Fayetteville Community Mourns Three High School Athletes Killed in Crash

Three E.E. Smith High School football players were killed, and a 21-year-old woman was critically injured after a car ran off Rosehill Road and struck a telephone pole Wednesday night.

Police identified the victims as Jai’hyon Elliott, 18, and Trevor Merritt and Nicholas Williams, both 17. The driver, Dymond Monroe, an Army veteran and E.E. Smith graduate, remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Cumberland County Schools postponed Friday’s game and brought in grief counselors for students and staff. The crash remains under investigation by Fayetteville Police.

State Expands DMV Services

North Carolina drivers can now renew a wider range of license types online following the passage of Senate Bill 245, part of a statewide effort to shorten long waits at DMV offices.

The new law lets drivers without a Real ID renew twice in a row online and will soon extend to those with updated Real ID photos, teen drivers upgrading licenses, and adults turning 18. DMV leaders say the changes could shift up to 400,000 transactions online each year.

Roughly 4,000 people used the new system on its first day, a sign of strong early demand. Officials say added hires and continued digital expansion should ease in-person congestion statewide.

NC Music Hall of Fame to Honor Inductees

Six artists and industry figures will be formally inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame during a public ceremony on Oct. 16 at the Mooresville Performing Arts Center.

The 2025 class includes country star Luke Combs, producer Robert Deaton, steel guitarist Clyde Mattocks, indie rocker Dexter “Dex” Romweber, singer-songwriter David Childers, and radio trailblazer Hattie “Chatty Hatty” Leeper.

A new exhibit at the Hall of Fame museum in Kannapolis will feature memorabilia, instruments, and photographs from the honorees. Admission to the museum remains free to the public.

➤ Statewide: Lawmakers are considering privatizing liquor sales, potentially ending the state-run ABC system. Supporters cite lower prices, while opponents warn of lost revenue and reduced oversight. (More)

➤ Asheville: UNC-Asheville’s Health Sciences Department is partnering with the city’s police department to provide officers with fitness and cardiovascular assessments through the university’s Wellness Evaluation and Lifestyle Lab. (More)

➤ Western NC: Health officials reported the state’s first flu death of the 2025–26 season, an adult who died from flu complications earlier this month. (More)

➤ Fayetteville: The arrest of a convicted sex offender Calvin William Elliott at a Fayetteville-area daycare led deputies to charge a Parkton woman for failing to report that Elliott was on the premises. (More)

➤ Asheville: A new state law exempts future University of North Carolina Asheville developments from city zoning and building rules, extending similar exemptions to select UNC System campuses statewide. (More)

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➤ Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis scored a clutch goal in the final three minutes of the game to give Carolina an opening-night victory over the New Jersey Devils. (See Goal)

➤ NC State basketball transfer Darrion Williams said he has issues with UNC head coach Hubert Davis, alleging the coach mistreated teammates in the past: “I just don’t like the guy.” (More)

➤ The Charlotte Hornets almost overcame a double-digit deficit in the fourth to beat the OKC Thunder in preseason action, but eventually fell short. However, it was a strong showing for summer acquisition Collin Sexton, who scored 12 points in the first quarter alone. (More)

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

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➤ Three Asheville restaurants—Jettie Rae’s Oyster House, Posana Downtown, and Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian—ranked among the nation’s best in Tripadvisor’s 2025 Travelers’ Choice Awards. (More)

➤ Crofton’s Pretzels, known for its stuffed Philly-style pretzels, expanded from Wilmington to Raleigh, offering hand-rolled, all-natural creations at 1400 S. Saunders Street, just south of downtown. (More)

➤ East Carolina University’s Concert and Symphonic Bands opened their fall season at Wright Auditorium, blending eerie soundtracks and triumphant marches in a performance by student musicians. (More)

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