July Fourth Festivities Planned Across NC

North Carolina is alive with patriotic energy as July Fourth celebrations ignite statewide to mark America’s 250th anniversary.

Thousands are expected to attend Raleigh’s First in Freedom Parade Saturday morning for America’s 250th birthday celebration, despite potential record-high temperatures. The 1.5-mile downtown route will honor veterans and North Carolina’s history, with organizers providing water and safety measures along the way.

Southport’s historic NC 4th of July Festival draws 40,000 to 50,000 revelers annually for parades, beach days, and fireworks, continuing a 200-year tradition of honoring freedom. Meanwhile, on Ocracoke Island, three days of festivities unfold with sand sculpture contests, square dances, a themed parade, and beach bonfires.

Triangle communities are pressing forward with festivities despite drought concerns, with Chapel Hill opting for a drone show to reduce fire risks amid water restrictions.

The Charlotte area will host a SkyShow fireworks at Truist Field, along with parades, concerts, and celebrations across the region, including free events at the National Whitewater Center and Carowinds.

Elections Board Opens Rules to Comment

The North Carolina State Board of Elections opened a public comment period this week on four proposed campaign-finance rules covering disclosures, complaints, and penalties.

The proposals address building-fund rules, how the board handles campaign-finance complaints and investigations, a certification-threshold change, and a waiver rule.

These administrative rules set the day-to-day mechanics of the state’s campaign-finance system, from how committees report money to how the board handles complaints. The window is the public’s chance to weigh in before the board finalizes the rules and sends them to the Rules Review Commission.

Comments will be accepted online, by email, or by mail through Aug. 31. Access the online portal here. An in-person hearing is set for 10 a.m. Aug. 3 at the board’s Raleigh office.

Catawba Nation Plans 2 More NC Casinos

The Catawba Nation plans to open two more North Carolina casinos in the next few years, Chief Brian Harris said Wednesday. He didn’t say where the second and third casinos would go, only that the 4,000-member tribe is in early negotiations and will announce sites once deals are struck.

The plans came as the tribe cut the ribbon on the first permanent phase of its Catawba Two Kings Casino west of Charlotte that opened in May, replacing trailers that opened there in 2021.

The $1.25 billion resort now employs about 800 people, a number leaders expect to reach 2,300 by spring 2027, when a larger casino floor and a 24-story, 385-room hotel open.

Harris framed the gaming money as a path to scholarships, healthcare, and housing for the tribe.

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➤ Statewide: Lawmakers advanced a record $34.4 billion state budget Wednesday. The plan cleared bipartisan votes in both chambers and faced a final vote yesterday. Gov. Josh Stein has until July 12 to sign, veto, or let it become law without his signature. (More)

➤ Statewide: The state House gave final approval to the Farmland and Military Protection Act, 111-2, sending it to Gov. Josh Stein. The bill would bar adversarial foreign governments from buying farmland or property within 50 miles of a military base. (More)

➤ Piedmont: Dangerous heat is gripping North Carolina through the holiday weekend, with highs near 100 degrees and the heat index topping 105 across Central North Carolina. Records could fall Friday and Saturday before storms cool things down early next week. (More)

➤ Mecklenburg County’s sales tax rose to 8.25% on July 1, up a penny on the dollar, to fund a multibillion-dollar transit plan of new rail lines, buses, and roads. Officials estimate it will cost the average household about $240 a year. (More)

➤ Outer Banks: The Nags Head Fishing Pier, a coastal fixture for nearly 80 years, will reopen at the end of July after a major renovation by new owners Kevin and Connie Nielsen, who bought it in December for just over $4 million. (More)

➤ Asheville is redesigning a 5-mile stretch of French Broad riverfront parks that Hurricane Helene left with more than $25 million in damage across 200-plus acres. Planners are using flood modeling to rebuild a more resilient waterfront, with public input sessions set for September. (More)

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➤ Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen left for the Edmonton Oilers on a one-year, $2.8 million deal, ending his five-season run with the franchise. Andersen went 13-2 during the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup run last month before a knee injury sidelined him late in the Final. (More)

➤ Wake Forest men’s basketball will compete in the “Battle 4 Atlantis” tournament in the Bahamas this November, where they‘ll join Penn State, Mississippi State, and Memphis in the four-team bracket. (More)

➤ Former Duke forward Cameron Boozer opened as the betting favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year after the Memphis Grizzlies selected him third overall in the NBA Draft. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, incoming Duke freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje set a Team USA single-game blocks record with seven against Japan at the FIBA Under-17 World Cup in Istanbul this week. (More)

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

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➤ Charlotte-based Hendrick Automotive Group, the largest privately held U.S. auto retailer, bought Foreign Cars Italia’s Charlotte and Greensboro dealerships from Paramount Automotive Group. The deal brings Ferrari, Aston Martin, Bentley, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo franchises into its portfolio. (More)

➤ Cape Fear Valley Health is eliminating about 200 positions, including 138 filled jobs, across its network of hospitals and clinics, citing declining federal reimbursements and rising costs. (More)

➤ Mission Hospital in Asheville is relaxing its degree requirements for nurses to fill open positions faster amid regional staffing shortages. (More)

➤ Bitcoin kiosk operator Byte Federal warned that North Carolina House Bill 920, which is moving through the Senate, could amount to a “quasi-ban” on crypto ATMs through strict fee caps and fraud-refund rules. (More)

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➤ Wake Forest medical student JH West pedaled his bike more than 4,000 miles, from Oregon to Wilmington, averaging about 70 miles a day across 12 states, to raise money and awareness for colorectal cancer in honor of his grandfather. (See Photo)

➤ Meanwhile, dozens of Apex teens signed Mayor Jacques Gilbert’s pledge to ride e-bikes responsibly, part of a local safety campaign aimed at young riders. (More)

➤ The House of Black Cat Magic in West Asheville has been voted the Best Cat Cafe in the nation by USA Today 10Best readers, celebrated for its metaphysical shop, adoptable black cats, and unique events. (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. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Trump Accounts launch on the Fourth of July with a $1,000 federal deposit, though most eligible families have yet to enroll. (Hear Details)

➤ Wisconsin school officials barred a graduating senior from including a Bible verse in the ceremony slideshow. (Hear Episode)

➤ Brooklyn bodegas are openly selling an experimental weight-loss drug over the counter, despite a federal ban on its commercial sale. (Listen Now)

Do you have a July Fourth shirt, outfit, or bathing suit?

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2. No
3. Not yet

Yesterday’s Results:

What’s your favorite way to eat blackberries?

1. Plain: 25%
2. Blackberry cobbler: 27%
3. Not a fan of blackberries: 18%
4. Blackberry jam: 14%
5. Blackberry pie: 8%
6. Other: 8%

What area of North Carolina stays 20 degrees cooler than its surrounding lowlands during summer?

Show me the answer