Heat Pushes Apple Harvest Early

Heat, humidity, and heavy rain are forcing Western North Carolina’s apple growers to pick their crops early this year.

Fruit in some orchards is maturing one to two weeks ahead of schedule, according to an NC State monitoring program that samples Henderson County trees each week.

Temperatures around Mills River ran about 4 degrees above the 38-year average in mid-August, and the muggy, wet weather has softened some apples and dulled their color.

Honeycrisp has shown skin cracking and weak red color, while Red Delicious is already ready for storage. NC State apple specialist Tom Kon told WNC Business that deciding how much fruit to thin is among the most consequential calls a grower makes all year.

NC Family Headlines School-Choice Event

A Statesville pastor and his family stood beside President Trump at a White House back-to-school event Monday to promote the school-choice programs paying for their five children’s private education.

Pastor Caleb Griffith, his wife, Jocelyn, and their five children—two of whom came to the family through foster care—attend Cornerstone Christian Academy in Statesville with help from North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship, which now serves nearly 107,000 students.

The event promoted the new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit, which North Carolina opted into this June when the Republican-led General Assembly overrode a veto by Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat.

Stein has said he wants donations steered toward public-school organizations, though federal Department of the Treasury guidance says states cannot set rules stricter than federal law.

Hanig Resigns Senate Seat

Republican state Sen. Bobby Hanig resigned from the North Carolina Senate on Monday, ending eight years in the General Assembly and opening a seat that covers the northeastern coast.

Hanig, of Currituck County, represented Senate District 1, a 10-county stretch running from the Virginia line down through the Outer Banks.

Under state law, the local Republican executive committee will recommend a replacement to Gov. Josh Stein, who must appoint someone within seven days.

Hanig often broke with GOP leaders, opposing a 2025 shrimp-trawling crackdown and voting against this year’s budget over new ferry tolls. He did not seek reelection and finished third in the March primary for the state’s 1st Congressional District.

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➤ Durham: Two students are being held after deputies found a gun and ammunition at Southern High School in Durham during a Tuesday lockdown triggered by a report of a weapon following Monday fights. No one was injured. (More)

➤ Cary: A substitute teacher and green-card holder who was detained by ICE was granted a $7,500 bond by a Georgia immigration judge and will be released while her case continues. (More)

➤ Chatham County: Quinten Kight, 41, of Vass pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for a drunken August 2025 boat crash on Harris Lake that killed 10-year-old Brooklyn Carroll and badly hurt another swimmer. (More)

➤ Sparta: Crews extinguished a Monday evening apartment fire on Main Street after rescuing two from the roof. One firefighter was injured. The SBI is investigating, and the street remains closed. (More)

➤ Wilmington: High schoolers at the Career Readiness Academy at Mosley can now take Cape Fear Community College courses on campus at no cost, in fields like criminal justice, cybersecurity, and graphic design. (More) 

➤ Charlotte: The University of North Carolina at Charlotte ranks 17th among America’s best-value public universities in 2026, with a $23,010 cost of attendance, 68% graduation rate, and $57,289 median midcareer earnings. (See Rankings)

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➤ Duke football named San Jose State transfer Walker Eget starting quarterback ahead of the team’s Sept. 5 opener against Tulane. Eget threw for over 5,500 yards and 30 touchdowns across two seasons as a starter with the Spartans. (More)

➤ Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard is expected to be ready for the Week 1 opener against the Bears despite a hamstring strain that has kept him out of every preseason game. (More)

➤ App State is launching a free pregame fan zone called “Yosef’s Yard Party” near Kidd Brewer Stadium, debuting Sept. 5 for the home opener against Maine. The zone will feature yard games, live music, and food vendors. (More)

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

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➤ Could One Everyday Food Be Affecting Your Blood Pressure? Elevated blood pressure can involve constricted blood vessels and excess fluid in the bloodstream, forcing blood through tighter spaces. Surprisingly, one common food may contribute to both problems—and it’s not salt. Cottage cheese, peanut butter, eggs, and deli meats are among the foods worth examining. Discover which food may be affecting your blood pressure >>

➤ Six Flags Entertainment will relocate its corporate headquarters from Charlotte back to Arlington, Texas, by March 2027, consolidating operations closer to its five Texas parks after a brief post-merger stay in the Queen City. (More)

➤ Great Southern Wood, an Alabama-based lumber company, will build a $40 million pressure-treated lumber plant at the Laurinburg-Maxton Airport in Scotland County, creating 43 jobs at an average salary of about $60,800. (More)

➤ Hickory Tavern, a Carolinas restaurant chain founded in Hickory in 1997 and now Florida-owned, closed four locations over the weekend: three in the Charlotte area and one in Columbia, South Carolina, leaving 16 open.  (More)

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Final Days to Invest in The Company Unlocking $2.1T in Energy Potential

Founders Matt McKean and Joseph Witherspoon are on the path to commercializing a technology that extracts valuable resources (like jet fuel and diesel) from coal without burning it. For their team at Frontieras, it’s an opportunity to address up to $2.1 trillion worth of annual markets. 

Their latest progress speaks for itself. You have until tomorrow to invest in this limited-time opportunity: 

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➤ A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket painted a glowing trail across the Carolina sky Tuesday morning after lifting off from Florida, drawing photos and videos statewide as it carried Starlink satellites toward orbit. (See Photos)

➤ A North Carolina triathlon coach survived an alligator attack in the Savannah River in South Carolina Sunday by jamming his thumb into the animal’s eye. After he reached the shore, his athletes used a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. (See Photos)

➤ The Magicians Table, a popular immersive close-up magic show that premiered in Charlotte and was extended multiple times, is set to return to the Queen City from Dec. 17 through Feb. 7. (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. 

➤ Ten of America’s most trusted breakfasts, ranked worst to best for your long-term health. (See List)

➤ Ghislaine Maxwell pointed to newly released Epstein files in her push for freedom, but a federal judge rejected every claim. (Hear Episode)

➤ United Airlines is planning what it calls its largest expansion ever, adding flights to eight cities that no other US carrier serves nonstop. (See Cities)

What’s your favorite Dolly Parton hit song?

1. Jolene
2. I Will Always Love You
3. 9 to 5
4. Coat of Many Colors
5. Islands in the Stream
6. Here You Come Again
7. Other (reply to let us know)

Yesterday’s Results:

If NASA offered you a free trip around the moon, would you go?

1. I’ll stay here on Earth: 58%
2. Sign me up: 24%
3. I’d consider it: 18%

Which North Carolina county grows the vast majority of the state’s apples?

Show me the answer