Phone Limits Coming to NC Schools

Gov. Josh Stein signed House Bill 959 into law Tuesday, requiring school boards across the state to establish policies by Jan. 1 that restrict the use of cell phones and other wireless communication devices during instructional time. The bill also requires that public schools begin teaching social media literacy lessons starting in 2026.

Additional wireless communication devices include tablets, laptops, pagers, two-way radios, and gaming devices.

To meet the bill’s requirements, some school boards will have to alter existing cell phone policies that, in some cases, are stricter than what the new law requires.

HB 959, titled Protecting Students in a Digital Age, also bans TikTok on devices owned by school districts or accessed through district-provided internet, and integrates lessons into existing health curricula focusing on the dangers of excessive social media use.

State Highway Patrol to Operate Independently

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) announced Tuesday it will begin operating as an independent agency, separate from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. Led by Commander Col. Freddy L. Johnson Jr., the organization will report directly to Gov. Josh Stein.

The NCSHP says the separation will enhance “operational focus, accountability, and service delivery for both entities,” with Johnson referring to it as an “exciting change.”

Sworn members transitioning from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles License and Theft Bureau took their oath during a July 1 ceremony in Raleigh.

The North Carolina State Capitol Police will remain an independent agency under Col. Johnson.

NC Ranks No. 4 in Lightning-Related Deaths

A National Lightning Safety Council study ranks North Carolina No. 4 in the country for lightning-related deaths, with 11 recorded between 2015 and 2024.

Florida claims the No. 1 spot with 50 deaths, followed by Texas with 20, and Alabama with 15. Colorado ranks No. 5 with eight deaths reported.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics show that men are four times more likely to be struck than women, and the average age of someone struck by lightning is 37. From 2006 through 2021, there were 444 lightning strike deaths in the U.S., with one-third of lightning injuries occurring indoors.

The odds of being struck by lightning are roughly one in a million, and 90% of those struck survive.

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➤ Statewide: Gov. Josh Stein signed House Bill 67 on Tuesday, eliminating supervision for physician assistants with over 4,000 clinical hours and joining a compact allowing experienced PAs to treat patients in other member states. (More)

➤ Statewide: The NC Task Force on Child Care and Early Education issued six recommendations for improving child care, including expanding subsidies, boosting wages for educators, exploring tax credits for families, and enhancing quality standards. (More)

➤ Cary: Police arrested Charles Edward Stevenson Jr. on Tuesday after he allegedly shot into a vehicle during a road rage incident on U.S. 1, injuring a 5-year-old girl. He faces charges including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and discharging a firearm into occupied property. (More)

➤ Charlotte: A woman whose cell phone was stolen in South End later tracked it to Miami, then Hong Kong, and finally Shenzhen, China. Police say stolen phones are being turned over for a profit and call it a national issue. (More)

➤ New Hanover County: The sheriff’s office arrested eight people after obtaining a search warrant and seizing over 11 ounces of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and one firearm from a Whispering Woods Court residence. (More)

➤ Outer Banks: Cape Hatteras had the fourth hottest June on record with a peak temperature of 95 degrees, tying a 1944 record, while Ocracoke ranked fifth. Hatteras also tied a 2018 high of 90 degrees on June 23. (More)

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➤ UNC announced that former auto racing executive Steve Newmark will be the school’s new athletic director. Current AD Bubba Cunningham will stay in the role until 2026, then shift into an advisory position. (More)

➤ Legendary former Wake Forest football coach Bill Tate died this week at the age of 93. Tate played a key role in integrating black student-athletes into college football during the 1960s. (More)

➤ A new state bill would protect public school athletes’ NIL contracts from disclosure, raising concerns it conflicts with North Carolina’s public salary transparency laws. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Soccer | Tennis

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➤ UNC Health is warning Cigna patients of potential coverage loss by December 2025 if a “new and fair agreement” isn’t reached. UNC Health’s three-year contract with Cigna expires Nov. 30 and could impact over 60,000 patients. (More)

➤ Guilford College in Greensboro, which has been on probation since 2023 due to a failure to meet its financial requirements, met academic accreditation demands by raising more than $5 million in unrestricted cash by June 30. (More)

➤ Wolfspeed filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday and announced a plan to trim its debt load from $6.7 billion to $2.1 billion, and annual debt-service payments from $400 million to $160 million. (More)

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➤ Outside Magazine ranked Midnight Hole, located on the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as the country’s No. 9 best swimming hole thanks to its depth, waterfall, and crystal-clear stream. (See Photo)

➤ Veterinarians advise pet owners worried about their pet’s reaction to loud fireworks to create a “den of safety”—an interior room with blocked windows, a comfy bed, and treats to ease anxiety. (More)

➤ A map displaying median household incomes that qualify as middle class ranks North Carolina 27th with a median family income of $67,671. (See Map)

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