SBI Probes Bourbon Trips, Ethics Claims

The State Bureau of Investigation is probing North Carolina nonprofit Greater Carolina over potential ethics and lobbying violations tied to bourbon distillery trips in Kentucky attended by lawmakers and lobbyists in 2022 and 2024.

Requested by Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman in September 2025, the investigation stems from a 2024 complaint by progressive group Carolina Forward.

The complaint alleges Greater Carolina, a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, evaded the state’s ban on gifts to public officials and engaged in unreported lobbying. It also alleges the group served as a passthrough for alcohol and gambling interests, hosting luxury events that provided access to lawmakers such as former Republican Rep. Jason Saine.

The probe remains ongoing and is focused on compliance with state ethics and lobbying laws. Greater Carolina has denied wrongdoing.

Duke Health Blood Test May Predict Longer Life

Duke Health researchers have identified a simple blood test that could help predict two-year survival in older adults by analyzing piRNAs, small RNA molecules involved in development, tissue repair, and immune function.

The study, published Tuesday in Aging Cell, analyzed blood samples from more than 1,200 adults aged 71 and older. Using AI and machine learning, scientists identified a panel of six piRNAs that forecasted two-year survival with up to 86% accuracy—outperforming age, cholesterol, physical activity, and more than 180 other health factors.

Senior author Dr. Virginia Byers Kraus said lower levels of certain piRNAs strongly correlated with longer survival.

Researchers say the test could eventually help guide interventions for healthy aging, though more research is needed before it could be used in routine clinical care.

Details Emerge About Missing Mom Found Alive

Michele Lyn Hundley Smith, a North Carolina mother who vanished on Dec. 9, 2001, and was found “alive and well” on Feb. 20 in North Carolina, told investigators she left voluntarily due to ongoing domestic issues in her marriage.

Then 38, Smith left her home in Rockingham County to go Christmas shopping in nearby Martinsville, Virginia. She was not reported missing until later that month.

In an Oct. 28, 2018, interview on The Vanished Podcast, Smith’s daughter, Amanda Hundley, said her mother was under the weight of alcohol abuse, infidelity, and marital arguments at the time of her disappearance.

Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page closed the case after consulting with the district attorney, who declined to file charges. Smith requested that her whereabouts remain private, even from her family.

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➤ Statewide: The North Carolina State Board of Elections selected Connecticut-based ReFrame Solutions to modernize its State Elections Information Management System, originally developed in 1998, with a bid totaling $4.66 million. (More)

➤ UNC System: The Board of Governors voted Thursday to raise in-state undergraduate tuition by up to 3% systemwide—the first increase in nine years—averaging $125 for new students starting in 2026-27, while current students remain under the fixed tuition policy. (More)

➤ Union County: A multi-agency operation seized over $100,000 worth of products from 21 THC retailers, including 2.5-plus kilograms of “gas station heroin,” 10-plus pounds of high-THC marijuana, and THC edibles packaged to resemble popular children’s candy. Charges are pending as the investigation continues. (More)

➤ Nags Head: Charter captain Buddy Callaway was among several boaters who helped rescue eight people from the sinking fishing boat No Limit on Feb. 3 after it took on water. All survived unharmed. (See Photos)

➤ Raleigh: Millbrook Magnet High School faced a social media and text threat Thursday, a day after 18-year-old senior Malcolm McIntyre was arrested for carrying a gun on campus. Law enforcement is investigating the threat. (More)

➤ Triangle: CBS 17 pulled a Valerie Foushee campaign ad after her 4th District U.S. House challenger Nida Allam’s team sent a cease-and-desist letter alleging defamation over claims Allam “refused” to file a required financial disclosure. (More)

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➤ UNC tennis star Reese Brantmeier reached a settlement with the NCAA in her federal class-action lawsuit challenging limits on outside prize money. Terms were not disclosed. The lawsuit argued the NCAA’s policy violated federal antitrust law. (More)

➤ The bobsleds used by Team USA during the 2026 Winter Olympics were crafted in Mooresville by deBotech, Inc. Led by owner Hans deBot, the company has engineered carbon-fiber bobsled bodies for Team USA since 2001. (More)

➤ Charlotte-based mixed martial artist Bryan Battle will make his debut in the Professional Fighters League at the end of March against former Bellator MMA champion Johnny Eblen. (More)

➤ Wake Forest men‘s basketball lost to Boston College 68-67 on Wednesday due to a last-second tip-in. (See Highlight)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | Golf

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➤ North Carolina’s Department of Commerce canceled grant incentives for six companies due to their failure to meet job creation targets. Four of the companies also failed to submit the required annual reports. (See Details)

➤ Microsoft plans to begin the permitting process this year for a data center on its 1,385-acre Person County property, which it bought for $26.85 million in 2024. The company vows to replenish any water used by the data center and ensure it doesn’t increase electricity prices. (More)

➤ Amazon is opening delivery stations in Tarboro, Jacksonville, Southern Pines, Mount Airy, and Hayesville, creating 700 full- and part-time jobs as part of a $4 billion expansion to nearly double same-day deliveries in rural areas. (More)

➤ U.S. Forged Rings is planning an $875 million manufacturing hub in Hertford County to produce steel piping and components for wind, nuclear, defense, and other industries. The project is expected to create at least 725 jobs with an average annual pay of $85,000. (More)

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RAD Intel’s Reg A+ round remains open at $0.85 per share, though the company has indicated the tier will change. 

RAD has raised $60 million+ from 15,000+ investors, is backed by multiple Fidelity funds, and was selected by the Adobe Design Fund. Valuation increased from $10 million at merger to $225 million+, with recurring seven-figure enterprise contracts across Fortune 1000 brands. Sales contracts doubled from 2024 to 2025*, and the Nasdaq ticker is reserved as $RADI. 

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➤ A new analysis measuring diversity in 501 U.S. cities ranks Charlotte No. 8 overall based on its socioeconomic, cultural, economic, household, and religious diversity scores. (See Rankings)

➤ USA TODAY’s 2026 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards ranked Asheville’s River Arts District the country’s No. 1 arts district thanks to its 500 artists, numerous galleries, and immersive experiences such as glassblowing classes and bike tours. (See Rankings)

➤ Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park in Wilson also earned a No. 1 ranking from USA TODAY’s 2026 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards as the best sculpture park in America due to its towering, open-air kinetic whirligigs created by folk artist Vollis Simpson. (See Rankings)

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Have you toured a North Carolina distillery?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Not yet

Yesterday’s Results:

Would you ride in a self-driving car?

1. No way: 41%
2. Need to think it over: 31%
3. I’ll try anything: 28%

Which pre-Revolutionary War distillery in North Carolina was revived at the same location in 2014 by its owners’ descendants?

Show me the answer