Friday, Dec. 12: State Incentives + Haw Creek Vote + Cost of Living
Friday, Dec. 12
Your local news briefing
5 Headlines You Should Know Today
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Cary manager’s luxury travel raises questions, lacks receipts.
Cary Town Manager Sean Stegall is under scrutiny after documents revealed he stayed at a luxury Austin hotel during a 2023 professional conference, charging the town over $3,400 without an original receipt. Although Stegall claimed the cost covered “multiple staff,” records show he was the only town employee at Hotel Van Zandt, while others stayed nearby. Additional charges included $150 each way for chauffeured airport rides. Stegall, currently on paid administrative leave, has not responded to inquiries. The town is also facing questions about other unapproved expenses.
Nida Allam challenges Foushee in NC-4 primary.
Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam has launched a primary challenge against U.S. Representative Valerie Foushee in North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District. Allam, who previously ran in 2022, criticized Foushee for a lack of urgency on immigration and foreign policy, particularly citing immigration enforcement and U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. Backed by Senator Bernie Sanders and progressive groups, Allam frames her campaign as a push against corporate influence. Foushee defended her legislative record and recent stance to decline AIPAC contributions. The primary is set for March.
Lawmakers clash with CHCCS over parental rights law.
A legislative hearing at the North Carolina General Assembly erupted in shouting this week as Republican lawmakers accused Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools of defying the state’s “Parents’ Bill of Rights.” The law requires parental notification if a student changes their name or pronouns. GOP leaders alleged noncompliance and indoctrination, while Superintendent Rodney Trice and former Board Chair George Griffin insisted the district is following the law. Democrats called the hearing political theater and a distraction from underfunded schools. The session included slammed books and accusations of anti-LGBTQ+ bias.
UNC System to make all syllabi public by 2026.
UNC System President Peter Hans has confirmed that all course syllabuses across the system’s 16 universities will be treated as public records. A new policy—still in draft form—would require institutions to create a publicly accessible syllabus database starting in the 2026–27 academic year. The move has sparked pushback from faculty and the North Carolina AAUP, who argue it infringes on copyright protections and academic freedom. Hans said public scrutiny is part of public education, though he acknowledged concerns about harassment. A finalized policy has not yet been released.
Officer killed at WakeMed had troubled job history.
The WakeMed campus police officer fatally shot last month had previously been fired from the Knightdale Police Department for repeated policy violations. 59-year-old Officer Roger Smith was killed during an altercation with Benji Martin Jr., a patient experiencing a mental health crisis, at WakeMed Garner Healthplex. Records obtained by The News & Observer show Smith was terminated in 2013 after multiple suspensions and poor performance reviews. Advocates for Martin, who is charged with murder, are demanding the release of security footage and questioning whether police responded appropriately to the crisis.
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