ReBUILD NC Director Out of a Job 

Two days after being questioned by state legislators about financial mismanagement of disaster relief funds, Laura Hosghead was booted as director of the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency, also known as ReBUILD NC.

Pryor Gibson, deputy legislative counsel to Gov. Roy Cooper, will serve as interim director.

Hogshead, who held the position since 2018, has resisted calls to resign despite years of criticism, consistently maintaining she was the best person to lead the program.

Danny Britt, Republican state senator for Hoke, Robeson, and Scotland counties, called ReBUILD NC’s failures in the wake of Hurricane Helene “shameful.”

Meanwhile, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Wednesday during a disaster relief funding review requesting expedited funds and adding that his constituents “don’t need tears, they need action.”

Snow, High Winds, and School Closures 

A cold front moving across the state could deliver up to 7 inches of snow in some areas of western North Carolina tonight and linger in the mountains through early Saturday.

Valle Crucis is expected to get up to an inch of snow, while areas over 5,000 feet in elevation, like Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell, could get 5-7 inches.

Yesterday, wind gusts of up to 50 mph caused widespread power outages, prompting some schools to close or operate on a two-hour delay. High winds continued to impact many areas today.

See an updated list of school closings and delays here.

2 UNC Schools Remove DEI From Mission Statements 

Without discussion, the UNC Board of Governors approved new mission statements for UNC-Charlotte and UNC-Wilmington Thursday.

The universities revised their mission statements after receiving approval last week to remove references to diversity. UNC-Charlotte tied the change to the diversity/equity/inclusion repeal made by the Board of Governors last May. 

UNC-Charlotte’s mission statement will no longer state that the university “is a diverse and inclusive institution.” (The unrevised mission statement is still posted.)

UNC-Wilmington’s mission statement has been updated on its website to no longer include a line referring to its “culture” reflecting “diversity.” Read the revised mission statement here.

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

➤ Avery County: Cartner Christmas Tree Farm harvested a 20-foot generational tree Wednesday for delivery to the White House, where it will be displayed in the Blue Room. (More)

➤ Buncombe County: The county commission approved a zoning code amendment and authorized grants for housing and small businesses to help out-of-work residents develop emergency housing. (More)

➤ Swannanoa: A good Samaritan organized a pop-up supply center in her front yard offering food, water, clothes, and other supplies for neighbors impacted by Hurricane Helene. (More)

➤ Durham: Duke University Professor of Cultural Anthropology Orin Starn worked undercover for two years in an Amazon warehouse to “see what it was really like.” (More)

➤ Greensboro: A 40-court pickleball complex is being planned that will host four to five tournaments per year and have an expected financial impact of at least $2 million. (More)

➤ Charlotte: Local law enforcement is dealing with a surge in counterfeit temporary license plates and has issued warnings about the dangers of displaying them. (More)

➤ Triangle: The North American Ice Cream Association awarded Andia’s Ice Cream first place for its mango jalapeño margarita ice cream flavor, and Two Roosters Ice Cream second place for its Earl Grey and lemon cookie dough flavor. (More)

➤ UNC football head coach Mack Brown said he plans to return as the team’s head coach next season, despite speculation about his retirement during the season. (More)

➤ Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen is out for 8-12 weeks after undergoing knee surgery. (More)

➤ Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales expressed optimism that the team’s top draft pick, Jonathan Brooks, could make his NFL debut this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | CFP | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | PGA | LPGA

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Today is the last day small businesses in disaster-declared communities of western North Carolina can apply for Lowe’s Home Improvement grants worth $20,000 each. (See Details)

➤ The North Carolina-based founder of AI chatbot startup AllHere Education, Joanna Smith-Griffin, has been arrested and charged with defrauding her investors, lying about profits, and making false claims about customers. (More)

➤ Richard Childress Racing, located in Welcome, announced a staff shakeup ahead of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. (See Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

Big Pharma HATES Studies Like These

Breakthrough new research proves how you can grow back cartilage in your bone joints.

It’s odorless, flavorless, and so easy to add in your morning coffee, tea, oatmeal, smoothie, or even water.

Learn more

➤ A bear cub pulled from a tree in Asheville by a group of people who wanted to take selfies with it was later rescued by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, determined to be healthy, and released back into the wild with a tracking collar. (More)

➤ North Carolina is the fourth most popular state Americans moved to in 2023, with most newcomers hailing from Florida, South Carolina, and New York, respectively. (See Map and Details)

➤ Meanwhile, Charlotte boasts the second-highest net migration of incoming college-educated residents. (See Map and Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The Gold Standard In Scientific EMF Protection. Aires neutralizes the harmful EMF radiation coming from your devices with patented, clinically proven NanoTechnology. No harmful methods, no fake science, no false claims — just science.

You can’t escape technology today… but you can save yourself from the dangerous EMF radiation it emits.

How many states have you lived in?

1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four or more

Yesterday’s Results:

What’s your favorite chicken fast-food restaurant?

1. Chick-fil-A: 28.4%
2. KFC: 16.3%
3. Bojangles: 15.7%
4. Other: 13.8%
5. Zaxby’s: 13.3%
6. I don’t like chicken: 12.5%

What was Blackbeard’s ship called before he renamed it the Queen Anne’s Revenge?

Show me the answer