By Will Atwater, Anne Blythe, Michelle Crouch, Taylor Knopf Our most-read story of 2025 had a distinctive “eew!” factor. It was about new research showing that emissions from hog operations can travel beyond farm boundaries and into nearby homes. Another study cited by NC Health News found DNA from swine feces in household dust collected […]
Posted inPublic Health
Fighting off a bout of holiday cabin fever? A hike could be the cure
By Anne Blythe A version of this story initially was published on Dec. 26, 2024. We’ve tweaked it ever so slightly and offered it up again in case you’re thinking about a holiday hike in the final days of 2025 or early in 2026. For as much cheer and joy as the holidays bring, they […]
Posted inHospitals
Judges reject arguments against NC Certificate of Need law
By Jane Winik Sartwell Carolina Public Press A challenge of the constitutionality of North Carolina’s Certificate of Need law may be heading back to the state Supreme Court. On Friday, a three-judge panel of superior court judges ruled unanimously against New Bern optometrist Jay Singleton, who alleged that Certificate of Need law restricts the right […]
Posted inCharlotte Ledger
Four years after promises, a plan for apartments at The Pearl
By Michelle Crouch Co-published with The Charlotte Ledger Four years after Atrium Health pledged to include affordable housing in its new medical innovation district in Charlotte, city filings now show a concrete proposal for the site: a gleaming 20-story tower with 382 apartments, including 19 for low-income residents. Called ANOVA, the building will include ground-level […]
Posted inState Health Policy
Iryna’s Law aims to improve public safety — but it may deepen jail and health care strains
By Rachel Crumpler A law that took effect this month tightens North Carolina’s pretrial release rules, making it more difficult for people accused of violent offenses to be released before going to trial. The changes are expected to keep more people in jail for longer, which would add pressure on county jails across the state […]
Posted inPublic Health
Sticker shock: Obamacare customers confront premium spikes as congress dithers
By Julie Appleby KFF Health News We’ve been here before: congressional Democrats and Republicans sparring over the future of the Affordable Care Act. But this time there’s an extra complication. Though it’s the middle of open enrollment, lawmakers are still debating whether to extend the subsidies that have given consumers extra help paying their health […]