NC Voters Age 50+ May Decide Senate Race

A recent AARP poll shows North Carolina voters 50 and older favoring Republican Michael Whatley, even as Democrat Roy Cooper leads the race overall.

The bipartisan survey of 1,115 likely voters gives Cooper an 11-point lead statewide, 53% to 42%. Among voters over 50, Whatley flips that, leading 51% to 45%. The split widens with age. Cooper piles up margins with younger voters, while Whatley’s edge grows to 12 points among those age 65 and up.

Affordability is the top concern for older voters, followed by threats to democracy, then Social Security and Medicare. 

The seat could help decide Senate control. North Carolinians vote by mail or in person through Nov. 3.

NC Officially Suspends Gas Tax

Gov. Josh Stein signed a bill Friday suspending North Carolina’s 41-cent-a-gallon gas tax through Nov. 30.

Lawmakers passed it in a one-day special session, 111-1 in the House and 41-0 in the Senate. The 2026 rate was the state’s highest ever and among the 10 highest in the nation.

Drivers shouldn’t expect the full discount right away. Stations already paid the tax on fuel in their tanks, and economists expect savings closer to 30 to 35 cents once untaxed deliveries arrive.

NC’s average price was about $4.05 a gallon in early October, up $1.21 from a year ago. The pause will cost roughly $360 million, covered by a state reserve fund.

Duke-NUS Study: Immune System Ages in Bursts

Scientists at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore have published study results showing the immune system ages in two sharp bursts, around age 40 and again after age 60, rather than declining at a steady pace.

The school, affiliated with Duke University, reached the conclusion by analyzing 3.8 million immune cells from nearly 2,000 healthy people aged 19 to 97.

T cells drove both waves: helper T cells, which coordinate immune responses, around age 40; and killer T cells, which destroy infected cells, after age 60.

The team also found immune aging follows different paths in men and women, a possible clue to why autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis strike women more often.

“The immune system does not simply decline at a steady rate,” said senior author and associate professor Jacques Behmoaras.

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➤ Carolina Beach: A minivan slammed into the entrance of The Vault coffee shop around 12:21 p.m. Friday, with two people inside the vehicle. Surveillance video caught bystanders rushing to help. No one was injured. (See Video)

➤ NC State won a $3.5 million USDA award to launch the National Egg Science and Technology (NEST) Program, a $7 million farm-to-fork effort pairing a research aviary near Salisbury with a new egg-processing and inspector-training center on its Raleigh campus. (More)

➤ Durham County: Testimony resumed Monday in the trial of Miguel Salguero-Olivares, accused of killing UNC student Faith Hedgepeth in 2012, featuring a sexual assault nurse examiner and former Chapel Hill police investigator. (See Details)

➤ Durham: Chip Hunter, a mental health professional, returned from volunteering with Doctors Without Borders during an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He supported patients, families, and medical staff, and said his team built and staffed a 350-bed hospital. (More)

➤ Brevard: Former Mayor James “Jimmy” Harris, who served a record 22 years after first being elected in 1999 as the city’s youngest mayor, died Friday following an extended illness. Harris received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2022. (More)

➤ Trenton: The restoration of the 1889 Disciples of Christ Church is nearly finished, and the town is also building a new park to honor the residents and volunteers who helped save Trenton during Hurricane Florence. (See Photos)

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➤ Wake Forest climbed to No. 2 in this week’s ACC football power poll after knocking off NC State, with North Carolina also rising on the strength of its weekend win. (See Rankings)

➤ No. 25 UNC volleyball swept Virginia 3-0 on Sunday to stay perfect in ACC play at 6-0, despite injuries to Hailey Pearce and Bridget Malone. Safi Hampton led the attack, and first-year Addison West stepped up in the lineup. (More)

➤ Food Lion Feeds and the Carolina Hurricanes teamed up on “Stick It To Hunger,” pledging 50 donated meals for every shot on goal the Canes record this season. The season-long effort could deliver up to 150,000 meals to North Carolina families. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NFL | NHL | NBA | Tennis

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➤ A judge in Sanford hears arguments today on the State Health Plan’s bid to block Atrium Health’s new Affordability Protection Program before its Jan. 1 launch. The state calls it an unlawful pricing scheme while Atrium says it lowers costs for members. (More)

➤ Major League Barber Co. will host the North Carolina Barber & Beauty Tradeshow in Raleigh on Nov. 15, featuring industry seminars, competitions, and an awards ceremony for the barbering and beauty trades. (More)

➤ I AM HERD Mustang Sanctuary in Lake Waccamaw will hold its third annual Celebration of the Horse-Human Relationship Oct. 23-25, featuring three days of demonstrations from more than 15 clinicians and a Saturday evening show. (More)

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➤ Chaula Jain, a Mecklenburg County Geospatial Information Services database administrator, built a free Google map of area greenways marking trailheads, parking, and restrooms using county trail data and years of co-leading a weekend forest bathing group. (See Map)

➤ An opossum was rescued last week in Lincolnton after becoming entangled in fishing line and hanging more than 10 feet above water along South Fork Trail, with a hook lodged beneath its tongue. (See Photo)

➤ National Geographic named Mission Pizza Napoletana of Winston-Salem one of seven standout pizzerias outside New York and Chicago, and the only one in North Carolina. (See Photo)

➤ East Carolina University’s marching band was selected from about 100 bands nationwide to march in the 2027 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a first in school history. The band is raising $500,000 to get 300 people and their instruments to New York. (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. 

➤ Your credit card likely comes with perks worth real money, and most cardholders don’t even know they have them. (See Perks)

➤ Federal regulators have recalled more than 82,000 rechargeable hand warmers that can overheat and catch fire. (Hear Details)

➤ More workers are ditching the 9-to-5 to follow their body clocks, and the “chronoworking” trend is dividing offices. (Listen Now)

Have you noticed a difference in gas prices since the state’s gas tax was suspended?

1. Yes
2. Not yet
3. Not a driver

Yesterday’s Results:

Would you ride the new 230-foot American 250 Wheel at the North Carolina State Fair?

1. No way: 50%
2. Absolutely: 28%
3. Maybe: 22%

What is believed to have inspired the name and trademark image for Bull Durham smoking tobacco?

Show me the answer