by Heidi Reid | Oct 15, 2025 | Buzz, October 2025
NC Republicans plan to redraw congressional maps.
Heeding President Trump’s call to secure more Republican seats across the nation, NC Republican legislative leaders announced plans Monday to introduce and vote on a redrawn congressional map next week, with the intention of shifting a U.S. House district seat from the Democrats to the Republicans.
“President Trump earned a clear mandate from the voters of North Carolina and the rest of the country, and we intend to defend it by drawing an additional Republican congressional seat,” says House Speaker Destin Hall (R) of Caldwell.
The current congressional map—drawn and passed in 2023—gave Republicans a significant majority in 10 out of 14 districts (with a chance at an 11th) and is facing gerrymandering allegations. Beforehand, the NC congressional delegation sat perfectly even, with seven Democrats and seven Republicans.
Only the first congressional district—currently held by Rep. Don Davis (D), who won by less than two points in 2024—is a true swing district. New maps are expected to target this district.
Providing more insight into the party’s motives, Republican state reps. Brenden Jones and Hugh Blackwell stated updated maps are necessary to thwart “California and the radical left” from “handpicking” who runs Congress. Senate Leader Phil Berger concurred, saying NC Republicans are “doing everything we can to protect President Trump’s agenda, which means safeguarding Republican control of Congress.”
This reach for control stems nationwide. Initially ignited with Texas redrawing to add five Republican seats earlier this year, The White House also pushed Missouri to shift its map and are working a similar effort in Indiana and Kansas.
NC Dems responded immediately. House Minority Leader Robert Reives of Chatham said Republicans are dodging accountability. “The party’s politicians are more focused on consolidating power than on lowering costs or funding the state’s Medicaid program,” he wrote in a statement.
Gov. Josh Stein wasn’t on board either: “The General Assembly works for North Carolina, not Donald Trump,” he wrote in a statement—but under the NC Constitution, governors don’t have veto power over congressional maps. (Fun fact: The Governor didn’t have veto power at all until 1996.) Furthermore, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled federal judges cannot overturn electoral maps on the basis of partisan gerrymandering.
Stay tuned for updates as NC lawmakers introduce the new map.
by Heidi Reid | Apr 29, 2025 | Buzz, May 2025
What will the Michelin Guide American South mean for Raleigh?
Raleigh may finally be seeing stars. The Michelin Guide announced the launch of its Guide American South, encompassing NC, alongside five states including Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee, plus the preexisting Atlanta Guide. Inspectors are already scouting out the South’s top culinary gems to be featured in North America’s first regional guide—meaning they could be right here in Raleigh already.
Long the gold standard of culinary excellence, Michelin is the authority on the best dining across the globe, only launching guides in dining destinations it deems worthy. These guides impart a host of short reviews and symbols for restaurants, the most esteemed being the star—which can be added or taken away. And, no doubt, the star’s reverence is in how hard it is to achieve.
Man of the Hour
Yes—this Michelin is the same one fitting up your ride. Before “Michelin” became a beacon of foodie fame, it was—and still is—the French-born tire company that splashed onto the resto scene with the launch of its first guide in 1900.
For years, Raleigh restaurateurs have been working to raise the bar within our local food scene, and, clearly, it’s already paying off. The Cap City has definitely earned its pushpin on the foodie map—for starters, see this year’s list of James Beard Foundation Awards semifinalists. But as illustrious as Beard is, Michelin is next-level.
The exclusivity factor alone tells most of the story. Michelin dropped its inaugural North American Guide in New York City in 2005 (expanding to include Westchester County in 2020), continuing its U.S. rollout with editions in Chicago, DC and San Francisco—the latter marking Michelin’s first statewide expansion to California in 2019, created in partnership with Visit California. And, in 2022, Michelin launched its premiere Florida Guide in collab with Visit Florida, spanning Tampa, Miami and Orlando—with three additional destinations added this year to include Greater Fort Lauderdale, The Palm Beaches and St. Pete-Clearwater.
Making the Cut
Michelin awards up to three stars based on five criteria:
- Quality of ingredients/products used
- Mastery of flavor and cooking techniques
- Personality of the chef in cuisine
- Harmony of flavors
- Consistency between visits
Beyond winning bragging rights and exclusive status, stars translate to tourism—and dollars. Pundits have long postured that restaurants play a significant role in a city’s economic prosperity. Researchers observing Michelin’s impact in Chicago found “an increase of one Michelin Guide restaurant leads to a .5% increase (or roughly $1,141) in the home value of the median home in a neighborhood.”
The undeniable boost in business aside, Michelin recognition can represent the pinnacle of a chef’s aspirations. “…I never dreamed Michelin would come to the South,” reminisces Crawford Hospitality’s Scott Crawford. “Having cooked in the American South most of my career, it is amazing to see Michelin recognize our region as one worthy of a guide. Southern cities can now attract more hospitality professionals with aspirations of opening or working in Michelin-star restaurants.” Beyond Raleigh, culinary hot spots across the South will finally get the recognition they deserve.
Who Judges?
Inspecting potential star-studded restaurants are highly trained and educated critics with seasoned résumés. And adding that certain je ne sais quoi factor—and ensuring they receive the real resto experience—the true identities of inspectors are kept quiet. Think Central Intelligence Agency meets Culinary Institute of America.
Which local restos—if any—make the list won’t be unveiled until the annual Michelin Guide ceremony for the American South (date TBD). Until then, you’ll find us still wishing on that star.
by Heidi Reid | Feb 25, 2025 | Buzz, March 2025
Could the LA insurance debacle happen in NC?
In a devastated LA County, thousands are without homes—and without any home insurance to cover their losses. Before fires burned over 10,000 structures, insurers decided against renewing thousands of home policies in areas they deemed to be at high risk for wildfires.
Case in point: Last March, Cali’s largest home insurer State Farm General announced they wouldn’t be renewing 72,000 home and condo policies upon expiration. Meanwhile, premiums in some neighborhoods more than quadrupled, and many who couldn’t get onto the California FAIR Plan (the state’s public insurance op) had to opt for no insurance at all.
Chubb Insurance halted new policies for homes at high wildfire risk in 2021 and Allstate stopped writing new policies altogether in 2022. Now, State Farm General is seeking an avg. 22% emergency rate increase. So, while some residents have been able to maintain coverage, they, too, will still face an incredibly steep price increase on insurance.
Here in NC, as we’ve especially seen in the past year, we are no stranger to natural disasters.
Houses are falling into the ocean due to flooding in the Outer Banks. WNC still looks like a war zone after Helene demolished entire towns that may never fully recover. And every year, the coast must brace for hurricanes that are slowly but surely becoming more ferocious and catastrophic.
In the face of imminent calamity, we tapped NC Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey with pressing questions about the state of insurance amid natural disasters—and what’s stopping insurers from pulling the rug out from under NCers like they did in LA.
How did this happen in California? Could a massive insurance withdrawal like this happen in NC? No. Poor decisions in California’s leadership have allowed extreme environmentalists to override common sense fire safety in wooded areas. Additionally, repeated denial of insurance rate increases forced insurers to stop writing new business.
What should you do if you can’t find affordable coverage?Our No. 1 tip is to
shop around. Second, consumers should check with any independent agent with access to [public] state plans available through the NC Joint Underwriting Association or the NC Insurance Underwriting Association.
How do natural disasters affect premiums?They have long-term consequences in making insurance in those areas more risky and causing increases in rates. The solution to keeping costs down is to rebuild to more resilient standards that are stronger than code.
What actions should you take if insurance is dropped or prices spike after a disaster? Call the ‘Big I’ (Independent Insurance Agents of NC) to shop around, or call the NC Department of Insurance.
What risk-reducing measures can consumers take to keep their premiums low? Higher deductibles, fortified roofs and minimizing fire hazards
Where can residents find risk maps for their area? NC provides the Flood Risk Information System, containing digitally accessible flood hazard data, models, maps, risk assessments and reports that are database driven. This site also provides geospatial data, along with hydraulic and hydrologic models available for download and use. fris.nc.gov
by Alexandra Drosu | Nov 7, 2016 | Buzz, November 2016
This Thanksgiving, Katie Garfield will go to the movies with her family and friends as many of us will over the holidays. But for Garfield the outing represents more than a family gathering, she’ll be sharing her latest film role as the plantation owner’s daughter, Catherine Turner, in “Birth of a Nation.”
Garfield got her acting start in the Triangle performing in plays at The Cary Theater or in musicals at her alma mater Panther Creek High School in Cary. At age 12, she signed with local talent agency, Kids Unlimited, who represents her to this day in the Southeast. In fact, it was Kids Unlimited who helped her book her role in “Birth of a Nation,” currently out in theaters.
The period drama tells the true story of Nat Turner, a slave who led a rebellion to free enslaved African Americans in Southampton County, Virginia. Garfield says the entire cast felt a huge responsibility to portray the story accurately. “I’ve seen the film four or five times and it still makes me emotional,” she says. “It’s a big scar on the face of America.”
The critically acclaimed film has been plagued by controversy. In 1999, director and star Nate Parker and his college roommate were charged with rape. Parker was ultimate- ly acquitted; his roommate was initially con- victed but the verdict was overturned. The accuser did not pursue prosecution and later committed suicide. The media coverage has cast a negative light on the film though it has been heralded as an Oscar contender.
Despite the controversy, Garfield urges people to see the movie, emphasizing its importance both historically and currently given recent racial tensions. “Still to this day we have racial and social injustices, and it’s plaguing our country. It’s very alarming,” she says. “This film has such a clear message that this sort of behavior, this sort of hatred, cannot be tolerated. It can grow very quickly out of control and manifest in a horrible way.”
This film, however, is just the start of Garfield’s rising career, and it doesn’t just include acting. She recently signed a music publishing deal with Young Guns out of Nashville. As a performer, she has a management deal with the Jonas Group. “I always dreamed of being a paid songwriter, and I couldn’t say yes fast enough,” she says.
You’ll be able to hear her music next year when a new film based on Steven King’s The Stand is released. One of her songs will be featured and sung by a well-known actor, though she can’t reveal whom quite yet. But you’ll also get a chance to see her soon on
the big screen in an independent film that was shot in North Carolina called “Strings- The Movie.”
To pursue both careers, she now divides her time between Los Angeles and Nashville with frequent visits to the Triangle to visit her
family. “When I go home for the holidays, I just want to stay home in my house, walk the dog, and chill with my family,” she says. But if she decides to go out, you might just find her singing at Deep South the Bar. “Every time I’m home I do a little acoustic set.”
