North Carolina - Down Ballot

Queens University

Federal Funding Cuts Hit Queens University Programs, Forcing Hard Choices as Merger Looms

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 university maintains that its core mission

NC A&T

N.C. A&T students take lead on early voting

State election officials project confidence after FBI search of Georgia elections office

Mental Health

Feds restore mental health funds

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

North Carolina

DEQ Division of Water Resources awards more than $1.5M for stream restoration, water management, recreation projects

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 nine local governments through the Water

North Carolina

Brunswick County Commissioners approve purchase of 380 acres for future raw water reservoir

Land is in the Leland area near the Northwest Water Treatment Plant

Minnesota

Unrest continues in Minnesota; Former inmate buys N.C. prison; UNC Charlotte faces racial discrimination claim

Helena Moreno sworn in as the Crescent City's second woman mayor

ICE Minneapolis shooting

Feds bar Minnesota from investigating Minneapolis ICE shooting

Many L.A. fire survivors face insurance delays and can’t return home a year later

Public Health

Measles reported in Buncombe as public health officials worry about spread in the face of declining vaccination rates

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

Gun violence dropped to its lowest level in decades

Virginia conservation group sues EPA over PFAS, Mamdani builds team in NYC, Faculty at NC colleges report anxiety over threats to academic freedom

Proposed FEMA Downsizing

Report proposes halving FEMA

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

Virginia

Virginia town focused on its undefeated football team, not fugitive coach

Mass. AG's suit against Meta at the state's highest court; Jay Lee's family sees justice in Mississippi

Helene

N.C. launches grants program to support communities harmed by Helene

Hendersonville taking applications for participatory budget process until Dec. 19

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