Federal transportation budget may derail Amtrak service in Hamlet – 8:29 pm updated:

No passenger trains will glide to a stop at Hamlet's landmark station, if President Trump's suggested transportation budget wins approval later this year. The budget proposes cuts of nearly 13 percent, or $2.4 billion, in money earmarked for airports, trains and other transportation providers.

Tar Heel View: Marshall impeachment attempt a political witch hunt –

On Wednesday afternoon, in the midst of a breathless display of legislative pettiness in Raleigh, Rep. Becky Carney of Mecklenburg County tried to get her head around what was happening in front of her. At an N.C. House committee meeting, a Republican lawmaker wanted to take the first step toward impeaching Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, a Democrat.

South Sudan no longer in famine, but situation is critical

The family of an Ohio woman who died after contracting a brain-eating amoeba has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a North Carolina outdoor recreational park. The family of an Ohio woman who died after contracting a brain-eating amoeba has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a North Carolina outdoor recreational park.

North Carolina governor presses lawmakers to redraw maps now

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is pushing Republican state legislators to immediately redraw General Assembly districts, now that the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed that nearly 30 House and Senate maps are illegal racial gerrymanders. Cooper announced Wednesday he's calling a special session - to begin Thursday and run simultaneously with the current General Assembly work session - to get new maps drawn.

The Supreme Court just made it easier to get away with gerrymandering

The Supreme Court handed down a brief order on Monday affirming a lower court's ruling that North Carolina's state legislative maps were an illegal racial gerrymander . That sounds like good news for advocates who oppose the maps drawn by the Republican-controlled legislaturea S-a Sbut the decision could actually encourage state lawmakers to attempt more gerrymandered maps in the future.

House committee issues subpoenas; Comey okayed to testify

Former FBI Director James Comey , whom Trump fired last month, could testify as early as next week and planned to confirm the president's pressure to drop the agency's investigation into Flynn , according to CNN . In addition to the two meetings that Sessions has acknowledged, the senators pointed to the possibility of a separate encounter at an April 2016 Trump campaign event that Sessions and Kislyak attended.

North Carolina meteorologist calls out climate deniers, issuing challenge to “put up or shut up”

Frustrated by non-experts taking to the internet to dispute the science behind human-made climate change, North Carolina meteorologist Greg Fishel issued a challenge to climate deniers, urging them to "put up or shut up" and "submit your work the way real scientists do, and see where it takes you." The News & Observer highlighted Fishel's challenge, which he posted on Facebook, in a May 22 article , reporting that Fishel "went off on people who question the science behind climate change."

North Carolina Woman Awarded $1.5M in Construction Safety Whistleblower Suit

A federal jury has awarded $1.5 million to a former North Carolina fire investigator who said she was fired after complaining about the safety of construction work at an office building. The Charlotte Observer reported that a jury ruled May 11 in favor of Crystal Eschert, who said the Charlotte Fire Department fired her in 2014 because of her concerns over renovations at a new office building.

N Carolina gov., Democrats praise voter ruling

Last month, a federal judge found that a voter ID law in Texas, similar to the one in North Carolina, was enacted with the goal to discriminate against blacks and Hispanics in the state. The justices left in place the lower court ruling striking down the law's photo ID requirement and scaling back of early voting.

Trump lashes out: abused by a greatest witch hunta

Trump began the day by tweeting that he is the victim of "the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history," a claim ignoring impeachment efforts and blistering verbal attacks on previous presidents and other political leaders. He has made similar complaints before, but this one came the day after the Justice Department appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller to lead the federal Trump-Russia investigation.

Sen. Thom Tillis has seizure during race

North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis had a seizure Wednesday morning while running in the annual American Council of Life Capital Challenge race in Washington, a race organizer told CNN. Tillis was transported to George Washington University Hospital, event spokesperson Jeff Darman said, and his status remains uncertain at this time.

Trump’s deeds, statements this week: Bad optics or worse?

President Donald Trump smiles in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, May 12, 2017, where he spoke to military mothers during their visit to the White House for a Mother's Day celebration. President Donald Trump smiles in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, May 12, 2017, where he spoke to military mothers during their visit to the White House for a Mother's Day celebration.

Barack Obama endorses Macron for French presidency

This combination of pictures created on May 4, 2017 shows a file photo taken on November 2, 2016 of then US President Barack Obama speaking at a rally at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and a file photo taken on April 18, 2017 of French presidential election candidate for the En Marche ! movement, Emmanuel Macron reacting during his visit to the KRYS group's headquarters in Bazainville. In a message posted on Macron's Twitter account, the former US president said he was endorsing the centrist candidate "because of how important this election is."