House Overrides Stein on Immigration, DEI

The North Carolina House voted Wednesday to override Gov. Josh Stein’s vetoes on a slate of bills, clearing Senate Bill 153 to become law.

That measure requires state and local law enforcement to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and bars people in the country illegally from certain state-funded benefits, including Medicaid and housing assistance. It also blocks UNC system schools from acting as sanctuary campuses.

The House also overrode vetoes on three more bills that eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public schools, universities, and state agencies.

Stein said lawmakers were “stoking the culture wars that divide us” while teachers and officers still await pay raises. Republican House Speaker Destin Hall countered that the votes would improve public safety and end “taxpayer-funded, divisive DEI policies.”

Stanley Cup Final Pumps $13.4M into Wake

The Carolina Hurricanes’ run to the Stanley Cup Final generated $13.4 million in economic impact for Wake County, according to new figures from the team, Visit Raleigh, and the NHL.

Three sold-out home games at the Lenovo Center, plus watch parties for the road games in Las Vegas, drew more than 112,000 fans combined. The events booked over 6,700 hotel room-nights and produced $255,024 in tax revenue.

Fans traveled to Raleigh from all 50 states and two countries for the franchise’s first championship in 20 years. Scott Dupree, executive director of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance, noted the figure would have climbed higher had Raleigh hosted a Game 7.

Schools Panel Eyes Scrapping Teacher Exams

A state official told North Carolina’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Education that teachers can spend an entire career in the classroom without passing the state’s licensing exams.

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Senior Director of Educator Preparation, Licensure, and Performance Tom Tomberlin told the panel during a June 22 meeting at NC State that teachers get three years to pass a required content or pedagogy test, but a district can then place them on a renewable, limited license indefinitely.

The edTPA—a portfolio assessment teachers often pay about $300 to take—can produce “plenty of false negatives,” Tomberlin said, prompting members to debate whether the exams measure who is actually a good teacher. Several teachers called it a stressful, master’s-level burden.

The talks track Senate Bill 840, which would ease several licensing rules and is moving through the General Assembly.

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➤ Statewide: Democrat Roy Cooper leads Republican Michael Whatley 48% to 34% in the U.S. Senate race, according to a new Catawba College-YouGov poll, with 15% undecided. The former governor’s edge is unchanged from a March survey. (See Report)

➤ Raleigh: NCDOT crews have begun building a bridge over the railroad at New Hope Church Road, part of the S-Line passenger rail project linking the Triangle to Richmond and points north. The grade-separation work will take about three years and cost roughly $22.7 million. (More)

➤ Charlotte: Starting Monday, I-485 Express Lanes in South Charlotte will see tolls rise by up to 25 cents during peak hours on weekdays to manage growing demand and maintain reliable travel times, with some off-peak rates decreasing. (More)

➤ Triad: Deborah Lanell White, 54, of McLeansville, was charged with health care fraud after federal prosecutors said she billed North Carolina Medicaid for thousands of fictitious drug tests through her Greensboro business, a loss of $2.8 million. The case is part of a national DOJ takedown. (See Details)

➤ Western NC: State officials told a GROW NC advisory committee that strengthening emergency communications is now a top priority after Hurricane Helene knocked out roughly 75% of the region’s cell sites and damaged nearly 1,700 miles of fiber optic cables. The Highway Patrol is seeking 31 new VIPER radio towers across the mountains. (More)

➤ Coastal NC: While visiting Wilmington on Wednesday, Gov. Josh Stein questioned whether a new federal settlement with Chemours would help North Carolina, noting most of the roughly $450 million is earmarked for West Virginia and New Jersey. (See Details)

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➤ The Charlotte Hornets traded star guard LaMelo Ball and wing Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round swaps, and three second-round picks. Ball had been in Charlotte for six years. (More)

➤ The Carolina Hurricanes will pick No. 31 in the first round of tonight’s NHL Draft in Buffalo. (More)

➤ UNC women’s soccer signee Maddie DiMaria was named the Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year after scoring 67 goals during her junior year. She’s currently the No. 1-ranked recruit in the 2027 class. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | WNBA | Golf

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➤ Wake Forest University launched the North Carolina Gateway, offering tuition-free enrollment to incoming in-state undergraduates from families earning $200,000 or less starting this fall. Families earning $100,000 or less also have living expenses covered, and families earning up to $300,000 qualify for 50% tuition aid. (More)

➤ Deloitte is bringing its Believers STEM program to roughly 5,000 Guilford County students and teachers, building a workforce pipeline for JetZero’s $4.7 billion Greensboro aircraft factory, which is expected to create more than 14,500 jobs. The year-long effort runs through UNC Greensboro. (More)

➤ The Charlotte City Council approved transferring a small parcel of land into the Bank of America lease for a new 4,200-seat performance venue outside Bank of America Stadium, expected to host 80 to 100 events a year. (More)

➤ North Carolina’s brewery industry is contracting, with 72 breweries having closed since 2024 and 60% of remaining operators reporting declining sales. Charlotte has been hit hard as taprooms that opened during the pandemic-era boom now face rising costs and softening demand. (More)

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➤ North Carolina ranks seventh in the nation for longest emergency room wait times, with patients averaging 3 hours and 15 minutes per visit—35 minutes above the national average of 2 hours and 40 minutes. (More)

➤ The Marine Corps retired the AV-8B Harrier after more than 50 years, with thousands gathering at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point for a sundown ceremony honoring the vertical-takeoff jet. Its squadrons now transition to the F-35B Lightning II. (See Photo)

➤ Cheerwine, the Salisbury-made cherry soda established in 1917, relaunched its Uniquely Southern Summer Promotion, with a grand prize of a four-night Blowing Rock getaway plus tickets to Tweetsie Railroad and Grandfather Mountain. (See Details)

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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. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ The world’s first trillionaire held the title for less than two weeks. What knocked him back down to mere billionaire? (Press Play)

➤ A federal judge just blocked a major piece of the President’s mail-in voting overhaul, and it comes down to one constitutional question. (Hear the Ruling)

➤ It nearly went extinct, until one Missouri farmer admitted she’d been quietly growing it all along. Meet summer’s most star-studded fruit. (Take a Bite)

Do you mind paying to drive on toll roads?

1. Not if it shortens my drive
2. I avoid them at all costs
3. Depends on the situation

Yesterday’s Results:

Do you think the Lumbee tribe should have voted for the casino amendment?

1. It should be up to them: 52%
2. No: 21%
3. Yes: 15%
4. Not sure: 12%

What is North Carolina’s oldest-known brewery and distillery?

Show me the answer