NC health agency appealing ruling on services for disabled

RALEIGH, N.C. — The way North Carolina schools are graded is due for an update, state education leaders say. To that end, officials are examining new ways to rate schools, weighing whether to include a host of other metrics — everything from students attendance to electives — to determine what separates good schools from bad schools.

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina lawmakers are trying again this year to remove a Jim Crow-era voting test from the state's constitution. This year, the amendment's chances of making it onto voters' ballots may be better. In 1899, after the civil war, North Carolina and many other southern states...

RALEIGH – The first significant mass layoffs in North Carolina are taking place – two sites in Winston-Salem and another in Rutherford County – according to notices filed with the North Carolina Department of Commerce. Collins Aerospace says it is shuttering two offices in Forsyth County, affecting...

LAWRENCE, KAN. — Though the Insight Women’s Center sits at the epicenter of a reinvigorated battle in the nation’s culture wars, the only hint of its faith-based mission to dissuade people from getting abortions is the jazzy, piano rendition of “Jesus Loves Me” playing in a waiting room.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. — The car owned by a missing 74-year-old Florida Lyft driver was found in North Carolina and the man who was driving it is wanted in connection with a homicide last week in southwest Florida, authorities said Friday. Lyft driver Gary Levin hasn't been heard from...

EAST PALESTINE, OHIO — A freight train derailment in Ohio near the Pennsylvania state line left a mangled and charred mass of boxcars and flames Saturday as authorities launched a federal investigation and monitored air quality from the various hazardous chemicals in the train. About 50 cars derailed in...

ORLANDO, FLA. — Union members voted down a contract proposal covering tens of thousands of Walt Disney World service workers, saying it didn't go far enough toward helping employees face cost-of-living hikes in housing and other expenses in central Florida. The unions said that 13,650 out of 14,263 members...

Here's a look at how North Carolina members of Congress voted over the previous week. Along with roll call votes this week, the House also passed the following measures: the Commercial Remote Sensing Amendment Act (H.R. 290), to provide for transparent licensing of commercial remote sensing systems; and the Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act (H.R. 298), to expand access to capital for rural small businesses.

Fuquay-Varina, N.C. — Fuquay-Varina safety Malcolm Ziglar added an SEC offer on Friday. According to his Twitter account, Ziglar received an offer from South Carolina, adding yet another Power 5 school to the list of colleges who hope to land a commitment from him. Ziglar stands at 6-foot-2 and...

TRENTON, N.J. — Gas prices dipped in New Jersey and around the country at large as cold weather descended on parts of the nation following an unusually warm January. AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gas in New Jersey on Friday was $3.42, down three cents from last week. Drivers were paying $3.44 a gallon on average a year ago at this time.

Fuquay-Varina, N.C. — "Hey, are you doing a TED Talk right now?. "Are you recording a podcast during lunch?" "Look, it's Paula Abdul!" Willow Spring boys basketball coach David Kushner has pretty much heard it all when it comes to his wired headset and the attached speaker that clips onto his waist.