Storm Watch: A powerful nor’easter is battering the East Coast, with major coastal flooding and dangerous winds expected through the weekend and into next week; Outer Banks roads were already hit, and officials across the region are warning residents to prepare for significant inundation. Hurricane Helene Recovery: Gov. Josh Stein handed keys to a Leicester homeowner rebuilding through Renew NC, while the state’s Commerce Department highlighted $1.4B in federal recovery funds managed and ongoing housing and jobs support two years after Helene. State Government & Policy: North Carolina’s elections board is weighing changes tied to federal guidance on voter citizenship checks, while a separate debate continues over proposed photo ID requirements for all voters. Medicaid Work Requirements: As Medicaid work mandates begin nationwide, some Republican-led states are moving harder than federal rules, prompting lawsuits and pushback from patients and providers. Local Politics & Campaigns: GOP Senate nominee Michael Whatley snapped at a reporter over an unfavorable poll, and the final stretch of 2026 election coverage is heating up. Education & Athletics: UNC’s Board of Governors is investigating athletics spending after concerns about how athletics funds are used, as college sports’ academic impact comes under scrutiny. Community & Public Safety: Halifax County Schools won a statewide workforce grant to expand the Jobs for North Carolina Graduates program, and a Millbrook–Rolesville football game was suspended after fights erupted in the stands and parking lot.