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Penny Wins Fourth Term In NC House, Defeats Two Challengers

Republican State Rep. Howard Penny Jr. won a fourth term in the North Carolina House of Representatives Tuesday, defeating two challengers in District 53, which includes portions of Johnston and Harnett counties. Penny received 17,570 votes, or 51.56 percent, compared to 15,787 votes, or 46.32 percent, for Democrat Kevin Thurman....

Johnston County, NC · 7d
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The Ledger News

partner publisher · 4.5K followers
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Republicans sweep county commissioner races in Granville

Election night was a triumph for Granville County Republicans in county commissioner contests.

Granville County, NC · 7d

Rocky Mount Telegram

partner publisher · 13.7K followers
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From campaign trail to the courthouse: Blount defeats longtime incumbent

After a closely watched race for one of the county's more important judicial administrative positions, Nancy Blount has been elected Nash County Clerk of Superior Court. Blount defeated incumbent Linda Thorne with 21,573 votes, or 53.24 percent of the vote, compared with Thorne's 18,950 votes, or 46.76 percent, according to unofficial vote tallies. The result marks a transition in leadership for an office that serves as the public's primary point of contact with the court system. The Clerk of Superior Court's office oversees a wide range of responsibilities, including court records, estate proceedings, guardianships, special proceedings, jury administration and numerous other functions that support both District and Superior Court operations. For many residents, the clerk's office becomes part of their lives during significant moments, whether settling the affairs of a loved one, serving on a jury or navigating a legal matter. With the election behind her, Blount now turns her attention to preparing for the transition into office and the responsibilities that come with it. Supporters say Blount's campaign resonated with voters who were looking for both experience and a commitment to responsive public service. Throughout the campaign, she emphasized the importance of accountability, accessibility and maintaining public confidence in

Nash County, NC · 7d

Raleigh News & Observer

partner publisher · 97.5K followers
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How Wake County school board plans to enforce ethics rules among its members

Wake County school board members are creating a process to punish members for misconduct while saying they’re not going to stifle dissent. The Wake County school board gave initial approval Wednesday to a revised Code of Ethics policy that creates a process for publicly censuring board members. School board chair Tyler Swanson said the policy changes will provide clear guardrails on what board members can and can’t do. “Our job is the governing body,” Swanson said in an interview after the vote. “This policy does not yield that power away to staff. It allows us to have some checks and balances, so the board can stay above the fray, and staff can deal with the day-to-day operations through the superintendent’s guidance.” He said they’re emulating school districts such as Johnston County, which has censured members over their conduct. In 2022, Johnston County school board member Ronald Johnson was censured for actions such as trying to transfer the children of an adversary and for inappropriately texting sexual comments about a female school employee during board meetings. In 2025, Johnson was removed from the school board by a judge after being convicted of extortion and obstruction of justice. Caution urged on enforcing

Wake County, NC · 6d

jocoreport.com

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Bizzell, Olive, Ball Secure Another Four Years In Office

SMITHFIELD – Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell won an eighth four-year term Tuesday, extending his tenure as the longest-serving sheriff in county history. Bizzell, a Republican, received 54,865 votes in Tuesday’s general election. He was unopposed on the ballot after defeating challenger Randy Ackley in the March Republican primary.

Johnston County, NC · 7d

Carolina Public Press

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After the deluge. Making sense of the altered political landscape in NC.

Massive wins across North Carolina for Democrats and losses for Republicans in 2026 election have multiple causes, complex implications.

North Carolina · 5d

rantnc.com

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Barringer declares victory in apparent NC-13 upset

With more than percent of precincts reporting, Democrat and Lee County native Paul Barringer declared victory Tuesday night over Republican Congressional Representative Bradd Knott. If the lead holds, Barringer would become the next representative from North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District – and likely the first member of Congress from Lee...

Lee County, NC · 7d

jocoreport.com

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Harris Defeats Write-In Challenge As Three Johnston County Commissioner Seats Decided

SMITHFIELD – Johnston County Board of Commissioners Chairman Patrick Harris won another term Tuesday, turning back a write-in challenge, while newcomer Adam Caldwell and incumbent Commissioner R.S. “Butch” Lawter Jr. also won seats on the seven-member board. Harris, a Republican representing District 5, received 49,331 votes, or...

Johnston County, NC · 7d

Raleigh News & Observer

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Durham voters face a crowded ballot, even as county offices go unchallenged

Durham County voters cast ballots in record numbers this election, even though there weren’t many local candidates on the ballot. Voters saw no challengers in the election for sheriff, district attorney or clerk of Superior Court. But those were only a few of the races on a ballot packed with federal, state and judicial contests, along with three proposed state constitutional amendments. As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, the Durham County Board of Elections said over 23,700 voters cast ballots on Election Day with polls closing at 7:30 p.m. During the early voting period, Durham County surpassed 100,000 voters, the largest early-voting turnout for a midterm election in the county’s history. There are about 250,000 eligible voters in the county. The big picture The countywide officers on the ballot Tuesday were effectively elected in the March primary, when Democratic candidates won. Sheriff Clarence Birkhead, District Attorney Satana Deberry and Clerk of Superior Court Aminah Thompson were all on the ballot unopposed. For the Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, two people were on the ballot for two open seats: David Harris and Mark Waller. But Durham County voters were also choosing between candidates in the U.S. Senate race, the 4th Congressional

Durham County, NC · 7d

WFMY NEWS2

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New balance of power in Raleigh

Raleigh, NC · 6d

decorhint.com

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One Of North Carolina’s Biggest Model Train Shows Takes Over A Massive Raleigh Building This Weekend

Choo choo is about to get very serious. More than 500 vendor tables and 16 working layouts are filling one enormous North Carolina room, and I already know I would lose track of time almost immediately. What pulls me in is how many different people can enjoy the same show...

Raleigh, NC · 8d

ncconstructionnews.com

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Construction begins on $200-million residential tower in Raleigh

Construction has begun on a 20-story residential tower in Midtown Raleigh that will combine 289 rental apartments with an 80,000-square-foot athletic club and a 40,000-square-foot rooftop recreation area. Dewitt Carolinas and Life Time marked the groundbreaking of Life Time Living at The Exchange Raleigh, formally launching the second phase of...

Raleigh, NC · 7d

Raleigh News & Observer

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Planned data center expansion dodges Raleigh's moratorium

Last month, a cell tower company applied to expand its relatively small data center in western Raleigh four days before the city passed a data center moratorium. American Tower, based in Massachusetts, wants to expand its approximately 15,000-square-foot data center on Chapel Hill Road by about 10,000 square feet. The News & Observer tried to contact American Tower on Monday but did not receive a response. The facility is far smaller than the 100,000-square-foot data center proposed on Jones Sausage Road near Southeast Raleigh over the summer. That proposal, ultimately withdrawn, asked the city to annex property to allow the data center to move forward. That, in turn, prompted the City Council to pass a six-month moratorium on data center applications on Oct. 6. That was aimed at buying time to develop regulations around the facilities. The moratorium applied to facilities that are 10,000 square feet or larger. But because American Tower’s expansion plans were submitted before the moratorium was passed, the moratorium won’t apply. “There’s nothing we can do to change the approval process that this current data center is under,” said City Council member Jane Harrison, whose district houses the data center. “It’s under our old rules.” What

Raleigh, NC · 8d

Rocky Mount Telegram

partner publisher · 13.7K followers

Parker wins contested commissioner race

DeLeon “Dee” Parker says he is ready to get to work after voters elected him to represent District 5 on the Nash County Board of Commissioners, succeeding longtime Commissioner J. Wayne Outlaw, who opted not to run for reelection. According to unofficial elections results, Parker, a Republican, defeated Democrat Erica Mitchell by a margin of 3,838 votes (60.54%) to 2,502 votes (39.46%), prevailing in the county’s only contested commissioner race. For Parker, the victory represents both an opportunity and a responsibility. “It’s a tremendous honor to follow Wayne,” Parker said shortly after elections results were announced. “He’s been such a solid presence for Nash County and representing our district over the years. He leaves a very strong legacy of leadership, and it’s an honor to follow in those footsteps.” Outlaw’s retirement closes a chapter that began in December 2008. For nearly two decades, he became a familiar voice on issues ranging from county growth and economic development to budgeting and public services. During the campaign, Outlaw publicly endorsed Parker, a move that connected the first-time candidate to one of the board’s longer-serving members. While Parker has never held elected office, he is no stranger to county government. Since 2016, he

Nash County, NC · 7d

Asheville Citizen-Times

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Democrats flip NC House as WNC helps break GOP control

ASHEVILLE - The red wall finally cracked in Raleigh. Western North Carolina helped bring it down. Democrats seized control of the North Carolina House of Representatives in Tuesday's midterm elections, ending 16 years of Republican dominance and dramatically altering the balance of power in state government. "The voters of North Carolina made their voices heard loudly and clearly. They want balance. They want common sense in their government," Gov. Josh Stein said during a Nov. 4 press conference in Raleigh. Unofficial results showed Democrats winning 71 of the chamber's 120 seats, a stunning reversal from the 71-49 Republican advantage heading into the election. Democrats also made substantial gains in the Senate, where Republicans appeared poised to retain a narrow 26-24 majority, although several races remained close enough for recounts. For Democratic Gov. Stein, who spent his first two years in office battling a Republican-controlled legislature, the results represented a political transformation. Characterizing the results as a demand for cooperation on affordability, public education, public safety and recovery from Tropical Storm Helene , Stein expressed optimism about working with incoming House Speaker Robert Reives, who is expected to replace Republican Destin Hall. Stein acknowledged that even he had underestimated the scale

North Carolina · 6d

WRAL News

publisher · 100.7K followers

Cary staff disguised weekly dance rehearsals as yoga sessions, according to email calendars

Select Cary town staff held weekly, secret dance rehearsals, sometimes labeling them as yoga workouts, in the months leading up to a performance at a 2024 town retreat, according to email calendars obtained by WRAL through public records requests. The performance was featured in an internal video from the Town...

Cary, NC · 6d

WRAL News

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Water main break closes section of Glen Eden Drive in Raleigh

A section of Glen Eden Drive is blocked in Raleigh near Tyson Street and Ridge Road on Thursday morning due to damage from a water main break. Video from the WRAL Breaking News Tracker shows several cones in the road and visible damage to the street. No remaining water was...

Raleigh, NC · 6d

Raleigh News & Observer

partner publisher · 97.5K followers

Wake school board extends superintendent's contract. Why there's no raise.

Wake County Schools Superintendent Robert Taylor is getting a contract extension but not a raise. The Wake County school board voted 7-1 on Wednesday to extend Taylor’s contract an additional year through June 2030 — the maximum length allowed under state law. School board chair Tyler Swanson said it was Taylor who asked that the contract extension not come with a raise. “He advocated that due to the fact that there are tough budgets and teachers have not received the raises that they deserve — especially our veteran teachers — that he was not going to accept a raise in his extension,” Swanson said in an interview after the vote. Taylor did get a 3% raise as part of this year’s state budget that lifted his annual base salary to $349,942. Board members said they wanted to reward Taylor for his leadership of North Carolina’s largest school district. This year, Wake saw its highest passing rates on state exams since 2012 . “We’ve had historic gains under his leadership,” Swanson said. “So, I am confident in his ability to lead, and grateful for his ability, his leadership, and we have much more work ahead of us. I look forward to

Wake County, NC · 6d

Raleigh News & Observer

partner publisher · 97.5K followers

Camp Lejeune, Vance rally: What the Triangle talked about Oct. 26-Nov. 1

From a Durham prosecutor’s decision to drop charges in a closely watched abortion case to a vice presidential rally moment that went viral, readers had plenty to weigh in on last week. Here are the five stories that drew the most comments on newsobserver.com from Oct. 26 through Nov. 1. Durham DA dismisses charges in teen abortion case Nearly three months after an 18-year-old and her 20-year-old boyfriend were arrested in connection with an attempted third-trimester medication abortion, Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry dismissed all charges, citing legal technicalities around fetal personhood and a lack of evidence. The baby, delivered at 31 weeks and revived by paramedics, is now living with the teen’s mother. Readers had strong — and sharply divided — reactions. »» Read the story, see the comments Trump ties Camp Lejeune payouts to midterm results At a Greenville, N.C., rally, President Donald Trump told veterans and families sickened by Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water that if Republicans don’t win the House and Senate, “there’s no money.” Former Gov. Roy Cooper called the remarks “shameful” and “disgusting.” Senate candidate Michael Whatley brushed it off as campaign talk, saying military families must be taken care of. The money, readers

Durham County, NC · 6d

The Wilson Times

partner publisher · 15.9K followers

The world is larger than Wilson

Rosa Gobien argues that cutting support for Eyes on Main Street and the American Center for Photographers could weaken Wilson’s cultural vitality and downtown revitalization.

Wilson, NC · 8d