Ground Stop Strands NC Travelers

A rare nationwide ground stop halted every departure from North Carolina’s airports for more than four hours Friday.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued the order around 4 p.m. after what Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called a communication issue affecting all of the country’s Air Route Traffic Control Centers. Arriving flights were still allowed to land.

Charlotte Douglas, a major American Airlines hub, logged 582 delays by 5:30 p.m. At RDU, every flight was delayed or canceled by Friday evening, and some travelers were told to rebook for Saturday.

“So it’s kind of like just a waiting game,” Dominique, a traveler stuck at RDU, told ABC11. The FAA lifted the stop at 8:15 p.m., but airlines warned of delays and cancellations into Saturday.

At Piedmont Triad, at least nine departures were delayed by about 5 p.m., and more than a dozen Wilmington flights were delayed. Duffy later blamed overloaded routers.

Rivers Comes Home to NC State

NC State hired former Wolfpack quarterback Philip Rivers as its head football coach Friday.

The 44-year-old signed a five-year deal and will be introduced Monday. He replaces Dave Doeren, whom the university fired after 14 seasons.

Rivers has never coached in college. He spent the past six seasons at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, going 48-20 with two straight trips to the state semifinals.

As a player, Rivers set the ACC’s career record for passing yards, a mark he still holds, then made eight Pro Bowls in the NFL, mostly with the San Diego Chargers.

“In many ways, I feel like I’m coming home,” Rivers said. His son Gunner, a quarterback, committed to NC State in February.

Cherokee County Residents Protest Data Center

Cherokee County residents protested outside their electric cooperative’s office Tuesday over a possible data center near Grape Creek Road.

Neighbors learned of the project from Blue Ridge Mountain EMC workers placing survey flags near their land. No permits have been pulled, and construction hasn’t started.

The co-op’s CEO, Alan Glidewell, told protesters the decision belongs to the board, which meets Nov. 17. He also said the cooperative can’t pick which customers it serves.

Meanwhile, county commissioners are drafting a high-impact land use ordinance to regulate such projects. The county attorney warned that a stopgap moratorium could invite a lawsuit from the developer.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has an indefinite moratorium on data centers on tribal land, and Principal Chief Michell Hicks issued a statement on the Grape Creek proposal.

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➤ Statewide: Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined the FTC and 12 other states in suing to block Covetrus’ $3.5 billion purchase of veterinary distributor MWI. The suit argues the deal would leave clinics with fewer suppliers and push higher costs onto pet owners. (See Details)

➤ Charlotte: Scout Motors has opened its headquarters in Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood neighborhood as the first prototypes roll out of its 3-million-square-foot plant in Blythewood, South Carolina. The EV and hybrid maker plans to hire more than 5,000 workers across the Carolinas, with customer deliveries targeted for 2028. (More)

➤ Wingate: Dozens gathered at Wingate University this week to remember Peyton Patterson, a 19-year-old criminal justice student and Randleman High graduate shot and killed Saturday at Winston-Salem State University. “If you had him in your corner, you have it all,” his mother told the crowd. (More)

➤ Wake County: Wake County froze hiring for most open positions through June as it braces for a $20 million to $60 million budget gap next fiscal year. County Manager David Ellis cited rising costs and a challenging economy. The sheriff’s office, EMS, and other departments with the most openings are exempt. (More)

➤ Iredell County: Precautionary whooping cough tests, often required by daycares after an exposure, are overwhelming urgent cares and ERs, said Dr. Rachel DiSanto of the Iredell Physician Network. Only children with symptoms need testing, she said. The local outbreak is mostly among unvaccinated kids ages 2 to 5. (More)

➤ Durham: Bethesda Park’s basketball court lights now run seven days a week after Paul Slack posted a video of himself shooting hoops in the dark beside lit pickleball courts. Mayor Leo Williams said the court’s lights had been limited to a couple of days a week to save money. (More)

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➤ Charlotte hosts in-state rival East Carolina at Jerry Richardson Stadium today at 1 p.m. for the annual Gold Rush game, airing on ESPN+ as the 49ers (1-8) seek a home win against the Pirates (5-4). (Read Preview)

➤ The Blue Devils (7-2) visit No. 5 Miami (8-1) at noon today at Hard Rock Stadium, where they’ll face former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Cooper Barkate. Duke coach Manny Diaz led the Hurricanes from 2019 to 2021. (More)

➤ The Golden Bulls face Virginia Union for the CIAA football championship at 3 p.m. today at Durham County Memorial Stadium, chasing back-to-back titles. (More)

➤ Wake Forest gave coach Jake Dickert a long-term contract extension Thursday, with the Demon Deacons 8-1 and No. 13 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Terms weren’t disclosed. Dickert is 17-5 in two seasons, and No. 11 Wake visits SMU today. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NCAAF | NHL | NBA | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ North Carolina’s capital, Raleigh, topped the state’s list of most-searched pronunciations in 2026, according to a Google data analysis by word site Unscramblerer.com. For the record, it’s “RAH-lee.” Nationally, Worcestershire sauce led all words with an estimated 321,600 searches. (See Details)

➤ Gov. Josh Stein pardoned two turkeys named for the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup win, including “Lord Stanley of Storm Chase Manor, Keeper of the Frozen Pond.” The pair will retire to the FFA chapter at Harrells Christian Academy in Sampson County. (See Video)

➤ Vice President JD Vance, a Marine Corps veteran, made a surprise stop Thursday night at the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s Marine Corps Birthday Ball in New Bern. He stayed about 45 minutes. (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, straight from the heart of the country. 

➤ Seven veteran benefits go unclaimed by many military families, including one that scammers are eager to exploit. (Listen Now)

➤ Federal investigators have recovered part of the $6.3 billion stolen from Binance in the largest crypto heist in history. (Hear Details)

➤ The Coast Guard has launched a criminal investigation into an MSC cruise ship accused of illegally discharging oil at sea. (Hear Story)

Is it too early to put up Christmas decorations?

1. Lights are already glowing
2. Bah, wait till December
3. I don’t celebrate Christmas
4. Other thoughts (reply to share them)

Yesterday’s Results:

What are your favorite types of games?

1. Card games: 39%
2. Board games: 26%
3. Sports games: 20%
4. Video games: 10%
5. Other: 5%

Who has more football wins against Miami: Wake Forest, Duke, UNC, or NC State?

Show me the answer

If you’re a fan of our Trivia section, you’ll love our new book, The Flyover Book of Trivia 2027, an illustrated collection of 100 of our favorite questions and answers. (Buy It Now)