Wednesday, April 16, 2025

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 2011, North Carolina experienced its largest tornado outbreak in state history. A total of 28 tornadoes swept across central and eastern portions of the state, killing 24 and injuring 133.

Ah, spring—blooming flowers, whimsical hummingbirds, and…spotted lanternflies? Find out why these pests should be on your radar in this week’s Top Stories.

We’re sponsored today by BOXABL, offering an investment opportunity in a ground-breaking building technology.

Senate Republicans Unveil $66B Budget

North Carolina Senate Republicans proposed a $66 billion biennial budget Monday that allocates $32.6 billion for 2025-26 and $33.3 billion for 2026-27. Key provisions target pay raises for public employees, hurricane recovery investments, and tax cuts.

The budget provides $700 million for Hurricane Helene recovery and puts another $1.1 billion into the state’s rainy day fund. Additional allocations cover K-12 public education ($24 billion), Medicaid and other health benefits ($13 billion), adult corrections ($4 billion), transportation ($12 billion), and the UNC System ($10 billion).

UNC and NC State currently don’t receive sports betting tax revenue, but under the new budget, they would—provided they play basketball games against other UNC System schools.

The governor and General Assembly aim to pass the budget by June 30.

Ballot Challenge Rests with Appeals Court

The most recent turn in North Carolina Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin’s ballot challenge against appointed incumbent Justice Allison Riggs rested with the state’s Court of Appeals Tuesday.

After U.S. Chief District Judge Richard Myers issued an order Saturday identifying over 5,500 overseas ballots lacking photo ID and 267 “never resident“ ballots, he gave the State Board of Elections until Tuesday to report the number of affected voters and the counties where those ballots were cast.

The Court of Appeals was then tasked with informing the board how to proceed and which voters to notify of a 30-day window during which they must provide a photo ID for their ballots to be counted.

Riggs has vowed to continue fighting for all votes cast, stating, “This is a fight I am ready to lead and to win.” Flyover North Carolina will provide an update on the court’s decision as soon as it’s announced.

Spotted Lanternflies Invade NC

Spotted lanternflies have emerged for their annual spring hatch in 17 states, and North Carolina is one of them.

The insect was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014 and is considered invasive to a wide range of plants, such as grapes, hops, stone fruits, and hardwood trees. It lays eggs on surfaces like trees, rocks, vehicles, equipment, and lawn furniture, and excretes a sticky, sugary fluid that causes sooty mold, which can further damage plants.

The preferred host of the spotted lanternfly is the tree of heaven, a rapidly growing deciduous tree native to China that has also become an invasive species across North America.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture advises destroying spotted lanternflies’ eggs before they hatch, and offers tips for preventing them from overtaking plants here.

Click here to share Flyover North Carolina with all your friends!

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Here’s How Long Filling America’s Housing Gap Will Take

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➤ Western NC: Gov. Josh Stein said Monday that North Carolina will appeal FEMA’s decision to end its 100% cost-share for Hurricane Helene debris cleanup and emergency services within the allotted 30-day period. (More)

➤ Vance County’s sheriff was told to appoint 20 additional deputies and depopulate the county jail from 87 to 20 inmates due to jail cells that don’t lock, fire alarms that don’t work, contraband, and a lack of detention officers. (More)

➤ Raleigh’s City Council is considering a proposal to transform 10 miles of Capital Boulevard near Wake Forest into a tolled highway. (More)

➤ Morrisville: Starting Sept. 4, Spirit Airlines will offer four nonstop flights a week between Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Nashville, Tennessee. (More)

➤ Gaston County: A massive scrapyard fire broke out Monday at Metal Recycling Services on Highway 321, requiring assistance from 30 agencies—including some from out of state. (Watch Video)

➤ Charlotte Magazine released its 2025 Best of the Best readers’ choice awards in categories including eat, imbibe, explore, live, and shop. (See Results)

➤ NC State women’s basketball guards Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers were both selected in the first round of the WNBA draft on Monday night. Rivers went No. 8 overall to the Connecticut Sun, while James was selected 12th by the Dallas Wings. (More)

➤ Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball made it clear he wishes to remain in Charlotte despite the team’s recent struggles. “Just being here, I loved it. The fans are amazing. The living situation has been amazing. Everything’s been solid.” (More)

➤ Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan has publicly stated he’s open to trading the team’s No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to acquire additional assets. (More)

➤ Sign up here in one click to receive NIL Wire to stay up-to-date on everything related to name, image, and likeness in college sports.

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➤ Mooresville-based Lowe’s Companies Inc. will acquire Dallas, Texas-based Artisan Design Group for $1.3 billion to expand its Lowe’s Pro offering into a new distribution channel. (More)

➤ Asian street food company Wow Bao will invest $6.45 million into building its first company-operated manufacturing facility in Rutherford County, creating 88 jobs in Forest City. (See Details)

➤ Big Lots will reopen 12 North Carolina stores on May 1, continuing its rebound after filing for bankruptcy last year. (See Locations)

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The Father-Son Duo Revolutionizing Homebuilding

Home construction has been slow, costly, and inefficient for centuries. So in 2017, Paolo and Galiano Tiramani founded BOXABL to change that—bringing factory-built efficiency to a nearly $5 trillion industry.

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Equipped with plumbing, electrical, and HVAC, they’re ready to be delivered and lived in. They already have 190,000+ reservations from potential buyers*.

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**This is a paid advertisement for Boxabl’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at https://www.boxabl.com/invest/ * Reservations represents a non-binding indication of interest to purchase as Casita. A reservation does not require purchase of a Casita and there is no assurance of how many will result in actual purchases.

➤ Asheville chef Ashleigh Shanti, owner of Good Hot Fish and a James Beard Award semifinalist, is one of 24 contestants competing on Food Network’s 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing when season 2 debuts April 27. (More)

➤ The Southport-Fort Fisher ferry route switched to its full summer schedule Tuesday and will run through Sept. 8. (See Schedule)

➤ Farmers markets across the Outer Banks are beginning to open this month and next in Nags Head, Roanoke Island, and Hatteras Island. (See List)

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