WUNC News

Gov. Roy Cooper and members of North Carolina's Coronavirus Task Force will hold a press briefing Tuesday to share an update on COVID-19.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Feb. 22.

7 p.m. - Fans have been scarce for most the college basketball season during the pandemic. But there will be fans in the stands tomorrow when the men's team's from UNC and Duke meet at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill to cap off the regular season. Neither team is being discussed as a contender for the Atlantic Coast Conference crown – much less the national championship. That's another anomaly. But UNC Coach Roy Williams says it won't dampen the rivalry.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Feb. 15.

6 p.m. - Governor Roy Cooper has vetoed legislation that would have forced North Carolina school districts to offer in-person instruction for the rest of this school year. Cooper has expressed concerns the measure could compromise safety for students and teachers and stifle the ability of local school boards to open and close schools based on cornonavirus spread. The bill could still become law if enough of the handful of Democrats who joined the Republican majority in supporting the bill decide to override the governor's veto.  - Amy Jeffries, WUNC

This post will be updated frequently on Feb. 19, 2021 with the latest information and breaking news about winter weather conditions in North Carolina. The latest updates will be entered at the top with timestamps. Scroll down for older updates.

Some schools closed, and tens of thousands lost power as a winter storm swept through parts of North Carolina this week. The National Weather Service in Raleigh said Friday morning that the “threat of impactful wintry weather is winding down," but flooding remains a concern.

Governor Roy Cooper and members of North Carolina's Coronavirus Task Force are scheduled to hold a media briefing to discuss COVID-19 as well as the winter storm hitting the state today.

Watch, live, starting at 2 p.m.:

This post will be updated frequently on Feb. 18, 2021 with the latest information and breaking news about winter weather conditions in North Carolina. The latest updates will be entered at the top with timestamps. Scroll down for older updates.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Feb. 8.

6:20 p.m. - Republican senators in the North Carolina General Assembly want high school sporting events in the state opened up to bigger crowds for the remainder of the school year. A bill filed this week in the state senate would change the pandemic-related 100-person limit on spectators at outdoor high school competitions to 40% of a venue's capacity. - Rusty Jacobs, WUNC

Governor Roy Cooper and members of North Carolina's Coronavirus Task Force are scheduled to hold a media briefing on Wednesday.

Governor Roy Cooper and members of North Carolina's Coronavirus Task Force are scheduled to hold a media briefing on Tuesday.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Feb. 1.

3:47 p.m. - Some pharmacies in North Carolina are starting to administer COVID-19 vaccines today. Walgreens and locally-owned pharmacies now have a limited supply of doses coming from the federal government. Walgreens locations are only getting about 100 doses each. The national chain is giving out vaccines by appointment only. Residents who are eligible to get the vaccine are also being encouraged to contact their locally-owned pharmacies. - Will Michaels, WUNC

Governor Roy Cooper, North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen and State Budget Director Charlie Perusse hold a media briefing Thursday at 3 p.m. regarding the latest COVID-19 strategy and for an update on coronavirus-related budget recommendations. 

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Jan. 25. 

9:58 a.m. - Fans rushed to Franklin Street in Chapel Hill Saturday night to celebrate UNC's victory over Duke in basketball. The large crowd drew attention from university officials, who warned of the consequences of mass gatherings during a pandemic. 

Governor Roy Cooper and members of North Carolina’s Coronavirus Task Force will hold a media briefing Wednesday at 2 p.m. regarding the latest COVID-19 updates in the state.

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen will give a media briefing regarding COVID-19 on Tuesday at 1 p.m. Director of North Carolina Emergency Management Mike Sprayberry is also expected to join the briefing.

The House is formally transmitting the article of impeachment against former President Donald Trump to the Senate, setting the stage for the trial in that chamber the week of Feb. 8.

Watch the ceremony live.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Jan. 18.

3:10 p.m. - Prison officials say positive COVID-19 tests are on the decline at state institutions and they are now using incentives to persuade prisoners to get inoculated against the disease. North Carolina Commissioner of Prisons Todd Ishee told reporters today the positivity rate among inmates tested for COVID-19 has declined for the fifth straight month. State prisons are currently vaccinating corrections officers and other workers along with inmates 65 and older. Ishee says eligible prisoners who get both doses of the vaccine can get five days taken off their sentences. Other inmates who get vaccinated can earn $5 credits at the prison canteen, a free phone call and additional visiting sessions.

"Their health impacts our staff and our staff families and really our communities," said Ishee.

Statewide, Ishee says 2,800 staff and more than 850 incarcerated people in the 65-and-over age group have been vaccinated. - Rusty Jacobs, WUNC

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen will give a media briefing regarding COVID-19 on Thursday at 1 p.m. Department of Transportation Secretary J. Eric Boyette is also expected to participate.

Joe Biden is giving his inaugural address after being sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.

NPR reporters are annotating his speech live with fact checks and analysis.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are being sworn in Wednesday as the president and vice president of the United States.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Jan. 11.

6:40 p.m. - The number of North Carolina counties experiencing critical community spread of COVID-19 has risen. According to an alert from state health officials, 86 of the state's 100 counties are listed as red under North Carolina's three-tier coding system. That's the most serious designation -- with a positivity rate of greater than 10% and hospital systems experiencing high impact from COVID cases. Eighty-four counties were listed as red when the state issued its last alert on January 6. Thirteen counties are listed as orange, with substantial community spread, and only one county is listed as yellow, experiencing significant spread of the viral infection. - Rusty Jacobs, WUNC

The U.S. House of Representatives is taking up a resolution that would call on Vice President Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment and take over President Trump's duties. The effort comes as the House is also pursuing a second impeachment against the president over the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Watch the House proceedings live. 

You can also listen to NPR's live special coverage on WUNC radio starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Members of North Carolina's Coronavirus Task Force are scheduled to hold a media briefing at 2 p.m.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Jan. 4.

5:40 p.m. - A county in southeastern North Carolina where older adults make up a large share of the population is appealing to Gov. Roy Cooper to provide more doses of the COVID-19 vaccines. Brunswick County Board of Commissioners Chairman Randy Thompson sent a letter to the governor outlining concerns about having enough vaccine for high-risk individuals who want it. Nearly a third of Brunswick County's residents are 65 or older, and are now eligible to get a shot after the state revised the priority groups this week. That's about 46,000 people. Thompson says the county's allocation of 1,500 doses a week is inadequate.

Governor Roy Cooper and members of North Carolina's Coronavirus Task Force are scheduled to hold a media briefing on Wednesday.

Georgians are voting in two Senate runoff elections on Tuesday. Incumbent Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue face Democratic challengers Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. The races were too close to call in November and now their outcome determines the balance of power in the Senate. Follow the results live below.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Dec. 28.

6 p.m. - The state Health Department says residents of neighboring states can come into North Carolina to get a COVID-19 vaccine. And Health Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen says North Carolina residents do not need to get vaccinated in their home county. Demand has greatly outpaced supply as North Carolina has begun administering doses to hospital workers and people age 75 or older. As of today, state officials report that nearly 152,000 people have gotten their first dose, while more than 9,000 have also gotten their second dose. - Amy Jeffries, WUNC

Governor Roy Cooper and members of North Carolina's Coronavirus Task Force are scheduled to hold a media briefing on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Dec. 21.

11:18 a.m. - Guilford County Schools is delaying the return of middle school students for in-person learning by another two weeks. The district had planned for the first group of sixth graders to be back in classrooms on Jan. 7. Now they're scheduled to return Jan. 21. The district says the delay will give administrators more time to review COVID-19 data and guidance for the middle school age group. Guilford County elementary schools are still slated to reopen to students on Jan. 5 and high schools on Jan. 21. – Amy Jeffries, WUNC

As 2020 draws to a close, WUNC staffers took a look at some of the stories and interviews of this unprecedented year that pushed our team toward more nimble and creative ways of telling stories.