Johanna Still

“I dare them to retaliate” – Wilmington distillery owner who says he just opened the state's first private liquor store

Stein’s Medicaid Cuts Deadline Arrives as Legislative Gridlock Continues The governor said North Carolina’s Medicaid program would begin cutting reimbursement rates to offset a $319 million shortfall.

Finger-pointing ensues as state’s Medicaid cuts deadline arrives @theassemblync.bsky.social

www.theassemblync.com/health/medic...

Duking It Out: State Health Plan Negotiations Continue As Deadline Looms With one month remaining before the current contract between state employees’ insurer, Aetna, and Duke Health expires, the biggest state players in health care aren’t even close to a deal.

“They’re trying to scare our members,” State Treasurer Brad Briner, who oversees the State Health Plan, told @theassemblync.bsky.social

He said Duke has been “incredibly tone deaf in this situation.”

www.theassemblync.com/health/duke-...

How a Widow’s Appointment to the State Dental Board Got Spiked Shital Patel’s husband died while undergoing a routine dental procedure. After advocating for safety reforms, the governor’s office told her it had named her to the state dental board–then dentists in...

Shital Patel’s husband died while undergoing a routine dental procedure. After she advocated for safety reforms, the governor’s office told her it had named her to the state dental board–then dentists intervened.
@theassemblync.bsky.social

www.theassemblync.com/politics/den...

Myrtle Beach officials shot down the potential for a Shibumi trial run this summer. Horry County is expected to vote soon on whether to temporarily lift its ban.

The outlook is far from sunny
@theassemblync.bsky.social

The Dive: Iced Out; Food for Thought On this week's edition of The Dive, Johanna Still from The Assembly looks at Pender County's rejection of a resolution supporting ICE, and WHQR's Ben Schachtman looks at The Endowment's ongoing commit...

Pender County is blood red GOP territory so the decision to moderate its relationship with ICE was definitely *not* any kind of sanctuary gesture. (They just don’t like doing Uncle Sam’s work for free). Also, DEI is still on the menu at The Endowment. For now. Latest from @j-still.bsky.social and me

hi!! I shared this with our social team and they added it just now! thank you 😊

Like the Nation, North Carolina’s Airport Towers Are Understaffed A review of the latest data shows the state’s largest airports are hurting for air traffic controllers, a federal job that’s recently come under scrutiny.

As of the latest data available, North Carolina's six FAA-staffed air towers had just 178 certified air traffic controllers.

Combined, that's 57 air traffic controllers short of meeting an industry agreed-upon standard.
@theassemblync.bsky.social

www.theassemblync.com/business/nor...

The Dive: Knocked the Wind Out President Trump's new executive order could halt progress on North Carolina's planned offshore wind farms. Plus, New Hanover nears naming a permanent school superintendent.

Trump’s new executive order halts any new federal offshore wind leases and stops further permitting.

Projects already underway in North Carolina–Kitty Hawk South and Carolina Long Bay–will likely hit speedbumps as a result.

www.theassemblync.com/newsletter/t...

Sunday Edition: Bipartisan Blues Sunday Edition is a weekly newsletter from WHQR's News Director Benjamin Schachtman, featuring behind-the-scenes looks at our reporting, context and analysis of ongoing stories, and semi-weekly column...

I look forward to my Wilmington Deep Dive every week. If you’re in the Cape Fear region, I recommend following these local treasures @schachtman.bsky.social @rachelkwhqr.bsky.social @j-still.bsky.social

www.whqr.org/local/2025-0...

FUBAR meter getting up there 😂

The Return of Minisoldr Mark Robinson’s use of the handle “minisoldr” on online platforms drew a lot of attention during this year’s election. He’s still using it.

His use of the online handle minisoldr haunted Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson this year, but he's still using it, @joekilliannc.bsky.social reports.

www.theassemblync.com/politics/mar... #ncpol

This Cyber Monday, give yourself the gift of excellent journalism. Our subscriptions are now HALF OFF — get our archives for a year for $30, or go Premium for just $75. Act now: there's less than 12 hours left of this sale.

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Former Hunt Institute Employees Describe a ‘Culture of Fear’ Ex-staffers say its leader has created a toxic environment that imperils the education nonprofit’s future—and former Gov. Jim Hunt’s legacy.

A few months ago, I started hearing from former employees of the Hunt Institute that the venerable education nonprofit was plagued by high turnover and low morale.

Today, @theassemblync.bsky.social is publishing our investigation. It’s a wild ride.

www.theassemblync.com/education/hu...

this pic of a copy of a 1945 edition of the Journal in the dirt is so haunting (📷 by Maddie Gray)

Farewell to the Longtime Home of Wilmington's Black Press Earlier this month, a wrecking crew tore down the building that housed The Wilmington Journal, one of the state’s oldest Black papers.

Earlier this month, a wrecking crew crushed the historic and dilapidated home of The Wilmington Journal–one of the state’s oldest Black papers.

www.theassemblync.com/media/wilmin...

Ask a Journalist: Why did NHCSO post, then delete, a tribute to former Sheriff Marrion Millis? Q: On Friday, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office (NHCSO) shared a “Flashback Friday” post about former Sheriff Marion Millis — but quickly pulled it down. What happened?A: NHCSO has frequently sh...

Why did the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office post, then delete, a recent tribute to a former sheriff who served in the 50s-70s?

In short, he was a member of the Ku Klux Klan.

www.whqr.org/local/2024-1...

for…reasons!

Company Misspent $6.2 Million in State Funds to Lure Olympic Groups, Audit Finds A state audit found the Charlotte-based U.S. Performance Center misspent nearly a quarter of the money awarded by the legislature.

NEW: An audit finds Charlotte-based U.S. Performance Center misspent $6.2M in state tax dollars; 1 in 4 dollars of $25M it was awarded. #ncpol

How?
-buying alcohol
-double billing grant
-contributions to political orgs
-inadequate documentation, etc
www.theassemblync.com/politics/oly...

Check out our Starter Pack and follow our reporters, editors, and staff as we do deep coverage of North Carolina.

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Howdy! 🤠 would love to be added

Tew said some people misunderstand her and the Moms for Liberty group’s advocacy.

“I think they see our passion and they mistake it for extremism,” she said. “It’s our children.”
@theassemblync.bsky.social

*sigh*

t.co/tkTazHcKOq

Ticket-Splitting is Part of Our DNA North Carolinians are the "rare political animal" who will vote for candidates from both parties in one election.

“Ticket splitting isn’t a one-off in North Carolina, it’s as consistent a trend as you can find in the Old North State,” @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social told @j-still.bsky.social. But still, there have been plenty of conspiracy theories. #ncpol

www.theassemblync.com/politics/tic...

I found that interesting too!

But from what the polisci experts have explained, Trump has achieved this sort of untouchable status that other MAGA-aligned candidates haven’t been able to harness.

*depressed DJ Khalid* another one

Additional ballots shift rankings, but not winners in New Hanover County school board and commissioner races After roughly nine hours of counting absentee and provisional ballots last night, the races for New Hanover County school board and county commissioner seats remain effectively unchanged — although ev...

After all the ballot hoopla the winners remain the same in New Hanover County.

BOE counted ~3K ballots over a 9-hour meeting Thurs.

www.whqr.org/local/2024-1...

🤠howdy

Ticket-Splitting is Part of Our DNA North Carolinians are the "rare political animal" who will vote for candidates from both parties in one election.

Ticket-Splitting is Part of Our DNA

North Carolina is home to a “rare political animal”: the split-ticket voter. Though the state’s electoral outcomes may seem head-scratching to some, it’s par for the course. #NCPol #NC

www.theassemblync.com/politics/tic...

Ticket-splitting is in our DNA, as @bowtiepolitics.bsky.social puts it #ncpol