Food Safety: Nearly 23,000 pounds of Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods baked spaghetti and chicken cobbler were recalled after federal regulators said metal slivers may be inside the products, sold in Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia. Social Media Lawsuits: Families of four teens who died by suicide filed suit against Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube, arguing the platforms’ harms escalated over years. Disaster Recovery & Infrastructure: NCDOT says more than 99% of roads closed after Hurricane Helene have reopened, with major reconstruction continuing in Hickory Nut Gorge and other corridors. Local Government Funding: Rowan County will consider adding $167,000 for environmental monitoring tied to landfill sites, with WSP USA handling groundwater, surface water and landfill gas compliance. Tech & Power: A data center plan in Eastern North Carolina was dropped after local opposition over water and electricity concerns, with the company citing investor support shifting to “friendlier communities.” Health Workforce: Gov. Josh Stein announced STEP-NC, the first state-government health care apprenticeship program, aimed at building clinical and non-clinical staffing pipelines. Politics & Cost of Living: Democrats at Raleigh’s Unity Dinner pushed affordability messages ahead of early voting, with Roy Cooper and national leaders weighing in. Trade & Enforcement: DOJ’s Trade Fraud Task Force topped $1 billion in recoveries and charged losses in under a year, targeting customs and supply-chain fraud.