nathan p. collins 🦇

2 votes: NC GOP Senate leader Phil Berger in virtual tie with Sheriff Sam Page See election results in the Republican primary in Rockingham and Guilford counties.

2 votes: NC GOP Senate leader Phil Berger in virtual tie with Sheriff Sam Page. It's well within the 1% threshold required to mandate a recount. Berger & his allies heavily outspent Page. (Via @dawnbvaughan.bsky.social & @nathanpcollins.bsky.social) www.newsobserver.com/news/politic... #ncpol #ncga

AI-backed PAC spends big in NC election, amid challenges in Washington A political group partially funded by Anthropic spent $1.3 million in support of Rep. Valerie Foushee. The company is facing its own issues in D.C.

A super PAC with ties to the AI company Anthropic spent big in NC, despite challenges in Washington.

The Jobs and Democracy PAC spent more than $1.3 million in support of Rep. Valerie Foushee.

my latest for @newsobserver.com:

Right… “one of thousands,” yet the main one that held a significant grasp on international influence.

downplaying his power is downplaying harm to countless innocent people.

every day, all across the U.S., reporters shed light on human trafficking. are you watching @nytimes.com?

do better.

2016 police report: Former Cary town manager’s car spotted at suspected drug site The report says a man left a Cadillac and appeared to meet with a “potential” drug dealer. The car belonged to former Cary Town Manager Sean Stegall.

Good journalism from @dpkane.bsky.social and @nathanpcollins.bsky.social: Cary police spotted the vehicle of former town manager Sean Stegall at a hotel where drug use was suspected in 2016. They watched a man meet with an alleged drug "supplier," then followed the vehicle back to Stegall's home.

A $500 dinner, high-end sound equipment: A peek into ex-Cary town manager’s spending Some purchases made by former Cary Town Manager Sean Stegall on a government procurement card were delivered to his home, town records show.

A high-end speaker system delivered to a home, not a town office. A pricey out-of-town dinner classified as a training expense.

These are just some of the items former Cary Town Manager Sean Stegall paid for using his town-issued card.

my latest:

www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a...

from my investigative team colleague in Charlotte @caitmcglade.bsky.social:

Is your child’s NC school protected against measles?

Measles is spreading: Is your child’s North Carolina school vulnerable? When the number of vaccinated children drop too low in a school, the risk of infection increases there and in the wider community, experts say.

The measles is going around. Is your child's school protected? I did a ton of data cleaning and analysis to bring you answers, via @charlotteobserver.com. www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/a...

been a whirlwind few weeks for journalism here in North Carolina. i appreciate all yall who’ve been reading the @newsobserver.com coverage, especially with that’s been happening in the town of Cary.

we’ve got much more for yall. stay tuned, and we’ll talk soon.

Wake County DA requests criminal probe into spending of Cary town funds This comes a day after State Auditor Dave Boliek announced that preliminary findings from his office indicate potential criminal activity by former Cary Town Manager Sean Stegall.

The SBI is being asked to launch a criminal investigation into misuse of Cary town funds. The latest from @nathanpcollins.bsky.social and @virginabridges.bsky.social.

Wake County DA requests criminal probe into spending of Cary town funds This comes a day after State Auditor Dave Boliek announced that preliminary findings from his office indicate potential criminal activity by former Cary Town Manager Sean Stegall.

Wake County DA requests criminal probe into spending of Cary town funds. Lorrin Freeman wants the SBI to investigate allegations of misuse of Cary town funds by the former town manager. (Via @nathanpcollins.bsky.social & Virginia Bridges) www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a... #ncpol #wakepol

NC auditor sees ‘potential criminal activity’ in spending by former Cary town manager State Auditor Dave Boliek says initial forensic analysis conducted by his office’s investigative division prompts his conclusion.

NC auditor sees ‘potential criminal activity’ in spending by former Cary town manager. A review of procurement card data found “several transactions that are potentially indicative of fraud,” the office announced. (Via @nathanpcollins.bsky.social) www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a... #ncpol #wakepol

NC auditor sees ‘potential criminal activity’ in spending by former Cary town manager State Auditor Dave Boliek says initial forensic analysis conducted by his office’s investigative division prompts his conclusion.

NEW from @newsobserver.com:

NC auditor sees ‘potential criminal activity’ in spending by former Cary town manager

www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a...

Book lauding Cary’s ex-town manager as ‘change-agent’ cost the town over $150K Records show Cary paid over $150,000 to write and promote a book about its former Town Manager’s leadership. Not everyone knew about the cost.

The town of Cary paid over $150k to produce and promote a book about former Cary Town Manager Sean Stegall’s vision for municipal governance.

The book was published just months before town leaders forced Stegall to resign.

from me and Dan Kane:

www.newsobserver.com/news/local/c...

Book lauding Cary’s ex-town manager as ‘change-agent’ cost the town over $150K Records show Cary paid over $150,000 to write and promote a book about its former Town Manager’s leadership. Not everyone knew about the cost.

Cary spent at least $151,000 on former town manager's "good governance" book. A total of 143 copies were sold between August and December. The town paid for at least 2,800 print copies and for a ghostwriter, records show. The latest from @nathanpcollins.bsky.social and @dpkane.bsky.social.

Cary residents demand transparency in aftermath of town manager resignation Amid questions and concerns around how taxpayer money is spent, Cary residents are calling for action.

Cary residents demand transparency in aftermath of town manager resignation. Council members face calls for investigation after alleged misspending and deals. Town hired a law firm to investigate. (Via @nathanpcollins.bsky.social ) www.newsobserver.com/news/local/c... #ncpol #wakepol

“The fundamental error was the manager’s decision to send an unqualified individual to accept the trolleys. Council relies on management to exercise sound judgment and make informed decisions on behalf of the town.”

In post to his blog, Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht called my story about two ADA noncompliant trolleys he said were returned that were not, “misleading.”

Weinbrecht didn’t respond to my calls/emails for comment but ends his post with this:

/4 the Redding Area Bus Authority confirmed to The N&O that it became aware Cary’s trolleys were for sale through the same company Cary officials said “became unresponsive” while trying to return the vehicle originally.

/3 Cary warehoused the trolleys after it said it tried to return them but the company “became unresponsive.”

The town sold them this summer to Redding, CA for a significant loss.

/2 The town spent over $500k and sent at least three staffers to test ride and inspect the vehicles before they arrived in Cary.

Despite that, when they showed up, town staff realized they didn’t meet federal accessibility standards.

Mayor said non-ADA compliant trolleys Cary bought were returned. That didn’t happen. Mayor Harold Weinbrecht wrote on his blog in 2023 that two trolleys had been returned. When the town did get rid of them, it was at a loss.

In 2023, Mayor Harold Weinbrecht said two trolleys Cary bought were returned due to ADA noncompliance.

They weren’t. Instead, they were warehoused locally until this summer when they were sold to a California transit agency.

my latest for @newsobserver.com

www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a...

Cary town manager resigns amid scrutiny over spending. Mayor ‘sick, sad and mad.’ The mayor said Sean Stegall was put on leave for over-the-top spending, a lack of transparency and an unhealthy work environment.

Cary's mayor cites "over-the-top spending," "lack of transparency" and "an unhealthy work environment" in announcing that the town and its manager are parting ways. Great work from @annamroman.bsky.social, @dpkane.bsky.social, @nathanpcollins.bsky.social and @vizjourno.bsky.social.

A disabled woman was rescued from harm. Guardian says Triangle agency failed. After the young woman disappeared from school and activities, a former teacher stepped in. She and others wonder why Orange County DSS didn’t intervene earlier.

A group of concerned Chapel Hill community members rescued a young disabled woman from harm.

Now, her guardian is sounding the alarm and asking why local social services didn’t act on at least two formal reports about the issue.

read my latest report:

www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a...

Evidence shows DHS didn’t arrest only ‘worst of the worst’ in NC detention surge DHS alleged it focused on dangerous criminals during operations in NC but has not released proof. Very few names have been made public among hundreds of people seized this month.

Evidence shows DHS didn’t arrest only ‘worst of the worst’ in NC detention surge. CBS News reported that fewer than a third of the people picked up by the Border Patrol during Charlotte's Web had criminal histories. (Via @nathanpcollins.bsky.social) www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a... #ncpol

hey man, i’m just the messenger

Evidence shows DHS didn’t arrest only ‘worst of the worst’ in NC detention surge DHS alleged it focused on dangerous criminals during operations in NC but has not released proof. Very few names have been made public among hundreds of people seized this month.

DHS claimed immigration authorities arrested “the worst of the worst” during recent NC detention operations.

Evidence shows that wasn’t always the case and federal officials arrested people with no criminal records.

my latest for @newsobserver.com

www.newsobserver.com/news/state/n...

NC man charged with killing 4 of his kids cited PTSD in court filing last year Before he was charged with killing four of his children, the Johnston County father cited poor mental health when asking a judge for financial relief.

The NC man charged with killing 4 of his kids cited declining mental health in a request for a court fee waiver last year.

“I’m 100% PTSD and I’m afraid my mental state is not improving,” he wrote in court records obtained by @newsobserver.com.

my latest:

www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a...

Facing possible detention or deportation, NC father leaves on his own terms After 30 years in the U.S., a North Carolina father who entered the country illegally went back to Mexico rather than face detention or deportation.

“I don’t want my kids living with fear all the time." Powerful story from @nathanpcollins.bsky.social on a Raleigh husband and father of two teenage daughters who made the decision to self deport.

Facing possible detention or deportation, NC father leaves on his own terms After 30 years in the U.S., a North Carolina father who entered the country illegally went back to Mexico rather than face detention or deportation.

Facing possible detention or deportation, NC father leaves on his own terms. The Rivera family are among those living in the Triangle who say they're facing the hard decision of whether a loved one should self deport. (Via @nathanpcollins.bsky.social) www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a... #ncpol

Facing possible detention or deportation, NC father leaves on his own terms After 30 years in the U.S., a North Carolina father who entered the country illegally went back to Mexico rather than face detention or deportation.

Fidel Rivera lived, worked and paid taxes in the U.S. for 30 years, despite his immigration status.

He left his wife and kids in Raleigh to go back to Mexico — rather than taking his chances with immigration officials.

my latest for @newsobserver.com:

www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a...

Eastern NC lawmaker arrested and charged with driving while impaired in Raleigh He was also charged with having an open container and failing to obey a traffic officer.

Eastern NC lawmaker arrested and charged with driving while impaired in Raleigh. Sen. Norman Sanderson, a Pamlico County Republican, says he ‘made a regrettable mistake’ and takes responsibility for his actions. (Via @nathanpcollins.bsky.social)
www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a... #ncpol #ncga