The focus of the march is to hold state Republican lawmakers accountable for failing to fully invest in public education, as shown by the absence of a state budget and...
Read MoreThe focus of the march is to hold state Republican lawmakers accountable for failing to fully invest in public education, as shown by the absence of a state budget and...
Read More
Duke Energy is continuing its push for higher electricity rates in North Carolina, with a new request filed last week to increase customer bills in order to cover rising fuel and power costs.

When we are counting pennies, fearing layoffs or looking for work, watching crops die, or bills pile up, we often retreat and retrench, close others out. But to stare this down, to build the change we need, there’s no way we can do this but together.

Financial disclosures show that Whatley has earned over $219,660 from investments tied to oil and gas companies, including ConocoPhillips, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Devon Energy, and Shell. His total holdings in the sector are valued at up to $1.39 million.

The focus of the march is to hold state Republican lawmakers accountable for failing to fully invest in public education, as shown by the absence of a state budget and the dismissal of Leandro by the state’s highest court.

“Generating power at giant plants far away and transmitting it across long lines is inefficient and extremely vulnerable,” economic and community development specialist Ian Baillie said. “If we generate power inside communities and keep the distribution inside those communities, outages affect smaller areas and are easier to fix.”

La Corte Suprema de Carolina del Norte es el tribunal más alto del estado y es la última instancia en temas de ley estatal, lo que significa que sus decisiones no pueden apelarse dentro del sistema judicial estatal. En un momento clave para muchas comunidades, entender cómo funciona es fundamental, ya que sus fallos pueden tener un impacto directo en la vida cotidiana. A diferencia de otros tribunales, la Corte Suprema no cuenta con jurado y se enfoca en escuchar argumentos orales de casos apelados desde tribunales inferiores.

North Carolina was forced to pay nearly $3.5 billion in tariffs since President Trump took office, while the farming industry and rural economy are expected to lose about $1.9 billion and 8,000 jobs. North Carolina households are expected to pay about $800 to $1,300 this year as a result of tariffs.

More than 33,000 North Carolina and South Carolina residents have signed the petition asking for an independent review of the system to determine any overcharges on bills and call for the company to issue refunds, if that is the case.

Former teacher of the year Kimberly Jones, once a rural area public school student, says state lawmakers should offer the same opportunities to rural students that are offered to those from wealthier areas.

“Rural communities are the backbone of North Carolina, and it’s important that we hear directly from people across our state… These listening sessions help us focus our efforts and make smart investments in economic opportunity, infrastructure, education, and health care.”

As North Carolina heads toward a competitive 2026 election cycle, the outcome of this policy shift may have far-reaching consequences.

Another month into 2026 means another month without a state budget for North Carolinians as state lawmakers show no sign of progress in negotiations. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein warns that the lack of a budget puts North Carolina’s economic growth at risk.

Duke Energy Carolinas kept $21.70 of every $100 paid by North Carolinians in 2024 as pure profit. That’s higher than normal for energy companies and much higher than other industries.

The anniversary is a reminder of what is possible when leaders prioritize working families and build coalitions to lower costs and expand access to care. It also underscores what is at stake as new proposals threaten to undo that progress.