Election Integrity Fight: A First Circuit panel refused to pause a lower-court order blocking parts of President Trump’s election-integrity executive order in 23 states, keeping limits on DHS citizenship-list sharing and new mail-ballot rules for elections before Nov. 3, 2026. Absentee Voting: Buncombe County election officials say proposed State Board of Elections changes to permanent absentee rules aren’t adopted yet, urging voters to keep following current instructions as stricter processing and documentation requirements move through rulemaking. Immigration Enforcement in NC: The New York Times reports ICE plans to open a detention center in rural North Carolina by end of 2026 at a shuttered Hertford County prison site, drawing opposition from Gov. Josh Stein and sparking protests. Data Centers & Local Control: A Town of Staley public notice sets an Aug. 11 meeting on a temporary moratorium covering data centers and related uses, reflecting growing local pushback amid national AI data-center expansion. Public Safety: Asheville police confirmed a Glock switch was used in the fatal Biltmore Avenue shooting, raising questions about how easily such devices can be obtained. NC Politics & Institutions: The N.C. Community College System named Monty Sullivan as president, succeeding Jeff Cox, as leadership turnover continues across the system.