Helene Recovery Funding: Ashe County is applying for an $8.6 million Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery package to build safer pedestrian routes tied to the Northern Peaks Trail system, with a 10-day public comment period now open. Election Overhaul in Raleigh: The NC Senate passed two rewritten election bills that would shorten early voting in primaries from 17 to 10 days and require the state auditor to review election procedures across all 100 counties, sending the changes back to the House. Education & Workforce: A-B Tech won a $29.2 million federal grant to launch the WNC Futures Factory, a manufacturing and workforce training center in Asheville aimed at job growth and economic diversification after Hurricane Helene. Healthcare Legal Fight: A North Carolina Business Court judge cleared the way for trial in the attorney general’s lawsuit against HCA over Mission Hospital’s care quality. Food Safety Watch: Cyclospora concerns tied to shredded iceberg lettuce continue to ripple nationwide, with FDA guidance still pointing to the implicated product. Business & Deals: Fifth Third hired fintech leader Dan Allred from HSBC to lead its commercial fintech push, while Verizon’s fiber expansion gets a $1.5B boost via Eaton Fiber and Ripple Fiber. Energy & Infrastructure: North Carolina’s budget law keeps ferry toll requirements in place for routes that are currently free, including Hatteras–Ocracoke. Tech Backlash: A new report highlights how local opposition is delaying data center projects—raising questions for the equipment and power buildout.