Outage Impacts End-of-Grade Testing Statewide

A system error caused a 40-minute outage that impacted approximately 120,000 North Carolina public school students taking end-of-grade (EOG) tests on Wednesday.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) said the error caused NCTest—the online system used for various standardized tests—to “not function.” According to Tammy Howard, senior director of accountability and testing for NCDPI, “Corrective action quickly brought the system back up and approximately 120,000 students resumed testing.”

Schools were given the option to resume testing on Thursday or completely start over.

The North Carolina EOG tests, which align with the state’s Standard Course of Study, assess students in grades 3-8 in reading and mathematics, and grades 5 and 8 in science. 

NC Appeals Court Probes UNC-COVID Connection

The North Carolina Court of Appeals is reviewing a public records lawsuit filed by US Right to Know against UNC-Chapel Hill in connection with the possible origins of COVID-19.

The nonprofit seeks documents related to UNC-Chapel Hill professor Dr. Ralph Baric’s coronavirus research and ties to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The brief states that according to the National Institutes of Health, Baric has been awarded research grants and other public funding exceeding $200 million since 1986.

UNC withheld most records, citing a state research exemption. The case raises transparency concerns amid ongoing investigations into COVID-19’s origins.

In November 2024, former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield called Baric the “scientific mastermind behind the research.” He also claimed COVID-19 may have originated from UNC-Chapel Hill’s lab, alleging involvement by Baric and U.S. agencies that funded gain-of-function coronavirus research.

Rockingham Speedway Goes Up for Sale

Just weeks after hosting its first NASCAR event since 2004, North Carolina’s historic Rockingham Speedway has been listed for sale by CBRE, a commercial real estate and investment firm based in Texas.

Despite receiving $10 million in state grants for renovations, the speedway’s future remains uncertain. In the listing, CBRE mentions that an additional $12 million has been requested to further improve the track’s infrastructure.

Owner Dan Lovenheim anticipates these efforts would make the track ready for a potential NASCAR Cup Series date in 2026 or 2027.

No asking price has been disclosed for the speedway, nicknamed “The Rock,” with a buyer expected to be selected by July 1.

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➤ Statewide: Mailing of around 100,000 state tax refund checks resumed May 21 after the Department of Revenue’s printing and mailing vendor unexpectedly went out of business, delaying the process. (More)

➤ Statewide: The North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles resumes Saturday walk-in hours at 20 locations May 31–Aug. 23. Four new locations are opening this year, and the Raleigh East office will open on Saturdays in place of the Raleigh North office. (See Locations)

➤ Western NC: The U.S. Department of Transportation is offering the state over $400 million in funding through the Federal Highway Administration’s emergency relief program to repair Hurricane Helene-damaged roads and bridges. (More)

➤ Greensboro Coliseum is hosting the USA Pickleball Golden Ticket Tournament through June 1, with thousands of athletes and fans expected as players compete for a shot at national championship qualification. (More)

➤ Duke University: The American Association of University Professors has called on Duke to immediately halt its voluntary separation incentive program, citing a lack of faculty consultation and transparency in the decision-making process. (More)

➤ Sunset Beach: A New Mexico man swimming near the Sunset Beach pier at 31st Street was bitten on the leg by a shark. He received 11 stitches and is expected to recover fully. (More)

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➤ North Carolina-based baseball teams kick off their quest for the College World Series today, headlined by No. 5-seeded UNC hosting in Chapel Hill, while NC State and East Carolina battle on the road. (Today’s Lineup)

➤ NC State basketball will not play an away game at Chapel Hill this season, snapping an over 100-year-old streak of playing on the Tar Heels’ home court. (More)

➤ A Cooper Flagg basketball card sold for over $28,000 last week, sparking a surge of high-dollar sales in the sports card community. (More)

➤ Sign up here in one click to receive NIL Wire to stay up-to-date on everything related to name, image, and likeness in college sports. 

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NBA | WNBA | NHL | PGA | LPGA | NCAASB | Soccer | Tennis

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➤ Charlotte and Raleigh are the 16th and 18th most affordable U.S. cities in which to buy a home, respectively, based on 10 metrics that include real estate tax rate, cost per square foot, median home price, and median household income. (See Details)

➤ Transitions Kids, a Raleigh children’s hospice program, received an anonymous $2.5 million donation to expand grief counseling, home-based care, and other services. (More)

➤ Asheville’s tourism industry continues to struggle post-Hurricane Helene. LaZoom Tours reports a 45% decline in revenue, and April hotel occupancy dropped by 7 percentage points to 64%, with revenues down 20% year-over-year. (More)

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➤ The lineup for Raleigh Wide Open on Oct. 3-4 has been released and features performances by Balsam Range, Slippery Hill Bluegrass, the Williamson Brothers, and other musicians. (See Lineup)

➤ Fourteen-year-old Aishwarya Kallakuri, a student at Concord’s Valor Prep Academy, advanced to the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals in Washington, D.C., which took place Thursday night. (See Details)

➤ Authorities relocated a nearly 400-pound, 10-foot-long alligator in Onslow County. Dubbed Pepe the Gator, the massive reptile was cited for “suspicion of being a dinosaur without proper papers, public loitering with intent to sunbathe, and obstructing traffic.” (See Photos)

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Are you expecting a state tax refund this year?

1. Not a chance
2. Still hopeful
3. Already got one

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you been to Carowinds?

1. Yes: 51%
2. No: 49%

What was Rockingham Speedway’s inaugural Cup Series race called?

Show me the answer