Sunday, March 15, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1781, 2,100 troops under the command of British Gen. Charles Cornwallis attacked Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene’s 4,500 Patriots at Guilford Court House near present-day Greensboro. Cornwallis’ troops broke through the American defensive lines but suffered heavy casualties, forcing Greene’s withdrawal in a costly British victory.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is once again America’s most loved park, drawing more than twice as many visitors as second-place Zion National Park. See details in today’s Top Stories.

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Don’t feel like reading the national edition of The Flyover? Tune in to The Flyover Podcast! New episodes drop daily—watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, all in under 15 minutes.

Duke Wins ACC Thriller

No. 1 Duke defeated No. 10 Virginia 74-70 on Saturday night in the ACC Tournament championship game. The win all but guarantees Duke a No. 1 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

The Blue Devils and Cavaliers traded the lead 16 times, with neither team building a double-digit advantage. Virginia shot better than Duke, 44.4% to 38.5%, from the field. However, Duke made up the difference by creating extra possessions and outrebounding Virginia 41-31.

Duke will learn its first-round NCAA Tournament matchup Sunday night during CBS’ Selection Sunday broadcast.

Former Senator Admits to Affair

Former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema admitted to having an affair with a security team member while in office, but argues North Carolina’s alienation-of-affection law should not apply.

Heather Ammel filed the $75,000 lawsuit against Sinema, alleging the senator intentionally interfered in her marriage through an affair with her husband, Matthew.

North Carolina is one of six states that have an alienation of affection law, allowing plaintiffs to sue over a destroyed marriage. Sinema argues none of the encounters took place in North Carolina.

Smoky Mt. Most-Visited National Park

The National Park Service announced that the most-visited national park in the U.S. is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with nearly 12 million people visiting the park last year.

The park, which is shared between North Carolina and Tennessee, saw more than twice the attendance of the next park on the list, Zion National Park in Utah. The Blue Ridge Parkway was also the most-visited NPS site, with more than 16 million visitors.

Overall park visits nationwide were down 2.7% from 2024, but still recorded 323 million visitors for the year.

Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite rounded out the top five most-visited national parks in 2025.

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➤ Raleigh: U.S. Army Cadet Command confirmed Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, killed in Thursday’s shooting at Old Dominion University, served more than 20 years in the military, including several years stationed at Fort Bragg. (More)

➤ Person County: Authorities recovered about 700 firearms that investigators say were stolen from an estate and sold under false pretenses, with six victims identified in the ongoing investigation. (More)

➤ Rockingham County: Sheriff Sam Page defeated Phil Berger in the Republican primary for state Senate District 26, though Berger said he may request a recount. (More)

➤ Mooresville: MSI Defense Solutions demonstrated a laser-guided anti-drone system built in the Charlotte area and deployed overseas, designed to destroy low-cost drones without costly missile interceptors. (More)

➤ Lake Lure: The lake will reopen on Memorial Day weekend with a beachfront celebration after Hurricane Helene closed the area in September 2024 and the Army Corps of Engineers spent more than a year clearing debris. (More)

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➤ NC Central men’s basketball fell 70-63 to top-seeded Howard in the MEAC championship, missing an automatic NCAA tournament bid the Eagles would have secured with a victory. (More)

➤ The Panthers agreed to a one-year deal with free-agent left tackle Rasheed Walker worth up to $10 million, adding durability after injuries along Carolina’s offensive line last season. (More)

➤ However, Carolina lost fan-favorite running back Rico Dowdle to free agency last week when the 27-year-old agreed to a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. (More)

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➤ Bruce Julian Heritage Foods grew from bloody marys served in Chapel Hill and Charlotte clothing stores into a national brand selling more than 60 cocktail mixes, snacks, and drink blends. (More)

➤ Raleigh held its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, continuing a tradition since 1983 that celebrates Irish culture with music, dancing, festive floats, and plenty of kilts. (See Parade)

➤ North Carolina farmers and nonprofits, including the Utopian Seed Project, are developing climate-resilient crops to strengthen food systems, while a Charlotte chef uses the hardy varieties to create sustainable dishes. (More)

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