North Carolina
Asheville a top autumn destination in North Carolina: See other WNC spots in this report
Time to ‘fall back’ means it’s also time to check those smoke alarms
The same time to set your clocks back for daylight saving time is a great time to assure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are in order.
WorldAtlas has released a list of nine best places to visit in North Carolina this fall – and this time, most items on the list are located in Western N.C., with Asheville included.
WorldAtlas, founded in 1994 by cartographer John Moen and his wife Chris Woolwine-Moen, publishes educational materials and articles on geography, sociology, demography, environment, economics, politics and travel.
Writers of the report praise N.C. for “enticing” fall weather and, of course, vibrant foliage throughout the season. Here’s what WorldAtlas says about Asheville, plus the other locations on its list of must-sees.
More: Gluten not required: Asheville restaurant, cider rank on national list of bests
Fall activities in Asheville
Of the nine entries, Asheville is easily the least nature-centric on the list — though certainly not without the fall foliage visitors look for. In fact, “leaf peepers,” the designated label for travelers aiming to observe the changing colors in person, are known for being responsible in part for the town’s booming tourist industry.
All the same, WorldAtlas has other praise for Asheville beyond the famous leaves. The report appreciates the town’s arts scene, architecture, museums and galleries.
WorldAtlas also mentions a few of its favorite fall activities and events:
- Eliada Fall Festival and Corn Maze – A festival with a cause, 100% of the proceeds from this fall event go to benefit children, youth and families supported by nonprofit Eliada. Open weekends from Sept. 20 to Oct. 27 this year, the fall festival features a number of festive options such as lawn games, hay rides, food trucks, pumpkins for purchase and more.
- Oktoberfest Half Marathon & 5K in the River Arts District – With a scenic Asheville race route and promised post-run festivities featuring craft brews the city is famous for, the half marathon and 5k is a perfect choice for sporty fall fun. Run through classic locales such as the River Arts District and historic Montford neighborhood, then celebrate with a beverage at Hi-Wire Brewing Beer Garden. This year’s race takes place on Sept. 28.
More: Southern Living ranks Asheville restaurant on list of best new BBQ joints
Top fall destinations in NC
The full list of best fall destinations from WorldAtlas:
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Asheville
- Pisgah National Forest
- Chimney Rock State Park
- Hanging Rock State Park
- Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
- Forest Heritage Scenic Byway
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- Uwharrie National Forest
More: Answer Woman: Will Asheville see good fall color? What makes for vibrant fall color?
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.
North Carolina
2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers
Here are the voter turnout numbers for the 2026 primary election, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
Hyde County had the highest voter turnout, while Onslow County had the lowest turnout. Check out what the voter turnout in your county was below:
BERTIE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
31.85% (3,911 out of 12,280)
CARTERET COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
29.06% (16,543 out of 56,931)
CRAVEN COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
18.63% (14,119 out of 75,778)
DUPLIN COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
21.93% (6,981 out of 31,832)
EDGECOMBE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
18.16% (6,428 out of 35,396)
GREENE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
19.70% (2,147 out of 10,900)
HYDE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
37.27% (1,123 out of 3,013)
JONES COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
25.91% (1,805 out of 6,966)
LENOIR COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
16.73% (6,251 out of 37,371)
MARTIN COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
17.61% (2,858 out of 16,228)
ONSLOW COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
11.44% (14,816 out of 129,537)
PAMLICO COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
24.03% (2,446 out of 10,180)
PITT COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
15.71% (19,429 out of 123,705)
TYRRELL COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
30.49% (723 out of 2,371)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
28.66% (2,312 out of 8,067)
WAYNE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
21.49% (16,408 out of 76,358)
North Carolina
Statewide tornado drill has NC schools and workplaces practicing safety
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 6:41PM
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — North Carolina schools and businesses took part in a statewide tornado drill Wednesday morning as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week.
The National Weather Service led the drill at 9:30 a.m., broadcasting it on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System. Schools, workplaces and households across the state were encouraged to join in.
The National Weather Service didn’t issue a follow up alert to mark the end of the drill. Instead, each school or business wrapped up once they felt they had practiced the procedures thoroughly.
Wednesday’s drill also replaced the regular weekly NOAA Weather Radio test.
SEE | New warning for parents amid new ‘fire-breathing’ social media trend
Make sure to download the ABC 11 Mobile App ABC11 North Carolina Apps for Connected TV, Mobile News, Echo
Copyright © 2026 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.
North Carolina
North Carolina Rep. Valerie Foushee holds narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam
Nida Allam in 2022; Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC) in 2025.
Jonathan Drake/Reuters; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
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Jonathan Drake/Reuters; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee holds a narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam in the Democratic primary for North Carolina’s 4th Congressional district as ballots continue to be counted.
In a race seen as an early test of whether Democratic voters desire generational change within the party, Foushee holds a lead of just over 1,000 votes with 99% of results in so far, according to the Associated Press.
Under state law, provisional votes will be counted in the coming days in a district that includes Durham and Chapel Hill. If the election results end up within a 1% margin, Allam could request a recount.
Successfully ousting an incumbent lawmaker is often extremely difficult and rare. However, there have been recent upsets in races as some voters are calling for new leaders and several sitting members of Congress face primary challengers this cycle.
Allam, a 32-year-old Durham County Commissioner, is running to the left of Foushee, 69, framing her candidacy as part of a broader rejection of longtime Democratic norms.
On the campaign trail, Allam ran on an anti-establishment message, pledging to be a stronger fighter than Foushee in Congress, both in standing up against President Trump’s agenda and when pushing for more ambitious policy.
“North Carolina is a purple state that often gets labeled red, but we’re not a red state,” she told NPR in an interview last month, emphasizing the need to address affordability concerns. “We are a state of working-class folks who just want their elected officials to champion the issues that are impacting them.”
She drew a contrast with the congresswoman on immigration, voicing support for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Foushee has declined to go that far, advocating instead for ICE to be defunded and for broader reforms to the federal immigration system.
Allam also clashed with Foushee over U.S. policy towards Israel. As a vocal opponent of Israel’s war in Gaza, Allam swore off campaign donations from pro-Israel lobbying groups, such as AIPAC, and repeatedly criticized Foushee for previously accepting such funds.
Though Foushee announced last year that she would not accept AIPAC donations this cycle, she and Allam continued to spar over the broader role of outside spending in the race.
Their matchup comes four years after the candidates first squared off in 2022, when Allam lost to Foushee in what became the most expensive primary in the state’s history, with outside groups spending more than $3.8 million.
However, this year is poised to break that record. Outside groups have reported spending more than $4.4 million on the primary matchup, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
WUNC’s Colin Campbell contributed to this report.
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