Pittsboro, NC – Due to increased fire risk, and at the direction of the North Carolina Forest Service, the Chatham County Fire Marshal’s Office has issued a ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits countywide until…
The 366-day betrayal: What the Will Wade saga reveals about the new world of college sports
By The Tobacco Road Scribe The Death of the Handshake In the hyper-accelerated, transaction-heavy machinery of modern athletics, we are told to expect the unexpected. But even for a cynical veteran of the beat, the Will Wade saga feels like…
Chatham County’s housing market is still strong, but buying a home is getting harder for many residents
By Gene Galin Pittsboro, NC – If you want to understand Chatham County’s housing market in early 2026, start with this contradiction: people still want to live here, homes are still selling, and prices are still inching up — but…
The strong-ass exit: Will Wade, the LSU coup, and the burning of Tobacco Road
By The Tobacco Road Scribe Raleigh, NC – In the pressure cooker of Tobacco Road, where basketball isn’t just a sport but a secular religion scrutinized with professional-grade intensity, loyalty is usually the first casualty of ambition. But even by…
Chatham County and NC shine a light on child safety this April 2026
Pittsboro, NC – Chatham County joins the Positive Childhood Alliance North Carolina in recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month 2026. Throughout April, organizations and community members across North Carolina—including nonprofits, government agencies, educators, policymakers, health care providers, faith groups, and businesses—are…
Public School Forum of NC welcomes Dr. Anthony D. Jackson as CEO
Raleigh, NC – The Public School Forum of North Carolina is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Anthony D. Jackson as its next president and chief executive officer following a national search. Dr. Jackson will assume his role on…
Chatham County needs growth management, not a climate action plan
Chatham Journal Editorial Pittsboro, NC – By any modern local-government standard, Orange County’s Climate Action Plan is ambitious. It is broad, detailed and unmistakably ideological in structure, designed not simply to improve county operations but to reshape how local government…
Man found dead in northwestern Chatham County identified
Pittsboro, NC – A man found deceased in northwestern Chatham County on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, has been identified as William Calice Cooper III, 39, of Alamance County. Freepik photo The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office responded Wednesday after a person…
Duke escapes Siena’s upset bid, survives 71-65 scare to keep March Madness run alive
By The Tobacco Road Scribe Greenville, SC — For a long, uneasy afternoon inside Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Duke looked less like the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 overall seed and more like a team staring straight at one of the…
North Carolina vs. VCU NCAA tournament game preview: A 6–11 matchup with upset energy
By The Tobacco Road Scribe Chapel Hill, NC – The NCAA tournament rarely waits for teams to find themselves, and that is what makes Thursday night’s first-round game between No. 6 seed North Carolina and No. 11 seed VCU so…
VinFast’s Chatham County bet: Can a delayed $4 billion EV project still become a real North Carolina success story?
Pittsboro, NC – When VinFast chose Chatham County in March 2022 for its first North American manufacturing plant, the announcement landed like an economic thunderclap. North Carolina had won a globally watched electric-vehicle project promising thousands of jobs, billions in…
A grand finale: Dr. Jackson to retire as CCS Superintendent
Pittsboro, NC – Dr. Anthony D. Jackson has announced his intention to retire as Superintendent of Chatham County Schools (CCS) effective July 1, 2026, concluding a distinguished 39-year career in public education. photo by Gene Galin Dr. Jackson has served…
The 80% slash: 4 truths behind VinFast’s Chatham County pivot
Pittsboro, NC – In 2022, North Carolina’s economic development team thought they had landed the “big one.” The announcement that Vietnamese EV maker VinFast would invest $4 billion into a massive manufacturing facility in Chatham County was hailed as a…
Chatham County Commissioners special meeting: March 24
Pittsboro, NC – The Chatham County Board of Commissioners will hold a Special Meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at the Historic Chatham County Courthouse, 9 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro. The purpose of the meeting: Hold the monthly public comment session…
Chatham EDC responds to updated scope of VinFast project
Pittsboro, NC – The Chatham Economic Development Corporation (EDC) today issued the following statement regarding the updated scope of the VinFast electric vehicle manufacturing project in Chatham County. The VinFast project is currently stationed at the Triangle Innovation Point mega-site, just 12…
Concerns abound after Clemson sends UNC crashing out of ACC Tournament, 80-79
By The Tobacco Road Scribe Charlotte, NC – North Carolina’s 80-79 loss to Clemson in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals was the kind of defeat that leaves more questions than answers. On the surface, the Tar Heels nearly stole a game…