Suicide Prevention: Mental health experts are urging North Carolina families to watch for warning signs in new mothers and men as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month spotlights how symptoms can look different—and why early help matters. Local Nonprofit Spotlight: You Are Empowered (YAE) is bringing faith-based support to Martin County, tackling homelessness and food insecurity through donations, volunteers, and community events. Transportation & Community Impact: NCDOT is holding public hearings on Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement options, weighing a 65-foot drawbridge against a 135-foot fixed span that would change downtown Wilmington approaches. Immigration Detainer Fraud: Guilford County officials say a detention officer used allegedly forged magistrate signatures on ICE-related jail forms, leading to felony forgery charges. Education Numbers: Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools reported 11,065 students enrolled in 2024-25, continuing a broader statewide conversation about funding and classroom support. Elections & Voting Access: Wake County election officials faced scrutiny after telling residents to mark misdelivered ballots “return to sender,” as election rules and federal court fights heat up. Arts & Culture: Wake Forest earned Level II arboretum status, and a new mural by NC artist Taylor White is bringing collaborative public art to Lynn, Massachusetts. Sports & Campus Life: NCCU’s win over NC A&T was overshadowed by a halftime scuffle involving the Sound Machine and opposing staff over an “unwritten rule.” STEM Opportunity: Congressman Don Davis opened the 2026 Congressional App Challenge for students in NC-01, with a late October deadline.