NC Ranks 8th for Debt Delinquency

A new WalletHub report shows North Carolina ranks as the eighth-worst state for debt delinquency.

“People are facing really high housing costs in (Western North Carolina) in particular,” said Rebecca Strimer of OnTrack WNC, an organization that helps people improve their financial stability.

Statewide, 8.58% of loan balances were delinquent in quarter one of 2026. 

The other states that placed in the top ten were Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, West Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina, Delaware, Tennessee, and Texas.

Court Upholds Solar Farm Denial

The North Carolina Court of Appeals has upheld Pender County’s decision to deny a special use permit for a 2,360-acre solar farm.

The appeals court ruled that the company failed to provide sufficient evidence that adequate utilities were in place or being provided for the project.

The decision released Wednesday arrived more than a year after the court agreed to revisit a decision handed down on the final day of 2024. 

The saga started in July 2023, when the Pender County Board of Commissioners unanimously denied a permit request for the solar farm and Coastal Pine Solar, LLC took the denial to the North Carolina appellate court. 

Marine Receives Long-awaited Medal of Honor

President Donald Trump on Thursday awarded the Medal of Honor to retired Marine Corps Maj. James Capers Jr., a Jacksonville resident whose extraordinary heroism in Vietnam went unrecognized for nearly six decades.

He was also the first African American Marine Corps officer to be awarded the nation’s highest military decoration.

Capers, an 88-year-old veteran who previously lived in Wilmington as well, is credited with saving the lives of the Marines under his command during a brutal 1967 battle at Phu Loc, despite suffering multiple gunshot wounds himself.

“When the helicopter groaned under the weight of the entire team, too many people, he attempted to deplane, but his team physically held him back, refusing to leave their leader behind,” Trump said at the ceremony in Washington, D.C.

➤ Charlotte: An ex-board member claimed the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public School District had a “culture of fear” in a social media post commenting on the recent suspension of the superintendent. (Details)

➤ Asheville: Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, whose original site was destroyed by Helene in 2024, received a $1 million grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to support the rebuilding of its animal adoption center. (See Photos)

➤ Raleigh: Roy Matthew Woodlief, a retired deputy with the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, has died following a battle with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. (More)

➤ Greensboro: The city council reversed course on red light cameras Tuesday due to cost and other factors, deciding to scrap the plan months after voting for their installation. (Details)

➤ Dare County: The Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Tuesday to discuss proposed updates to school policies governing the use of electric bicycles and student parking areas. (More)

➤ Columbus County: Lake Waccamaw had higher levels of toxic algae thousands of years ago than it does today, according to a study of sediment that dates back 28,000 years, challenging assumptions that algae blooms are due to modern human activity. (More)

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➤ North Carolina is seeking its first baseball national championship this weekend after reaching its first Men’s College World Series finals since 2007. Game 1 between the Tar Heels and Oklahoma airs today on ESPN. (More)

➤ The Carolina Hurricanes will celebrate their Stanley Cup championship today with a victory parade through downtown Raleigh. The parade starts at 11 a.m. at Hillsborough and St. Mary’s streets. (Details)

➤ To attend the Stanley Cup parade, two Hurricanes fans are postponing their wedding by five hours. The couple’s first date was at a Carolina Hurricanes game in 2025. (More)

➤ Grass grown on a Union County farm is playing a key role in the FIFA World Cup, with Bermuda grass sent to stadiums around the country—including the field where Argentinian star Lionel Messi scored his first World Cup hat trick. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | WNBA | Golf

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Exxon Has an Unlikely New Competitor

Energy giants like Exxon have been buying up land in America’s lithium hotspot. Now they’ve got a new neighbor. 

EnergyX has acquired the rights to nearly 50K lithium-rich acres right next door. It’s not just the acres turning heads, either. 

Their tech can recover up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods. They just brought America’s largest lithium facility of its kind online. Now, with backing from the DoE, General Motors, and POSCO, they’re advancing America’s next major lithium supply. 

50K people have already invested. Join them as an EnergyX shareholder by the July 16 investment deadline.

➤ Sunset Sand Artists celebrated the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup win with an impressive sand sculpture in Sunset Beach featuring the team’s logo and the cup. (See Photo)

➤ The exhibit Andy Warhol: Silver Clouds is on display through Sept. 27 at the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington. (See Photo)

➤ A Hendersonville woman has won $1 million from the North Carolina Education Lottery from a scratch-off ticket bought on Chimney Rock Road. “I started screaming… I worked so hard in my life. I never thought this would happen,” Melissa Johnson said. (More)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country. Clicking the link will take you directly to these stories:

➤ The government quietly changed three retirement rules this past year, and a single Social Security check is the first thing affected. (Hear More)

➤ Authorities say a Mexican mayor staged her own kidnapping to embezzle roughly $2 million in government funds. (Listen Now)

➤ A Michigan plumbing crew on an emergency call found an engagement ring that had been missing for more than a decade. (Podcast Available)

What’s the best Father’s Day gift?

1. A good meal
2. A good book
3. A vacation
4. Something sentimental
5. Other

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you participated in a scavenger hunt?

1. Yes: 59%
2. No: 29%
3. Can’t remember: 12%

What city was the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad line originally supposed to connect Wilmington to, before it changed to Weldon?

Show me the answer