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This is the second installment in our new Main Street NC series from the WUNC Politics Podcast. In the coming months, we’ll be visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the positives going on in their towns, and the challenges they face, from population loss to flooding to aging utility infrastructure. East of Raleigh, the once sleepy suburb of Wendell ranked as the fastest-growing town in North Carolina between 2020 and 2021, with a population that increased by 16% in a single year. Signs of growth are everywhere you look in the Wake County town. It’s a prime example of what the rapid growth of North Carolina’s metro areas means for the once sleepy towns on their outskirts.To learn more about why Wendell is suddenly one of the state’s fastest-growing towns, and the challenges that brings, WUNC spoke with Mayor Virginia Gray and Mayor Pro Tem Jason Joyner. 

This is the first installment in our new Main Street NC series from the WUNC Politics Podcast. In the coming months, we’ll be visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the positives going on in their towns, and the challenges they face, from population loss to flooding to aging utility infrastructure. Our first stop is the Bertie County towns of Aulander and Lewiston Woodville.Lewiston Woodville Mayor Chris Cordon and recently retired Aulander Mayor Larry Drew discuss the causes of population loss and how it impacts their towns. Both share their optimism about the future of the Bertie communities and what it will take to bring growth and prosperity back to one of North Carolina's poorest, most diverse regions.

The state legislature wrapped up votes this week on new Congressional and state House and Senate district maps. The maps make it likely that Republicans will add three or four seats in Congress, while solidifying potential veto-proof majorities in the legislature. But with lawsuits looming over the maps, the fight isn't over. Senate Minority Whip Jay Chaudhuri, D-Wake, joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to discuss his concerns about racial and partisan gerrymandering in the districts, as well as the likely legal issues at stake. Chaudhuri also previews what Democrats see as their prospects and strategy for the 2024 election with GOP-advantage maps.

Most of the focus at the state legislature this week was on the vetoed bills that change the rules for elections and take appointment powers away from the governor. But two other veto overrides got less attention – in part because the “regulatory reform” and “clean energy” bills are so complicated. Grady O’Brien of the North Carolina Conservation Network joins WUNC’s Colin Campbell to dig into the details — from a shift toward more nuclear power to efforts to pave the way for a new natural gas pipeline.

A high-drama week at the North Carolina legislature brought quick action on an overdue state budget, following a decision by Republican leaders to drop a proposal to add four new casinos in rural counties. Rep. Lindsey Prather, D-Buncombe, shares her thoughts on the budget — and its non-monetary policy provisions — with WUNC’s Colin Campbell. She also provides a look behind the scenes at how the budget process works for legislators from the minority party. Then Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page joins to talk about his opposition to the casino idea. Page is a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor who serves a county where one of the casinos would be.

State House lawmakers advanced a 39-page rewrite of North Carolina’s alcohol laws this week. The bill includes major changes to how liquor is sold at restaurants, bars and ABC stores. To sort through the details, Lynn Minges of the N.C. Restaurant & Lodging Association joins WUNC’s Colin Campbell. She discusses the economic value of happy hour and cocktails to-go for restaurants and bars, as well as some of the quirky aspects of the state’s alcohol regulations that make it harder for hospitality businesses to get the products they need.

A hectic one-day session at the legislature resulted in six veto overrides and an effort to weaken the governor’s appointment powers — but no state budget deal. To sort through the action, Senate Majority Whip Jim Perry, R-Lenoir, chats with WUNC’s Colin Campbell. Perry also discusses loan legislation he sponsored that got vetoed, as well as his proposals to change the office of state fire marshal and keep lobbyists off the UNC Board of Governors. And he weighs in on the state’s east-west barbecue debate.

With the passage of a state budget delayed until September, Democrats in the legislature are increasingly impatient with Republican leaders’ slow progress in wrapping up this year’s long session. House Democratic Leader Robert Reives, D-Chatham, talks with WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell about the impacts on state employees and Medicaid expansion. Plus, he discusses his bipartisan work on economic development, controversy over voter ID implementation, rural broadband policy, and how the GOP supermajority has shifted the dynamic on Jones Street.

Before Phil Berger was considered the most powerful politician in the state, Democratic Sen. Marc Basnight of Manteo held the same position from 1993 to 2010. Basnight, who died in 2020, was a big advocate for the Outer Banks, and he used his role to help build the tourism juggernaut we have today in that corner of the state. Author Clark Twiddy’s new book, “Outer Banks Visionaries: Building North Carolina’s Oceanfront,” looks at that legacy. He joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to discuss Basnight and the book.

North Carolina’s state budget is now three weeks overdue, and it’s likely August could be the earliest that a spending plan and state employee raises might be finalized. House Majority Leader John Bell, R-Wayne, joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to explain the delays. Bell also discusses the status of recently vetoed bills, proposed casino legislation, the slow recovery from hurricanes Matthew and Florence — and whether he’ll run for House speaker as Tim Moore wraps up his tenure in the post.

As the legislature starts to wind down, sweeping proposed changes to North Carolina elections are still on the table – and could have a big effect on the 2024 elections. Republicans want to shift appointment powers for the State Board of Elections, create an earlier deadline for mail-in ballots and make new regulations for early voting — all while elections officials are seeking more funding. WUNC political reporter Rusty Jacobs joins Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to discuss where things stand and what it could all mean next year.

Primaries for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general are already attracting plenty of candidates — and potential candidates. To help us sort through who’s running and how the campaigns will play out, as well as how much they’ll cost, WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell is joined by longtime political consultant Brad Crone and Anna Beavon Gravely of NCFREE, a nonpartisan research organization. They discuss the impact of Supreme Court Justice Mike Morgan’s potential candidacy for governor, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s prospects in the Republican primary, and who might seek the role of attorney general, or “aspiring governor” as it’s sometimes known.

It’s been a busy week at the state legislature as we enter what might be the final weeks of this year’s long session. Dozens of bills have passed the House and Senate in the past week alone, and many of them haven’t gotten much attention. To catch up on the noteworthy bills many of us missed, North Carolina Tribune Editor Ray Gronberg joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to discuss everything from new HOA regulations to a legislative effort to attract a TV or film production to the Charlotte areas.

Bills restricting transgender sports participation and access to healthcare are nearing final passage at the North Carolina legislature, but none of the 170 lawmakers who will decide their fate are transgender themselves. Transgender advocate and Iraq War veteran Vivian Taylor joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to discuss her perspective on what the legislation will mean for trans North Carolinians. She also talks about how the current national political climate on transgender issues compares to what North Carolina saw in the wake of the House Bill 2 “bathroom bill” controversy. And she offers her recommendation on a place worth visiting in her home county of Stanly.

Rep. Garland Pierce, D-Scotland, is one of the N.C. House’s closely watched moderate Democrats this session — a veteran lawmaker who sometimes crosses party lines on key issues, something that could make a difference on veto overrides this year. Pierce joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to explain his thinking on issues like transgender athlete restrictions, election law changes and more. And he talks about his bills to improve the foster care system and prevent a name change at Fayetteville State University, as well as his thoughts on how his party can win elections in rural areas.

N.C. House and Senate budget writers are negotiating how much state workers will get in raises — at a time when nearly a quarter of positions in state government are vacant. The House has proposed a 4.25% raise starting in July, while the Senate prefers 2.5%. The State Employees Association of North Carolina is lobbying for a larger amount. SEANC executive director Ardis Watkins and Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson join WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to talk about raise proposals and the impact of staffing shortages on government services. Dobson also discusses how the shortage at his agency could impact workplace safety, and he explains his decision not to seek a second term next year.

N.C. House Republicans are meeting soon to discuss whether they’ll pass a Senate bill to legalize medical marijuana. Senate Rules Chairman Bill Rabon is leading the charge, hoping his personal experience using marijuana to survive colon cancer treatments can persuade his GOP colleagues. Rabon, along with bipartisan bill co-sponsors — Sen. Paul Lowe, D-Forsyth, and Sen. Michael Lee, R-New Hanover — join WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to discuss the details of their proposal and what legalized medical marijuana would look like in North Carolina.

The N.C. Senate’s budget is approved, setting up negotiations with the House over tax cuts and how much state employees will get in their paychecks. But the budget debate was overshadowed by this week’s veto override on new abortion restrictions. Sen. Kandie Smith, D-Pitt, joins WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to sort through a busy week at the legislature. Smith also talks about her bill to add video streaming in the Senate and her bipartisan legislation to find alternatives to jail for people who fall behind on child support. And she shares some tips on barbecue in the Greenville area.

State legislators are considering how to spend about $1 billion in federal funding to address mental health care. Sen. Jim Burgin, R-Harnett, co-chairs health committees in the Senate and talks with WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell about his ideas for fixing mental health. Burgin also discusses new patient protection measures for hospital mergers and sales that he’s proposing with Attorney General Josh Stein. And he explains why he wants a Legislative Reform Commission to consider changing lawmaker pay and session lengths.

North Carolina’s legislature passed more than 100 different bills this week as it rushed to reach a “crossover” deadline. The agenda included several controversial pieces of conservative social legislation: A ban on abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, a ban on gender transition surgery for people under 18, and a repeal of the state’s concealed-carry gun permit requirements. To sort through the hectic action, WUNC’s Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell spoke with Hannah Schoenbaum, political reporter for The Associated Press, and Dawn Vaughan, Capitol bureau chief for The News & Observer. The trio of journalists also point out noteworthy bills that escaped attention on crossover week.