Stein Opposes ICE Detention Center

Gov. Josh Stein announced that he opposes a planned ICE detention center at a shuttered prison in Hertford County, saying the agency has not earned North Carolinians’ trust.

Stein said violent criminals who are in the country illegally should be deported, but pointed to deaths and alleged mistreatment of some people in ICE custody. He noted the Winton facility is privately owned and that he did not approve the arrangement.

The New York Times reported that ICE plans to open the roughly 1,400-bed center at the former Rivers Correctional Institution, which closed in 2021, by year’s end. If it opens, it would rank among the largest detention facilities on the East Coast.

The proposal has drawn protests, including a July 22 rally of about 200 people at the General Assembly. ICE has not confirmed the Rivers plan but says it is working to expand detention capacity.

Budget Creates Child Care Rate Floor

North Carolina’s new state budget establishes what officials call the nation’s first statewide minimum reimbursement rate for child care providers.

The spending plan, signed by Gov. Josh Stein, directs $100.8 million to raise reimbursement rates under the state’s Child Care Subsidy Program and to steady providers, lift teacher pay, and expand access, particularly in rural counties.

Supporters note the measure passed the Republican-led General Assembly in a bipartisan, veto-proof vote and grew out of a task force Stein convened in 2025. Funds for the subsidy boost come without cutting the state’s private school voucher program.

Advocates point out that since the last full budget more than two years ago, the state lost a net 262 child care programs, and current subsidy rates cover only about half of what care actually costs.

Wyndham Championship Tees off Aug. 6

Crews at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro are in the final stretch of setup for the Wyndham Championship, which tees off Aug. 6 after a summer of drought, heat, and heavy rain.

Founded in 1938 as the Greater Greensboro Open, the tournament is North Carolina’s oldest professional golf event and the PGA Tour’s final regular-season stop before the FedExCup Playoffs, where only the top 70 advance.

The $8.5 million event has drawn a strong field to the Donald Ross–designed course, including defending champion Cameron Young, 2026 PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai, five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, and past champions Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson.

Recent storms soaked the Triad, but organizers say the course has held up and preparations remain on schedule.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Statewide: North Carolina’s 7.36% SNAP payment error rate could put the state on the hook for roughly $140 million in benefit costs by FY2028 if the rate isn’t reduced below 6%, on top of separate cuts shifting SNAP administrative costs onto counties. (More)

➤ Uptown Charlotte: Shops and restaurants expect a boost as the city hosts its first MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday at Bank of America Stadium, capping an All-Star week that includes a Skills Challenge at Truist Field on Tuesday. (More)

➤ Mooresville: Two people in a black Kia were shot by someone in another vehicle on I-77 southbound near Brawley School Road Sunday afternoon. A woman was airlifted in critical condition and a man was injured. Police have no suspect description. (More)

➤ Candler: Buncombe County health officials are urging anyone who visited the Alleyoop Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation in the past six months and had contact with the animals there to call their local health department about possible rabies exposure. (More)

➤ Nags Head: Hundreds gathered at Jennette’s Pier Saturday for Surfing for Autism, where volunteers paired with people on the spectrum to surf the waves. The event started in 2010 with around 30 surfers and 30 volunteers; today, it’s capped at 100. (See Photos)

➤ Wrightsville Beach: Two people were struck by lightning around 11:43 a.m. Saturday while walking the north end of the beach near Shell Island. Their conditions were not immediately released. (More)

Enjoy reading Flyover North Carolina? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ UNC placed football GM Michael Lombardi on paid administrative leave yesterday, two days before fall camp opens. Lombardi was one of Bill Belichick’s first hires when Belichick took the UNC job. (More)

➤ North Carolina sportsbooks handled $589.6 million in wagers in June, up 36% from last year. They also generated an estimated $9.7 million in state tax proceeds. (More)

➤ Richard Brickhouse, a Wilmington-born racer who won the inaugural Talladega 500 in 1969, died on Friday at his Rocky Point home at age 87. (More)

➤ App State pole vaulter Matthew Gray finished 8th at the U.S. championships Sunday as the youngest athlete in the field. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Tennis | Soccer

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Stop juggling multiple pairs of glasses. ClarioView adjustable bi-focal glasses feature individually adjustable lenses that let you fine-tune each eye for clear near and distance vision with a simple twist. Lightweight, durable, and prescription-free, they’re designed to make reading, driving, and everyday tasks easier. (LEARN MORE)

➤ Duke Health will join the State Health Plan’s Access tier on Jan. 1, 2027, giving the plan’s roughly 750,000 members in-network care at current costs, while most WakeMed services shift to a nonpreferred tier with higher out-of-pocket costs. (More)

➤ Tanger Outlets Asheville welcomed JD Sports, now open in a 5,000-square-foot space, and announced a new Starbucks café opening in mid-August next to Bath & Body Works. (More)

➤ Elevate Textiles will close its Burlington finishing plant on Dec. 31, cutting 150 jobs due to changing market dynamics and falling production. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Looking for a new rewards card? Through FinanceBuzz, you can learn how to earn a $200 bonus with the Chase Freedom card after meeting the qualifying spending requirement. Plus, enjoy valuable cash back on everyday purchases and discover whether this popular card is the right fit for your wallet. (LEARN MORE)

Flying together with our sponsor

Real Estate’s Gatekeepers Just Lost

There’s a reason why so many millionaires invest in real estate. It’s one of the most time-tested asset classes in existence: U.S. home values have appreciated at an average of 4%+ annually since 1967¹. But with prohibitively high minimums, the system was never designed for regular investors.

Reiturn® is changing that. And now you can own a piece of the platform, making it happen.

Built by a team that managed $350M in assets across 3,600+ apartments and delivered 45+ consecutive quarters of investor distributions, Reiturn® is modernizing how everyday people access real estate. 

And while REIT investors collect dividends on someone else’s terms, Reiturn® investors capture a cut of every dollar the platform earns: asset management fees, carried interest, and future funds.

Invest in Reiturn® before the perk window closes Aug. 13.

1Griffin Funding

This is a paid advertisement for Reiturn’s Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.reiturn.com/

➤ The annual Ocracoke Fig Festival returns to the Outer Banks’ Berkley Barn on Aug. 6-8, celebrating native figs with baking contests, live music, and the island’s signature fig cakes. (More)

➤ Ultramarathoner Brady McDonald, who is running 50 ultramarathons in 50 states to raise $1 million for Make-A-Wish, ran 31 miles at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord on Monday to accomplish his mission for North Carolina. (See Photos)

➤ A Charlotte couple has turned to human composting as an eco-friendly alternative to burial. For $5,000 to $6,000, Earth Funeral wraps the body in a biodegradable shroud and places it in a vessel filled with wood chips, mulch, and wildflowers. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ What cold feet tell you about your heart. Cold feet can be a warning sign for a much deeper circulation problem that comes from a weak heart and clogged arteries…And could lead to serious clots or cardiac events. 7-second “feet test” can predict a heart attack (could SAVE your life).

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:

➤ Rushing the Social Security claiming decision could cost retirees tens of thousands over a lifetime, so which choice makes sense for you? (Listen Now)

➤ Gunfire erupted at a crowded Seattle food festival, leaving three dead and forcing thousands of visitors to flee. (Hear Episode)

➤ Authorities say a Secret Service agent took part in a fraternity hazing that nearly killed a University of Miami pledge. (Listen Now)

Have you ever attended a PGA golf tournament?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Not yet
4. I competed in one

Yesterday’s Results:

If you could excel at an instrument, what would it be?

1. Piano/keyboard: 43%
2. Guitar: 29%
3. Strings instrument: 11%
4. Other: 9%
5. I already excel at one: 8%

Where do figs grow best in North Carolina?

Show me the answer