Coast Braces for Nor’easter-Like Storm

A developing coastal low with Nor’easter-like characteristics began unleashing prolonged flooding and hazardous conditions along North Carolina’s barrier islands on Thursday, with Hatteras and Ocracoke facing the brunt through early next week.

The National Weather Service issued coastal flood advisories for the islands, with meteorologists expecting 25-35 mph winds and water levels to rise 2-4 feet above ground in vulnerable spots like Rodanthe and Buxton, where cleanup operations of coastal debris from collapsed houses are on pause.

Southeastern coastal areas, including Wilmington, should expect cold wind gusts at over 30 mph, rough seas, heavy surf, beach erosion, and moderate tidal flooding on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Jerry, which formed Oct. 7 in the Atlantic, is expected to become a hurricane near the Leeward Islands before curving east of Bermuda, posing no threat to the U.S.

State Rep Arrested for Child Sex Crimes

North Carolina State Rep. Cecil Brockman, a Democrat representing Guilford County’s 60th House District, was arrested Wednesday on charges of indecent liberties with a child and statutory rape. The High Point Democrat, who has served in the General Assembly since 2015, was scheduled for a court appearance yesterday.

The Guilford County Detention Center confirmed Brockman’s arrest, and House Minority Leader Robert Reives called the allegations “serious” in a post on X. 

Meanwhile, the North Carolina Democratic Party called on Brockman to “immediately resign,” stating, “The profound seriousness of these criminal charges makes it impossible for him to effectively represent his community.”

Brockman, a graduate of UNC-Charlotte, has served on key committees, including appropriations and education. He recently sponsored the Marriage Equality Act but faced party friction after missing a veto override vote due to illness.

Battleship Honors Navy, Marines Anniversaries

The USS North Carolina in Wilmington is launching 250 for 250, an initiative marking the upcoming 250th anniversaries of the U.S. Navy on Oct. 13 and the Marine Corps on Nov. 10 by flying 250 American flags aboard the ship both days.

Members of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, the Navy League of the United States Wilmington Council, and the Marine Detachment at Camp Lejeune will participate in the celebrations.

Supporters can purchase a flag for $100 as a keepsake, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Proceeds will support the ongoing preservation of the battleship as a memorial to the nearly 11,000 North Carolinians who died while serving during World War II.

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➤ Southeast NC: Public hearings on the proposed Carolina Bays Parkway extension project, originally scheduled for Sept. 29-30, have been rescheduled to Oct. 23 at the Sea Trail Convention Center. (See Details)

➤ Asheville: A former North Carolina pastor faces up to 20 years for wire fraud after taking $2.5 million from 24 customers through Kabens, a company he operated that promised but failed to deliver European-style log cabin kits. (More)

➤ Greensboro: The Eastern Music Festival is dissolving after failing to resolve a labor dispute with unionized faculty over control and hiring, ending more than 60 years of training young musicians at Guilford College. (More)

➤ Charlotte: A pilot program supported by United Way of Greater Charlotte called Wellness Without Walls will bring psychiatric teams to homeless individuals on the streets of Charlotte, rather than requiring them to travel to healthcare facilities. (More)

➤ Chapel Hill: Former UNC-Chapel Hill Provost Chris Clemens filed a motion Wednesday to recover deleted text messages from the UNC Board of Trustees, alleging violations of the North Carolina public records and open meetings laws using Signal’s auto-delete feature. (More)

➤ Fayetteville: Three E.E. Smith High School students died in a single-vehicle crash on Rosehill Road Wednesday night. A fourth victim is in critical condition. The school is providing grief counseling and support for students and staff. (More)

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➤ Former Duke standout Jayson Tatum was named his alma mater’s Chief Basketball Officer, a role that includes serving as a special advisor to head coach Jon Scheyer. (More)

➤ Duke quarterback Darian Mensah was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Top 25 list after a strong start to the season, throwing for 15 touchdowns with just two interceptions. (More)

➤ Bill Belichick reaffirmed that he’s “fully committed” to UNC football following reports that he and the university had discussed a potential “exit strategy” after the team’s 2-3 start to the season. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | MLB | NHL | NBA | NCAAF | Soccer | Tennis

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➤ Digital Trade Street 2 LLC submitted a plan to demolish a 100-year-old building at 725 E. Trade Street in Uptown Charlotte in order to build a four-story, 12-megawatt data center. The project requires a city planning review but no zoning change. (More)

➤ The Truist Championship, Truist Financial Corporation, and Quail Hollow Club will launch community initiatives alongside the Truist Championship’s return to Charlotte in 2026, including Truist Tuesday, Birdies for Better, a development summit, and small business support. (More)

➤ Biogen is pledging $250,000 to support the new Novo Nordisk Life Sciences Center in collaboration with Durham Technical Community College to expand the pool of workers qualified for biopharma jobs. (More)

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This Technology Makes Every City a Potential Surf Destination

Topgolf revolutionized golf by transforming it into a social, tech-driven experience for everyone. And they’ve made billions in annual revenue doing it. Surf Lakes is applying that same model to surfing. Their patented tech creates 2,000 ocean-quality rides per hour, anywhere in the world, across all skill levels.

Surf tourism is a $65 billion global industry, yet fewer than 1% of people live near real waves. They’ve already sold licenses across the U.S. and Australia, with plans for a first commercial park in the works.

Three-time world champ Tom Curren and surf icon Mark Occhilupo have joined as ambassadors and shareholders. Even actor Chris Hemsworth has praised Surf Lakes.

You have until Oct. 30 at 11:59 p.m. PT to invest in Surf Lakes.

➤ A calico cat named Francine, who lives inside a Lowe’s home improvement store in Richmond, Virginia, is back home after accidentally hitching a ride to a company distribution center in Garysburg, North Carolina. (See Photos)

➤ Beer Advocate’s list of top-rated craft beers in each state includes Heist Brewery’s Citraquench’l for North Carolina. Only beers with more than 100 ratings on the platform were considered. (See List)

➤ A ranking of 100 best and worst U.S. cities to drive in—based on 30 key indicators such as average gas prices, annual hours in traffic, and auto-repair shops per capita—places Greensboro at No. 2, Winston-Salem at No. 10, and Raleigh at No. 11. (See List)

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