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Articles by Anne Blythe
What’s next for the Atrium-WakeMed deal?
Key Takeaways: The governor and state treasurer are calling for the N.C. attorney general to scrutinize the WakeMed-Atrium deal. Federal regulators could have something to say about it too. Lawyers are still drafting language spelling out two pieces of the final agreement. The proposed combination of Atrium Health and WakeMed Health & Hospitals cleared a major hurdle Monday when Wake County commissioners gave it the go-ahead, but it’s not yet a done deal.
Wake commissioners clear the way for Atrium-WakeMed combo at contentious meeting
Key Takeaways: Wake commissioners voted 5-2 to clear the way for Atrium and WakeMed to combine after months of debate and public opposition. The deal changed substantially in the final days, with better terms for Wake County. Some of the final contract language still has to be written. The final vote was delayed by repeated disruptions from opponents, prompting the chair to temporarily clear the chamber.
After Months of Contention and Behind-the-Scenes Lobbying, New Atrium-WakeMed Deal Has More Benefits for Wake County
This article first appeared on North Carolina Health News. The first weekend in May, just before Wake County commissioners were initially planning to vote on a proposed combination of Atrium Health and WakeMed Health & Hospitals, Wake County Commissioner Vickie Adamson was worried. “This feels way too rushed to me,” she wrote in a May 2 text message to fellow commissioners Susan Evans and Cheryl Stallings.
Michelle Crouch and Anne Blythe, NC Health News
Changes to the proposed agreement include $150 million for the county, more county control, and more indigent care; county commissioners will vote on the proposal Monday.
After months of contention and behind-the-scenes lobbying, new Atrium-WakeMed deal has more benefits for Wake County
Key Takeaways: The Wake County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote Monday, Sept. 21, on WakeMed-Atrium strategic combination. Changes to the proposed agreement include $150 million in cash for the county, more county protections and control, and more indigent care. Newly released county records give a glimpse behind the scenes of how commissioners processed their pending decision.
Davie County ends water fluoridation after supply chain problems
Key Takeaways: Davie County is ending water supply fluoridation. Middle East fluoride supply chain issues hamper counties and municipalities. Traditional fluoride debate also factors into Davie County’s decision. On the first of September, Davie County will join the list of North Carolina community drinking water systems no longer adding fluoride to their supplies. Unlike the handful of other counties that considered ending system fluoridation, the decision in Davie County had a new twist.
WakeMed, Atrium leave public in dark about partnership
WakeMed, Atrium leave public in dark about partnership Published Sunday, August 9, 2026 3:00 pm By Anne Blythe | North Carolina Health News ANNE BLYTHE | NC HEALTH NEWS A “Town Hall on the Future of WakeMed” at Saint Ambrose Episcopal Church in Raleigh on July 27, 2026.
WakeMed, Atrium leaders leave public in dark as they brief small groups of commissioners about proposed partnership
Key Takeaways: WakeMed and Atrium leaders have been meeting with small groups of commissioners in private to share details of a controversial combining of forces. The Wake board has scheduled a public hearing for Aug. 17. A vote on the proposal is unlikely until early September.
WakeMed, Atrium leaders leave public in dark as they brief small groups of commissioners about proposed partnership
Key Takeaways: WakeMed and Atrium leaders have been meeting with small groups of commissioners in private to share details of a controversial combining of forces. The Wake board has scheduled a public hearing for Aug. 17. A vote on the proposal is unlikely until early September.
Omnivorous Reader
As Major League Baseball enters its stretch run, separating pretenders from true contenders for post-season play, Raleigh-based sportswriter Tim Brown has a new book that diamond purists will want to tuck into. Although you can’t write a comprehensive Nolan Ryan life story without mentioning the record 5,714 career strikeouts and seven no-hitters, Brown chases a different plotline.
Judge Denies Hearing for Former Pro Basketball Player Serving Two Life Terms
James Richardson, a Greenville man serving two life sentences for a 2009 drive-by double homicide he maintains he did not commit, spent much of the past year in a legal limbo familiar to many North Carolina prison inmates who contend they were wrongfully convicted.
Oral health advocates try to unravel mystery of two NC budget paragraphs
Key takeaways: Two paragraphs in NC’s new budget have oral health advocates scratching their heads in confusion about their practical implications. The provision does not eliminate Medicaid coverage for oral health surgeries, according to Mark Casey, dental director for Medicaid at the state Department of Health and Human Services, but he’s still trying to clarify some of the wording.
New Budget Overhauls Program Used to Fund Low-Income Civil Legal Services
Most North Carolina organizations that provide free legal assistance to low-income people on issues like housing evictions, labor complaints, disaster aid, senior health, and domestic violence and abuse will lose access to a major grant-funding source under the new state budget. The long-awaited $34.4 billion state spending plan adopted last week includes what state Rep.
Extreme heat could be a player at 2026 FIFA World Cup
Extreme heat could be a player at 2026 FIFA World Cup Published Sunday, June 21, 2026 6:27 am By Anne Blythe, North Carolina Health News NWSL North Carolina Courage player Evelyn Ijeh navigates against Racing Louisville's defense in a NWSL match in Louisville, Kentucky on May 23, 2026.
Record crowds, hot stadiums: Extreme heat could be a player during this summer’s World Cup
As the largest FIFA World Cup in history kicks off across North America, the most menacing wild card for the 48 competing countries might be the stifling summer heat. Over the monthlong marathon leading up to the July 19 championship match in New Jersey, relentlessly high temperatures and humidity will put millions of soccer enthusiasts at risk.
Omnivorous Reader
If you’ve ever felt caught in one of life’s undertows, fighting overwhelming currents seemingly beyond your control, you might find a kindred spirit among the cast of characters in Jared Lemus’ debut short story collection, Guatemalan Rhapsody. Lemus, a Kenan Visiting Writer at UNC-Chapel Hill, has compiled 12 vignettes portraying men and boys living in Guatemala or the United States.
Giving more teeth to public health in dentistry
Mary Otto was a reporter at The Washington Post almost two decades ago when she came across the story of a Maryland boy whose lack of access to routine dental care would expose a broken oral health system. Deamonte Driver was just 12 years old in February 2007 when he died from a brain infection. The cause? An untreated tooth abscess that could have been prevented had his mother not encountered so many barriers to getting her son dental care. Deamonte’s untimely death ignited outrage.
Medicaid breakthrough comes with unexpected immigration mandates
Lawmakers voted for a $319 million package on Wednesday to fully fund the state’s Medicaid program through the end of the fiscal year, settling a monthslong feud with the governor over how much it will cost to avert a projected shortfall in May.
Is the Leandro Case Dead Yet?
The state Supreme Court’s April 2 ruling dismissing the long-running Leandro lawsuit seemed like a final nail in the coffin for the 32-year-old case. But to paraphrase Monty Python and the Holy Grail, it might not be dead yet. The five low-wealth school districts that filed the claims in 1994—contending the state was not living up to its constitutional obligations to provide children a sound, basic education—asked the court to put a hold on its 4-3 ruling.
Auditor Says State Bar Program Follows Grant Rules, Could Monitor Funds Better
Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek released an audit this week on the philanthropic arm of the State Bar that said its grant awards complied with current requirements, but the program could improve the process for monitoring how those funds are used. The North Carolina Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts, or NC IOLTA, distributes millions of dollars a year to legal-aid organizations from the interest accrued when lawyers hold clients’ money in escrow.
Medicaid breakthrough comes with unexpected immigration mandates
Lawmakers voted for a $319 million package on Wednesday to fully fund the state’s Medicaid program through the end of the fiscal year, settling a monthslong feud with the governor over how much it will cost to avert a projected shortfall in May.
Leandro Is Dead. Long Live Leandro?
Jackie McLean has witnessed generations of children deprived of books, lab equipment, teachers, and other education essentials. In 1994, her daughter was entering high school in Hoke County when a group of parents, students, and the local school board filed a lawsuit with four other low-wealth districts to test the state constitution’s promise of a sound, basic education for all children.
NC dentists push for higher Medicaid payments to tackle access crisis
Kristen Jarrell, an Alexander County resident and licensed foster parent in Wilkes County, has had a dickens of a time trying to find a dentist for children in her care. In North Carolina, one of the requirements for a child entering foster care is a health and emotional trauma screening that includes an oral health assessment. For any needs identified, the state Department of Health and Human Services requires follow-up care and monitoring.
NC dentists push for higher Medicaid payments to tackle access crisis
Kristen Jarrell, an Alexander County resident and licensed foster parent in Wilkes County, has had a dickens of a time trying to find a dentist for children in her care. In North Carolina, one of the requirements for a child entering foster care is a health and emotional trauma screening that includes an oral health assessment. For any needs identified, the state Department of Health and Human Services requires follow-up care and monitoring.
Leandro is Dead. Long Live Leandro?
Jackie McLean has witnessed generations of children deprived of books, lab equipment, teachers, and other education essentials. In 1994, her daughter was entering high school in Hoke County when a group of parents, students, and the local school board filed a lawsuit with four other low-wealth districts to test the state constitution’s promise of a sound, basic education for all children.
Taming the ‘Wild West’ era of the hemp and cannabis market in NC
Behind the colorful packaging designed to appeal to young people on the shelves of many North Carolina vape shops lurks a dangerous lack of transparency, public health advocates and law enforcement agencies caution. Many consumers, they say, have no idea if the gummies and other edibles they’re purchasing contain legal CBD, high-dose psychoactive Delta-8 or something more harmful. For years, those retailers have functioned in a murky, regulatory gray zone, a market that Gov.
Taming the ‘Wild West’ era of the hemp and cannabis market in N.C.
Behind the colorful packaging designed to appeal to young people on the shelves of many North Carolina vape shops lurks a dangerous lack of transparency, public health advocates and law enforcement agencies caution. Many consumers, they say, have no idea if the gummies and other edibles they’re purchasing contain legal CBD, high-dose psychoactive Delta-8 or something more harmful. For years, those retailers have functioned in a murky, regulatory gray zone, a market that Gov.
Leandro school funding plan ruling reversed
The N.C. Supreme Court ended a marathon legal battle over public school funding with a ruling April 2 that tossed out a judge’s order that would have forced lawmakers to spend billions of dollars on public education. Chief Justice Paul Newby wrote the 4-3 majority opinion that brings a close to the long-running Leandro case. Republican Justice Richard Dietz and Democratic Justices Allison Riggs and Anita Earls dissented.
Drilling down on AI use in dentistry
It’s no longer futuristic or science fiction to think that your trip to the dentist might include robotics and artificial intelligence. Macon Singletary, a periodontist at North Raleigh Periodontics & Implant Center in Wake County, says it’s already here for him. Fear not, he says. Humans will still play a key role in your care. “I’ve been wanting to make sure whatever we do here benefits our patients,” Singletary told NC Health News.
N.C. Supreme Court Reverses 2022 Ruling on Leandro School Funding Plan
The state Supreme Court ended a marathon court battle over funding for public schools with a ruling Thursday that said state courts can’t order the legislature to spend money on education. Chief Justice Paul Newby wrote the 4-3 majority opinion that brings a close to the long-running Leandro case. Republican Justice Richard Dietz and Democratic Justices Allison Riggs and Anita Earls dissented.
N.C. Supreme Court Reverses 2022 Ruling on Leandro School Funding Plan
The state Supreme Court ended a marathon court battle over funding for public schools with a ruling Thursday that said state courts can’t order the legislature to spend money on education. Chief Justice Paul Newby wrote the 4-3 majority opinion that brings a close to the long-running Leandro case. Republican Justice Richard Dietz and Democratic Justices Allison Riggs and Anita Earls dissented.
Lawyers Trying to Overhaul State Bar Discipline System Say They ‘Will Not Be Bullied’
The leaders of a committee proposing an overhaul of the State Bar system for investigating and disciplining lawyers complained on Wednesday that they have been bullied by members of their profession who disagree with them. The State Bar Grievance Review Committee’s proposal would give elected officials more power over the disciplinary process. Critics say they are trying to politicize the licensing agency and shield many misconduct complaints from the public.
Setting the Bar
A legislative committee is proposing sweeping reforms to the State Bar that critics say will politicize the disciplinary process and reduce transparency. Last fall, the committee requested information about the political associations and contributions of all Bar employees. That followed legislative action to freeze millions of dollars in non-taxpayer funds that go to legal aid organizations across the state.
Rising toll: Are NC sports betting protections enough?
When Jessica Auslander set up her counseling practice in the Charlotte/Weddington area almost a decade ago, she was a true pioneer in her field. As the only gambling addiction specialist in the state holding the premier certification from the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board, her practice quickly became a bustling, vital resource. “That was great, let me tell you,” Auslander said. And that was before sports betting in North Carolina had become legal.
Wagering on women. Sports betting industry looks to unlock a new market
Now that the NCAA tournament play-in games are over and brackets are set with a maze of paths to the Final Four, many North Carolina college basketball fans are about to develop a serious case of March Madness — obsessed with bracket busters, office pool standings and Cinderella stories. For the second year in a row, those hardwood zealots will be able to participate legally in sports betting here on their home turf with little more than a phone in their hand.
Rising toll: Are NC sports betting protections enough?
When Jessica Auslander set up her counseling practice in the Charlotte/Weddington area almost a decade ago, she was a true pioneer in her field. As the only gambling addiction specialist in the state holding the premier certification from the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board, her practice quickly became a bustling, vital resource. “That was great, let me tell you,” Auslander said. And that was before sports betting in North Carolina had become legal.
Wagering on women. Sports betting industry looks to unlock a new market.
Now that the NCAA tournament play-in games are over and brackets are set with a maze of paths to the Final Four, many North Carolina college basketball fans are about to develop a serious case of March Madness — obsessed with bracket busters, office pool standings and Cinderella stories. For the second year in a row, those hardwood zealots will be able to participate legally in sports betting here on their home turf with little more than a phone in their hand.
Set in Stone: Court Says Gaston County Confederate Monument Can Stay
People who visit the Gaston County Courthouse will continue passing a 30-foot-tall Confederate monument not far from the front door after a court last week allowed it to remain on public property.
Oral health advocates to EPA: Use ‘gold standard science’ in fluoride review
Published Sunday, March 1, 2026 3:22 pm By Anne Blythe | North Carolina Health News DENES KOZMA | UNSPLASH Oral health proponents want the federal government to reevaluate research on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water.
Two Years, No Leandro Ruling
Sunday marks the two-year anniversary of the state Supreme Court’s controversial rehearing of the landmark Leandro case—and today, 729 days later, there’s still no ruling.
Dentists, oral health advocates urge EPA to use ‘gold standard science’ in its fluoride review
When Lee Zeldin, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, announced almost 10 months ago that the federal regulator would reevaluate research on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water, he said “sound science” would be used to “advance our mission of protecting human and health and the environment.” Now, with the window on a key commenting period for that review closing on Feb.
Dentists, oral health advocates urge EPA to use ‘gold standard science’ in its fluoride review
When Lee Zeldin, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, announced almost 10 months ago that the federal regulator would reevaluate research on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water, he said “sound science” would be used to “advance our mission of protecting human and health and the environment.” Now, with the window on a key commenting period for that review closing on Feb.
Raleigh hospital’s attempt to expand cancer services leads to revealing CON law dispute with neighboring systems
Many health care systems talk about three main pillars of care for treating cancer patients: medical, surgical and radiation oncology. It turns out that having state-of-the-art radiation technology can not only help heal patients, it can also be beneficial to a hospital system’s bottom line. A high-stakes dispute among three major hospital systems in the Triangle — Duke Health, UNC Health/Rex and WakeMed — has revealed just how financially advantageous such equipment can be.
Raleigh hospital’s attempt to expand cancer services leads to revealing CON law dispute with neighboring systems
Many health care systems talk about three main pillars of care for treating cancer patients: medical, surgical and radiation oncology. It turns out that having state-of-the-art radiation technology can not only help heal patients, it can also be beneficial to a hospital system’s bottom line. A high-stakes dispute among three major hospital systems in the Triangle — Duke Health, UNC Health/Rex and WakeMed — has revealed just how financially advantageous such equipment can be.
Omnivorous Reader | O.Henry Magazine
Most of us have heard that old cliché “Kids say the darnedest things,” but few of us could imagine getting the kind of phone call that Whitcomb Mercer Rummel Sr. received in March 1969 from his eldest child. There was nothing cliché or cutesy about it. “Hey, Dad, I accidentally stole a Picasso,” Bill Rummel said to his father nearly 57 years ago.
Eye doctor continues NC Certificate of Need law challenge despite court setback
No matter which side of the political aisle you find most comfortable, you’re probably hearing a lot these days about the high cost of health care. North Carolinians have voiced their frustration with the existing health care system in poll after poll — as in late 2024 when a survey of 601 adults done by four universities found that 61 percent found it “somewhat or very difficult” to afford health care costs.
Eye doctor continues NC Certificate of Need law challenge despite court setback
No matter which side of the political aisle you find most comfortable, you’re probably hearing a lot these days about the high cost of health care. North Carolinians have voiced their frustration with the existing health care system in poll after poll — as in late 2024 when a survey of 601 adults done by four universities found that 61 percent found it “somewhat or very difficult” to afford health care costs.
Eye doctor continues NC Certificate of Need law challenge despite court setback
No matter which side of the political aisle you find most comfortable, you’re probably hearing a lot these days about the high cost of health care. North Carolinians have voiced their frustration with the existing health care system in poll after poll — as in late 2024 when a survey of 601 adults done by four universities found that 61 percent found it “somewhat or very difficult” to afford health care costs.
Stein Loses Latest Attempt to Regain Appointment Powers
Gov. Josh Stein lost the latest court battle in his effort to claw back appointment powers the Republican-led General Assembly stripped from him weeks before he took office. In a split decision this week along party lines, the state Court of Appeals overturned a three-judge panel’s ruling that had restored the governor’s power to fill judicial vacancies in the appellate courts with appointments of his choice.
NC state retirees challenged health plan benefit changes 13 years ago. They’re still fighting.
More than 13 years have passed since a group of prominent state retirees filed a lawsuit challenging what was then a new state law that required them to start paying for health care benefits they had received free of charge for years as part of their benefits package.
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