Agents Seize Sinaloa Cartel Arms Stockpile

Federal agents announced on July 2 the seizure of 140 firearms from a home south of Lincolnton that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives believes was stockpiling weapons for Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel.

The seizure on Massapoag Road in Lincoln County included two .50-caliber rifles, a machine gun, and ammunition. Agents also found evidence they say points to human trafficking.

Investigators believe the guns were headed to Mexico, and say many may have been stolen. The firearms are now being run through a national ballistics network to check for links to unsolved crimes.

The case pulled in the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Monroe Police Department, and sheriff’s offices in Lincoln, Catawba, and Union counties. A next-door neighbor said he had heard automatic gunfire on the property. The homeowner denied that the weapons were meant for the cartel.

Stein Vetoes Homeless Camping Ban

Gov. Josh Stein vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have banned unauthorized camping and sleeping on public property across North Carolina.

House Bill 437 would have let localities set up regulated camping sites while creating drug-free zones around homeless shelters. Stein signed 12 other bills the same day, including one barring adversarial foreign governments from buying farmland near military bases.

Stein, a Democrat, called it a “poorly constructed bill” that creates “another significant unfunded mandate for local governments” and misunderstands how people recover from addiction.

Rep. Brian Biggs, R-Randolph, said the veto increases North Carolina’s risk of missing out on critical federal funding. House Speaker Destin Hall said the chamber will try to override it.

Private Schools Surge amid Voucher Boom

North Carolina’s private schools added 8,260 students and 67 campuses in 2025-26, the biggest one-year jump in the number of private schools in more than four decades.

The state’s 997 private schools enrolled 143,998 students, up 6.1%, according to Division of Non-Public Education reports. The surge tracks the expansion of the state’s Opportunity Scholarship voucher program, which reached universal eligibility and full funding this year. More than 106,000 students now use them.

Wake County led the way, adding more than 2,300 students for an 11% jump, followed by Mecklenburg. The state has not yet shown how many new students actually carry vouchers, and public schools held steady near 84% of enrollment.

Home schooling moved the other way, falling statewide—primarily in areas still recovering from Hurricane Helene. Buncombe County’s estimated home-school enrollment fell nearly 25%.

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➤ Statewide: Jaime Santiago Corona, an illegal immigrant deported three times, faces charges including misdemeanor death by vehicle after troopers say he ran a stop sign in Pitt County on July 3, killing 6-year-old Calli Toler and injuring her mother and sibling. ICE has lodged a detainer. (More)

➤ Raleigh: Police charged a 16-year-old on Wednesday with felony riot, gun possession by a minor, and firing a weapon in city limits, tied to a shooting on Glenwood Avenue during the July 4-5 “teen takeovers” that left nine people hurt. (More)

➤ Wake County: The sheriff’s office is launching Connect Wake, enabling residents and businesses to register their security cameras on an interactive map. Deputies won’t have direct access to footage, but will ask owners to share clips only when they’re investigating a crime. (More)

➤ Durham: A natural gas leak at the entrance to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park forced evacuations and street closures around the American Tobacco Campus on Wednesday, after a third party struck the line. The leak was capped by 7:12 p.m. (More)

➤ Duplin County: An estimated 300-acre wildfire broke out near Rose Hill on Wednesday, prompting evacuations along Pope and Corinth Church roads as crews fought high winds and shifting conditions. A heavy thunderstorm later helped knock it down, and no structures were damaged. (More)

➤ New Hanover County: About 11% of the county’s residents recycle, even though a waste audit found roughly 70% of what hits the Wilmington-area landfill could be recycled or composted. (More)

➤ Haywood County: NCDOT opened the region’s first multi-lane roundabout at the junction of U.S. 19 and U.S. 276, part of a $38.5 million safety project near Waynesville. Officials say traffic has flowed smoothly since it opened just before Independence Day. (See Photos)

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➤ The Carolina Hurricanes had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup this week after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in six games for the franchise’s second championship. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s name appears on the Cup for the second time, since he captained Carolina’s first title team in 2006. (More)

➤ Duke basketball’s Cameron Boozer was named ACC Male Athlete of the Year after sweeping the conference’s Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards during a freshman season. He was selected third overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in last month’s NBA Draft. (More)

➤ Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White hosted a youth event in Charlotte on Tuesday, customizing sneakers with kids the day after his three-year extension became official. White is a Goldsboro native and North Carolina’s all-time high school scoring leader. (More)

➤ NC State’s swimming community is mourning the death of former Wolfpack swimmer and volunteer assistant coach Jack Roney, 39, due to a “tragic accident.“ Roney held the program’s 200-yard breaststroke record and served as a volunteer coach during NC State’s first ACC championship. (More)

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

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➤ North Carolina’s economy grew 2.7% in 2025, sixth-fastest in the nation and well above the 2.1% U.S. rate, new Bureau of Economic Analysis data show. Fellow Sun Belt states Florida and South Carolina tied for the top spot at 3.1%. (See Map)

➤ Asheville Regional Airport won a $2.5 million federal BUILD grant to plan expanded roadways, parking, and entrances as it keeps growing. The funds are part of $17.7 million awarded across North Carolina. (More)

➤ Tokyo-based Nippon Electric Glass will close its fiberglass plant in Shelby by the end of August, exiting glass-fiber production in North America. The plant has been open since 1957. (More)

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This Metal’s Price Went Up 170%

No, not gold. Lithium. Prices more than doubled from last June to this one, spurring a modern-day “white gold” rush driven by AI, energy, and more.

With demand growing 5X by 2040, a major opportunity’s emerging. No wonder 50,000+ people have  invested in EnergyX.

Their patented tech can recover up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods, in days instead of months. That combination of technological prowess and market demand earned an investment from General Motors.

In the past 24 months, EnergyX has raised ~$100M from retail investors, formed a first-of-its-kind lithium agreement with the U.S. Army, and Eni, Italy’s largest oil company, just signed an agreement to invest up to $225M.

Now they’re preparing to unlock ~15M+ tons of lithium. Invest in EnergyX before the 7/16 deadline.

➤ Strike at the Wind!, the outdoor drama retelling the story of Lumbee folk hero Henry Berry Lowrie, opened its 50th-anniversary season at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center near Pembroke on July 4. (See Photo)

➤ Greenville-based MrBeast, aka Jimmy Donaldson, topped Forbes’ 2026 ranking of the world’s highest-paid digital creators, earning an estimated $300 million—nearly five times the runner-up. (See List)

➤ Meanwhile, MrBeast will join ABC’s Shark Tank as a guest shark for Season 18, alongside Beast Industries CEO Jeffrey Housenbold and stars like Mindy Kaling and J.J. Watt. The season airs on Wednesday nights this fall. (See Cast)

➤ More than 100,000 sunflower seeds planted in May are expected to reach full bloom in Raleigh’s Dix Park by next week. The display is free and open daily from sunrise to sunset. (See Photos and Details)

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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:

➤ The Justice Department has threatened criminal charges against election officials in all fifty states who let noncitizens vote. (Hear Details)

➤ More than 30 people were hospitalized in Maryland when a transit bus slammed into a building, setting off a chain of crashes. (Hear Episode)

➤ These household objects are negatively impacting your Wi-Fi connection. (Listen Now)

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