WUNC

The National Park Service has laid off 23 rangers in North Carolina parks as part of the federal government's recent austerity measures.

The North Carolina Department of Health is putting money toward mental health and substance use support for people at risk of regular incarceration.

Electric vehicle batteries will soon roll off the assembly line at Toyota's $14 billion factory in Randolph County. The Japanese automaker says it's also investing in EV manufacturing in China.Four years after groundbreaking, Toyota says the plant in Liberty is ready to open. It will start shipping electric and hybrid vehicle batteries to a Kentucky assembly plant in April. The company has hired nearly 4,000 workers in North Carolina. The opening comes as President Trump wants to cancel the Biden administration's investments in EV manufacturing. Meanwhile, Toyota announced on Tuesday that it will make electric vehicles and batteries in China, where the EV market is booming.

Republicans could soon take control of the North Carolina Board of Elections. The state House passed a bill Tuesday that would strip power from Governor-elect Josh Stein and other newly elected Democrats. The bill would give the new Republican state auditor the power to appoint Board of Elections members. That power currently belongs to the governor.

Democrat Rep. Don Davis is claiming victory in North Carolina's 1st Congressional District over Republican challenger Laurie Buckhout and will seemingly be narrowly reelected to his U.S. House seat.

Asheville City School officials said they expect to reopen classrooms by the end of October. Schools around Asheville have been closed since Helene knocked out power and running water in many school buildings nearly two weeks ago. Maggie Furman is Asheville City Schools Superintendent. She said crews are now digging wells on every campus.

North Carolina education officials have clarified rules for public school employees taking paid leave in the event of a miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of a child immediately after birth.

A new Amtrak service will connect North Carolina and Chicago, starting in November. But it won't be a fast trip.

Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson says he's considering legal action against C-N-N after it reported he made racist and sexual comments on a pornographic website. Robinson spoke to reporters after making a gubernatorial campaign stop in Wilkesboro on Monday, his first since most of his campaign staff resigned on Sunday.

A faculty member at Caudill Laboratories was killed during Monday's shooting on UNC-Chapel Hill's campus, according to an email from Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz to the community. A suspect was taken into custody around 2:30 p.m. and police are confident that this suspect is responsible for the shooting death.