11/28/25 Weekly Roundup
➡️🦃🙏🫂🍴😋 I hope you’re enjoying some off-politics time this holiday weekend. FYI: There’s nothing below in this email that can’t wait a day or two. Or three.
Unless you’re shopping this weekend. Two boycott reminders:
Now through Dec. 1: ‘We Ain’t Buying it’: Grassroots groups mobilize to boycott Target, Home Depot, and Amazon Cardinal & Pine 11/14/25 “Organizers are asking Americans to boycott retailers for allying with or failing to stand up to the Trump administration.”
Activists boycott Rep. Chuck Edwards’ McDonald’s over his support of SNAP cuts Cardinal & Pine/USA Today 11/26/25 “Protests organized by a coalition called the Asheville Fights Back Network are planned for Edwards’ McDonald’s on 4 Seasons Boulevard in Hendersonville at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 28 and 1 p.m. Nov. 30…. The boycott of the restaurants is open-ended…. The C. Edwards Group, Edwards’ company that owns the McDonald’s franchises, says on its Facebook page that it has locations in Hendersonville, Brevard and Canton.”
➡️ NC stagnates on maternal and infant health, gets D+ from March of Dimes NCHealthHews 11/21/25 “A dozen rural hospitals across the state have stopped providing any inpatient care or closed entirely since 2005…. Of the state’s 100 counties, 20 are considered maternity care deserts because there are no hospitals offering obstetric services or birth centers, and no practicing obstetricians, gynecologists or certified nurse midwives.”
➡️ Federal authorities remove Mission Hospital’s third ‘immediate jeopardy’ designation BPR 11/24/25. However: Mission Hospital still faces potential Medicare termination, despite immediate jeopardy being lifted AVLWatchdog 11/26/25 “The hospital has until Jan. 15 to fix deficiencies or lose access to Medicare and Medicaid funding, CMS letter says.”
➡️ Fontana library trustees get bogged down on small changes Smoky Mountain News 11/25/25 “The Fontana Regional Library Board of Trustees is again struggling to implement changes as it trudges forward without legal representation.... Now, as Jackson County prepares to withdraw from the library system, there are important policy, personnel and financial decisions that must be made, and there is still no one analyzing crucial decisions that could potentially lead to litigation.” The other two counties in the FRL system are Macon and Swain.
Scroll down below NC-Related National… for this week’s North Carolina state governmental and political news. And scroll clear to the bottom for this week’s seasonal photo and note from our WNC homestead. If your email service cuts this post short, you can read it online here.
Top stories are marked 💥
If you see something in any NC News Digest post that’s incorrect … PLEASE let me know (email to ncnewsdigest@substack.com) so I can publish a correction. Truth matters. Thanks for your help.
NC-Related National Politics & Policy
On the immigration raids, which appear to be ended in NC, at least for now:
A sum-up of how it went: What we know after a week in “Charlotte’s Web” Down from DC 11/21/25 “DHS launched raids in the state last weekend, prompting fear and backlash in Charlotte and the Triangle.” And some followup on 11/26 here.
💥 NC Supreme Court justices spar online over Border Patrol operations Raleigh N&O 11/25/25 (gift link) “Justice Anita Earls, one of only two Democrats on the high court, released a statement on social media in which she called the operations a “political stunt” which “further erodes the public’s trust in the already broken justice system.”… [Republican] Justice Phil Berger Jr., posted a response in which he called her statement “irresponsible.””
After dropping felony charges, federal prosecutors file new ones against ICE protesters WUNC/WFAE 11/25/25 “The felony case against a woman accused of assaulting a federal officer outside Charlotte’s ICE office was dismissed Monday, only for prosecutors to file a new set of misdemeanor charges Tuesday.”
‘Is the price of doing this worth it?’: North Carolina Republicans worry about Trump immigration raids Politico 11/23/25
Immigration: Stein wants answers from Noem, from who to how to where Center Square 11/24/25 “One dozen questions are asked of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem by first-term Democratic North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein in a Friday letter related to enhanced federal enforcement of immigration law in Charlotte. The last asks specifically, “How much has Operation Charlotte’s Web cost the federal government?”” Link to letter here.
Border Patrol’s N.C. Operation Was a Test for What’s Next Assembly 11/26/25 “There’s a reason Customs and Border Protection, not just ICE, was deployed in Charlotte and Raleigh. And it says a lot about how the Trump administration is looking at immigration enforcement.”
After immigration raids sweep through the Triangle, churches with Latino congregants see sparse attendance WUNC 11/26/25
Some NC cities want to protect immigrants. State law limits how far they can go NCNewsline 11/24/25 “Those limits stem from North Carolina’s strict interpretation of Dillion’s Rule, which gives cities only the powers the legislature explicitly approves. Unlike “home-rule” states, where municipalities have broad authority to pass local ordinances without seeking state approval, North Carolina municipalities cannot set their own immigration policies, restrict cooperation with federal agents or adopt “sanctuary” ordinances.”
Other NC-related federal news:
NC farmers, food sellers warn that tariffs are spiking Thanksgiving dinner prices WUNC 11/25/25
‘Everybody needs a home’: New federal policy threatens to slash funding for permanent housing for homeless AVLWatchdog 11/26/25 “Housing First is the most effective path to end homelessness, advocates say; HUD’s secretary says it is financed by a “slush fund.””
💥 Trump nominees could sell TVA to the highest bidder AppVoices 11/24/25
The Trump administration wants everyone to reapply for food stamps. What does that mean? NCNewsline 11/22/25 “Details remain scant a week after [US Ag Sec’y Brooke] Rollins during an interview on the right-wing Newsmax network first publicly broached the startling idea that every beneficiary would have to reapply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.”
Homeland Security wants state driver’s license data for sweeping citizenship program NCNewsline 11/26/25 Not NC-specific.
Duke has sought to tighten faculty media engagement to minimize federal scrutiny Duke Chronicle 11/25/25 “In late August, faculty members in the Sanford School of Public Policy received an email directing them to avoid speaking to the media about any issues not related to their research. The email, obtained by The Chronicle, indicated that Frank Tramble, vice president for communications, marketing and public affairs would respond to all media inquiries about University-wide issues.”
See also Helene Recovery, State Attorney General, and State Legislature (re: Medicaid), all below.
2026 Federal Elections
💥 ‘Tis the season for filing. NC midterm election cycle gets underway Dec. 1 Carolina Public Press 11/25/25 “From Dec. 1 to Dec. 19, candidates running for a spot in Congress, the state legislature, courts and various local offices must file documentation with election boards in order to appear on the ballot.”
Big changes to the agency charged with securing elections lead to midterm worries AP 11/23/25 “Since it was created in 2018, the federal government’s cybersecurity agency has helped warn state and local election officials about potential threats from foreign governments, showed officials how to protect polling places from attacks and gamed out how to respond to the unexpected, such as an Election Day bomb threat or sudden disinformation campaign. The agency was largely absent from that space for elections this month in several states, a potential preview for the 2026 midterms.”
Michael Whatley’s ‘Recovery Czar’ Title Hangs Over His Senate Bid NOTUS 11/26/25 “Trump tapped the North Carolina Republican to oversee Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. Democrats are hell-bent on making that a liability for him.”
See also Other State Executive Branch News, below.
Helene Recovery
Nonprofits receive half a million in state funds to winterize homes as cold comes to WNC BPR 11/25/25 “... to help prepare houses and campers damaged by Hurricane Helene for winter weather.”
‘Toxic Soup’: PFAS and other contaminants surged in French Broad River after Helene, study finds NCHealthHews 11/24/25 “New research shows how hurricanes can wash sewage, industrial chemicals and “everything in people’s garages” into North Carolina waterways, and how to prevent that in future storms.”
Lawsuit alleges Forest Service timber sale near the Nolichucky River may be illegal BPR/Grist 11/20/25 “The U.S. Forest Service has been harvesting and selling timber from 135 acres of the Pisgah National Forest near the Nolichucky River as part of post-Helene debris removal. In the wake of Helene, the Pisgah National Forest was authorized by the U.S. Forest Service’s Washington office to conduct emergency salvage logging.... However, according to the suit, this specific acreage was not specified within that authorization.”
Reliance on volunteer groups has become key to state home rebuilding strategy in Western NC Carolina Public Press 11/21/25 “Far more NC homes have been rebuilt after Helene through coordination with volunteer nonprofit groups than through government efforts alone.”
NC puts $3.75M toward free childcare for Helene-impacted families Asheville C-T 11/21/25 “... set aside for the WNC Thrive initiative, a program launched the state health agency to help children and families recover from the devastating impacts of Helene. The program spans 22 counties.”
Nonprofit farms work to feed and heal WNC communities Mountain Xpress 11/27/25
NC sends $2M to mental health summer camps for children, families impacted by Helene NCNewsline 11/21/25
With new visitor center, McDowell County seeks to rebuild its tourism industry post-Helene BPR 11/21/25 “Local officials have pushed to transform the county into a destination for hikers, mountain bikers and other outdoor adventurers.”
NC State Government
Which NC laws take effect on Dec. 1: New felonies, pretrial release changes & more NCNewsline 11/27/25
Executive Branch
State Attorney General
Politics during Thanksgiving Quick Update (Jeff Jackson’s Substack) 11/26/25 “And our SNAP win, CBP, and a big A.I. settlement.”
Attorney General Jeff Jackson Leads Bipartisan Coalition Opposing Potential [Federal] Ban on State AI Protections NC DOJ press release 11/25/25
Other State Executive Branch News
💥 NC elections board will pursue citizenship checks on voter rolls as feds draw up new program NCNewsline 11/26/25. See also WRAL 11/25, Raleigh N&O 11/25, Carolina Journal 11/26 (detailed report of discussion at state BoE).
NC releases county economic tier designations for 2026 Carolina Journal 11/26/25 “18 counties will shift tiers. Counties moving toward improved economic status include … Graham, Macon…. Counties showing reduced economic performance include Buncombe,… Haywood, Henderson,… Madison,… and Yancey.”
State Legislature
💥 Reports reveal shady dealings by N.C.’s legislators and its top judge, but no action has followed Raleigh N&O 11/24/25 (gift link)
On the Medicaid funding gap caused by NC GOP legislators’ failure to agree with each other:
‘We’re already struggling’: Rural family practices in NC wrestle with Medicaid cuts NCNewsline 11/25/25 “In a recent survey, one in five said they could be forced to close their doors.”
How Rural N.C. Lowered Overdose Deaths—But Will Struggle to Keep Pace Assembly 11/24/25 “After years of fighting rising rates of overdoses, communities are finally reversing the trend.... federal funding cuts and statewide slashes to Medicaid could undo North Carolina’s progress in saving lives and combating the opioid epidemic, particularly in rural areas that depend heavily on the government-run health care program.”
Bishop William Barber and NC clergy condemn health care cuts, urge legislators to return to Raleigh NCNewsline 11/24/25
In the Courts
💥 Federal court allows Republican-led North Carolina redistricting plan to proceed NCNewsline 11/26/25 “A panel of judges rejected a request to block the map’s use in the 2026 midterms on grounds of racial discrimination.” See also WRAL 11/26, Raleigh N&O 11/26, Carolina Public Press 11/26, Democracy Docket 11/26. All three judges on the panel are Republicans. Any appeal would need to be made to the US Supreme Court.
💥 Federal judges uphold 2024 North Carolina congressional and legislative districts NCNewsline 11/21/25 “In those lawsuits, which were brought in 2023, plaintiffs claimed that congressional and state Senate districts in the Piedmont, Mecklenburg County, and eastern counties were drawn to dilute the power of Black voters. Republican legislators said they did not use racial data in creating the districts. The judges, all Republican appointees,... said Republican map-drawers “did not act with discriminatory purpose,” and that opponents failed to prove any of their claims.” See also Carolina Public Press 11/21, Cardinal & Pine/AP 11/21.
On the ongoing legal challenge to voting restrictions passed by the NC legislature in 2023: North Carolina Restricted Student Voting After ‘Influence Campaign’ by Cleta Mitchell Democracy Docket 11/25/25 “In a “post-trial brief” — a summary of all the evidence, testimonies, and legal arguments submitted by each party to the judge to consider before making a ruling — filed Friday, the plaintiffs highlighted Mitchell’s history of advocating against student voting. They also pointed to records showing that Mitchell and Womack coordinated with Republican lawmakers to push SB 747 through the legislative process.” Since then, Mitchell has continued to promote vote restrictions: Exclusive: Cleta Mitchell, Activists Scheme to Bring Back One-Day Elections Democracy Docket 11/19/25
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Soggy blue flower on a confused vinca vine that thinks it’s … spring?
