen Martin Co. hospital; Advocates, elected officials call for statewide siren system after 14 tornadoes touch down near New Orleans.

Climate change could double household water costs in some cities, study finds

By Kevin Hardy (Stateline) Published: July 9, 2026 Household water costs could nearly double in some American cities, new research suggests, as climate change further stresses municipal water systems.  Researchers at Stanford University and other institutions studied how a hotter, drier climate is poised to spike water bills for residents

Prince William supervisors reject Dulles Cloud South data center proposal

By Shannon Heckt (Virginia Mercury) Published: July 9, 2026 Prince William County supervisors voted against a rezoning proposal for the Dulles Cloud South data center project Tuesday, less than a week after developers retreated from a legal battle over building the 1,760-acre Digital Gateway data center complex in

Arrests of immigrant parents create mental health crisis for children

A Mom Called 911 For an Ambulance. NYPD Sent Handcuffs; 2 NC local governments are testing guaranteed income for people leaving incarceration.

‘It’s Real:’ Tennessee Department of Tourist Development launches anti-AI campaign

By Anne Braly (Tennessee Lookout) Published: July 6, 2026 It’s easy to be fooled by AI photos, so in an effort to help Tennessee travelers verify where online photos were taken, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development has launched its new “It’s Real” campaign. It’s a program