THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026

Happy New Year! On this day in 1942, No. 2 Duke lost to No. 12 Oregon State 20-16 in the 28th Rose Bowl. The game was played in Durham instead of Pasadena after military officials canceled large public events on the West Coast in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack less than a month earlier.

Today's not about breaking news—it's about the year that was, right here in North Carolina. We're looking back at the biggest stories of 2025. First, the headlines that shaped the Tar Heel State, then a few editors' picks that stuck with us along the way.

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Belichick Experiences Rocky Debut at UNC

In December 2024, UNC stunned the college football world by hiring legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick as head football coach, replacing Mack Brown.

The six-time Super Bowl winner signed a five-year, $50 million deal, bringing an NFL-style approach with high-profile staff—including his sons and Michael Lombardi, whom Belichick hired as UNC's general manager. The hire boosted ticket sales, donations, and national attention.

Belichick's first season with UNC, however, proved challenging. The team finished 4-8 overall (2-6 in the ACC)—bookended by a 48-14 loss to TCU and a rivalry defeat to NC State—and missed bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018.

Off-field distractions, including media scrutiny over Belichick's personal life, added to the turbulence. Belichick fired offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens after the season and is reportedly eyeing ex-NFL head coaches Chip Kelly and Bobby Petrino as potential replacements.

CLT Light Rail Stabbings Make Natl. Headlines

Two stabbings occurred on Charlotte's LYNX Blue Line in 2025, heightening public concerns about transit safety and making national headlines.

The first, on Aug. 22, occurred when 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed by suspect Decarlos Brown Jr. while riding the train near the East/West Boulevard station. The unprovoked attack prompted increased patrols and security measures by the Charlotte Area Transit System and police.

Then on Dec. 5, a 24-year-old man was stabbed in the chest during a confrontation on a north Charlotte train near the 25th Street station. Suspect Oscar Solarzano, a 33-year-old illegal immigrant with a prior criminal record, was arrested and faces charges that include attempted first-degree murder.

Charlotte leaders are boosting light rail safety with increased police patrols, additional security cameras, and enhanced rider awareness campaigns.

16 OBX Homes Collapse in 6 Weeks

Between Sept. 16 and Oct. 28, 2025, severe coastal erosion and powerful surf from repeated storms caused 16 beachfront homes to collapse into the Atlantic Ocean along North Carolina's Outer Banks, primarily in Buxton on Hatteras Island. Five homes collapsed on Sept. 30 alone.

The collapses, exacerbated by rising sea levels and accelerated shoreline loss of 10 to 15 feet per year, left hazardous debris scattered for miles and prompted beach closures.

Officials from Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Dare County noted no injuries but warned of ongoing risks.

Proposed federal legislation would empower Outer Banks homeowners to preemptively demolish or relocate eroding beachfront homes before they collapse, allowing them to avoid total loss and reduce cleanup and safety hazards amid accelerating coastal erosion.

NC Faces Redistricting and Ballot Challenges

In October 2025, North Carolina's Republican-controlled General Assembly enacted a new congressional map via Senate Bill 249, redrawing Districts 1 and 3 to favor an additional GOP seat ahead of the 2026 midterms. A three-judge federal panel, including U.S. District Judge Richard Myers, denied a preliminary injunction on Nov. 26, allowing the new map to proceed despite challenges.

The new map shifts district boundaries in a way that could eliminate the state's only swing district, currently held by Democrat Don Davis, aiming for an 11-3 Republican majority in the state's 14-seat delegation.

This battle followed another election challenge earlier this year, when North Carolina Supreme Court Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin challenged incumbent Democrat Allison Riggs' win by seeking to invalidate over 65,000 ballots based on eligibility issues. A federal court later blocked the changes and certified Riggs' win. Griffin conceded in May.

ICE Enforcement Intensifies Across NC

In 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in North Carolina significantly intensified under the Trump administration. The largest of the year, Operation Charlotte's Web, was launched Nov. 15 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and resulted in over 425 arrests in the Charlotte area.

The Department of Homeland Security targeted immigrants who officials described as the "worst of the worst," including individuals with prior convictions for assault, DUI, gang affiliation, and other offenses.

Smaller-scale ICE operations continued through December in the Triangle and Triad regions, including at scheduled immigration interviews. The increased enforcement reflected federal priorities to remove individuals who are in the U.S. illegally.

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Businesses, Nonprofits House Helene Survivors

Over a year after Hurricane Helene's devastation across Western North Carolina, charitable initiatives continue to house survivors who lost their homes.

High school carpentry students at Mountain Heritage High School in Burnsville built A-frame tiny home shells, partnering with Rebuilding Hollers to deliver two to four homes annually for the next few years.

Country music star Eric Church's charity, Chief Cares, is building dozens of homes for families displaced by Helene in Avery County. Additionally, Mooresville-based Lowe's worked with partners to provide 100 tiny homes to displaced families.

Country music star Eric Church's charity, Chief Cares, is planning to build dozens of homes for families displaced by Helene in Avery County. Additionally, Mooresville-based Lowe's has worked with partners to provide 100 tiny homes to displaced families.

The Appalachian Disaster Coalition is supplying 125 donated campers and rebuilding 15 homes in Yancey County, and Renew NC is rebuilding homes damaged in Henderson County for eligible victims.

NC Kidney Donors Give the Gift of Life

Acts of extraordinary generosity gave new life to those battling kidney disease in North Carolina this year. In February, healthcare worker Mandy Harris donated a kidney to young recipient Alj Jeffries, who received a heart transplant less than a year after being diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy at age 12. He later needed a kidney transplant as well.

Also in February, Elizabeth City resident Katisha Vertrees celebrated her miracle kidney match with a former anonymous donor named Marjorie Smith, who donated after learning of Katisha's lupus-related kidney failure via a Facebook campaign.

A Pender County teacher donated her kidney in 2024 to a stranger through a paired exchange program, advancing her former student, Kaleek Beatty, up the national transplant list. While Beatty is still awaiting a transplant, his wait time has been significantly reduced.

Years after a Kannapolis pastor discovered he was a perfect match for a stranger he met over a shared love of gospel music, the two men have remained connected through the miraculous chain of events.

NC Preps for America's 250th Birthday

North Carolina's government and various organizations spent 2025 laying the groundwork for a statewide celebration of America's 250th anniversary in 2026, nicknamed NC250.

The state's General Assembly established a Semiquincentennial Committee to coordinate statewide preparations involving parades, historical reenactments, educational programs, and community festivals.

The Revolutionary Routes Wayside and Marker Program, launched by America 250 NC, is installing new historical markers and wayside exhibits across the state to commemorate key Revolutionary War sites and events.

Other highlights include reenactments of the Halifax Resolves and the Mecklenburg Declaration, youth writing contests and civic bees, partnerships with nonprofits, and a proposed televised patriotic concert. The John Locke Foundation is also producing documentaries on key Revolutionary War events.

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