Herbal health education: American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) faculty shared expertise in herbal medicine at the 2026 American Herbalists Guild Symposium in Black Mountain, underscoring a push for evidence-informed, safety-first clinical herbalism. Rural health affordability: A new AP/KFF survey finds about half of rural voters say the economy worsened under Trump, with health care costs among their top worries—especially for younger rural voters. Generic drug restitution: N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson urges eligible residents to claim compensation tied to settlements over alleged generic drug price-fixing, with a preliminary distribution plan approved by a court. Hospital access and costs: Wake County commissioners voted 5-2 to move forward with the WakeMed–Atrium Health combination, with Atrium pledging major investments and a new county public health initiative, pending regulatory review. Food safety alert: USDA issued a Class 1 recall for nearly 167,639 pounds of raw meat produced in North Carolina using a counterfeit USDA inspection stamp; regulators warn some products may be in stores and should be thrown away or returned. Public health and emergencies: N.C. Wildlife officials delayed fall trout stocking after hot, drought-stressed water temperatures and Hurricane Helene impacts reduced hatchery fish. Safety in the community: A Catawba County deputy shot a juvenile near Lake Norman; the SBI opened an investigation into the officer-involved incident.