Pittsboro, NC – An arrest has been made in the Blue Jade Spa investigation. On April 16, 2026, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office arrested Chao Li, 37 years old, of Garner, North Carolina, for charges taken out by the Pittsboro…
Why newcomers are choosing North Carolina
By Donna King Raleigh, NC – You can feel it in conversations across North Carolina, more new neighbors, more out-of-state license plates, more people saying they “just moved here from New York” or “decided to leave California.” That anecdotal sense…
Citizenship check: NC’s voter-verification effort to purge election polls
Raleigh, NC – On Thursday, April 16, the North Carolina State Board of Elections approved a new set of rules that will let state officials run the voter rolls through federal citizenship databases maintained by the U.S. Department of Homeland…
Inside Asteria’s Second Star Club: Tennis, taste, and tales
Pittsboro, NC – Storyliving by Disney has revealed new details in a press release about the Second Star Club for residents of Asteria, a new home community inspired by the natural beauty and spirit of North Carolina’s Piedmont region. Envisioned…
The Malone manifesto: The shocking realities of the new-look UNC Tar Heels
By The Tobacco Road Scribe Chapel Hill, NC – The era of the “traditional family” model in Chapel Hill has officially been retired. For decades, North Carolina basketball operated on a “slow build” philosophy—a nostalgic, multi-year developmental curve where freshmen…
Northwood to honor Austin Brice with jersey dedication
Pittsboro, NC – Northwood High School Athletics will honor former Charger standout and Major League Baseball player Austin Brice on Wednesday, April 15 at 6:30 p.m. prior to the Chargers’ home game against Cornerstone Charter. The ceremony will include the…
Chatham County 2026 development briefing: Strategic insights and growth analysis
By Gene Galin Pittsboro, NC – The Chatham County Chamber of Commerce held its 2026 Chatham County Development Briefing at the Ag Center on March 24. Here’s a compilation of the subjects that an array of speakers touched on during…
Thales Academy Pittsboro expands to Pre-K–12 with two new buildings in 2027
Pittsboro, NC – Thales Academy Pittsboro—one of the 13 campuses in the Thales Academy network of K–12 classical schools located in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, and the first Thales Academy location in Chatham County, NC—is expanding to a full…
Pittsboro Police probe suspicious activity at Blue Jade Spa
Pittsboro, NC – In October 2025, the Pittsboro Police Department Investigations Unit received a community complaint regarding suspicious activity at Blue Jade Spa, located at 579 West Street in Pittsboro, North Carolina. The complainant alleged that an illegal, unlicensed massage…
Justin Gainey adds five to NC State basketball staff
Raleigh, NC – NC State men’s basketball head coach Justin Gainey announced the first five hires to his men’s basketball staff on Friday. The Pack has added Alvin Brooks III, Riley Collins, Matthew Driscoll and Anthony Goins as assistant coaches…
3 Guys from Pittsboro having Lunch: Inside the effort to rebuild a downtown Pittsboro gathering place
By Gene Galin Pittsboro, NC – When the 3 Guys from Pittsboro Having Lunch sat down at the former Havoc Brewing space in downtown Pittsboro for a casual conversation a few weeks ago, the talk quickly moved beyond kegs, walls…
MOSAIC’s 2026 event calendar: Beach music, past-era tributes, and wellness
By Gene Galin Pittsboro, NC – On a bright spring day at MOSAIC in Pittsboro, with the Brightspeed stage behind us and a new season ahead, I sat down with event manager Savannah Fox and we talked about MOSAIC’s 2026…
A new vision at Carolina: Michael Malone’s bold turn for UNC basketball
By The Tobacco Road Scribe Chapel Hill, NC – North Carolina introduced Michael Malone on April 7 as the new head coach of its men’s basketball program, turning to a veteran NBA coach and 2023 NBA champion in a move…
Goldston Public Library seeks volunteers to assist with monthly StoryWalks®
GOLDSTON, NC— Goldston Public Library is looking for volunteers who enjoy books, the outdoors, and exercise all at the same time. At the end of each month, volunteers are needed to change out stories along the StoryWalk® at Jehugh C.…
Mike Malone to UNC: A bold pivot for the Tar Heels
By The Tobacco Road Scribe Chapel Hill, NC – North Carolina has made one of the boldest coaching decisions in modern college basketball, moving to hire former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone as the next leader of its men’s basketball…
Will Wade’s vanishing act and the Wolfpack’s wake-up call
By Donna King Raleigh, NC – This past week has been a rollercoaster for Wolfpack fans, as men’s basketball coach Will Wade suddenly resigned to take a job at LSU. It’s not that we aren’t used to it. Being a…