North Carolina
Going on 30 years, an education funding dispute returns to the North Carolina Supreme Court
RALEIGH, N.C. — Longstanding education funding litigation is returning to North Carolina’s highest court hardly a year after a majority of justices — all Democrats — agreed that taxpayer money could be moved to spend on addressing schooling inequities statewide without the express approval of legislators.
What’s apparently changed to permit Thursday’s scheduled oral arguments at the state Supreme Court is its composition. A few days after the court’s milestone 2022 ruling, registered Republicans won back a majority on the seven-member court after success in statewide elections for two seats.
With the partisan shift having taking effect, the five GOP justices agreed last fall to consider additional arguments sought by Republican legislative leaders opposed to the 2022 decision. Those lawmakers contend only the General Assembly can appropriate state funds.
The justices wrote that Thursday’s matter would be narrowed upon whether Superior Court Judge James Ammons, the latest to oversee the litigation originating almost 30 years ago, had authority last spring to enter an order declaring the state owed $678 million to fulfill two years of an eight-year plan.
But legal briefs filed for Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore essentially seek to overturn the November 2022 decision by the then-Democratic controlled court. Action by Ammons’ predcessor, the late Judge David Lee, who approved the initial $5.4 billion plan and ordered some taxpayer funds be moved, served as the focus of the 2022 ruling.
The legislators’ attorneys say there’s never been a legal determination that school districts beyond rural Hoke and Halifax counties had failed to live up to requirements affirmed by the Supreme Court in 1997 and 2004 that the state constitution directs all children must receive the “opportunity to receive a sound basic education.” And, the lawyers argue, school funding decisions are political questions that judicial branch must avoid.
A host of other legal parties, including several school districts, say Ammons’ statewide order must be upheld and implemented. They say it’s the judiciary’s job to fix statewide constitutional deficiencies in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade instruction that the executive and legislative branches failed to address.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is not a legal party in the case but supports carrying out the plan that his administration helped create.
The attorneys supporting the plan — which in part includes funding to improve teacher recruitment and salaries, expand pre-K and help students with disabilities — argue that Moore and Berger are trying to relitigate the 2022 decision, but it’s well past time procedurally to rehear the matter.
The justices were unlikely to rule from the bench at the close of oral arguments. The court’s next opinion date is March 22. The new Republican majority has ruled favorably for GOP legislators by striking down previous redistricting decisions and upholding a photo voter identification mandate.
Education and civil rights advocates scheduled a rally outside the Supreme Court building while the case was heard.
The litigation began in 1994, when several school districts and families of children sued and accused the state of state law and constitutional violations. The matter often has been referred to as “Leandro” — for the last name of one of the students who sued.
In requests repeating from the 2022 case, lawyers for the school districts asked that Associate Justice Phil Berger Jr. — son of the Senate leader — recuse himself from the case, while attorneys for the elder Berger and Moore asked that Associate Justice Anita Earls not participate. This year’s recusal motions were denied, as they were in 2022, and Earls, a registered Democrat, and the younger Berger, a Republican, both were expected to participate Thursday.
HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — One person is dead after a late-night shooting at a park in Henderson County, authorities confirmed.
Deputies with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a shooting at Dana Park around 11:26 p.m. Monday, April 27. When they arrived, they found one victim who later died from their injuries.
Investigators said the shooting does not appear to be random, but there is no immediate threat to the public.
The case remains under active investigation as deputies work to determine what led up to the shooting. Officials said no additional information will be released at this time.
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The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Monday, April 27, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from April 27 drawing
18-31-33-36-62, Powerball: 03, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 27 drawing
Day: 7-1-3, Fireball: 0
Evening: 3-3-0, Fireball: 7
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 27 drawing
Day: 7-4-4-3, Fireball: 9
Evening: 9-0-3-1, Fireball: 6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from April 27 drawing
03-13-19-21-23
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Double Play numbers from April 27 drawing
02-13-20-26-28
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 27 drawing
04-15-19-21-31, Bonus: 04
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.
It has been an up-and-down offseason for the North Carolina Tar Heels, whose roster will look drastically different next season.
During these last two weeks, the Tar Heels have lost Caleb Wilson (draft), Henri Veesaar (draft), Seth Trimble (expiring eligibility), Derek Dixon (transferred to Arizona), Luka Bogavac (transferred to Oklahoma State), Jonathan Powell (transferred to Pittsburgh), and Zayden High (transferred to South Florida).
Simultaneously, North Carolina has acquired Neoklis Avdalas, Terrence Brown, Matt Able, and Maxim Logue in the portal. In the process, head coach Michael Malone retained Jarin Stevenson, Maximo Adams, Jaydon Young, and Isaiah Denis.
With all of that in mind, we will evaluate the Tar Heels’ ceiling in the conference and assess how far they can go in the NCAA tournament.
How UNC Will Fare in ACC
As currently constructed, the Tar Heels are facing an uphill battle in the conference, especially given what top-end rival teams in the ACC have done this offseason. While North Carolina has lost over half of its rotation from last season, two programs in the conference have made convincing cases for themselves as the clear-cut, tier-one teams in the ACC.
Let’s start with Louisville. The Cardinals will lose several players through the combination of the draft and expiring eligibility. However, head coach Pat Kelsey was able to acquire Flory Bidunga, Jackson Shelstad, and Karter Knox. With over $20 million invested in next season’s roster, Louisville is at worst the second-best team in the ACC.
As for Duke, the Blue Devils retained most of their backcourt and center Patrick Ngongba II, while signing Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell. Not to mention, head coach Jon Scheyer, for the third time in four years, assembled the No. 1 recruiting class.
North Carolina will remain active in the transfer portal and must continue pursuing frontcourt players, with Veesaar announcing his decision to enter the upcoming NBA draft. Heading into the final days of April, the Tar Heels’ ceiling in the ACC is the third-best team, and that may be wishful thinking.
Way-Too-Early Prediction on North Carolina’s Ceiling in March Madness
Next year’s NCAA tournament is 11 months away, with several moving parts still in the works. However, with the current state of the roster and Malone taking over as the head coach, North Carolina should be a second-weekend team.
I would not expect the Tar Heels to be eliminated in the first round for a third consecutive season. As stated, so much will happen now until that point, but if you asked me to make an educated guess, based on what has transpired this offseason, I would say North Carolina’s ceiling in March 2027 is probably the Sweet 16.
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