North Carolina

Candidate filing for most 2021 city, town, and village elections in North Carolina begins at noon this Friday, July 2.

National Pollinator Week is a celebration of bees, wasps, butterflies, moths — and yes, even flies. These indispensable little insects are vital to agriculture, the economy, and essentially human existence. But pollinator populations have been declining for decades. Fortunately, you can help these key players in our planet’s ecosystems — and all you need is a patio or a yard.

As of Sunday afternoon, a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for coastal New Hanover, Pender, and Brunswick counties. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect from southeastern North Carolina to northeastern South Carolina.

The N.C. Department of Transportation’s crews, contractors, and volunteers have collected more than 7 million pounds of litter from roadsides since January 1, 2021. The state is on pace to exceed its record for litter collection — 10.5 million pounds — set in 2019.

Many states are ramping up cash incentives to encourage more Americans to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Now, so is North Carolina. Governor Roy Cooper has announced $4 million in cash and college tuition drawings to get more shots in arms.

Governor Roy Cooper has issued an Executive Order designed to strengthen North Carolina’s commitment to offshore wind power, as the state plans a transition to a clean energy economy.

Along the coastal barrier islands of the Atlantic coast, maritime forests are home to mammals, reptiles, insects, plants, and migrating birds. They’re vital to coastal and storm resilience. And some coastal trees date back to the 1st century. In recent decades, commercial development has threatened these ecosystems — but now, another threat is not only clearing forests, but burying them beneath the sea.

North Carolinians can get help to pay for high-speed internet from a $3.2 billion federal program opening this month. The program is designed for families and households working, learning, and shopping from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Roy Cooper has decided to lift North Carolina’s outdoor mask mandate. The news comes as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week that vaccinated Americans no longer need to cover their faces outside unless they are in a large crowd.

As the 2020 presidential election looms, North Carolina has received a grade of “D” in women’s political participation. Women make up 51 percent of North…