NC Task Force Takes on Gang Violence

Gov. Josh Stein convened the first Gang Prevention and Intervention Task Force meeting in Raleigh on Tuesday to address the nearly 50% rise in juvenile gang activity over the past five years.

The initiative brings together experts from law enforcement, education, and mental health to focus on prevention, intervention, and intelligence sharing through three subcommittees, with initial recommendations expected within six months.

The task force met a day before the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department released its third-quarter public safety report. The report addressed multiple high-profile incidents, including the August murder of Iryna Zarutska, and presented new safety initiatives such as enhanced transit patrols.

The meeting also coincides with reports showing that convicted felons and gangs in North Carolina are increasingly using untraceable “ghost guns.” Nearly 3,000 of these weapons have been linked to violent crimes, including homicides and assaults, since 2022.

Senate Boosts NC Military Funding

The U.S. Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act on Oct. 9, authorizing over $700 million for construction and design projects at North Carolina military installations, including Cherry Point, Camp Lejeune, Fort Bragg, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, and the Salisbury Training Center for the National Guard.

Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) contributed bipartisan amendments focused on the Seized Iranian Arms Transfer Authorization (SEIZE) and Comprehensive Operations for Unmanned-System Neutralization and Threat Elimination Response (COUNTER) Acts, which enhance national security and streamline arms transfers.

Manufacturers in Concord and Durham benefit from $46 million allocated for the procurement of infantry vehicles, load-carrying technology, and rare earth magnets. Another $5 million was authorized to help establish a Defense Innovation Unit OnRamp Hub in North Carolina, which Budd and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) advocated for.

Fair Inspections, Food Winners, and Traffic

Inspectors with the Department of Labor completed rigorous safety inspections of rides and food vendors ahead of the North Carolina State Fair’s opening today, in accordance with some of the country’s strictest amusement device laws.

Inspections included roughly 150 food stands, trucks, and tents, with 88 new foods introduced this year. Food winners announced Oct. 13 included GoldenKdog’s Cinna Mozza in the sweet category and Lawrence and Perry BBQ’s Deep-Fried Lamb Chops in the savory category. View a list of all new fair foods here.

Fairgoers should be mindful of traffic Thursday and Friday due to Billie Eilish concerts at the Lenovo Center overlapping with rush hour and heavy fair attendance. Concertgoers are encouraged to arrive several hours early.

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➤ Statewide: In-person early voting for the Nov. 4 municipal elections starts today in 380 municipalities. Of the 447 municipalities holding elections across 88 counties, 67 have chosen not to offer early or absentee voting and will vote only on Election Day. (See Details)

➤ Northeast NC: Republican leaders oppose a full 4th Circuit hearing in a redistricting lawsuit over two northeastern state Senate districts. Plaintiffs, alleging racial gerrymandering, seek en banc review, which requires all eligible judges to participate. (More)

➤ Blue Ridge Parkway: The state Department of Transportation will close I-26 nightly from Oct. 19-30 while contractors remove the old Blue Ridge Parkway bridge in Buncombe County as part of the I-26 widening project. Detours via Airport Road, Hendersonville Road, and Brevard Road are planned. (More)

➤ Cumberland County: The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Kevin Golphin’s appeal, upholding his life sentence without parole for murdering two officers on I-95 in Fayetteville in 1997. Golphin, 17 at the time of the crime, argued it violated his Eighth Amendment rights. (More)

➤ Charlotte: An outside investigation cleared the Charlotte City Council of allegations of unethical, immoral, or illegal conduct previously raised by Council Member Victoria Watlington. (More)

➤ Greensboro: The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a $150,000 reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of anyone involved in robbing a letter carrier on Sept. 2. (More)

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➤ Three women’s basketball teams from North Carolina made the preseason AP Top 25: No. 7 Duke, No. 9 NC State, and No. 11 UNC. (See Poll)

➤ Sports bettors in North Carolina wagered $686 million during September—a new monthly record. (More)

➤ Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper is donating $5 million to make a USC sports management scholarship program permanent. (More)

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

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➤ Durham-based BioCryst will acquire Astria Therapeutics for $700 million to bolster its treatments for hereditary angioedema, a rare genetic swelling disorder. The deal includes Astria’s Navenibart treatment and is set to close in the first quarter of 2026. (More)

➤ A New Bern eye surgeon’s challenge to North Carolina’s certificate-of-need law will be heard by a three-judge panel on Nov. 18 in Raleigh, following a 2024 state Supreme Court ruling permitting him to move forward with his lawsuit. (More)

➤ Charlotte Douglas International Airport will not air Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s video blaming Democrats for the federal shutdown due to a policy that prohibits the use of city equipment for political purposes. (More)

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Meet America’s Newest $1B Unicorn

This U.S. startup just surpassed a $1 billion valuation, joining billion-dollar private companies like SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic.

Unlike those other unicorns, you can invest. Over 35,000 people already have. Similarly, industry giants such as General Motors, Eni, and POSCO have also done so.

Why all the interest? EnergyX’s patented tech can recover 300% more lithium than traditional methods. That’s a big deal as demand for lithium is projected to outstrip supply by 2030.

Now, they’re moving toward commercial production, developing 100,000+ acres of lithium deposits in Chile, a potential $1.1 billion in annual revenue opportunity at projected market prices.

Currently, you can invest at this pivotal stage for just $10/share, before the price increases on Oct. 30th. Invest in EnergyX here.

➤ The inaugural drone competition at The Range Complex near Autryville, organized by the Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation, brought together military leaders, academic researchers, and tech innovators to test drones for innovative military uses. (More)

➤ The Corolla Wild Horse Fund announced the euthanasia of a 30-year-old wild stallion named JW, also known as Jumper, due to recurring colic. Known for his habit of jumping into and out of Carova Beach Park, Jumper was laid to rest near his friend Flint. (See Photos)

➤ The Big Show with John Boy and Billy, a nationwide morning radio program, will end its 45-year run on Dec. 31. The Charlotte-based duo has been a staple since 1980, with no official word yet on whether they plan to continue in another format. (More)

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Are you a fan of The Big Show with John Boy and Billy?

1. Love them
2. Not my thing
3. Who?

Yesterday’s Results:

What’s your favorite breakfast restaurant chain in North Carolina?

1. Cracker Barrel: 18%
2. Waffle House: 17%
3. First Watch: 17%
4. Biscuitville: 16%
5. IHOP: 16%
6. Other: 16%

What’s considered the most famous bridge on the Blue Ridge Parkway?

Show me the answer