Guilford County, North Carolina

More than 150 people attended an Indivisible Guilford County "No Kings" rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Saturday morning along West Market Street. The nonpartisan grassroots event marked the start of the state's early voting period, encouraging attendees to vote and to help others register or find polling locations. Organizers framed the gathering as both a day of community fellowship and civic action in support of democratic participation.

Early voting in North Carolina began Thursday and continues through October 31. The broader election calendar includes absentee ballots going out starting September 4, with Election Day set for November 3 and an absentee ballot return deadline of 7:30 p.m. that evening.

Early voting began in Guilford County, North Carolina, with turnout running ahead of the 2018 and 2022 midterms, according to local election officials. County Board of Elections Director Charlie Collicutt said hourly voter counts at the Greensboro courthouse exceeded those of four years ago, though they remain below presidential-year peaks of 200,000-220,000 early voters seen in past cycles.

Voters of varying ages turned out, including longtime participants and first-time voters from North Carolina A&T State University, who cited both national and local issues as motivating factors. The U.S. Senate race between Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley was among the high-profile contests drawing attention, alongside local concerns such as education funding and transportation. Wait times stayed short, generally under 20 minutes throughout the day. Early voting continues on weekdays and select weekend hours through October 31 ahead of the general election.

Ann Arbor's city clerk's office has outlined early voting plans for the Nov. 3 election. Early voting begins Wednesday, Oct. 21, at two University of Michigan campus sites (the Museum of Art and Duderstadt Center) and expands Saturday, Oct. 24, to four branch libraries—Malletts Creek, Traverwood and Westgate—plus city hall. Early voting runs daily through Sunday, Nov. 1, with voting hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the library and campus sites, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at city hall.

Voters can register and check status online via the Michigan Voter Information Center, or register in person with proof of residency after Oct. 20. The clerk's office will extend hours in the final days before the election, and satellite registration is available at the UM voting sites. Standard polling locations are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Absentee ballots must reach the clerk's office by 8 p.m. on Election Day; the Veterans Memorial Park drop box has relocated to Fire Station 3.

Statewide, Michigan law bars release of early or absentee totals before 8 p.m. on Election Day, and bipartisan verification steps mean full results typically take time to post. Ann Arbor voters will decide local, state and federal races, plus ballot proposals.

The North Carolina Cemetery Commission has issued a cease-and-desist letter to National Vault Services Inc., alleging the company is illegally operating Piedmont Memorial Park Cemetery in Greensboro without a required license under the state's Cemetery Act. The company has owned the cemetery since 2019 and was briefly dissolved for a filing issue before being reinstated in 2026. Google lists the cemetery as permanently closed, though recent burials have occurred there.

Families with loved ones buried at the site describe overgrown grass, misplaced grave markers, and years of neglect, with some saying they personally maintain the grounds around relatives' graves. Guilford County confirmed it found grass roughly three feet high but no solid waste violations, and noted it lacks an ordinance covering lawn maintenance. The company has 20 business days from September 10 to confirm it has halted operations or face referral to the state Department of Justice. Neither the cemetery's owner nor its listed gravedigger has responded to inquiries.

A former Guilford County, North Carolina, detention officer has been charged with forging court documents used to hold inmates for ICE. The Guilford County Sheriff's Office says Michael Shaun Diehl Jr., 40, submitted a document titled "Order After Receipt of ICE Detainer and Administrative Warrant" bearing the forged signature of a magistrate who had not actually processed the case.

Under North Carolina law, inmates subject to an ICE detainer must appear before a magistrate, who can then authorize holding them up to 48 hours beyond their normal release time so ICE can take custody. Investigators found the inmate in question was never presented before a magistrate, and a subsequent review of booking records uncovered 19 additional forms with allegedly forged magistrate signatures, affecting 20 inmates total who were subject to ICE detainers.

Diehl was fired and arrested on 20 counts of felony common law forgery. He was released on a $5,000 secured bond, and additional charges may follow as the investigation continues.

The Life of Victory in Christ Ministries Community Development Corporation, a faith-based organization based in Winston-Salem, is focused on revitalizing entire neighborhoods in Guilford County, North Carolina, with current efforts centered on Greensboro. Unlike typical nonprofits that serve individuals seeking help, the group works to bring institutions, agencies, and churches together to pool resources for whole communities.

Led by President Kenneth Holly, who also serves on the Community Grantmaking Council of the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, the organization runs street-level engagement programs including "Health in the Streets," offering free health screenings and medical debt relief, and "Church in the Streets," which brings agencies together for community healing. Dennis White, the group's Community Engagement and Implementation Specialist, says listening to residents builds trust and hope, driving lasting change. The organization is also partnering with hospitals to forgive medical debt for people below the federal poverty line.