Newly released autopsy reports and a preliminary federal investigation are providing additional insight into the Dec. 18, 2025, plane crash at Statesville Regional Airport that killed seven people.

A new statewide audit of federal spending is raising concerns that could affect programs and services across western North Carolina, including in Rutherford County and surrounding communities.

Gov. Josh Stein opened the April Council of State meeting with a nod to history, but the day’s most urgent message centered on a present-day threat: wildfires burning across North Carolina.

U.S. Sen. Ted Budd welcomed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to western North Carolina on April 7 for a roundtable focused on disaster recovery and proposed reforms to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

April 7 appearances — alongside a federal disaster roundtable in Chimney Rock — highlight early contrasts in outreach and recovery focus.