Consumer News

shows men bent over green plants, pulling peppers into baskets

With more farmers and food handlers testing positive for the coronavirus, consumers wonder if food is safe to eat.

June 5, 2020 by Aaliyah Bowden

With more farmers and food handlers testing positive for the coronavirus, consumers wonder if food is safe to eat. - North Carolina Health News

Headlines are filled with farmers and food handlers testing positive for the novel coronavirus, making consumers wonder whether or not it is safe for us to eat that food. We’ll break it down for you.

By Aaliyah Bowden News reports have been filled in recent weeks with accounts of workers at meat processing plants coming down with COVID-19 at their workplaces. Farmers and food manufacturers have tested positive for the virus, and some have expressed concern over whether the virus can be transmitted by touching or eating food from these […]

shows a paper reading, "Insurance policy" with glasses and a pen in the foreground

For workers who’ve lost jobs, what are the options for health insurance?

May 12, 2020 by Rose Hoban

For workers who’ve lost jobs, what are the options for health insurance? - North Carolina Health News

About a million North Carolinians have lost work in the past two months, and for many, lost health insurance too. What can they do?

By Rose Hoban During the last week before Gov. Roy Cooper ordered the closure of restaurants and bars to all but takeout service in March, Stephen Murtaugh could read the handwriting on the wall. At Carrboro’s Oakleaf restaurant, where he was manager, Murtaugh said they were cleaning and disinfecting, attempting to reassure customers they’d be […]

Toni Henley says she is frustrated because her husband, Jeff, had to wait nearly a week to be tested for the COVID-19. Now he's being given hydroxychloroquine

Wife of Harnett County man with coronavirus says testing should have been done sooner

March 18, 2020 by Greg Barnes

Wife of Harnett County man with coronavirus says testing should have been done sooner - North Carolina Health News

Toni Hensley said she is frustrated that it took almost a week before her husband could get tested for the virus, but she praised health officials and urged people to heed their warnings.

By Greg Barnes Jeff Hensley wasn’t feeling well when his plane touched down in Raleigh on March 7. He had just returned from Hawaii with all of the symptoms of coronavirus — a cough, fatigue, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath — everything except one. He didn’t have a fever. Two days later, he […]

Empty grocery shelves as a response to coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic

Coronavirus Today – Monday, March 16

March 16, 2020 by Editor

Coronavirus Today – Monday, March 16 - North Carolina Health News

This last weekend saw changes in North Carolina’s public life, but for many, changes in the state became real when their kids remained home from school.

By NC Health News Staff North Carolina has been in a state of emergency for nearly a week in response to the novel coronavirus, and with the declaration came novel lifestyle changes for many across the state. The new normal for everyday life is very abnormal, instilling child care headaches for many families, ramped up […]

a man and young woman arrange eggs for customers shopping during a time of coronvirus restrictions on movement.

Need food during your coronavirus quarantine? NC farmers want to provide it.

March 16, 2020 by Rose Hoban

Need food during your coronavirus quarantine? NC farmers want to provide it. - North Carolina Health News

With new restrictions on large gatherings and people sequestering themselves at home to avoid coronavirus infection, public life in North Carolina is starting to look very different. But one institution is adjusting in order to stay alive.

By Rose Hoban One institution that’s strong in North Carolina is the local food system. The state has one of the most robust farmers market networks in the country, with more than 230 markets and roadside stands scattered across more than half of the state’s counties. People congregate at markets and in many places, market […]

shows image of Lady Justice from the Old Bailey in London

Coronavirus leads to 30-day delay for many NC court hearings

March 15, 2020 by Anne Blythe

Coronavirus leads to 30-day delay for many NC court hearings - North Carolina Health News

The state's chief justice said she was working to protect the public from potential exposure to COVID-19 while maintaining due process and constitutional rights.

By Anne Blythe North Carolina’s Chief Justice Cheri Beasley ordered changes to the state’s court system that will begin March 16 because of the coronavirus pandemic. In an attempt to balance the need to protect the public from potential exposure to COVID-19 and due process and constitutional rights, Beasley has directed the courts across the […]

A graphic with money in the background. Medicaid transformation graphic, prepaid health plan, medicaid expansion

Wannabe Medicaid managed care groups still fighting for a slot

January 24, 2020 by Sarah Ovaska

Wannabe Medicaid managed care groups still fighting for a slot - North Carolina Health News

With claims of conflict of interest and bias, bypassed managed care groups have gone to court to ask for a second shot at getting N.C. Medicaid’s managed care contracts.

By Sarah Ovaska While a move to switch Medicaid to a managed care system in North Carolina is on indefinite hold, several companies rejected by state health officials for lucrative managed care contracts are still vying for seats at the table. If N.C. Administrative Law Judge Tenisha Jacobs agrees with lawyers in her Raleigh courtroom […]

Cannabis confusion pushes states to ban smokable hemp

January 15, 2020 by Pew Trusts

Cannabis confusion pushes states to ban smokable hemp - North Carolina Health News

Lawmakers came and left Raleigh this week to return in April, leaving many issues unresolved. One of the big questions is what to do about smokable hemp, which some law enforcement worry looks too much like marijuana.

By Sophie Quinton Stateline Hemp plants can be made into anything from rope and insulation to granola. But today, most U.S. hemp farmers are growing hemp to produce cannabinoids, such as CBD — which means they’re growing plants that look like marijuana, smell like marijuana and, increasingly, are rolled into joints and smoked like marijuana. […]

A little holiday toy in Christmas lights as an illustration of holiday toys.

Toys to avoid this holiday season

December 19, 2019 by Sarah Ovaska

Toys to avoid this holiday season - North Carolina Health News

Slime, magnetic toys and more on annual list of unsafe toys.

By Sarah Ovaska It’s the time of year when store shelves are groaning with toys and relatives wander through stores, trying to figure out just what would be just right for a 2-year-old niece, grandson or daughter. But not all the toys out there for sale are necessarily safe, with young children particularly at risk […]

Paper boats with different types of Middle Eastern Foods are lined up. This is an example of healthy food at the North Carolina State Fair

Want to eat healthy at the NC State Fair? Yes, it’s possible!

October 21, 2019 by Liora Engel-Smith

Want to eat healthy at the NC State Fair? Yes, it’s possible! - North Carolina Health News

It’s state fair season and we’ve got you covered with healthy options to enjoy. This year’s roundup features everything from seafood to meat to vegan bites.

By Liora Engel-Smith and Rose Hoban When you think of the North Carolina State Fair, you’d invariably conjure images of deep-fried concoctions of all kinds, from the traditional french fries or beignets or donuts to newer creations (We’re looking at you, fried Oreo). But the annual 10-day extravaganza in Raleigh also has another side, and […]

Additional Thanks

Categories