# Down Ballot
> Down Ballot covers state and local news in the U.S. It's produced by journalist Ben Ledbetter
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Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [About this site](https://down-ballot.info/about.md) - Down Ballot covers state and local news in North and South Carolina plus adjacent areas. On Fridays, we publish a weekly report of state and local news from nonprofit news outlets across the U.S.
- [Ben Ledbetter's portfolio](https://down-ballot.info/ben-ledbetters-portfolio.md) - Contact information is below writing samples
- [CAROLINAS DOCUMENTED](https://down-ballot.info/carolinas-documented.md) - Documents relevant to both North and South Carolina on DocumentCloud from MuckRock
- [Contact us](https://down-ballot.info/contact-us.md) - Please send an email to contact Down Ballot.

## Posts
- [East Tennessee cities are gearing up to fight data centers](https://down-ballot.info/east-tennessee-cities-are-gearing-up-to-fight-data-centers.md) - By Larry Griffin (Tennessee Lookout) Published: July 30, 2026 Data centers, which store and facilitate data for computer applications, have become more ubiquitous in public discourse over the past few years as artificial intelligence, AI, tools have risen in prominence. In areas where the data cent…
- [Memphis advocates call on private airport to stop servicing ICE detention flights](https://down-ballot.info/memphis-advocates-call-on-private-airport-to-stop-servicing-ice-detention-flights.md) - Two more face federal charges with making threats in Nolan Wells’ death investigation
- [Tackling the NC food deserts that Helene created](https://down-ballot.info/tackling-the-nc-food-deserts-that-helene-created.md) - 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…
- [Vast produce supply chain complicates tracking food safety in the Midwest](https://down-ballot.info/vast-produce-supply-chain-complicates-tracking-food-safety-in-the-midwest.md) - 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](https://down-ballot.info/states-move-to-limit-classroom-screen-time.md) - 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 l…
- [Virginia Beach doctor pushes hospitals to establish protocols for dealing with Parkinson’s patients](https://down-ballot.info/virginia-beach-doctor-pushes-hospitals-to-establish-protocols-for-dealing-with-parkinsons-patients.md) - 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’clock and 7…
- [Louisiana communities are left in the dark on toxic air — and industry helped keep it that way](https://down-ballot.info/louisiana-communities-are-left-in-the-dark-on-toxic-air-and-industry-helped-keep-it-that-way.md) - 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](https://down-ballot.info/democratic-socialism-is-on-the-rise-some-places-but-has-roots-in-ky.md) - 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 nation…
- [A key ‘forever chemicals’ lawsuit settles out of court in North Carolina](https://down-ballot.info/a-key-forever-chemicals-lawsuit-settles-out-of-court-in-north-carolina.md) - 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 PF…
- [Alabama death row inmate who stopped gas execution wants to stop other methods](https://down-ballot.info/alabama-death-row-inmate-who-stopped-gas-execution-wants-to-stop-other-methods.md) - 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](https://down-ballot.info/climate-change-could-double-household-water-costs-in-some-cities-study-finds.md) - 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 p…
- [Prince William supervisors reject Dulles Cloud South data center proposal](https://down-ballot.info/prince-william-supervisors-reject-dulles-cloud-south-data-center-proposal.md) - 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 c…
- [Arrests of immigrant parents create mental health crisis for children](https://down-ballot.info/arrests-of-immigrant-parents-create-mental-health-crisis-for-children.md) - 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](https://down-ballot.info/its-real-tennessee-department-of-tourist-development-launches-anti-ai-campaign.md) - 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 that promises t…
- [When the helpers ‘feel helpless’: First responders get a boost in mental health support](https://down-ballot.info/when-the-helpers-feel-helpless-first-responders-get-a-boost-in-mental-health-support.md) - by Amanda Watford, Stateline May 5, 2026 Ty Wooten didn’t realize the weight of answering his first 911 call — until more than a decade later. A woman had dialed 911 to report that her husband had shot himself in front of her and their 7-year-old son, on the family’s living room couch. It was Woote…
- [North Carolina passed a budget](https://down-ballot.info/north-carolina-passed-a-budget.md) - Louisiana Supreme Court frees death row prisoner; Martin County, NC residents keep pressing state officials for funding to reopen hospital; A Heat Wave is Hitting New York. Know Your Rights Ahead of Soaring Temps. Chemours must cut Ohio River ‘forever chemical’ pollution under new settlement.
- [The Appalachian Cities that Never Sleep](https://down-ballot.info/the-appalachian-cities-that-never-sleep.md) - by Donavyn Coffey, The Daily Yonder June 24, 2026 Mandy Withers was in her late 20s when she first realized she was more than tired. Then, a young mom of three, just out of graduate school, and training for her new position as a pulmonary and sleep medicine nurse practitioner, she thought falling a…
- [Chemours looks to settle federal PFAS case for $450 million. NC wasn’t at the table.](https://down-ballot.info/chemours-looks-to-settle-federal-pfas-case-for-450-million-nc-wasnt-at-the-table.md) - by Rose Hoban and Will Atwater, North Carolina Health News June 25, 2026 By Rose Hoban and Will Atwater Key takeaways: * The U.S. Department of Justice seeks hundreds of millions from Chemours in a federal complaint over years of PFAS contamination in three states, including North Carolina. * Despi…
- [U.S. Homes Show Three-Decade Decline in Indoor Water Use](https://down-ballot.info/u-s-homes-show-three-decade-decline-in-indoor-water-use.md) - by Brett Walton, Circle of Blue June 21, 2026 Decades ago, before it was much of a concern, water moved through the average U.S. home in enormous quantities. Toilets pulled 3.5 gallons per flush or more. Washing machines filled like tiny swimming pools. Water flowed and flowed. Things have tightene…
- [Haiti jersey ban echoes campaign to discredit its revolution](https://down-ballot.info/haiti-jersey-ban-echoes-campaign-to-discredit-its-revolution.md) - New Orleans nonprofit can help you pay for medication, food, rent and more; A growing community of recovering gamblers lifts each other up as formal resources lag; Stepping back from brink of financial disaster in Rocky Mount
- [Telehealth access to abortion pill is lifesaving for domestic violence survivors, some say](https://down-ballot.info/telehealth-access-to-abortion-pill-is-lifesaving-for-domestic-violence-survivors-some-say.md) - By Kelcie Moseley-Morris (Stateline) Published: June 5, 2026 Carrie Frail was in the process of leaving an abusive relationship when she discovered she was pregnant. Her partner told her he could hit her in the stomach until she had a miscarriage, and it would save some money. “I firmly believe he…
- [Embezzlement probe in small NC town continues as leaders seek to move forward](https://down-ballot.info/embezzlement-probe-in-small-nc-town-continues-as-leaders-seek-to-move-forward.md) - by Mackenzie Thomas, Carolina Public Press June 12, 2026 With the former town manager of Pilot Mountain facing felony charges for embezzlement following the release of a state audit last month, town leaders are working to move forward while the investigation continues. James Michael Boaz, the forme…
- [NM investment in mental health has yet to create an impact](https://down-ballot.info/nm-investment-in-mental-health-has-yet-to-create-an-impact.md) - FBI probe of Ohio voting rights group expands to include an affiliated national advocacy network; Extreme heat could be a player during this summer’s World Cup; Small Water Systems Lose Ground as Federal Support Wavers
- [Spartanburg County Council to meet Monday regarding data centers](https://down-ballot.info/spartanburg-county-council-to-meet-monday-regarding-data-centers.md) - Down Ballot Staff Reports Spartanburg County Council called a special meeting for Monday, June 22 at 9:00 am to possibly give a first reading of a data center moratorium ordinance, according to the agenda.
- [Tennessee health department warns parents their children will be reported to immigration officials](https://down-ballot.info/tennessee-health-department-warns-parents-their-children-will-be-reported-to-immigration-officials.md) - By Anita Wadhwani (Tennessee Lookout) Published: June 11, 2026 Pediatricians and public health care providers on Wednesday said they feared life-threatening consequences for children with critical illnesses who rely on a specialized public health care program as Tennessee moves forward with a direc…
- [In prisons and jails, a lack of sleep may harm health and safety](https://down-ballot.info/in-prisons-and-jails-a-lack-of-sleep-may-harm-health-and-safety.md) - By Amanda Watford (Stateline) Published: June 11, 2026 For many incarcerated people, getting a full night’s sleep is almost impossible. Bright lights, loud noise, overnight head counts, early morning meals and other routine features of prison and jail operations can make restorative sleep nearly im…
- [Alaska resident defends run for U.S. Senate against state investigation](https://down-ballot.info/alaska-resident-defends-run-for-u-s-senate-against-state-investigation.md) - They spent years in solitary confinement in Mississippi despite suicide risk; New Orleans public defender, deputy constable both out of a job after allegedly soliciting cash to fix traffic ticket.
- [Top NC Democrats want more information about GOP threats over a campus voting site](https://down-ballot.info/top-nc-democrats-want-more-information-about-gop-threats-over-a-campus-voting-site.md) - By Lynn Bonner (North Carolina Newsline) Published: June 3, 2026 North Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Anderson Clayton and N.C. House Democratic Leader Robert Reives said Wednesday the public needs to know who pressured the Republicans on the Jackson County Board of Elections to oppose a camp…
- [‘If it ain’t broke.’ Bladen halts change that could have diluted Black votes.](https://down-ballot.info/if-it-aint-broke-bladen-halts-change-that-could-have-diluted-black-votes.md) - by Sarah Michels, Carolina Public Press June 3, 2026 Bladen County’s Black residents aren’t having it. They showed up in droves to a Monday board of commissioners meeting in Elizabethtown to object to a proposed election change that some feared would have reduced minority representation. The commis…
- [Recycling batteries is as simple as stopping in for a latte](https://down-ballot.info/recycling-batteries-is-as-simple-as-stopping-in-for-a-latte.md) - As Seas Rise, Louisiana Faces a Choice: Plan for Movement or Let Crisis Decide; Young survivors of gun violence find therapy helps. But will California do more? Bay State's slow adoption of EV chargers through federal program is ‘mystifying’ to transit advocates
- [Kentucky company purchases 9 weeklies in Western NC and North Georgia](https://down-ballot.info/kentucky-company-purchases-9-weeklies-in-western-nc-and-north-georgia.md) - Down Ballot Staff Reports Kentucky-based Paxton Media Group purchased nine newspapers from Georgia-based Community Newspapers, Inc. The weekly publications included in the sale are The Franklin Press (NC), The Highlander (NC), Mitchell News-Journal (NC), Smoky Mountain Times (NC), Clay County Progr…
- [NCDEQ awards $25 million in community recycling  infrastructure grants for Hurricane Helene recovery](https://down-ballot.info/ncdeq-awards-25-million-in-community-recycling-infrastructure-grants-for-hurricane-helene-recovery.md) - Funding supports projects to build resilient waste reduction, recycling, and composting programs in storm-damaged communities
- [More cities are pressing pause on data centers as local backlash grows](https://down-ballot.info/more-cities-are-pressing-pause-on-data-centers-as-local-backlash-grows.md) - By Robbie Sequeira (Stateline) Published: May 28, 2026 Hearing backlash from residents, cities and counties across the country in recent weeks have blocked planned data centers amid concerns over rising electricity prices and environmental harms. The local actions come as state lawmakers also are l…
- [USDA Extends Pause on Loans for Controversial Digesters That Turn Manure Into Biogas](https://down-ballot.info/usda-extends-pause-on-loans-for-controversial-digesters-that-turn-manure-into-biogas.md) - Anaerobic digester loans showed “significant delinquency rates,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, while environmental groups see the technology driving an expansion of large-scale animal farming operations.
- [S.C. early voting starts with high turnout](https://down-ballot.info/s-c-early-voting-starts-with-high-turnout.md) - Federal rural health fund meets healthcare desert in eastern NC; Union group wants to bolster Kansas City's affordable housing by investing pension money; After Sarah T. Reed H.S. closure, NOLA teachers worry that school closures will become the new normal
- [As Funding Declines, Charlotte’s Arts Community Turns to Public Support](https://down-ballot.info/as-funding-declines-charlottes-arts-community-turns-to-public-support.md) - By Penelope Goldstein (Queens University News Service) Published: May 18, 2026 As public funding for nonprofits shifts at the local and national level, arts organizations across Charlotte are beginning to feel the effects through tighter budgets, reduced programming and growing uncertainty about wh…
- [Southern, midsized cities lead population gains between 2024 and 2025](https://down-ballot.info/southern-midsized-cities-lead-population-gains-between-2024-and-2025.md) - By Tim Henderson (Stateline), Published: May 14, 2026 Large, immigrant-rich cities saw population fall back between mid-2024 and mid-2025 after nation-leading increases the year before. Mid-sized cities led the pack in U.S. Census Bureau estimates to be released May 14. The largest numeric increase…
- [Affordability a larger issue for Georgia voters](https://down-ballot.info/affordability-a-larger-part-of-life-for-georgia-voters.md) - NC families with disabled children press lawmakers to maintain funding as federal Medicaid cuts loom; Ex-residents of Chicago apartment building targeted in massive immigration raid seek millions in damages
- [Where Decisions Take Shape: Understanding Charlotte’s City Council Committee Structure](https://down-ballot.info/where-decisions-take-shape-understanding-charlottes-city-council-committee-structure.md) - By Allison Chipps (Queens University News Service) Published: April 14, 2026 In Charlotte, the most important decisions aren’t always made under the bright lights of a full council vote. Instead, they begin in quieter rooms — inside committees of the Charlotte City Council — where fewer people are…
- [BRIEFS: N.C. DEQ announces $1.2M for flood resilience projects in Swannanoa and Rosman](https://down-ballot.info/briefs-n-c-deq-announces-1-2m-for-flood-resilience-projects-in-swannanoa-and-rosman.md) - Mecklenburg County's point-in-time count found 2,018 experiencing homelessness
- [A New Enbridge Pipeline Spurs Opposition in Central North Carolina](https://down-ballot.info/a-new-enbridge-pipeline-spurs-opposition-in-central-north-carolina.md) - The 28-mile conduit is part of a huge natural gas infrastructure buildout in the state that Duke Energy says is necessary to keep up with demand, especially from a coming wave of data centers.
- [Report: Free prison, jail calls linked to better outcomes](https://down-ballot.info/report-free-prison-jail-calls-linked-to-better-outcomes.md) - Northampton Co., NC residents win 32‑month pause on data centers; xAI now has 46 gas turbines without air permits in Mississippi; Rent Freeze No Sure Thing in First Vote By Mamdani-Majority Board
- [2.5 million Americans lost food aid in months after passage of GOP megabill, study finds](https://down-ballot.info/2-5-million-americans-lost-food-aid-in-months-after-passage-of-gop-megabill-study-finds.md) - By Jacob Fischler (DC Bureau (States Newsroom)) Published: April 8, 2026 At least 2.5 million low-income people quickly lost help affording groceries under a Republican-passed law that added new requirements for the nation’s largest nutrition program and shifted hundreds of millions of dollars in c…
- [Food Stamp Work Rules Don’t Increase Employment, Researchers Say](https://down-ballot.info/food-stamp-work-rules-dont-increase-employment-researchers-say.md) - By Taylor Sisk Published: April 23, 2026 DELBARTON, W.Va. — A half-dozen cars had been in the queue for nearly four hours by the time the House of Hope mobile food pantry line began to move. Seventy or so more idled behind them by 11:30 a.m., when the food distribution began. The plan was to begin…
- [FBI raids office of Virginia state senate president](https://down-ballot.info/fbi-raids-office-of-virginia-state-senate-president.md) - California to share data on immigrant drivers nationally, NC county creates safety net for uninsured
- [Charlotte-based Atrium Health targets WakeMed in proposed combination](https://down-ballot.info/charlotte-based-atrium-health-targets-wakemed-in-proposed-combination.md) - by Michelle Crouch and Rose Hoban, North Carolina Health News May 1, 2026 By Michelle Crouch and Rose Hoban Atrium Health, the state’s largest hospital system, is seeking to combine with Raleigh-based WakeMed Health & Hospitals, an independent nonprofit with five hospitals and roughly 350 physician…
- [COMMENTARY: North Carolina is ranked dead last in school funding. My daughter with autism is paying the price.](https://down-ballot.info/commentary-north-carolina-is-ranked-dead-last-in-school-funding-my-daughter-with-autism-is-paying-the-price.md) - By Kristina Peck (North Carolina Newsline) Published: April 16, 2026 There is a version of N.C. Pre-K enrollment that takes twenty minutes. You fill out a form, submit a birth certificate, and your child starts school in the fall. That version does not exist for families like mine. My daughter has…
- [Why UNC-Wilmington wants to launch a medical school](https://down-ballot.info/why-unc-wilmington-wants-to-launch-a-medical-school.md) - The medical school would offer a traditional four-year medical degree and a three-year accelerated track. It wouldn’t be a teaching hospital structure, a deviation from other medical schools in the state, but it would build upon the university’s existing portfolio of health care education.
- [NC Governor Stein signs $319M Medicaid funding plan](https://down-ballot.info/nc-governor-stein-signs-319m-medicaid-funding-plan.md) - Bill that would eliminate Calvin Duncan's court clerk position in New Orleans heads to Louisiana governor
- [BRIEFS: Charlotte transit agency to hold meeting in Rock Hill about the end of bus route](https://down-ballot.info/briefs-charlotte-transit-agency-to-hold-meeting-in-rock-hill-about-the-end-of-bus-route.md) - NC DEQ to hold public hearing on proposed Craven County permit modification
- [Emergency housing vouchers are ending early, leaving cities and renters scrambling](https://down-ballot.info/emergency-housing-vouchers-are-ending-early-leaving-cities-and-renters-scrambling.md) - By Robbie Sequeira (Stateline) Published: April 27, 2026 A New York City mom and domestic violence survivor felt a flashback of fear when she received a notice in March that the emergency housing voucher she and her son have relied on since 2023 will run out soon. “It felt like the rug was pulled o…
- [Transco Pipeline Project Faces Legal Challenge](https://down-ballot.info/transco-pipeline-project-faces-legal-challenge.md) - The company received a federal permit to install a natural gas pipeline using an “open-cut” method that can harm rivers and streams in Virginia and North Carolina. Environmental groups want the permit overturned.
- [First frieght train rolls into Asheville since Helene in 2024](https://down-ballot.info/first-frieght-train-rolls-into-asheville-since-helene-in-2024.md) - NC lawmakers give initial OK to Medicaid bailout bill; VA voters back redistricting; 298 days: Iranian asylum seeker released after judge rules ICE violated his rights; Georgia’s ACA enrollment plunges, raising concerns for rural hospitals
- [Many states don’t report losses from data center tax breaks, study says](https://down-ballot.info/many-states-dont-report-losses-from-data-center-tax-breaks-study-says.md) - According to the study's findings, North and South Carolina are two of the states that failed to report data center incentives.
- [North Carolina tackles toxic firefighting foam — and what it left behind](https://down-ballot.info/north-carolina-tackles-toxic-firefighting-foam-and-what-it-left-behind.md) - by Will Atwater, North Carolina Health News April 8, 2026 By Will Atwater Within months of becoming chief of Double Creek Volunteer Fire and Rescue in November 2025, Jimmy Brown received sobering news: His station’s well water was contaminated with PFAS at levels that exceeded federal limits. The s…
- [Fairfax Co. Police say Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife, then himself Thursday morning](https://down-ballot.info/fairfax-co-police-say-former-virginia-lt-gov-justin-fairfax-kills-wife-then-himself-thursday-morning.md) - Under bill passed by state Senate, New Orleans’ elected court clerk might not be able to take office
- [Extreme drought expands in North Carolina](https://down-ballot.info/extreme-drought-expands-in-north-carolina.md) - The N.C. Forest Service’s ban on all open burning remains in effect until further notice.
- [When the Crowd Gets Quiet: The Hidden Pressure of College Athletics](https://down-ballot.info/when-the-crowd-gets-quiet-the-hidden-pressure-of-college-athletics.md) - By Natalie Dempsey (Queens University News Service) Publication Date: March 19, 2026 On game nights at Queens University of Charlotte, Curry Arena is alive. Students jump to their feet, music pumps through the gym and every made 3-pointer is met with a cheer. That energy was even higher earlier thi…
- [We teach at a Florida university that agreed to cooperate with ICE – and we worry that it is making our students feel less safe](https://down-ballot.info/we-teach-at-a-florida-university-that-agreed-to-cooperate-with-ice-and-we-worry-that-it-is-making-our-students-feel-less-safe.md) - At least 15 Florida state universities and colleges have signed agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement that authorize campus police to carry out immigration enforcement.
- [SCC approves Loudoun transmission line, nixes undergrounding; final route to be determined](https://down-ballot.info/scc-approves-loudoun-transmission-line-nixes-undergrounding-final-route-to-be-determined.md) - By Shannon Heckt (Virginia Mercury) Published: April 10, 2026 After months of fierce debate and community rallies, the State Corporation Commission on Thursday approved the above-ground construction of the Golden-Mars high-voltage transmission line in Loudoun County. There are two options for the f…
- [RAWtools South Turns Guns Into Garden Tools in the Mountain South](https://down-ballot.info/rawtools-south-turns-guns-into-garden-tools-in-the-mountain-south.md) - In Asheville, North Carolina, RAWtools South brings together blacksmiths, gun owners, and faith communities to transform surrendered guns into art.
- [Labor shortage expected for construction season after immigration enforcement in Minnesota](https://down-ballot.info/labor-shortage-expected-for-construction-season-after-immigration-enforcement-in-minnesota.md) - ECU Health’s plan to reopen hospital offers hope to an eastern NC county; Arizona universities quietly altered DEI offerings after the current U.S. president threatened funding cuts; After four patients died, Idaho governor approves restoring cut Medicaid mental health programs.
- [Emergency crews responding to forest fire in Brunswick County](https://down-ballot.info/emergency-crews-responding-to-forest-fire-in-brunswick-county.md) - Down Ballot Staff Reports Emergency crews are responding to an active forest fire in the area of Funston Road and Old Mill Creek in Winnabow, according to a news release from Brunswick County. This is an evolving event and conditions are subject to change. Brunswick County is in southeastern North…
- [Durham tenants form unions to fight for repairs, respect from NC landlords](https://down-ballot.info/durham-tenants-form-unions-to-fight-for-repairs-respect-from-nc-landlords.md) - By Greg Childress (North Carolina Newsline) Published: March 27, 2026 Residents of Willard Street Apartments and nearby Ashton Place in downtown Durham formed tenant unions Thursday to fight against what they contend are poor management and shoddy building maintenance practices. The newly formed Wi…
- [Georgia’s New Public Service Commissioner Says She Will Put Affordability and Transparency First](https://down-ballot.info/georgias-new-public-service-commissioner-says-she-will-put-affordability-and-transparency-first.md) - Alicia Johnson, the first Black woman ever elected to statewide office in Georgia, discusses rate hikes, transparency and her priorities for the Georgia Public Service Commission. By Ryan Krugman April 2, 2026 This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news o…
- [Federal Rural Health Funding Could Trigger Service Cuts](https://down-ballot.info/federal-rural-health-funding-could-trigger-service-cuts.md) - Mardi Gras clean-up workers paid late once again; Housing program in Massachusetts helps break generational poverty by promoting self-sufficiency; Clean water was a top issue for McDowell County, WV voters in 2024. They’re still waiting for help.
- [Medicaid cuts could add pressure to already-stressed psychiatric units](https://down-ballot.info/medicaid-cuts-could-add-pressure-to-already-stressed-psychiatric-units.md) - by Nada Hassanein, Stateline March 23, 2026 Federal Medicaid cuts could exact a heavy toll on psychiatric units at hospitals across the country, many of which are already struggling to keep their doors open but provide essential mental health care to people who need it. Psychiatric units are costly…
- [Rocky Mount seeks to recover after scathing NC audit finds serious financial mistakes](https://down-ballot.info/rocky-mount-seeks-to-recover-after-scathing-nc-audit-finds-serious-financial-mistakes.md) - by Mackenzie Thomas, Carolina Public Press March 19, 2026 A recent state audit this month found that millions of dollars in the Rocky Mount city budget were mismanaged in recent years, which the auditor blamed on a lack of oversight and due diligence by the City Council. Dave Boliek, the state audi…
- [New census estimates show movers swelling population in small Southeast counties](https://down-ballot.info/new-census-estimates-show-movers-swelling-population-in-small-southeast-counties.md) - By Tim Henderson (Stateline) Small counties in the coastal Southeast had some of the largest population gains between mid-2024 and mid-2025 in estimates being released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau, mostly because of people moving from larger areas. Jasper County, South Carolina, where there’s…
- [N.C. Senate to have new majority leader](https://down-ballot.info/n-c-senate-to-have-new-majority-leader.md) - California leaders lionized César Chávez. Now, they face a reckoning with his past; El Paso jail scheduled unauthorized mental health tests for Walmart gunman, records show
- [Virtual Crisis Care Helps Rural Communities Access Mental Health Resources in Emergencies](https://down-ballot.info/virtual-crisis-care-helps-rural-communities-access-mental-health-resources-in-emergencies.md) - by Madeline de Figueiredo, The Daily Yonder March 2, 2026 In rural counties where access to emergency mental health resources is limited, Virtual Crisis Care programs are giving law enforcement on-demand access to behavioral health professionals, reducing unnecessary hospitalizations or confinement…
- [In N.C., Stokes County Approves a Data Center Rezoning, Triggering a Citizens’ Lawsuit](https://down-ballot.info/in-n-c-stokes-county-approves-a-data-center-rezoning-triggering-a-citizens-lawsuit.md) - The data center would be on 1,844 acres that abut or include farms, homes and the burial grounds of Native American and enslaved people.
- [Mississippi school district is addressing its educator shortage](https://down-ballot.info/mississippi-school-district-is-addressing-its-educator-shortage.md) - After a Decade of Missteps, a Texas City Careens Toward a Water-Shortage Catastrophe; Only 13 of the nearly 100 known lynching sites in Virginia have historic markers. A new state program seeks to change that
- [Asheville employs more municipal workers than similar-sized cities. Is it necessary for a busy tourist town or a sign of bloat?](https://down-ballot.info/asheville-employs-more-municipal-workers-than-similar-sized-cities-is-it-necessary-for-a-busy-tourist-town-or-a-sign-of-bloat.md) - Staffing under consideration as Asheville faces $26 million budget gap. The long-term challenge: building the tax base
- [The long history of silent meditation retreats and the individuals who helped shape them](https://down-ballot.info/the-long-history-of-silent-meditation-retreats-and-the-individuals-who-helped-shape-them.md) - The Burmese meditation master Sayagyi U Ba Khin played a key role in shaping the meditation retreats that are popular today.
- [North Carolina Created Complaint Systems for Its Industrialized Farms. They Don’t Work Very Well.](https://down-ballot.info/north-carolina-created-complaint-systems-for-its-industrialized-farms-they-dont-work-very-well.md) - Complaints become part of the record only if a violation is found, but the state has only 14 inspectors for thousands of hog, poultry and cattle farms known as concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs.
- [Labor Department struggling to deliver on H-2A promise for farmers](https://down-ballot.info/labor-department-struggling-to-deliver-on-h-2a-promise-for-farmers.md) - N.C. clinics offer a path forward to obtaining a driver's license for the previously incarcerated; Boil water advisories, water main breaks stress cash-strapped New Orleans families
- [Brunswick County opposes Fuquay-Varina's interbasin transfer request](https://down-ballot.info/brunswick-county-opposes-fuquay-varinas-interbasin-transfer-request.md) - Other local governments in southeastern N.C. also oppose the request
- [Pricing Into Adulthood: Students Navigate Charlotte’s Housing Crunch](https://down-ballot.info/pricing-into-adulthood-students-navigate-charlottes-housing-crunch.md) - Link to original story: Pricing Into Adulthood: Students Navigate Charlotte’s Housing Crunch - Queens University News ServiceIn Charlotte, cranes dot the skyline and “For Rent” signs line busy corridors — but for many college students, those signs signal competition rather than opportunity. The cit…
- [National EV funding fight hits home along Charlotte’s I‑77 corridor](https://down-ballot.info/national-ev-funding-fight-hits-home-along-charlottes-i-77-corridor.md) - by Will Atwater, North Carolina Health News March 5, 2026 By Will Atwater Ron Ross, 70, has spent decades in Charlotte’s Historic West End watching traffic thicken on nearby I‑77 and working alongside his neighbors to fight for cleaner air and a healthier future — one that includes electric cars. N…
- [War puts Iran’s participation in World Cup, training plans in Tucson, Arizona in doubt](https://down-ballot.info/war-puts-irans-participation-in-world-cup-training-plans-in-tucson-arizona-in-doubt.md) - Voters push for change in closely watched NC primary contests
- [What does it mean to be a new national park? Ocmulgee Mounds in Georgia may soon find out](https://down-ballot.info/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-new-national-park-ocmulgee-mounds-in-georgia-may-soon-find-out.md) - By Seth T. Kannarr, University of Tennessee Ocmulgee Mounds, a site in central Georgia with 12,000 years of Indigenous history, may be on the verge of becoming the newest U.S. national park. This is the flagship designation of the National Park Service system, which includes many types of propertie…
- [Taboo tics like shouting curses and slurs are uncommon in Tourette syndrome − but people who have them suffer harsh social stigma](https://down-ballot.info/taboo-tics-like-shouting-curses-and-slurs-are-uncommon-in-tourette-syndrome-but-people-who-have-them-suffer-harsh-social-stigma.md) - Obscene language tics, called coprolalia, don’t reveal what people with Tourette’s think and feel. In fact, tics often compel people to say or do precisely what they most wish to avoid.
- [Norman C. Francis, a stalwart New Orleans leader in civil rights, business and education dies at 94](https://down-ballot.info/norman-c-francis-a-stalwart-new-orleans-leader-in-civil-rights-business-and-education-dies-at-94.md) - Francis was the first Black president of Xavier University and integrated Loyola University's law school
- [BREAKING: Spartanburg County Council calls meeting for Friday regarding possible new data center](https://down-ballot.info/breaking-spartanburg-county-council-calls-meeting-for-friday-regarding-possible-new-data-center.md) - If approved, the facility would be the fifth for the Upstate South Carolina County
- [California Pays Farms to Make Biogas from Hog Waste in North Carolina, Where Locals Say It’s Fueling Pollution](https://down-ballot.info/california-pays-farms-to-make-biogas-from-hog-waste-in-north-carolina-where-locals-say-its-fueling-pollution.md) - Last year, six farms were the first in the Tar Heel State to get funding from California’s program offsetting its transportation emissions. Their permits to make biogas already have civil rights complaints against them for the pollution from the process.
- [N.C. continues to pursue cleanup of illegal mine in Mitchell County](https://down-ballot.info/n-c-continues-to-pursue-cleanup-of-illegal-mine-in-mitchell-county.md) - Since the August order, the state has conducted multiple inspections at the mine and has observed that Horizon 30’s attempt to prevent harm to the site has not been successful
- [Who gets a bed in NC’s state psychiatric hospitals — and who waits?](https://down-ballot.info/who-gets-a-bed-in-ncs-state-psychiatric-hospitals-and-who-waits.md) - The three state-operated facilities are designed to serve North Carolinians with the most complex mental health needs, including those who can’t be treated safely in community-based facilities.
- [Lawmakers seeking answers following FAA restrictions in El Paso, Texas region](https://down-ballot.info/lawmakers-seeking-answers-following-faa-restrictions-in-el-paso-texas-region.md) - NOLA group works to improve conditions for Mardi Gras clean-up workers, MS senators call for improved disaster response after winter storm, Tribal court hearing for former Swain, NC sheriff delayed
- [A ‘servant leader’ honored: The nation pays tribute to Jesse Jackson, civil rights icon](https://down-ballot.info/a-servant-leader-honored-the-nation-pays-tribute-to-jesse-jackson-civil-rights-icon.md) - How Jesse Jackson was shaped by Southern segregation − and went on to reshape American political life
- [The whistleblower, the Forest Service, and an endless battle in North Carolina’s mountains](https://down-ballot.info/the-whistleblower-the-forest-service-and-an-endless-battle-in-north-carolinas-mountains.md) - Scott Ashcraft warned that the agency was imperiling Native American gravesites and artifacts. Then his three-decade career fell apart.
- [N.C. announces $5.7M for Flood Resilience Projects in the French Broad River Basin](https://down-ballot.info/n-c-announces-5-7m-for-flood-resilience-projects-in-the-french-broad-river-basin.md) - Down Ballot Staff Reports Today in Woodfin, Governor Josh Stein announced $5.7 million in grants from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Flood Resiliency Blueprint to reduce flood risk in the French Broad River Basin. The announcement includes eight projects that will cr…
- [A Troubled Hog Farm in Wayne County, North Carolina, Is Hit With a New String of Violations](https://down-ballot.info/a-troubled-hog-farm-in-wayne-county-north-carolina-is-hit-with-a-new-string-of-violations.md) - Equipped with both a biodigester to capture methane from hog waste and a system to spray what’s left of the feces and urine onto nearby farm fields, the former White Oaks Farm continues to pollute the surrounding environment.
- [Young, undocumented immigrants are finding it increasingly hard to attend college as South Carolina and other states restrict in-state tuition or ban them altogether](https://down-ballot.info/young-undocumented-immigrants-are-finding-it-increasingly-hard-to-attend-college-as-south-carolina-and-other-states-restrict-in-state-tuition-or-ban-them-altogether.md) - William McCorkle, College of Charleston, The Conversation (The Conversation) December 9, 2025 By William McCorkle, College of Charleston The Trump administration’s aggressive deportation policies have heightened stress among the country’s approximately 14 million immigrants who are living in the U.…
- [Extreme drought impacts three North Carolina counties](https://down-ballot.info/extreme-drought-impacts-three-north-carolina-counties.md) - Parts of three counties are in extreme drought: Cabarrus, Stanly and Union counties.
- [Britain quit coal, but changed to burning Louisiana's trees](https://down-ballot.info/britain-quit-coal-but-changed-to-burning-louisianas-trees.md) - DHS buys El Paso, Texas warehouses, Inside Minnesotans’ moonshot to cover rent for their immigrant neighbors, People in 15 Mississippi counties can receive replacement SNAP benefits without application
- [N.C. Judge Upholds the State’s Limits on 1,4-Dioxane Pollution in Utilities’ Wastewater](https://down-ballot.info/n-c-judge-upholds-the-states-limits-on-1-4-dioxane-pollution-in-utilities-wastewater.md) - The chemical, used in solvents, degreasers and some consumer products, is a likely carcinogen that can harm the liver and kidneys
- [Their value attacked and funding cut, universities and colleges start fighting back](https://down-ballot.info/their-value-attacked-and-funding-cut-universities-and-colleges-start-fighting-back.md) - By Jon Marcus (The Hechinger Report) January 27, 2026 A narrator speaks over images of busy cityscapes, children playing in a field and ominous scenes of natural disasters and civil unrest. “There’s no sugarcoating it,” the deep voice warns. “America’s future is under attack.” Its salvation: higher…
- [Federal Funding Cuts Hit Queens University Programs, Forcing Hard Choices as Merger Looms](https://down-ballot.info/federal-funding-cuts-hit-queens-university-programs-forcing-hard-choices-as-merger-looms.md) - Sawyer Davis (Queens University News Service) December 20, 2025 Queens University of Charlotte is entering a year of major transition as federal funding cuts, enrollment struggles and the looming merger with Elon University converge to reshape the future of the century-old institution. While the un…
- [Hmong refugee stranded in Texas after release from ICE detention](https://down-ballot.info/hmong-refugee-stranded-in-texas-after-release-from-ice-detention.md) - NC prisons face ‘dire’ staffing crisis, Elon University working to bring legal education back to Charlotte, In Iowa, many rivers and lakes improve briefly, then fall back into impairment, NOLA residents work to make Mardi Gras more sustainable
- [N.C. A&T students take lead on early voting](https://down-ballot.info/n-c-a-t-students-take-lead-on-early-voting.md) - State election officials project confidence after FBI search of Georgia elections office
- [BRIEFS: Spartanburg County could get another data center](https://down-ballot.info/briefs-spartanburg-county-could-get-another-data-center.md) - Proposed project needs to pass two more votes before approval by county council
- [Feds restore mental health funds](https://down-ballot.info/feds-restore-mental-health-funds.md) - Rural communities stand with vulnerable neighbors in Minnesota; Mothers, daughters, Girl Scouts traveled to Richmond to watch the first woman become governor of Virginia; Measles cases climb in NC; Duke Energy Plans to Build a Massive Natural Gas Power Plant in Davidson County, NC
- [DEQ Division of Water Resources awards more than $1.5M for stream restoration, water management, recreation projects](https://down-ballot.info/deq-division-of-water-resources-awards-more-than-1-5m-for-stream-restoration-water-management-recreation-projects.md) - Down Ballot Staff Reports RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources has awarded more than $1.5 million in grants to support stream restoration, water-based recreation and water management projects across North Carolina. The grants were awarded to…
- [Brunswick County Commissioners approve purchase of 380 acres for future raw water reservoir](https://down-ballot.info/brunswick-county-commissioners-approve-purchase-of-380-acres-for-future-raw-water-reservoir.md) - Land is in the Leland area near the Northwest Water Treatment Plant
- [Unrest continues in Minnesota; Former inmate buys N.C. prison; UNC Charlotte faces racial discrimination claim](https://down-ballot.info/unrest-continues-in-minnesota-former-inmate-buys-n-c-prison-unc-charlotte-faces-racial-discrimination-claim.md) - Helena Moreno sworn in as the Crescent City's second woman mayor
- [Feds bar Minnesota from investigating Minneapolis ICE shooting](https://down-ballot.info/feds-bar-minnesota-from-investigating-minneapolis-ice-shooting.md) - Many L.A. fire survivors face insurance delays and can’t return home a year later
- [Dry conditions widespread across North Carolina](https://down-ballot.info/dry-conditions-widespread-across-north-carolina.md) - Down Ballot Staff Reports RALEIGH – Dry conditions are widespread in North Carolina, according to the latest update from the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council released on Thursday. All or parts of 32 counties in central and western North Carolina are considered in severe drought, o…
- [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says it will cease operations in May](https://down-ballot.info/pittsburgh-post-gazette-says-it-will-cease-operations-in-may.md) - The news coincides with the closure of the Pittsburgh City Paper last week.
- [Measles reported in Buncombe as public health officials worry about spread in the face of declining vaccination rates](https://down-ballot.info/measles-reported-in-buncombe-as-public-health-officials-worry-about-spread-in-the-face-of-declining-vaccination-rates.md) - The 3 cases are part of a surge in illnesses – chickenpox, whooping cough and flu – that can be prevented or contained by immunizations
- [Gun violence dropped to its lowest level in decades](https://down-ballot.info/gun-violence-dropped-to-its-lowest-level-in-decades.md) - Virginia conservation group sues EPA over PFAS, Mamdani builds team in NYC, Faculty at NC colleges report anxiety over threats to academic freedom
- [Clinicians part of mental health calls in Golden State](https://down-ballot.info/clinicians-part-of-mental-health-calls-in-golden-state.md) - Virginia Lawmaker Weighs in on White’s Ferry Impasse; Danville, Va. city council member continuing recovery following attack
- [Report proposes halving FEMA](https://down-ballot.info/report-proposes-halving-fema.md) - 2 NC municipalities in Carteret and Hertford counties must redo elections; DHS adding funding in hopes of getting more local law enforcement agencies to work with ICE
- [Feds conclude first week of immigration raids in Crescent City](https://down-ballot.info/feds-conclude-first-week-of-immigration-raids-in-crescent-city.md) - South Carolina’s Measles Outbreak Shows Chilling Effect of Vaccine Misinformation; Stein restores Medicaid rates in NC amid budget shortfall
- [Virginia town focused on its undefeated football team, not fugitive coach](https://down-ballot.info/virginia-town-focused-on-its-undefeated-football-team-not-fugitive-coach.md) - Mass. AG's suit against Meta at the state's highest court; Jay Lee's family sees justice in Mississippi
- [N.C. launches grants program to support communities harmed by Helene](https://down-ballot.info/n-c-launches-grants-program-to-support-communities-harmed-by-helene.md) - Hendersonville taking applications for participatory budget process until Dec. 19
- [Asheville to meet on Friday for making interim city manager appointment](https://down-ballot.info/asheville-to-meet-on-friday-for-making-interim-city-manager-appointment.md) - Current manager Debra Campbell announced her retirement earlier this year
- [Feds target Crescent City for immigration raids](https://down-ballot.info/feds-target-crescent-city-for-immigration-raids.md) - Asheville, N.C. hospital just out of immediate jeopardy could face Medicare termination
- [Programs attempt to address the teacher shortage. Are they enough?](https://down-ballot.info/programs-attempt-to-address-the-teacher-shortage-are-they-enough.md) - Astrid Ramirez Guerrero (Queens University News Service) October 16, 2025 Programs attempt to address the teacher shortage. Are they enough? - Queens University News ServiceSchools across Charlotte continue to experience teacher shortages while the demands of the job become increasingly difficult t…
- [UPDATE: NCDEQ to extend comment period for Fuquay-Varina Interbasin Transfer Certificate request](https://down-ballot.info/update-ncdeq-to-extend-comment-period-for-fuquay-varina-interbasin-transfer-certificate-request.md) - Dec. 9 Raleigh hearing will also be accessible via livestream and comment period has been extended until April 1, 2026; Spartanburg City Council to meet Monday, Nov. 24, 2025
- [Federal Immigration Raids Occur in N.C.](https://down-ballot.info/federal-immigration-raids-occur-in-n-c.md) - S.C. Senate's abortion bill fails in a subcommittee meeting
- [S.C. Senate subcommittee meeting on Tues. Nov. 18 to discuss Senate Bill 323](https://down-ballot.info/n-c-immigrant-advocates-create-map-of-ice-activity.md) - Mecklenburg Co. officials issue joint statement on federal immigration enforcement activities in Charlotte
- [BRIEFS: Palmetto State measles cases at 47](https://down-ballot.info/briefs-palmetto-state-measles-cases-at-47.md) - SC Department of Public Health will have mobile units in Landrum, in northern Spartanburg County on Monday, Nov. 17 and Tuesday, Nov. 18; Brunswick County to oppose Fuquay-Varina’s interbasin transfer
- [Asheville hospital out of immediate jeopardy; Analyzing the voting data in NYC and Va.](https://down-ballot.info/asheville-hospital-out-of-immediate-jeopardy-analyzing-the-voting-data-in-nyc-and-va.md) - Wisconsin Worker’s comp bill with first raise in a decade for permanently disabled up for public hearing; Simple, short-term solutions to Asheville’s Black population decline are difficult to find, implement
- [N.C. DEQ to hold public hearings on Transco and Fuquay-Varina's Interbasin Transfer request](https://down-ballot.info/n-c-deq-to-hold-public-hearings-on-transco-and-fuquay-varinas-interbasin-transfer-request.md) - Fuquay-Varina's current water supply is projected to fall short of future demands by 2030

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