Miss NC USA Loses Title

Brittany Boltinhouse of Beulaville was stripped of her Miss North Carolina USA 2026 title Wednesday, weeks before she was to represent the state at the Miss USA pageant.

A Blaize Productions, which runs the pageant, said the decision followed “a thorough review of recently surfaced information” but did not specify what it found.

Miss USA CEO Thom Brodeur said the organization does not tolerate racism, homophobia, or transphobia, and that the decision reflected conduct over an extended period rather than a single moment.

Boltinhouse won the title in June and had been preparing for the 75th Miss USA pageant in Miami later this month. First runner-up Myla Hadley will now represent North Carolina.

Election Bills Head to Stein’s Desk

The North Carolina House gave final approval Tuesday to two Republican-backed election bills, including one that would cut early voting for primaries from 17 days to 10.

House Bill 958, which passed along party lines, would also direct the state auditor to review election procedures in all 100 counties. House Bill 834, a more bipartisan measure, extends several post-election deadlines from three business days to five.

House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, said the bills add transparency and “nobody has a difficult time voting in this state who’s eligible to vote.”

Democratic Gov. Josh Stein said he’ll veto HB 958, arguing it “makes it harder for you to vote” and invites challenges to results. A veto would return the bill to a legislature not expected to reconvene until after the November election.

Cyberattack Hits NC Ports

A cyberattack struck the North Carolina Ports IT system late Tuesday, disrupting operations at the state’s ports in Wilmington, Morehead City, and Charlotte.

North Carolina Ports said an “outside actor or group” hacked the system, and its IT team activated a cybersecurity contingency plan. Signs outside the gates warned truckers to expect delays.

In Wilmington, crews switched to manual gate processing and delayed opening while the system was restored. The agency said it engaged the state transportation and information technology departments and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The breach has been contained, and recovery is underway. Gates returned to a normal schedule Thursday, though delays were still possible. The agency did not disclose the nature of the attack.

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➤ Statewide: North Carolina is among six states newly added to a cyclospora outbreak the CDC has now linked to iceberg lettuce in 15 states. Federal investigators have focused on Taylor Farms, which recalled lettuce grown in central Mexico. (More)

➤ NC Schools: The National Assessment of Educational Progress has asked North Carolina students since 2013 who lives in their home as part of its “Nation’s Report Card” questioning, but has never publicly reported results by family structure, according to a new report urging the data’s release. (More)

➤ Western NC: Republicans in Western North Carolina are urgently looking for a replacement nominee for the 11th Congressional District after incumbent Chuck Edwards withdrew amid an ethics scandal over inappropriate staffer conduct. (More)

➤ Greenville: U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., campaigned in the city for Republican Laurie Buckhout, predicting she’ll flip the 1st District and calling 2026 a “midterm unlike any other.” (More)

➤ Gaston/Mecklenburg Counties: A Gaston County resident became North Carolina’s first confirmed West Nile virus case, health officials announced Wednesday, while a Mecklenburg County blood donor also tested positive during routine screening. (More)

➤ Pitt County: The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously rejected a racial discrimination lawsuit from Bryan Wardell, the county’s first black county attorney, who was fired in 2023 after less than a year on the job. The ruling upheld a lower court’s dismissal. (More)

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➤ Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Haynes King threw two touchdown passes and rushed for the game-winning score in the final seconds of his NFL preseason debut, lifting Carolina to a 33-30 win over the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. (Watch Touchdown)

➤ North Carolina’s Little League Softball World Series team beat the Southeast Regional champions 5-2 yesterday in their matchup, landing them a spot in the tournament semifinals. (More)

➤ The Carolina Hurricanes have sold out all season-ticket plans for the 2026-27 season, extending a sellout streak that now sits at 168 consecutive home games dating to February 2023. Individual tickets go on sale Aug. 20. (More)

➤ UNC defensive coordinator Steve Belichick is on indefinite medical leave, head coach Bill Belichick announced yesterday. The rest of the defensive staff will share play-calling duties with the season opener against TCU in Dublin less than four weeks away. (More)

➤ Tar Heels kicker Rece Verhoff will return for a fifth college season after winning a court injunction granting him an extra year of eligibility. The Marshall transfer set the UNC program record with a 57-yard field goal last season. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Golf | Tennis | Soccer | WNBA | Little League Softball World Series

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➤ U.S. News & World Report again ranked Duke University Hospital as North Carolina’s best in its latest Best Regional Hospitals list. Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte placed second, followed by UNC Hospitals. Twenty of 127 hospitals evaluated statewide also earned recognition. (More)

➤ Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined 24 states in suing the Trump administration over new tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on goods from 80 countries, which he says will cost the average North Carolina family $1,100 a year. The administration says the tariffs counter unfair trade practices. (More)

➤ Houston developer Hines unveiled plans for The Gallery SouthPark, a mixed-use project on Carnegie Boulevard with a 250,000-square-foot office tower, a 19-story, 302-unit apartment building, and ground-floor retail. It would be among the tallest in SouthPark. (See Rendering)

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SpaceX Wireless Push Could Send EarnPhone Soaring

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➤ North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro was named the nation’s No. 1 public HBCU in Forbes’ first-ever ranking of historically black colleges and universities. The judges weighed cost, graduation rates, and alumni earnings. (More)

➤ Cozell McQueen, the center from NC State’s 1983 “Cardiac Pack” national championship team, died Wednesday at age 64, the school announced. The 6-foot-11 McQueen, remembered for standing atop the rim after the title win over Houston, is the fourth member of that team to pass away. (More)

➤ Photographer Michael Freas’ images of Hurricane Helene, shot for the nonprofit ArtsvilleUSA, were chosen by the National Weather Service for the Esri User Conference in San Diego. (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:

➤ New research suggests avoiding three midlife health risks could mean nearly 13 more years of life without dementia. (Hear Details)

➤ You already know your phone drains focus and sleep, but doctors warn the hidden toll runs deeper. (Hear Episode)

➤ The FAA quietly rerouted noisy flights during Bohemian Grove’s elite retreat, fueling accusations of preferential treatment from frustrated locals. (Listen Now)

Is school starting soon where you live?

1. Yes, this week
2. In a few weeks
3. It already did
4. Not sure

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever joined a gym?

1. Used to have a membership: 42%
2. Currently a member of one: 33%
3. Not my scene: 25%

Who coached NC State’s 1983 “Cardiac Pack” to the NCAA men’s basketball national championship?

Show me the answer