Latest news with #CBS17
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Local Matters: What potential Medicaid cuts could mean for North Carolinians, rural hospitals
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — As the U.S Senate debates the House version of the budget, there are a number of sticking points within the GOP on the Senate side. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act received no Democratic votes in the House. Among the main sticking points for some holdouts is the expected impact the budget could have on health care, particularly Medicaid. It was just a little more than two years ago that Medicaid expanded in North Carolina. It allowed access for around 600,000 additional people. CBS 17's Russ Bowen sat down with Rep. Deborah Ross, a Democrat who represents Wake County, to talk about her concerns. Below is an excerpt from the attached on-air interview segment. Rep. Deborah Ross: 'Kicking people off of Medicaid is going to have dire consequences, particularly when we just got people onto Medicaid with the expansion. But the other thing that this bill does that I don't think enough people are talking about, is it takes away some of the subsidies for the health care marketplace. So, there's another 5,000 people who now will not be able to afford health insurance and may not be Medicaid eligible who have been paying for their health insurance through the marketplace. They just have gotten some subsidies because they don't earn a lot, but they are people who are working.' 'The bottom line is this; any system has some waste, fraud and abuse. There's a recent article that came out that said that maybe 3% could be avoided here. But the number of people who would be kicked off of their health insurance, that has ripple effects not just for them and their families, but it means they won't be able to pay their bills.' 'We did a Medicaid round table a few months ago and we brought the Rural Center in. And the Rural Center said if Medicaid goes away in these rural areas, particularly the expansion that we've had, up to seven rural hospitals could immediately close their doors. Those are not my statistics. Those are the statistics we got from the Rural Center.' North Carolina among 9 states that could halt Medicaid expansion if Trump cuts funding CBS 17 is working to schedule an in-person interview with Republican Rep. Brad Knott. Rep. Knott also represents part of Wake County, as well as a number of other counties in the region. He shared the following statement with CBS 17 on the federal budget. Rep. Brad Knott: 'The House delivered a once-in-a-generation opportunity with the passage of 'The One Big Beautiful Bill.' Without this becoming law, we would see trillions of dollars in tax increases for Americans – which would affect every person in my district and across North Carolina. The House further moved to protect and preserve Medicaid for those who truly need it and remove costly handouts for illegal immigrants and able-bodied young men. The bill also makes the largest border security investment in history to protect our communities. And perhaps most importantly, the bill begins to get our fiscal house in order with $1.5 trillion in cuts. I look forward to the Senate's quick consideration of this bill so we can get it to President Trump for his signature.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
Officials Warn of 'Dangerous' Swimming Conditions at NC Beaches
If you're planning on spending time in the ocean for Memorial Day weekend, you may want to stay on high alert. Oak Island and Sunset Beach in North Carolina are dealing with dangerous swimming conditions this week because Portuguese Man o' War washed ashore. These organisms are known for packing an incredibly painful sting even after they've died. With that said, Cape Lookout officials have issued a warning to beachgoers. "These aren't jellyfish, but colonies of organisms with a powerful sting. Even when dead, their tentacles can still sting, so DO NOT TOUCH them," fire officials in Sunset Beach said. That's not the only issue plaguing North Carolina this month. Swimming advisories have been issued for parts of the Outer Banks due to a serious bacteria problem. According to the N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program, test results from Whiskey Creek show that bacteria levels have blown past the state and federal action levels of 104 enterococci per 100 milliliters. This is a sign of fecal contamination in the water. From CBS 17: Testing at Jockey's Ridge Sound-side Access in Nags Head found water samples that show a running monthly average of 37 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water, according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. The levels in the Roanoke Sound exceed the state and federal standards of a running monthly average of 35 enterococci per 100 milliliters, based on five samples taken within a 30-day period, officials said. The beaches in these areas have not closed despite these swimming advisories. It's unclear how long these beach troubles will last for the Outer Banks.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CBS 17 Investigates: NC homeowner's associations and buyers beware
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — We are in the middle of 'homebuying season' and there are many items people have on their dream home wish lists. One may be living in a neighborhood with one of the nearly 15,000 community associations in North Carolina. However, some buyers want to avoid these organizations completely. 'There's two HOAs here. The first one is kind of an overhead HOA, so it covers, you know, all of the amenities,' Jessica Mclemore told CBS 17 Investigates about her Wake Forest home, which is currently up for sale in the Traditions neighborhood. 'Then the second HOA for this house covers all lawn care and maintenance.' She told CBS 17 Investigates the home used to be owned by her grandparents. The couple's realtor, Brian Pate, said it's not uncommon potential buyers-say 'no thanks' to a neighborhood with an HOA. 'You always hear the bad stories, you never hear the good. So, for that reason, people often want to avoid HOAs, and it can be a challenge with all of the new construction in the Triangle area market because all of those large, new subdivisions are going to have homeowner's associations,' said Pate. 'Look at it! It's huge! This is beautiful,' said Michael Bruner of his Fayetteville home, positioned in the Preston community. He and his wife, Kala Elenes say an HOA was a dealbreaker for them when they were on the market for a home a few years back. 'Rules, regulations for me,' Bruner said, were the reasons why he didn't want an HOA. Shortly after moving into their home in 2021, the couple said they were notified an HOA was collecting dues. 'It was very devastating to find that out, especially while I was still pregnant and I was like what are, we just got here, we paid all this money, we've painted this house, we've done all this stuff…now what do we do?' Elenes said. CBS 17 Investigates found a copy of the original Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions for the Preston Homeowner's Association of Fayetteville dated 2002, along with amended versions. It was filed with the Register of Deeds Office in Cumberland County. The couple also told us their realtor did notify them of the covenants. 'Yeah, there was covenants on the properties and bylaws, but like I said, nobody was enforcing anything,' said Bruner. CBS 17 Investigates found other documents filed for the HOA, but we didn't locate any paperwork showing it was ever disbanded. It's also registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State's Office, listing November 2002 as the time it formed. 'From a legal standpoint, there's really nothing that we can do because they're there. They've existed in its entirety forever,' said Bruner. However, the couple also provided us a copy of the MLS for the property, which is the system used by the real estate industry to show listing information about properties. In their case, the MLS says 'No' next to 'HOA.' Additionally, the couple told us an HOA was not listed on their financing paperwork, and they provided documentation showing the previous homeowner signing off on a section that says the property is not subject to governing documents, 'which impose various mandatory covenants, conditions, and restrictions upon the lot or unit.' The Preston HOA of Fayetteville tells CBS 17 Investigates in part; 'The HOA has remained active since its inception. At one point, some residents perceived the HOA as inactive due to a period when dues were not being collected while the leadership at the time addressed a legal matter. However, new leadership took over in 2021, and dues collection resumed.' 'According to everybody that we talked to, there was no HOA, okay, so that that was under the assumption that we had,' Bruner told CBS 17 Investigates. We asked —who specializes in community associations with Law Firm Carolinas—if a buyer does not want to live in a neighborhood with an HOA, what should they look out for and whose responsibility is it to vet the process. 'When someone is purchasing property, they need to make sure that they understand all of the regulations and restrictions that bind that property to make sure it's going to be appropriate for their use,' Taylor said. 'The real estate agent who was assisting them is responsible for working with them on that. The buyer is required to get certain disclosures from the seller and that includes information on any community association that might be regulating that community. And then, of course, through title inspections and title insurance, anything would come up if there wasn't a community association in effect.' After their annual dues doubled recently, Elenes and Bruner say they are looking to move elsewhere. 'I've been actively looking for a home and I really wanted to get out of here before they raised it again because—what comes next now? It's 500 a year, now it's 1,000 year…they can do anything they want to do,' Elenes said. Back in Wake Forest, the McLemores just finished house shopping a few months back and are settling in with their dogs. 'We purchased a home kind of on the outskirts of town, and the homeowner's association there is less intrusive. That's kind of what we were looking for,' said Holden McLemore. 'Nobody likes to be told what they can and can't do with their house and their property,' Jessica McLemore told us. In North Carolina, there are about 15,000 community associations, according to the Community Associations Institute. According to Attorney Taylor, about 99% of associations are set up as nonprofits in the state. 'In North Carolina, there are different types of HOAs…we have condominium associations, town home association, property owner's associations and then general HOAs, all different types,' Taylor told CBS 17 Investigates. 'But generally, these are organized as nonprofit corporations under the nonprofit corporation act, set up like any other nonprofit corporation and they're administered pursuant to that statutory framework.' You can find their information on the . Here is the full statement we received from the Preston Homeowner's Association of Fayetteville: 'The Preston HOA was established and officially filed with the state of North Carolina in 2006 when the community was first developed. The HOA has remained active since its inception. At one point, some residents perceived the HOA as inactive due to a period when dues were not being collected while the leadership at the time addressed a legal matter. However, new leadership took over in 2021, and dues collection resumed. Since its establishment, the HOA has remained publicly recorded with the state, though we understand that some homeowners may not have been made aware of its existence during their home purchase. This information is typically provided through real estate transactions, and we encourage all buyers and agents to verify HOA status during the home-buying process. The HOA prioritizes transparent and consistent communication with residents. Information is regularly shared through multiple channels, including our homeowner portal (which contains meeting minutes, governing documents, project invoices, and budgets), email updates, text messages, a quarterly newsletter, and the community bulletin board. Participation in meetings and HOA activities is always encouraged, as these forums provide opportunities for homeowners to stay informed and involved. The HOA operates in accordance with its bylaws, which are accessible through the homeowner portal. We encourage all homeowners to review these documents to gain a clear understanding of HOA procedures and responsibilities. Our goal is to maintain open communication and provide homeowners with the resources they need. We welcome any questions or concerns and encourage residents to reach out at any time to discuss HOA matters.' CBS 17's Mary Smith is an Investigative Reporter focused on Digging Deeper and Getting Answers. If you have a story that needs investigating, send an email to Investigates@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Travelers at RDU speak out after REAL ID deadline
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Passengers passed through security at Raleigh-Durham International Airport for the first time since the REAL ID went into effect Wednesday morning. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has since said that those who still don't have a REAL ID compliant form of identification can still fly, they just need to be prepared for delays at security. Many travelers told CBS17 they've had their REAL ID compliant driver's licenses for a while. 'I saw there was a lot of people at the DMV trying to get it taken care of. I was relieved I'd gone ahead and gotten it taken care of so I could get on my flight,' Jennifer Bucher said. Bucher said she's had her enhanced driver's license for years, ever since she heard about the deadline. Bill Kehoe told CBS 17 that even though he has his proper identification, he has friends and family who don't. 'It's been stressful for folks I work with and some of my family members, but hopefully it will get sorted out,' Kehoe told CBS17. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Earth Day a reminder to help pick up litter on NC roads
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Earth Day has been celebrated for over five decades on April 22 each year. Although every day should be celebrated as Earth Day, it's a day that reminds us to protect the Earth and its valuable resources. We got an email from a CBS 17 viewer in early April that says, in part: 'We've driven to Florida, Vermont and Minnesota and back, and North Carolina is by far the state with the most litter.' That message pairs well with NCDOT's push to clean up our roads. 'Pick It Up NC' is their statewide roadside litter removal initiative. It's usually scheduled for the last two weeks of April and September. You can sign up to be a part of this year's spring cleaning through your county's Department of Transportation maintenance office. They'll provide gloves, safety vests, and trash bags. In addition to volunteers, NCDOT maintenance crews devote one week of their time to pick up litter and haul away orange bags placed by volunteer pickups. Littering carries hefty consequences in North Carolina. Fines and potential community service can be levied if you're caught. Is something driving you crazy? We want to hear about it. Send us a photo or video to crazy@ We'll get to the bottom of it. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
