Senate Sends ICE Bill to Stein for Approval

North Carolina’s GOP-controlled Senate approved Senate Bill 153 on Tuesday, which requires the State Bureau of Investigation, State Highway Patrol, and North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. The measure now goes to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, who has yet to veto a bill.

SB153 requires the aforementioned state agencies to enter into agreements with ICE and ensure that employees are trained to identify individuals in custody who are in the country illegally. The bill also bars illegal immigrants from accessing state benefits and allows lawsuits against sanctuary jurisdictions.

Also on Tuesday, the Senate passed House Bill 318, which expands requirements for sheriff’s offices statewide to comply with ICE detainers. That bill is headed back to the House for further discussion.

The legislative measures were voted on the same day President Trump deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid protests over federal immigration arrests.

ICE Protests Pop Up Across NC

As the North Carolina General Assembly advanced bills to expand cooperation with ICE, at least 25 protests opposing ICE immigration arrests erupted nationwide this week, including several in North Carolina.

Protesters gathered in Raleigh and Charlotte on Monday and Tuesday in response to immigration raids and the use of federal force against protesters in Los Angeles. More protests are scheduled for Saturday in Charlotte, Monroe, Concord, Waxhaw, and Rock Hill.

Around 300 protesters gathered in Asheville’s Pack Square on Monday, despite heavy rain across Buncombe County.

Last week, Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller disputed North Carolina U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis’ recent labeling of the county as a “sanctuary jurisdiction,” stating his office complies with state law HB10, which requires cooperation with ICE when certain criminal charges are involved.

Wake Schools Repurpose Food Waste

Wake County Public School System is partnering with Cary nonprofit Toward Zero Waste to recover hundreds of uneaten packaged foods and fruits daily as part of a pilot program to reduce food waste.

Titled SHARE, which stands for Stop Hunger and Restore Earth, the program kicked off in March at eight elementary schools. It will expand to six more elementary and four middle schools next school year.

After meals, staff collect unopened items such as muffins, granola bars, and hummus cups, then put them in a refrigerator or pantry cart. The foods are made available throughout the day to any student who wants a snack, or can be given to students who missed breakfast. 

Volunteers tracking the program’s progress estimate that 41 food items are recovered daily at each school, adding up to 7,380 per school each school year.

Once upon a time, we had to make lists and physically go to stores when needed. 

Sometimes we’d have to go to several stores or even shopping malls for what we needed. Then one day, out of the heavens, came Amazon.

For many of us, free shipping and access to exclusive shows and movies are enough reasons to fork over the $14.99 per month to get Prime. But if those reasons haven’t been enough to entice you to join Prime, maybe some of these lesser-known incentives will tempt you to sign up.

Here are nine of those perks.

➤ Statewide: North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson is suing 23andMe to block the sale of genetic data from millions of customers as part of the company’s bankruptcy, alleging the data is being sold without consent. He’s also pushing for clearer deletion options to protect consumer privacy. (More)

➤ Western Carolina University administrator Karen Price is no longer employed after a secretly recorded video released June 10 shows her discussing efforts to embed DEI policies across “every area” of the university. (See Details)

➤ Triangle: Avelo Airlines canceled its planned nonstop flight service to the Bahamas from Raleigh-Durham International Airport, which was set to launch yesterday, due to a lack of demand. (More)

➤ Haywood County commissioners appropriated $1.3 million for the second phase of Raccoon Creek Bike Park in Waynesville. The project includes construction of a pavilion and restrooms. (More)

➤ Forsyth County: The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Board unanimously approved borrowing up to $6 million from the district’s child nutrition fund to address a $42 million deficit. The zero-interest loan must be repaid by June 30, 2030. (More)

➤ Guilford County will close Madison, Southern, Vandalia, and Washington elementary schools over the next three years due to low enrollment and high operating costs in a move that will save the district $1.7 million. (See Details)

➤ Chapel Hill: UNC Gillings School of Global Health professor Dr. Noel Brewer was one of 17 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices members removed by Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., on Monday. (More)

Enjoy reading Flyover North Carolina? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ Duke freshmen Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach, and Kon Knueppel were all invited to the NBA draft’s green room, indicating that each is expected to be selected in the first round. Flagg is projected No. 1, Maluach likely top 10, and Knueppel expected in the mid-to-late first round. (More)

➤ Former UNC football coach Mack Brown says college football should only have one transfer window—directly after the national championship game. (More)

➤ Ten-year-old Brexton Busch won the first race of the 2025 Summer Shootout, a summer-long youth racing event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Brexton is the son of NASCAR legend Kyle Busch. (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. 

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NBA | WNBA | Soccer

Flying together with our sponsor

➤Protect Yourself on the Road. Accidents happen. But with a high-quality dash cam, you’ll always have the footage to back you up. With crystal clear video and easy set up, this dashcam can be a life saver for insurance claims. Whether it’s a fender bender or something more serious, having a dash camera on your side can make all the difference. Get Your Dash Cam Today

➤ Economic development officials scheduled a major announcement today at Piedmont Triad International Airport, where JetZero is expected to build a fuel-efficient jet factory that could create more than 10,000 jobs. The subject of the announcement was not disclosed. (More)

➤ Asheville Regional Airport opened new ticket counters Wednesday as part of a phased expansion designed to improve the passenger experience. (More)

➤ Haywood County Tourism Development Authority is launching a summer marketing campaign titled “Open Skies, Open Roads, Open Haywood” in anticipation of fiscal-year tourism numbers dropping. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Uncertain times? Strengthen your business for whatever comes your way with National Funding. Whether you’re dealing with rising costs, supply chain issues, or other economic impacts, National Funding offers fast funding and 26 years of lending experience. (Learn More)

Loans are made or arranged pursuant to a California Financing Law License. License number: 603A169.

Maximize your Amazon Prime benefits beyond free shipping.

Explore lesser-known perks such as early access to lightning deals, exclusive deals across various categories, free access to podcasts and music, and RXPass for generic medications.

Here are all nine perks you should be using!

➤ An NC State professor says Asian needle ants, which have greatly expanded in North Carolina over the past several years and like to nest in mulch and damp areas, typically won’t sting unless they’re “squished or pressed between clothes.” (More)

➤ Country music star and Buncombe County native Chase Rice worked with Montana Knife Company and a local nonprofit called We Must Protect to gift a new home to Yancey County’s Pogalz family, whose home washed away in Hurricane Helene. (More)

➤ The Grandview, a beloved Banner Elk restaurant known for serving “comfort classics” to the High Country community, is closing after 48 years in business. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Feeling the heat? Breeze Box 2.0 is your personal cooling solution—compact, cordless, and powerful enough to chill any room in minutes. Whether you’re working, relaxing, or on the go, enjoy refreshing air without the sky-high energy bills. Get Yours Now

Have you ever participated in a protest?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Haven’t ruled it out

Yesterday’s Results:

Did you lose power this week due to the severe thunderstorms?

1. No: 61%
2. Yes: 20%
3. Not yet: 19%

Do elk live in Banner Elk?

Show me the answer