New Medicaid Rules Take Effect Oct. 1 and Jan. 1

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will begin rolling out new Medicaid rules on Oct. 1, including work requirements and twice-yearly renewals for people covered through expansion.

The work requirement takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, for adults 19 to 64 without a disability. To keep full benefits, they will need to earn at least $580 a month or spend 80 hours a month working, in school, or volunteering.

Those same enrollees will also renew every six months instead of once a year. Parents of young children, caregivers, pregnant women, and people with disabilities are exempt.

The changes stem from President Trump’s tax-and-spending law signed in July 2025 and from state legislation Gov. Josh Stein signed in April.

NC Graduation Rate Hits Record High

North Carolina public schools achieved a historic high four-year graduation rate of 88.8% in 2025-26, up from 87.8% the prior year, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction announced Wednesday.

The all-subject composite proficiency score on end-of-grade and end-of-course tests reached 59.2%, the best in three years, with 14 of 15 reading and math exams also hitting three-year highs.

College-and-career-ready rates rose to 37.5%, and biology proficiency jumped 11 points to 59%. All racial and ethnic subgroups posted three-year highs.

Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green noted progress toward becoming the nation’s best public education system. Fewer schools received D or F performance grades, dropping to 23% from 31%.

Battleship Hosts WWII Screening

More than 40 veterans and community leaders gathered aboard the USS North Carolina on Monday night for a screening of the History Channel docuseries World War II with Tom Hanks.

The event marked Wilmington’s standing as America’s first World War II Heritage City. Spectrum News 1 anchor Tim Boyum moderated a panel discussion before the film.

The battleship earned 15 battle stars and took part in every major naval offensive in the Pacific. State Sen. Michael Lee said the city’s wartime story is bigger than most people realize, pointing to both its service members and the civilians who backed the war effort.

The History Channel also gave $5,000 to Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area, which flies veterans to Washington to see the nation’s war memorials.

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➤ Statewide: North Carolina’s public schools and universities faced a Tuesday deadline to certify compliance with new state limits on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. (More)

➤ Western NC: The U.S. House voted 413-2 Tuesday to censure Chuck Edwards, a Republican who represents the 11th District, for what an ethics investigation called persistent inappropriate conduct toward two young female staffers. (More)

➤ Greensboro: Two 2024 Guilford County reports name North Carolina House candidate Shelly Headen, a Democrat running for office in a Greensboro-area district, as a suspect in domestic assault incidents. (More)

➤ Mecklenburg County: Commissioners voted unanimously to spend $3.2 million reopening Detention Center North, shuttered four years ago over staffing shortages. The main county jail holds more than 2,200 people, over 400 above capacity. (More)

➤ Chapel Hill: Searchers recovered the body of 85-year-old retired UNC professor Konrad Jarausch from Eastwood Lake after he went for a swim and was reported missing for several hours. (More)

➤ Durham: A mother is speaking out after goats from a mobile petting zoo she hired for her children’s birthdays later tested positive for rabies. She’s urging parents to seek vaccination after possible exposure. (More)

➤ Wilmington: The city council approved comments on Tuesday to send to NCDOT raising concerns about the options on the table to replace the aging Cape Fear Memorial Bridge. (More)

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➤ Wake Forest opens its season tonight at home against Akron on the ACC Network, with the Demon Deacons favored by 24.5 points. (More)

➤ Carolina Hurricanes games will stream via the new Hurricanes Hockey Network as a Prime Video subscription for the 2026-27 season, priced at $19.99 monthly or $99.99 annually within the team’s regional territory. (More)

➤ No. 9 UNC men’s golf finished third at the season-opening Visit Knoxville Collegiate at Fox Den Country Club, with Carson Bertagnole and Grant Roscich each landing top-10 finishes. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: US Open | MLB | Soccer

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➤ Retired Army Col. Jimmy Hendrix will become executive director of the North Carolina Military Business Center on Oct. 1, succeeding longtime leader Scott Dorney, who is retiring after more than two decades. (More)

➤ Mission Hospital in Asheville relaxed its nursing requirements and now hires nurses who hold a two-year associate degree rather than pushing them toward a four-year bachelor’s degree. (More)

➤ Lowe’s Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Mooresville-based home-improvement chain, is leading a national effort to shrink the skilled-trades labor shortage through grants to train new tradespeople. (More)

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➤ ServicePlus Home Warranty’s Labor Day Sale is here with savings designed to help protect your budget from unexpected home repairs. For a limited time, get 50% off plus 2 FREE months of home warranty coverage. Protect essential home systems and appliances while taking advantage of this special holiday offer.

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➤ North Carolina’s cost of living index stood at 96.6 in the first quarter of 2026, placing it 3.4% below the national average and among the more affordable states, driven largely by lower housing costs. (See Map)

➤ Duke University professors Dan Scolnic and Michael Troxel helped develop NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which launched on Aug. 30 to study dark matter, dark energy, exoplanets, and black holes. (More)

➤ Orchestra Noir, an ensemble that blends classical performance with a cultural twist, will perform Friday at the Martin Marietta Center for the Arts in Raleigh. (More and Purchase Tickets)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ Five after-dinner rituals every American once knew have gotten lost over a single generation. (See Rituals)

➤ The Lindsay Clancy murder trial has hit another wall, leaving jurors deadlocked and a mistrial looming. (Hear Details)

➤ Meanwhile, in the Charlie Kirk assassination trial, Tyler Robinson has pleaded not guilty and now faces a possible death penalty. (Listen Now)

Where do you shop for home improvement products?

1. Lowe’s
2. Home Depot
3. Another store
4. Online

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever grown an herb garden?

1. Not yet, probably won’t: 38%
2. A few herbs: 37%
3. Yes, with basic herbs: 21%
4. Not yet but hope to: 4%

What makes the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge unique among all other North Carolina bridges?

Show me the answer