North Carolina
North Carolina Is Latest GOP-Controlled State To Announce a Gerrymander
North Carolina became the latest GOP-controlled state to announce it will gerrymander its congressional map to please President Donald Trump.
Legislative leaders formally scheduled a vote for next week to redraw the state’s U.S. House districts — an extreme, mid-decade power grab aimed at cementing the GOP’s edge in Congress.
The move follows Trump’s call for red-state legislatures to “fix” congressional maps before 2026, a message embraced by Republican leaders from Texas to Missouri who have already enacted their own gerrymanders.
Under its most recent map, passed in 2023, North Carolina’s House delegation retains a 10-4 Republican majority, even though the state is closely divided between Republicans and Democrats. Now, GOP leaders want to go even further, targeting congressional District 1, a Democratic-held, majority-minority district that could flip under GOP line changes.
While Republican Senate leader Phil Berger (R), who leads the state’s upper chamber, insisted the timing has nothing to do with Trump’s call, his own announcement tied the move directly to Trump’s call and suggested last month another redraw was inevitable.
“We have drawn four Congressional maps in the last six years in redistricting fights with Democrats because of their sue-until-blue strategy,” Berger posted on social media. “If we have to draw one more map this year, we will. That said, I’ve never spoken to President Trump about this or an endorsement.”
Berger’s denial statements only came after reports suggested he had agreed to redraw congressional map maps in exchange for Trump’s endorsement.
Democrats have already called the mid-cycle scheme a direct threat to democracy, meant to entrench minority rule.
“If reports are true, North Carolina Republicans have truly stooped to a new low,” Rep. Deborah Ross (D) said following Berger’s statements. “From Texas to Missouri and now North Carolina, Republicans are waging a war on American voting rights because they know the truth — their policies are unpopular, their candidates are unlikable, and they can’t win a majority in Congress without stacking the deck in their favor.”
Governor Josh Stein (D) also denounced the GOP’s move.
“The General Assembly works for North Carolina, not Donald Trump,” Stein said. “The Republican leadership in the General Assembly has failed to pass a budget, failed to pay our teachers and law enforcement what they deserve, and failed to fully fund Medicaid. Now they are failing you, the voters. These shameless politicians are abusing their power to take away yours.”
Still, Stein’s role in the redistricting process is limited — under North Carolina law, the governor has no veto power over congressional maps. That means the GOP-controlled General Assembly can approve a new plan without executive sign off and override any opposition with a simple majority.
Voting rights advocates note that any new map advanced by the GOP will collide with ongoing federal litigation.
A three-judge panel in Winston-Salem has already heard claims that the 2023 maps illegally dilute Black voting strength. And if the court agrees, lawmakers could face a judicially imposed plan for 2026, before a new gerrymander.
Republicans, under Trump’s influence, appear determined to test those limits.
North Carolina
North Carolina is hot, dry, and about have fireworks everywhere. Why isn’t there a burn ban?
Right now, it’s unmissable. North Carolina, and especially the Triangle, is both very hot, and very dry. Fireworks stands are popping up, just in time for the Fourth of July. So why isn’t the state under a burn ban?
It’s a straightforward question, with a complex answer.
Both the state, through the North Carolina Forest Service, and individual counties can declare burn bans. The vast majority of the time, county fire marshals listen to the Forest Service. And right now, the Forest Service says the danger isn’t great enough – yet.
“We’re still dry, fire danger is still high, but we haven’t reached that hazardous category yet,” said Phil Jackson, a Forest Service spokesperson.
Jackson points out that the state has two fire seasons, spring and fall, and conditions right now are very different.
For one, humidity is much higher right now, and humidity “tends to bring relief to fire risk and any ongoing wildfire activity that might be happening at that moment,” said Jackson.
Leaves are also key. In spring, plants are trying to wake up from their long winter sleep. Doing that requires a lot of water, drying out the soil.
“Think of each individual root system as being a straw that is just pulling water out of the ground,” said Jackson.
In the fall, the ground is covered in lots of new dry leaves, increasing the danger again.
“When they’re in full green, like they are now, they tend to be more fire resistant,” said Jackson.
Jackson points out it’s not impossible to have a summer-time burn ban. The Forest Service is constantly monitoring conditions, and it’s possible those conditions could get worse in the coming weeks. For now, though, the fire danger, Jackson says, is “manageable.”
But while the fire risk might be manageable, that doesn’t mean people should be careless.
“We always encourage residents to avoid outdoor burning, unless it’s absolutely necessary,” said Johnston County Fire Marshal Travis Johnson.
Johnson says, especially with the Fourth of July right around the corner, anyone burning or lighting fireworks should always have a source of water nearby to douse any runaway flames. “We never want anything to happen, but want to make sure that you’re safe while using those,” said Johnson.
If a burn ban were to be implemented, it would impact Fourth of July fireworks shows. For now, though, those shows are allowed to go ahead, and remain the best option, Johnson says, for anyone who wants to see fireworks this year.
Johnson, and other fire marshals WRAL spoke with, also stressed official fireworks shows are put on by professionals, are strictly permitted and regulated, and there are always firefighters there, on standby, just in case.
“Just be safe, and enjoy the holidays,” said Johnson.
The video above is a live stream of WBTV and affiliated programming, and may not be directly related to the article below.
GRANITE FALLS, N.C. (WBTV) – A man was killed and a teenager was hurt after a head-on crash in Caldwell County on Sunday.
The deadly crash happened along Highway 321 near Glenn Ridge Drive in Granite Falls, just before 7:45 p.m. on June 28.
North Carolina state troopers said 65-year-old Marvin Wayne Anderson was driving the wrong way on Highway 321 when he crashed head-on into an 18-year-old.
Troopers said Anderson died on the highway, while the teenager was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.
Highway Patrol said its initial investigation did not find speed or impairment to have been factors in the wreck. Troopers did not say why or how Anderson ended up on the wrong side of the road.
The crash reportedly shut Highway 321 down for several hours but it has since reopened.
Also Read: Mail worker killed in broad daylight in rural North Carolina, officials say
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The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Sunday, June 28, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 28 drawing
Day: 2-0-8, Fireball: 7
Evening: 4-1-9, Fireball: 1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 28 drawing
Day: 7-7-6-5, Fireball: 4
Evening: 8-6-1-5, Fireball: 0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from June 28 drawing
06-08-11-16-37
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Double Play numbers from June 28 drawing
02-03-10-15-39
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 28 drawing
04-11-31-54-58, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All North Carolina Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at North Carolina Lottery Offices. By mail, send a prize claim form, your signed lottery ticket, copies of a government-issued photo ID and social security card to: North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629. Prize claims less than $600 do not require copies of photo ID or a social security card.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a prize claim form and deliver the form, along with your signed lottery ticket and government-issued photo ID and social security card to any of these locations:
- Asheville Regional Office & Claim Center: 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, 877-625-6886 press #1. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Greensboro Regional Office & Claim Center: 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407, 877-625-6886 press #2. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Charlotte Regional Office & Claim Center: 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269-1861, 877-625-6886 press #3. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- NC Lottery Headquarters: Raleigh Claim Center & Regional Office, 2728 Capital Blvd., Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, 877-625-6886 press #4. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
- Greenville Regional Office & Claim Center: 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville, NC 27834, 877-625-6886 press #5. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Wilmington Regional Office & Claim Center: 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington, NC 28405, 877-625-6886 press #6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://nclottery.com/.
When are the North Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3, 4: 3:00 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Cash 5: 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Carolina Connect editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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