Friday, February 28, 2025

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2025

Good morning! On this day in 1960, nine young men from Chapel Hill’s all-black Lincoln High School conducted a sit-in at the Colonial Drug Store seeking the same service given to white customers. Sixty years later, on Feb. 28, 2020, a marker commemorating the “Chapel Hill Nine” was installed at the drug store’s former site on Franklin Street.

If you’re a fan of The White Lotus, you might be interested to know a family of Duke and University of North Carolina alumni are integral characters in the newest season. Learn more in Et Cetera.

We’re sponsored today by 4Patriots, a trusted provider of emergency preparedness solutions, offering high-quality survival food kits in today’s edition.

17 Arrested in Drug Trafficking Operation

Multiple local, state, and federal agencies worked with the Wake County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday to arrest 17 people in Wake Forest who were involved in a large-scale drug trafficking operation.

Charges ranged from possession and/or trafficking of opium, heroin, and cocaine, to possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance. There were also several charges of possession of firearms.

Agents were seen bringing out multiple guns and evidence bags from the home in a joint effort that also involved the Drug Enforcement Administration; US Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; State Bureau of Investigation; Wake County District Attorney’s Office; the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; and police from Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Henderson County.

The investigation is ongoing.

Senate Targets AG’s Anti-Trump Suits

Republican Senators advanced a bill Wednesday to ban North Carolina’s attorney general from participating in lawsuits targeting presidential executive orders.

Senate Bill 58 made it through its first committee Wednesday as Republicans attempt to prevent Attorney General Jeff Jackson, a Democrat who previously served in Congress, from continuing to join other states in suing over President Trump’s executive orders.

Altogether, Jackson has filed four federal lawsuits against Trump’s executive orders to end birthright citizenship, freeze federal grant funding, and prevent the federal government from sharing personal and financial data with the Department of Government Efficiency.

The bill now heads to the Senate Rules Committee.

Buncombe County Sees Tourism Surge

The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority is reporting a strong start to 2025 as the region heads into its prime tourism season.

Hotel demand and occupancy levels are up from January 2024, and revenue from attractions is up 4% from pre-Hurricane Helene levels.

Recent events that contributed to the economic boost include a Billy Strings concert series, which brought in $15.7 million, and RAD Fest, which led to a 400% spending increase in the River Arts District.

The opening of two I-40 lanes near the Tennessee border this Saturday is also expected to boost tourism in the area.

Tourism spending is crucial to Buncombe County’s economy, which received the third-highest amount of tourism dollars in the state in 2023 based on a state report.

Do you have any friends or family who would like to receive Flyover North Carolina? Feel free to refer us to them!

Flying together with our sponsor

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➤ Statewide: Republican House members introduced the Agriculture Crops Disaster Relief bill Wednesday, which would appropriate $475 million to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by way of the State Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Fund. (More)

➤ Harnett County: An Amber Alert issued Wednesday for 15-year-old Azalea Strifler was canceled Thursday after the sheriff’s office said that she was located in Dare County. Family members are posting that she is safe. (More)

➤ Monroe: A woman was arrested and charged with first-degree kidnapping and attempted first-degree murder Thursday after locking her boyfriend in a storage unit for several days. (More)

➤ Wilmington: Drivers should expect traffic changes and police presence in some downtown areas on March 10, 12, 24, 25, and 28 during the filming of the movie Driver’s Ed starring Molly Shannon and Kumail Nanjiani. (See Locations)

➤ New Hanover County’s school board voted 5-2 to remove all references to diversity, equity, and inclusion from the district’s strategic plan, policies, and procedures. (More)

➤ Cumberland County: Police are searching for 50-year-old Clinton Bonnell, a former Green Beret who has been missing for nearly a month. A body found in the area of interest Wednesday has not yet been identified. (More)

➤ Raleigh: An $800 million project at NC State will move students from a campus housing waitlist into new dorms that will accommodate 3,500 students. A 1,500-seat dining facility is also included in the plans. (More)

➤ The Carolina Hurricanes received trade interest for star forward Mikko Rantanen from the Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars. Rantanen was acquired by the Hurricanes in January but has reportedly not been a good fit with the team. (More)

➤ Duke men’s basketball star guard Tyrese Proctor suffered a knee injury in Tuesday’s 97-60 win over Miami. (More)

➤ Former NBA star Lou Williams was heavily critical of Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball amid the team’s historically bad losing streak. “This is led by the same person that we were rooting for 2 to 3 weeks ago to be an All-Star,” Williams said. “Where’s the pride?” (More)

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➤ Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham ranked 24th, 25th, and 34th, respectively, on a list of the hardest working U.S. cities based on 11 metrics ranging from employment rate to average weekly work hours. (See List)

➤ Ally Financial, which has a corporate center in downtown Charlotte, faces a federal class-action lawsuit after exposing 4.2 million customers to identity theft. (More)

➤ Ohio-based Timken, which makes bearings and power transmission products, is closing its Alexander County manufacturing facility and will lay off 58 employees between July 31 and the end of the year. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

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Flying together with our sponsor

Prepare for any emergency with the 4Patriots 3-Month Survival Food Kit. This kit offers 688 servings of delicious, easy-to-prepare meals, providing approximately 1,509 calories per day. With a 25-year shelf life, it’s a reliable choice for long-term food storage. Ensure your family’s safety and peace of mind with this essential addition to your preparedness plan. (See It Here)

➤ Police in Duck are warning business owners to be on the lookout for counterfeit money that was used in movies. The bills, which were seen in town this week, have “motion picture use only,” “copy,” or “replica” on them. (More)

➤ The season three premiere of HBO’s The White Lotus features a family made up of two Duke alumni and two UNC-Chapel Hill alumni, with the youngest family member having to choose between Duke and UNC. (More)

➤ A partial lunar eclipse will be visible in North Carolina beginning at 1:09 a.m. Friday, March 14. The entire moon will appear red at 2:26 a.m. and the partial eclipse will end at 4:47 a.m. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

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