North Carolina
‘New economic reality’: NC consumers face tariff-driven inflation
Rising inflation is starting to show up on North Carolina grocery receipts and in the state’s factories, economists and executives say.
Inflation rose last month to its highest level since February as President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs push up the cost of everything from groceries and clothes to furniture and appliances.
Consumer prices rose 2.7% in June from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Tuesday, up from an annual increase of 2.4% in May. On a monthly basis, prices climbed 0.3% from May to June, after rising just 0.1% the previous month.
The Consumer Price Index tracks the year-over-year changes in the cost of goods and services such as groceries, clothing and medical expenses.
The CPI shows grocery prices are up about 17.2% since January 2022. It means a $100 grocery bill back then would cost about $117 today.
John Coleman, professor at the Duke University Fuqua School of Business, said the trend of higher costs is not going away.
“If you had to make some cutbacks or some adjustments in terms of what you had to buy, what you wanted to buy, you’re going to have to continue to do that for quite some time,” Coleman said. “It’s unfortunate, but that’s just the new economic reality that we’re faced with.”
In the same timeframe, clothing has also gone up about 5.5%.
Medical costs have also increased, government data shows. Physician services are up 4.9%, for instance.
Also, it’s 6.5% more for vehicles since January 2022.
There are many factors contributing to rising costs, including consumer spending habits, supply and demand and, increasingly, tariffs passed along to consumers.
“You are starting to see scattered bits of the tariff inflation regime filter in,” said Eric Winograd, chief economist at asset management firm AllianceBernstein, who added that the cost of long-lasting goods rose last month, compared with a year ago, for the first time in about three years.
Winograd also noted that housing costs, a big inflation driver since the pandemic, have continued to cool, actually holding down broader inflation. The cost of rent rose 3.8% in June compared with a year ago, the smallest yearly increase since late 2021.
The cost of gasoline rose 1% just from May to June, while grocery prices increased 0.3%.
“About three-fourths of firms locally, in the New York area, were intending to pass some of the tariff-related costs onto consumers,” said Keenan Institute of Private Enterprise research economist Sarah Dickerson.
Retailers such as Target, Walmart and Home Depot have said they’ll pass the cost of tariffs onto their shoppers.
Trump has said the goal of the tariffs is to increase American-made manufacturing, but it will take time.
Some items got cheaper last month, including new and used cars, hotel rooms, and airfares. Travel prices have generally declined in recent months as fewer international tourists visit the U.S.
Tariffs already having an effect on NC’s economy
Daimler Truck told state officials last week that the company could temporarily lay off 573 workers at a plant near Charlotte because orders for its trucks are down. The company makes vehicles that companies like UPS use to deliver goods.
Daimler Truck executives said last week that its customers are buying fewer trucks because of uncertainty over economic policy, including tariffs.
The Trump administration has been talking about tariffs for months now. But many of them have been delayed. So far, tariffs don’t seem to have had much impact on the state’s economy.
Daimler’s layoffs could be an indicator that that’s about to change, North Carolina economist Mike Walden said.
“Whenever there’s economic uncertainty, that is not good for business,” said Walden, an N.C. State University professor emeritus.
So far, many businesses have been trying to absorb the costs of tariffs. However, the latest uptick in the inflation rate means some are beginning to pass along those costs to consumers, Walden said.
“Businesses have been trying to not do that, but they have a breaking point,” he said. “I think we’re beginning to see that breaking point.”
It also means companies may decide not to invest in business infrastructure like delivery trucks.
UNC Charlotte economist John Connaughton says a lot of the goods on our roads come from China, either directly or shipped through other countries such as Vietnam and Mexico. He said tariffs are starting to slow the flow of those products.
“One thing’s for absolute certain, and that’s going to be there’s going to be a dramatic shift in the amount of trade that we do with China, and that has been driving to a great extent the trucking industry over the past decade or two,” Connaughton told WRAL in an interview.
Coleman, the Duke professor, said demand for durable goods such as trucks is already down, and the continuing uncertainty about even more tariffs isn’t helping.
“These are things that lead people to have a wait-and-see attitude,” Coleman said. “And the wait-and-see attitude is going to affect people like Daimler in trying to sell trucks. And then it goes down from there. I mean, it’s not just trucks.”
The economists that WRAL News spoke with on Tuesday agreed that North Carolina is likely to weather the economic uncertainty better than a lot of other states because the state is not overly reliant on manufacturing, which is where tariffs are hitting the hardest, and because the state’s economy and labor market continue to be very strong.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Wednesday, July 8, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 8 drawing
12-29-37-43-55, Powerball: 18, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 8 drawing
Day: 2-9-0, Fireball: 5
Evening: 7-9-6, Fireball: 6
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 8 drawing
Day: 8-9-6-6, Fireball: 6
Evening: 3-4-8-5, Fireball: 4
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from July 8 drawing
07-13-19-23-33
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Double Play numbers from July 8 drawing
01-03-14-18-32
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 8 drawing
16-18-43-48-50, Bonus: 01
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.
North Carolina
Damaged Flock camera in North Carolina town sparks online debate over surveillance tech
RUTHERFORDTON, N.C. (WLOS) — A damaged Flock Safety camera in Rutherfordton has reignited debate over the use of license plate reader technology, with thousands weighing in online after police shared a photo of the vandalized device.
The Rutherfordton Police Department posted an image of the damaged camera on social media, where the post quickly gained more than 20,000 comments. While some users condemned the vandalism, others praised the person responsible, with comments including “Not all heroes wear capes” and “Give them a medal.”
Local law enforcement officials said there is too much misinformation online about the cameras.
FLOCK CAMERA DAMAGED IN NORTH CAROLINA TOWN, PROMPTING POLICE STATEMENT
“We’re seeing a lot of misconceptions that these cameras collect more data than they actually do,” said Capt. Ryan Bailey with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office. “The camera itself is only capturing the vehicle traveling down the road.”
Bailey said Flock cameras do not record video. Instead, they take still images of passing vehicles and capture license plate information. According to the sheriff’s office, those images are automatically deleted after 30 days.
The department also says safeguards are in place to prevent misuse of the system. Deputies are required to enter a case number before searching the database, allowing administrators to audit searches and ensure the technology is being used appropriately.
JULY 8, 2026 – A Flock camera in Rutherford County, North Carolina. (Photo: WLOS Staff)
Despite those protections, opinions among residents remain divided.
“I don’t like that idea at all because of the over-abundance of electronics and interference in our privacy,” Rutherfordton resident Rachel Alexander said.
Others believe the cameras are a valuable investigative tool.
“I have no really negative opinion with them. I think they’re really helpful, especially with criminals and children abductions,” said local homeowner Phyllis Irvine.
POLL: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT FLOCK CAMERAS?
The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office says the cameras have also proven useful in locating vulnerable people, including those with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or other cognitive disabilities who may have gone missing while driving.
Officials say the technology has become an important resource for investigations and emergency response across the county.
Flock cameras cost about $3,500 each. Law enforcement officials say anyone caught intentionally damaging one could face charges.
North Carolina
North Carolina Republican operative shaping the state’s early voting plans is reassigned
North Carolina state Auditor Dave Boliek has reassigned a staffer working on state election preparations following reporting illustrating how the longtime Republican operative was using his position to shape county’s early voting plans.
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Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for July 8, 2026
