AGP Executive Report

U.S. Senate Race: President Trump is leaning hard into North Carolina’s open Senate fight, reviving the racist “Willie Horton” attack ad to target Roy Cooper and boost GOP nominee Michael Whatley, as Republicans also push “public safety” and crime narratives tied to Cooper-era decisions. Elections & Voting: The Supreme Court blocked a Trump executive order that would have restricted mail-in ballots, a ruling that keeps states’ existing timelines and processes in place heading into the midterms. Cost of Living/War: With gas and diesel prices still climbing, GOP candidates are increasingly calling for an end to the Iran war or emergency steps to ease fuel costs—an issue Democrats hope will drive turnout. Local Government: Boone and Blowing Rock officials held a panel to clarify what towns can and can’t do, while Cabarrus County Commissioner Larry Pittman resigned and the replacement process begins. Business & Jobs: The Richmond Fed’s manufacturing survey turned negative for September, signaling contraction even as employment held up. North Carolina Economy/Community: High Point University debuted as #1 Most Innovative Regional University in the South in U.S. News rankings, and the Battleship North Carolina is set for a 65th “Berth-Day” weekend in Wilmington.

Hospital Merger: Wake County commissioners voted 5-2 to let the WakeMed–Atrium Health deal move forward, after months of negotiations and public pushback over costs and patient impact. Politics & Press: Vice President JD Vance defended Trump’s ban on CNN, MSNBC and Politico from White House access, arguing it’s about “special access” for outlets he calls propaganda. U.S. Senate Race: Vance campaigned in Greensboro for Michael Whatley, attacking former Gov. Roy Cooper as “radical” and tying the election to safety and economic themes. Local Infrastructure: Charlotte council members Malcolm Graham and Joi Mayo reversed course to support I-77 toll lanes, clearing the way for a $4 billion project with promised “community benefits.” Workforce & Childcare: A Wayne County summit highlighted how childcare shortages hurt hiring and retention, with estimates of major local business losses. Community Spotlight: Raleigh’s Black Entrepreneur Week launches Sept. 27–Oct. 3, aiming to expand visibility and resources for Black-owned businesses. Public Safety & Health: A final missing Hurricane Helene victim in Tennessee was identified, while a separate local story marked the 988 Suicide Lifeline with free guitar picks.

Election Security Pushback: Republican election officials say President Trump’s election-security claims in recent remarks didn’t add convincing new data, while a Boston conference of officials went on as planned. Marijuana Policy Watch: A North Carolina advisory council is weighing a model for state-run cannabis retail with private cultivation and manufacturing, including a “central cannabis warehouse” concept. PFAS Settlement Impact: North Carolina announced a $590 million DuPont/Chemours settlement tied to “forever chemicals,” with money aimed at drinking-water protection and cleanup. Healthcare & Rural Funding: The state board approved $1.2 million for 17 districts and charters to expand innovative digital teaching and learning. Tariffs and Household Relief: NC Rep. Valerie Foushee proposed refundable tariff rebates up to $4,000 for married couples, plus extra for dependents. Local Business & Jobs: Truist plans layoffs of 253 workers in eastern NC tied to selling a $5.5 billion auto-loan portfolio. Sports Betting Dollars at Work: Axios reports NC is using sports-betting tax revenue to help land the WTA Finals in Charlotte. Community Recovery: New reporting revisits how Helene survivors in Western NC rebuilt lives nearly two years later.

Voting Rights & Courts: The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Trump’s push to restrict mail ballots for the midterms, keeping long-used state mail-ballot processes in place. North Carolina Politics: The state Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in cases challenging a 2024 law that changes how judicial vacancies are filled, shifting appointment power away from the governor. NC Elections & Ballot Questions: North Carolina voters will also see multiple constitutional and local ballot referendums this fall, including a proposal to require photo ID for all voters, not just those voting in person. Economy & Gas Prices: New polling shows voters increasingly blame Trump for economic harm, with gas and diesel costs tied to the Iran conflict driving frustration. Local Community: Walnut Cove’s annual fall festival drew residents and vendors for food, crafts, and family activities. NC Education: A Wake County school district faces a legal threat over parents seeking opt-outs from a required music class taught by a transgender teacher.

Midterms & cost of living: A new NBC News poll finds President Trump’s approval at 41% and rising gas prices tied to the Iran war are driving voter anger as early voting ramps up. North Carolina politics: Trump is campaigning hard in the state to boost GOP Senate nominee Michael Whatley, while Democrats see an opening in deep-red districts as Trump’s unpopularity grows. Public safety & AI: FBI Director Kash Patel says the bureau increased its AI use by 605% and used it to help prevent potential school shootings, including in North Carolina. Local governance & records: A North Carolina Judicial Branch shift to cloud storage is framed as a major change in public record access, raising concerns about paywalls and long-term control. Economy & jobs: Business owners nationwide describe the current environment as worse than COVID, with uncertainty from tariffs, shipping disruptions, and energy costs hitting planning. Energy & agriculture: Montauk Renewables opened a major facility in eastern Sampson County to turn swine waste into electricity, backed by long-term farm agreements.

Midterms in the spotlight: With Election Day about 45 days away, early voting is already underway in several states and ballots are going out in others, as Republicans and Democrats fight over whether voter frustration with Trump’s economy will decide control of Congress. North Carolina politics: A federal appeals court heard arguments in a Wake County woman’s challenge to North Carolina’s “ballot selfie” ban, raising First Amendment questions about photographing marked ballots. Campaign trail: Former Gov. Roy Cooper returned to Charlotte to push his “Make Stuff Cost Less” message on tariffs, healthcare, and housing ahead of early voting. State economy & innovation: North Carolina moved into the top 10 for innovation capacity for the first time, ranking ninth nationally in a new state report. Energy reliability: The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order to reduce blackout risk in North and South Carolina during hot weather. Local business: Dampf Good BBQ is opening a permanent Durham restaurant in a historic building, moving beyond its food-truck roots. Sports & culture: Joby Aviation completed its first autonomous cross-country flight, landing in North Carolina’s Outer Banks near Kitty Hawk.

Voting Rights & Privacy: A report says Elon Musk’s votesafe.org campaign pushes people to check registration while collecting far more personal data than the official vote.gov site, raising new concerns as midterms near. Midterm Politics: With 45 days left, Republicans face warning signs including a North Carolina poll showing Democrat Roy Cooper leading GOP nominee Michael Whatley, plus broader GOP anxiety over House and Senate control. North Carolina Economy & Jobs: Truist’s sale of $5.5B in near-prime auto loans means Regional Acceptance Corp. will close Greenville and Winterville facilities, cutting 253 jobs by 2027. Affordability & Local Government: A national mayors survey finds cost-of-living pressure is worsening, with housing the top concern in nearly every city surveyed. Tech & AI Debate: New reporting highlights how public fears about AI are growing even as politicians keep backing the industry’s push. Local Education & Workforce: Pitt Community College won an NSF grant to expand biotechnology training and quality-control lab skills for eastern NC.

Coastal Fisheries Ruling: A Wake County judge ruled North Carolina failed to protect its coastal fisheries, saying none of the state’s 13 managed fish stocks are viable, with more proceedings expected on remedies. Election Watch: North Carolina postal workers launched a statewide push for mail voting, while the Supreme Court blocked Trump mail-ballot restrictions ahead of the midterms. U.S. Senate Race: Roy Cooper campaigned in Charlotte for the Senate seat, framing the contest around cost-of-living relief as Michael Whatley leans on Trump’s support. Local Economy & Jobs: Truist plans layoffs of 253 workers in eastern North Carolina tied to a $5.5 billion auto-loan sale. Housing & Growth: Wilmington ranked No. 4 nationally for renters, driven by job growth and a surge in new apartments. Business & Tech: App State highlighted Libby as a key student resource, and Truist/other coverage also points to how AI and data centers are reshaping state policy debates. Community Notices: New Bern issued an update to its Citizen Participation Plan for federal grant programs.

Housing & Cost of Living: Asheville-area renters are seeing a real shift as apartment supply surges—vacancies rise and landlords lean on months of free or reduced rent, a trend tied to thousands of new multifamily certificates since 2020. Politics & Voting: The U.S. Supreme Court blocked Trump-backed mail-ballot restrictions from taking effect before the midterms, while the Postal Service says it has stopped work on a controversial system tied to the effort—keeping attention on how ballots get processed and counted. North Carolina Economy & Jobs: The Navy is opening a new aircraft maintenance complex at the N.C. Global TransPark in Kinston, expected to bring 400+ jobs and about $140 million in annual economic impact. State Government Watch: UNC System leaders plan to analyze athletics department spending as concerns grow about unsustainable costs. Small Business: The North Carolina Small Business Center Network named winners of its inaugural Startup Showdown, awarding $60,000 in unrestricted funding across three top teams. Consumer & Health: A new dataset aims to track how urban heat affects human health, helping cities plan for extreme heat impacts.

Maternal Health Crisis: A new March of Dimes report says 1 in 6 North Carolina counties are maternity care deserts, leaving about 61,000 women ages 18–44 with limited access to birthing facilities and obstetric clinicians—especially in rural areas. State Politics & Elections: President Trump campaigned in Gastonia for GOP Senate nominee Michael Whatley, attacking Roy Cooper on crime and recovery while pushing a “pretend I’m on the ballot” message tied to the midterms. Healthcare & Consumer Protection: North Carolina’s attorney general coalition joined a $694 million multistate settlement with auto lender Credit Acceptance, alleging predatory lending and requiring stronger consumer disclosures and protections. Local Business & Tourism: Western North Carolina is gearing up for the PGA Tour’s Biltmore Championship, with local food and drink businesses rolling out special deals for the region’s first Tour stop in 84 years. Business & Jobs: North Carolina’s life sciences sector is touting major momentum since 2022—10,000+ jobs and $19B in investment—highlighting opportunities for eastern NC workers. Public Safety: Federal authorities arrested a Charlotte man accused of mailing antisemitic threats to Jewish organizations and leaders, including a Holocaust memorial.

WTA Finals in Charlotte: The Women’s Tennis Association is bringing its season-ending WTA Finals—and its global headquarters—to Charlotte’s Spectrum Center for the next three years, aiming to make it a “Super Bowl for women’s sports.” Trade fight hits North Carolina politics: President Trump warned the EU could face “very heavy tariffs” if Canada becomes an EU “associate member,” calling the idea “laughable” and “hostile” depending on intent; Canadian PM Mark Carney pushed the plan as a sovereignty-protecting “alliance of the future.” Fed rate hike fallout: The Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate for the first time in more than three years, drawing Trump’s ire during a North Carolina stop tied to GOP Senate nominee Michael Whatley. Cost pressure on drivers: Diesel and gas prices surged again, with diesel hitting a new national record and expected to climb further. Local economy leadership: Caldwell County named Jesse Trivette interim economic development director after Ashley Bolick’s departure. Media shakeup: McClatchy announced major newsroom cuts, including layoffs affecting North Carolina.

Fed vs. Trump: The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate to 3.75%–4.00% for the first time in three years, signaling it may hike again—while President Trump blasted the Fed board and repeated his demand for rates near 1%. NC Senate race: Trump campaigned in Gastonia to boost Republican Michael Whatley against Democrat Roy Cooper, leaning hard on crime and Helene criticism as polls show Cooper leading by double digits. Trade fight: Trump threatened “very serious tariffs” and possible trade cutoffs with Europe if the EU backs Canada as an associate member, calling the idea “laughable.” Charlotte sports boost: Charlotte won a deal to host the WTA Finals for three straight years starting in 2027 and bring the WTA global headquarters to the city. Local infrastructure fight: Charlotte-area toll expansion opponents are pushing back as the region’s planning group reconsiders its stance on the I-77 tollway project. Public health: FDA data show one Chowan County-area company (Jimbo’s Jumbos) had an August inspection with “no action indicated.”

WTA Finals in Charlotte: Gov. Josh Stein says the Women’s Tennis Association Finals will land in Charlotte for 2027-2029 at the Spectrum Center, with the WTA also moving its global headquarters there; the state is backing the deal with a $14.4 million MEGA grant, aiming to make the event the “Super Bowl for women’s sports.” Public Health: The FDA has issued a Class II recall for certain hand soaps sold across 15 states, including North Carolina, due to possible bacterial contamination that can cause serious infections for vulnerable people. Local Schools: Warren County commissioners approved plans for a consolidated K-5 elementary school, reusing the former Warren New Tech High site and adding space for about 700 students. Food Access: Goodwill Industries of Eastern North Carolina opened a new “Goodwill Community Cupboard” grocery store in Aurora to help reduce food deserts with fresh produce and other essentials. Transportation Safety: North Carolina continues tightening rules around nondomiciled commercial driver’s licenses after federal concerns about illegal issuances.

Cape Fear Bridge Replacement: NCDOT is holding public hearings on replacing the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, with Brunswick County residents pushing back on possible tolls and questioning the proposed bridge height and whether all alternatives were considered. Tolls & Traffic Pressure: Opponents say tolls could shift drivers onto local downtown streets and add costs for families already paying for infrastructure through taxes. FBI Counterterror Update: FBI Director Kash Patel told lawmakers the agency stopped 1,100 potential attackers and arrested 4,260 people tied to foreign terrorist groups over the past 18 months, including plots linked to attacks near the White House and a “Pumpkin Day” bombing plan. Wake Schools Staffing Strain: New studies say Wake County Public Schools is struggling to compete on pay and staffing, with gaps in leadership and skilled trades roles. NC Film Incentive Talks: Gov. Josh Stein and Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley met Wilmington leaders at Cinespace Studios to address uncertainty around the state’s film incentive funding. Hispanic Heart Health: A new American Heart Association report finds only 1 in 5 Hispanic adults has ideal heart health, citing high rates of diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. Coastal Flooding Reality: UNC Chapel Hill research says some NC coastal towns now flood during normal high tides up to 100 days a year, overwhelming drainage and roads.

Supreme Court & Voting Access: The U.S. Supreme Court blocked Trump’s latest push to tighten mail-in ballot rules for the 2026 midterms, keeping states on existing procedures as election officials and voters brace for a close fight. U.S. Senate Race in North Carolina: Democrat Roy Cooper says the NC Senate contest against Republican Michael Whatley is likely to be decided by 3% or less, pointing to heavy ad spending and tight polling. AI in Education: First lady Melania Trump is set to visit Ashe County schools to talk classroom technology as national debate over AI oversight heats up. Data Centers & Local Control: Halifax County approved an amended economic development deal for a Quiet Data Centers project, while county leaders look ahead to a possible data-center moratorium hearing. Business & Jobs: Amazon paused operations with cargo carrier 21 Air after a deadly runway overrun at Miami; in the Triangle, 76 FENCE RDU West held a Cary grand opening. Health & Research: UNC Lineberger received $40M from the OpenAI Foundation to help improve personalized cancer vaccines.

Elections & Voting Rights: The U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Trump’s push to restrict mail-in ballots for the midterms, saying states won’t have time to implement major changes before voting ends up underway—an issue that matters in North Carolina where ballots are already going out. Local Politics: In Greensboro-area House District 62, Democrats withdrew support for candidate Shelly Headen after resurfaced posts included language about concentration camps and political violence; ballots have already been sent, so she stays on the ballot. Transportation & Cost: Wilmington residents overwhelmingly rejected a taller fixed-bridge option for the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement, with most urging a movable-span alternative and opposing tolls. Tech & Energy: A Wells Fargo report says local data-center moratoriums have surged nationwide, with North Carolina among the states seeing the most restrictions as communities cite power, grid capacity, and water concerns. North Carolina Economy: Gov. Josh Stein announced a record tourism year in 2025, with visitors spending over $37.2 billion statewide. Policy & Industry: North Carolina lawmakers are debating how to regulate AI, including proposals that would require people to be told when they’re interacting with AI.