North Carolina headlines on Wednesday spanned a major medical malpractice verdict, shifting school policies and big changes for state employees.
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Here’s a roundup of the top stories from The News & Observer on July 15, 2026.
$18.2 million malpractice verdict: A Wake County jury awarded $18.2 million to a 6-year-old boy and his mother after finding a WakeMed doctor negligent during his 2019 birth, which left him with permanent nerve damage. A judge, however, will have the final say on the amount WakeMed will have to pay.
It will likely be reduced significantly, under a state law that caps the amount of some medical malpractice payouts. WakeMed spokesperson Kristen Kelly said WakeMed “is committed to providing a safe environment for patients to receive care and for future generations of health care providers to learn.”
LGBTQ+ protections removed: The Johnston County school board voted 5-2 Tuesday night to strip explicit references to sexual orientation and gender identity from its anti-bullying and equal employment policies. The district replaced the specific categories with a hyperlink to a state bullying statute.
St. Augustine’s launches online programs: The Raleigh HBCU is launching eight fully online certificate programs and selling merchandise on Amazon to generate income against $74 million in debt. The school has lost its accreditation and is bankrupt.
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Teacher and state employee raises coming: Teachers will receive an average 8% raise, with starting pay jumping from $41,000 to $48,000, while most state employees get 3% raises. State employees will see the increases in their August paychecks, retroactive to July 1.
State Health Plan picks Duke over WakeMed: The State Health Plan Board of Trustees designated UNC Health and Novant Health as preferred providers and named Duke Health as the Triangle’s access-tier provider, leaving most WakeMed services non-preferred. WakeMed called the decision “extremely damaging.”
Midtown expansion displaces affordable housing: Kane Realty is advancing a 28-acre luxury expansion on the eastern edge of North Hills that will bring more than 1,200 new homes, towers and retail. The project displaces The Pointe at Midtown, a 365-unit affordable complex where rents ranged from the low $900s to mid-$1,500s.
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The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
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