September 15, 2025

Chatham/North Carolina

Budget

Axios: At the center of North Carolina's budget deadlock are state income tax cuts

Charlie Kirk Killing

Cardinal & Pine: North Carolina Politicians Decry Political Violence in Wake of Charlie Kirk’s Death

WRAL: North Carolina Students and Lawmakers React to the Surge of Political Violence Nationwide

Chatham County Chamber

Chapelboro: On Air Today: Chatham County Chamber President and CEO Rebecca Dickenson

Climate Change

Cardinal & Pine: In North Carolina, Trump Administration Reviewing Climate Change Signs at Cape Hatteras

Courts

The Assembly NC: Odor in the Court

Crime

ABC News: North Carolina Republicans Blame Democrats for ‘Woke’ Policies They Say Contributed to Charlotte Light-Rail Stabbing

Axios: Charlotte light rail killing sparks North Carolina GOP crime bill push

Carolina Public Press: GOP Legislative Leaders in NC Respond to Murders With ‘Tough-on-Crime’ Proposals

WUNC: Berger, Hall Say General Assembly Will Take Up Criminal Justice Bill in Response to Charlotte Murder

WUNC: Charlotte stabbing prompts policy proposals

Democratic Party

Carolina Public Press: New NC Progressive House Caucus Sets Aggressive Uncompromising Agenda

Education

WUNC: Who Owns a Public University Syllabus?

Carolina Public Press: Why Some NC Teachers Are Considering Private School Jobs

Elections

Associated Press: North Carolina Voter ID and Tax Cap Amendments Are Enforceable, Judges Rule

Carolina Public Press: Upsets, Nail-Biters and Some Blowouts. Low Turnout Prevails in NC Municipal Primaries.

WRAL: NC Elections Officials Approve New Guidance for Voters With Mismatched Registration Information

WRAL: Judge Oks Settlement in North Carolina Voter Registration Lawsuit by Justice Department

WUNC: Elections board reversal averts conflict with state law

Environment

NC Health News: NC Landfills Create Hidden Risk: PFAS-Contaminated Sludge and Groundwater

WUNC: If this policy is taken away, parts of NC national forests could be open for development

Health Care

Cardinal & Pine: How a North Carolina Help Line Delivers Pediatric Mental Health Services Statewide

Orange Democrats: Let’s Not Abandon the Children Who Need Us Most

Orange Democrats: What We Have To Do To Save Medicare

WRAL: NC Becomes Latest State To Make COVID Vaccines Available Without Prescription

WUNC: Fewer North Carolinians are uninsured as Medicaid expanded, U.S. Census figures show

Hurricane Helene

News & Observer: NC’s Ted Budd Breaks With Party To Send Warning to Kristi Noem Over Helene Relief

WLOS: ‘Our Needs Are Urgent’: WNC Residents Say Michael Whatley Isn’t Helping After Helene

Immigration

The Assembly NC: Private Prison in Eastern N.C. May Reopen for Immigration Detention

The Assembly NC: Thom Tillis Says He Doesn’t Want a White House Crackdown on Charlotte

WUNC: Immigration Fears Cast Shadow Over Some Latino Events Across North Carolina

Josh Stein

Associated Press: A Democratic Governor, A Republican Legislature: How Josh Stein Navigates North Carolina Politics

Tim Moore

The Assembly NC: N.C. Rep. Tim Moore is Betting Against Trump’s Economy

Tribal Recognition

WUNC: The Lumbee Are Once Again Close To Receiving Federal Recognition

Tropical Depression Chantal

Chapelboro: FEMA Approves Disaster Assistance for Chantal’s Flood-Damaged Areas, Including Orange County

U.S. Supreme Court

Cardinal & Pine: Opinion: Ketanji Brown Jackson, the First Black Woman on the Supreme Court, Wows Fayetteville State

Trump Policies

USA Today: Opinion: An Ode to My North Carolina Hometown as Trump’s Policies Threaten To Destroy It

U.S./International

AI

Politico: Trump Loves AI, and the MAGA World Is Getting Worried

Charlie Kirk Shooting

CBS News: White House Requests $58 Million To Increase Security for Executive, Judicial Branches After Charlie Kirk Shooting, Sources Say

CNN: Trump Has Turned Up the Temperature After Kirk’s Killing. Spencer Cox is Trying To Turn It Back Down.

NBC News: Toxic rhetoric proliferates after Charlie Kirk killing

NBC News: After Charlie Kirk’s Death, Teachers and Professors Nationwide Fired or Disciplined Over Social Media Posts

NOTUS: Fear of Political Violence Looms Large Over Campaigns

NOTUS: Fear and What Comes After

NPR: Charlie Kirk’s Widow: ‘You Have No Idea What You Have Just Unleashed’

NY Times: The Evening: Charlie Kirk Killed in Shooting

NY Times: On Politics: Charlie Kirk and America’s Grim Routine

NY Times: The Morning: Charlie Kirk

NY Times: The Evening: The Search for Charlie Kirk’s Killer

NY Times: The Morning: The Manhunt

NY Times: The Evening: Suspect Arrested in Charlie Kirk Killing

NY Times: On Politics: A Republican Governor Tries To Stop the Blame Game

Politico: Elected Officials Wonder Whether To Continue In-Person Town Halls: ‘How Can We?’

Politico: Can America unwind its Gordian knot of political violence?

Politico: 10 Political Violence Experts on What Comes Next for America

USA Today: White House in Agony Over Charlie Kirk Assassination as Trump, Aides Mourn

Washington Post (Gift Article): Trump Vows To Punish Critics After Slaying of Charlie Kirk

WIRED: Charlie Kirk Was Shot and Killed in a Post-Content-Moderation World

Climate Change

Forbes: The Energy Department Gets an F on Its Climate Report

Washington Post: EPA Says Companies Shouldn’t Have To Report Planet-Warming Emissions

Congress

NOTUS: Inside House Democrats’ Legal War Room

Politico: Trump Boosts End-Run Around Johnson on Congressional Stock Trading Ban

Democratic Party

NBC News: Bernie Sanders Makes His Next Moves To Reshape the Democratic Party

Diplomacy

NBC News: U.S. diplomats say they're reluctant to share inconvenient truths with the Trump administration

Disaster Relief

Associated Press: AP: Major disaster declarations taking longer under Trump

DOGE

ProPublica: Inside DOGE’s Takeover of the Social Security Administration

Economy

ABC News: US Economy Added 911,000 Fewer Jobs Than Previously Reported in Largest-Ever Revision

CBS News: Americans’ Confidence in Finding a New Job Falls to Record Low

CBS News: Major jobs revision today could show the labor market is weaker than previously thought

CNN: How Bad is America’s Economy, Really?

CNN: Why Rising Black Unemployment is a Warning Sign for America’s Economy

Politico: ‘Behind the curve’: Pressure mounts for Fed rate cuts after massive employment revision

Politico: Inflation jumps as Trump, Powell confront weakening labor market

Politico: ‘Trump’s Going to Take the Fed Over’

Politico: Trump is selling a strong economy. Voters aren’t buying it.

Semafor: Flagging economy weighs on Republicans’ midterm hopes

The Guardian: As US Edges Closer to Stagflation, Economists Blame Trump Policies

Washington Post (Gift Article): Trump Faces Same Economic Challenges That Cost Harris Her White House Bid

Yahoo Finance: The Fed ‘Desperately’ Wants To Avoid a Recession Because It Doesn’t Want To Get Blamed and Put Its Independence At Risk, Top Economist Says

Education

NBC News: Harvard Notified Grants Frozen by Trump Administration Will Start To Be Restored

Elections

Axios: Senate Democrats Locked in 2026 Proxy War

Axios: Trump’s Criticizing Dem Governors With 2028 in Mind

NOTUS: Democrats Think They Can Finally Win on Social Security

Environment

Reuters: Trump EPA Seeks To Speed Up Permitting for AI Infrastructure

CBS6 Albany: EPA Decides Not To Defend Federal Drinking Water Standards for PFAS Chemicals in Court

Epstein Files

Axios: Trump and Johnson Likely Doomed in Efforts To Stop Epstein Files Vote

CBS News: House Panel Releases More Records from Jeffrey Epstein’s Estate, Including Letter Allegedly Written by Trump

NOTUS: House Oversight Panel Reveals Trump’s ‘Bawdy’ Birthday Note to Epstein

NOTUS: Republicans Plead Ignorance When Asked About Trump’s Letter to Epstein

NY Times: The Morning: Epstein’s Bankers

Federal Budget

Axios: House Democrats Fume at Schumer in Closed-Door Meeting

NOTUS: Democrats Hate Trump's Budget Law — Except the Parts They Want

Politico: Trump Wants To Punt Shutdown Deadline to Jan. 31

Politico: This Deal Could Avert a Shutdown – If Congress Decides To Take It

The Hill: Distrust Clouds Democratic Strategy Amid Shutdown Battle With GOP

The Hil: Democrats Fear Falling Into GOP Trap on Government Shutdown

Washington Post (Gift Article): Trump Administration Asks Congress for Extra Funding in Talks To Dodge Shutdown

FBI

Associated Press: Patel Faces Congressional Hearings After Missteps in Kirk Assassination Probe and Turmoil at FBI

CNN: ‘It’s Unacceptable’: Inside Growing Concerns About Patel’s FBI Leadership

Governance

NBC News: Republicans Are Trying To Raise the Bar for Voters To Amend Their State Constitutions

Health Care

AARP: Medicare Part B Premium Expected to Top $200 a Month in 2026

NOTUS: MAHA Report on Childhood Disease Calls for a ‘Vaccine Injury Research Program’

NOTUS: Freedom Caucus Members Vow to Block Any Health Care Subsidy Extension

NY Times: The Morning: A MAHA Report

Politico: RFK Jr.'s new MAHA roadmap is finally public

Reuters: Just 1 in 4 Americans believe Trump administration vaccine shifts are based on science, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

Time: New D.C. Normal: RFK Jr. Says 1 Thing, Medical Leaders Another

Immigration

Axios: Supreme Court Lifts Limits on ICE Stops in LA

CNN: Judge Says Trump Administration is Making ‘An End Run Around’ Federal Court Orders in Deportation Case

NOTUS: Supreme Court Temporarily Greenlights Race-Based Targeting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in LA

NY Times: The Evening: Court Lifts Imigration Stop Limits

NY Times: On Politics: Meet the New ICE Recruits

Politico: White House’s immigration blitz runs up against ICE bed capacity

Israel

NY Times: The Evening: Israel Targets Hamas Leaders in Qatar

Jan. 6 Investigation

CNN: Jeffries Says Republicans Will ‘Regret’ GOP-Led Jan. 6 Investigation as Democrats Agree To Participate

Justice

NOTUS: Lisa Cook: Judge Blocks Trump’s Removal of Fed Governor

Time: 3 Pillars of Trump’s Power—Including Tariffs—Head to Supreme Court

Kamala Harris

Washington Post (Gift Article): Harris Says It Was ‘Recklessness’ To Defer to Bidens on Reelection Decision

LGBTQ Rights

Politico: Supreme Court denies South Carolina’s emergency request to enforce anti-transgender school bathroom policy

Media

NPR: CBS Shifts To Appease the Right Under New Owner

Redistricting

Fox News: Missouri House Approves Redistricting Plan as Part of Nationwide GOP Push To Defend House Majority

Politico: Republicans Brace for Redistricting ‘Catastrophe’ in California

Politico: Democrats Launch Legal Blitz To Blunt GOP Redistricting Advantage

Politico: Why Hakeem Jeffries hasn’t been able to bend Democrats to his will on redistricting

The Hill: Utah is the Surprise Redistricting State: What To Know

Reproductive Rights

NY Times: The Morning: State vs. State

Supreme Court

CNN: Barrett and Sotomayor Appear To Shut Down Talk of a Third Trump Term When Asked About the 22^nd Amendment

Politico: John Roberts Allows Trump To Withhold Foreign-Aid Funds Approved By Congress – For Now

Politico: Kavanaugh Says No One Has Too Much Power in US System. Critics See Supreme Court Bowing to Trump.

Tariffs

NBC News: The White House is Exploring How To Keep Trump’s Tariffs if the Supreme Court Strikes Them Down

NBC News: New Tariff Rules Bring ‘Maximum Chaos’ as Surprise Charges Hit Consumers

NBC News: Supreme Court Agrees To Consider Whether Most of Trump’s Tariffs Are Legal