October 7th, 2025
Alan Buis and Gloria Weissman

North Carolina
Charlotte Stabbing
The Assembly NC: JD Vance Blames Democrats for the Fatal Charlotte Stabbing
Climate Change
Chapelboro: Town of Carrboro Argues Case in Duke Energy, Climate Change Lawsuit’s Initial Hearing
IndyWeek: Is Duke Energy Liable for Climate-Related Property Damage?
Inside Climate News: In Its New Carbon Plan, Duke Energy Gambles on Coal as a Shorter-Term Fix for Powering Data Centers
WRAL: Duke Energy ‘2025 Carolinas’ Plan Includes More Gas, Delayed Coal Retirements
Economy
Carolina Forward: First in Flight: Greensboro?
Education
Carolina Public Press: Why is Enrollment Booming Across UNC System Schools?
The Assembly NC: This Faculty Advocacy Group Has Doubled Under Trump 2.0
The Assembly NC: The Politically Connected Law Firm Leading Civics School Investigation
Elections
Carolina Public Press: Accountability and Growth Among Top Issues in NC Municipal Elections
The Assembly NC: Democrats Are Losing Members in N.C. But Are the Republicans Gaining?
The News & Observer: NC Auditor Hires Former GOP Director in New ‘Election Integrity’ Oversight Role
FEMA
The Assembly NC: Lawmakers Worry Shutdown Will Delay FEMA Funds to North Carolina
Gerrymandering
Associated Press: Judge Rejects Claims of Racial Gerrymandering in North Carolina State Senate Districts
Carolina Public Press: Appetite for Even More Gerrymandered District Maps Surfaces in NC
The Assembly NC: Where’s the Line?
Government Shutdown
Cardinal & Pine: What Would a Federal Government Shutdown Mean for North Carolina?
Cardinal & Pine: ‘Pawns in a Political Game’: Federal Workers in Western Carolina Frustrated By Government Shutdown
IndyWeek: What the Federal Shutdown Means for Triangle Residents
NC Health News: NC Aging Advocates Warn What Federal Shutdown and Proposed Cuts Could Mean for Seniors
The News & Observer: The Government Shutdown is Here. How Will North Carolinians Be Impacted?
Governor Stein
The Assembly NC: Crime Bill, Chantal Relief on Stein’s Desk
The News & Observer: How North Carolinians Rank Gov. Josh Stein in New High Point University Poll
Health Care
Chapelboro: North Carolina Medicaid Patients Face Care Access Threat as Funding Impasse Continues
NC Health News: Medicaid Standoff Could Put Health Care for Many North Carolinians at Risk
NC Newsline: NC State Health Plan To Help Members Find Alternatives to Duke Doctors
NC Newsline: Gov. Josh Stein Calls for Red Flag Law, Says NC Must Fix ‘Broken’ Mental Health Care System
The Assembly NC: Stein’s Medicaid Cuts Deadline Arrives as Legislative Gridlock Continues
The Assembly NC: Duke Health and Aetna Reach Contract Agreement
Hurricane Helene
The Assembly: Arduous and Unequal: The Fight to Get FEMA Housing Assistance After Helene
The Assembly: Josh Stein on ’24 Hours of Rainfall That Changed the Region Forever’
The Assembly NC: Bruised, Not Broken
Redistricting
Axios Raleigh: Redistricting North Carolina could give Republicans an extra seat in the U.S. House
NC Newsline: NC Senate President indicates Republicans Could Re-draw Congressional Maps Ahead of Midterms
The Assembly NC: One Redistricting Battle After Another
The Charlotte Observer: NC Gov. Stein: Redrawing 2026 Maps Would ‘Destroy the Politics of This Country’
Republican Crime Bill
Carolina Forward: Iryna’s Law
WRAL: Stein Signs Crime Bill, Potentially Restarting Death Penalty in NC After Charlotte Stabbing
Senate Race
The Daily Tar Heel: A Decade After ‘Bathroom Bill,’ Former N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper’s Next Campaign Walks the Line
Southport Shooting
Cardinal & Pine: What Happened in Southport, NC? Everything To Know About This Weekend’s Mass Shooting
Tariffs
United States/International
Agriculture
AI
NOTUS: California’s AI Law is Setting the Tone for Democratic Party Policy — And Gavin Newsom’s Future
Cartels
Associated Press: US is in 'armed conflict' with drug cartels, Trump says
NY Times: The Evening: Trump’s ‘Armed Conflict’ Against Cartels
NY Times: The Morning: War on Cartels
Civil Rights
Climate Change
Associated Press: Trump Administration Cuts Nearly $8 Billion in Clean Energy Projects in States That Backed Harris
BBC News: Pope Leo Condemns Climate Change Critics
NPR: EU Climate Commissioner Says the World is Moving on Climate Goals Without the U.S.
NPR: The Energy Department Canceled Billions in Funding. Democrats Say Its Retribution.
Politico: Energy Department Adds ‘Climate Change’ and ‘Emissions’ to Banned Words List
Colombian President
Associated Press: US Revokes Visa for Colombia’s President After He Urges American Soldiers To Disobey Trump
Comey Indictment
NBC News: Sen. Chuck Schumer Says He Has ‘No Faith in Trump’s Judicial System’ After Comey Indictment
Democratic Party
Economy
Education
NY Times (Gift Article): Opinion | Trump’s ‘Compact’ With Universities Is Just Extortion
Washington Post (Gift Article): Colleges Weigh Whether To Sign on To Trump Plan or Forego Federal Benefits
Emergency Food Assistance Program
Federal Reserve
FEMA
The Assembly NC: Lawmakers Are Now Debating Making FEMA a Cabinet-Level Agency
First Amendment
Government Shutdown
Associated Press: Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries Says Trump is Marching the Country Into a Government Shutdown
Axios: House GOP Cancels More Votes in Escalation of Shutdown Strategy
BBC News: Are Democrats Really Pushing for Free Healthcare for Undocumented Migrants
CNN: Why some Republicans are getting cold feet about Trump’s shutdown layoff threats
CNN: Obamacare is Back as the Fulcrum of a National Political Showdown
NBC: Schumer Says ‘We Need a Serious Negotiation’ With the GOP To Keep Government Open
NBC: What the Shutdown Means for Medicare, Medicaid and Other Health Programs
NBC: What the Early Polls Say About the Shutdown: From the Politics Desk
NBC: A Majority of Trump Supporters Back Extending Obamacare Subsidies, Poll Finds
NOTUS: Democrats Finally Have the Base’s Praise. Can They Keep It?
NPR: What Will Congress Do After the Shutdown? We Asked a Republican and a Democrat
NY Times: The Evening: Hours To Shutdown
NY Times: The Morning: The Shutdown Begins
NY Times: The Evening: A Stalemate on Capitol Hill
NY Times: The Morning: The Shutdown, Explained
NY Times: On Politics: The Be-Careful-What-You-Wish-For Shutdown
Politico: Capitol Agenda: Senate Talks Sputter, White House Aides Prep ACA Plans
Politico: Trump To Talk With Vought About Which ‘Democrat Agencies’ Should Be Cut
Politico: Congress Just Created a New Reason To Worry About Air Travel
Politico: Capitol Agenda: Thune Insists There’s Only One Way Out of the Shutdown
Politico: Farmers, a Key GOP Constituency, Hit Hard By Shutdown
Politico: Vance Says He’ll Talk Obamacare Premiums With Schumer – But Only With Government Open
Politico: Who Trump Officials Deem Essential in Shutdown Raises Eyebrows
Politico: Trump turns shutdown into weapon against blue America
Politico: This Shutdown Won’t Be Like the Others
Semafor: Trump causes bipartisan alarm by turning shutdown into DOGE 2.0
The Hill: Johnson Pushes Back on Jeffries: ‘There is Nothing Partisan About This Continuing Resolution’
The Hill: Cole Says Democrats Attempting ‘To Blackmail’ Trump, Republicans in Shutdown Fight
The Hill: More Americans Blame Trump, Republicans for Shutdown Than Democrats: Survey
The Hill: Speaker Johnson Defends Agencies Blaming Democrats for Shutdown
The Hill: Johnson: Shutdown ‘Ultimately Could Be a Benefit’ if Trump Administration Eliminates Programs
The Hill: 5 Senate Democrats the GOP is Trying To Flip on Government Funding
Washington Post (Gift Article): Trump Administration Seeks To Exert Control Over Government Shutdown
Washington Post (Gift Article): Senior Government Officials Privately Warn Against Firings During Shutdown
Health Care
Immigration
Associated Press: Trump taps Army Reserve, National Guard for immigration judges
Chicago Sun Times: Massive immigration raid on Chicago apartment building leaves residents reeling
CNN: Trump Says He’s Sending Troops To Portland To Protect ICE Facilities
NBC News: Supreme Court allows Trump to revoke protected immigration status for thousands of Venezuelans
NPR: DACA Has Bipartisan Support in Congress. Still, Republicans Are Following Trump’s Lead
NY Times: The Evening: Troops Head to Chicago
Israel/Gaza
NY Times: The Evening: Trump’s Plan for Gaza
NY Times: The Morning: Israel’s Standing
January 6
Jobs
Law Enforcement
NY Times: The Morning: Trump’s Law Enforcement
LGBTQ Rights
Middle East
NY Infrastructure Funding
Pentagon
Axios: Trump’s MAGA-fied Military Prepares for “War from Within”
Axios: Hegseth’s War on Military ‘Beardos’ Stirs Religious, Health Concerns
Cardinal & Pine: ‘The Highest Male Standard’: Here’s What Pete Hegseth Had To Say To American Military Leaders
Politico: Hegseth uses rare meeting of generals to announce new military standards
Time: Trump Warns of ‘War From Within’ in Speech to Top Generals
Washington Post (Gift Article): Military Leaders Voice Concern Over Hegseth’s New Pentagon Strategy
Political Violence
Polling
CBS: Trump Approval Slipping Among Latinos, But Democrats Haven’t Made Major Gains
Pew Research Center: Trump, Vance and top congressional leaders viewed more negatively than positively
Politico: ‘Underwater’: Young Voters, Black Americans Sour on Trump as Job Market Struggles
Project 2025
Redistricting
NY Times: On Politics: Republicans’ Borrowed Message on Redistricting
Politico: Wes Moore Calls Donald Trump-led Redistricting ‘Political Redlining’
Reproductive Rights
Successful Opposition Movements
NY Times (Gift Article): Opinion | How to Beat an Autocrat at the Ballot Box
Supreme Court
NY Times: The Morning: Trump and the Court
Tariffs
The Conversation: Tariffs May Bring a U.S. $50 Billion Monthly Boost to the US Government. But Ordinary Americans Won’t Feel the Benefit.
Trump Presidency
NY Times: The Morning: Trump the Sports Fan
Trump Prosecutions
The Hill: Judge Sets 14-Day Deadline for New Prosecutor in Trump Georgia Case or It Will Be Dismissed
Ukraine-Russia War
CNN: Putin Praises Trump But Warns Supplies of US Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine Will Badly Hurt Ties
