The NCACC County Risk Group has amended its coverage decision and will now provide funding for defense costs in the lawsuit involving Pender County, the Pender County Board of Commissioners in their official capacities, and the Pender-Topsail Post, according to a June 2 announcement from Pender County.
The county said it recently learned of this amended decision and expressed appreciation for the risk pool’s review of the matter. The statement noted, “Pender County remains committed to serving residents, protecting county operations and addressing official matters through the appropriate legal process.”
The lawsuit was filed by the Pender-Topsail Post on July 1, 2025, against Pender County in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
In related educational statistics, among senior students taking the ACT in Pender County school districts during the 2022-23 school year, 26.9% were considered ready for college in science, 40.7% in reading, and 25.6% in math; among junior students that year, readiness rates were slightly higher at 28.1% for science, 39.2% for reading, and 26.4% for math, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
No further details about next steps or potential impacts of this amended coverage decision have been provided.
