Lawmakers Vote To Pause Gas Tax

North Carolina lawmakers voted Wednesday to drop the state’s 41-cent-a-gallon gas tax to zero through Nov. 30.

The House passed House Bill 3, the Relief at the Pump Act, 111-1, and the Senate passed it 41-0. The vote came in a one-day special session called by Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell. Rep. Mike Schietzelt, R-Wake, said the suspension helps families with the approaching travel holidays.

Regular gas averaged $4.12 a gallon in the state Wednesday morning and diesel $5.99. The pause is expected to cost about $362.3 million in road funding, which lawmakers will replace from a state reserve.

Democrats overwhelmingly supported the bill but questioned its timing, with early voting about a week away. Gov. Josh Stein said he would act on the bill today.

HUD Investigates Wells Fargo Lending Programs

Federal housing officials opened an investigation into Wells Fargo on Wednesday, asking whether the bank’s mortgage programs for black borrowers violated the Fair Housing Act. 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s letter to CEO Charlie Scharf targets a special credit program and the bank’s 2017 pledge to lend $60 billion to create 250,000 black homeowners by 2027.

Wells Fargo, which currently employs about 27,000 people in the Charlotte area, started those efforts after years of discrimination complaints, including a $175 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2012.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner said the bank’s “practice of dividing Americans based on race is immoral, unethical and un-American.” Wells Fargo, which hasn’t commented on the probe, said in 2022 its programs would help close the homeownership gap between white and minority families.

Charlotte Airport Pitches Gates and Tunnel

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) wants to add gates to Concourse C and dig a passenger tunnel linking it to the main terminal.

The gates and tunnel anchor a package of nearly a dozen projects, called CLT Beyond, that the airport is folding into its new lease with American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, and United. The airport hasn’t said what it all costs, and city council will hear the pitch Monday before voting at a later meeting.

Also in the mix: a renovated international arrivals area, electrical upgrades, and airfield work to prepare for the $1 billion fourth parallel runway, a 10,000-foot strip due to open in fall 2027.

CLT’s last big terminal job, the $241 million Concourse A expansion, opened in September 2024 with 10 new gates. Work on Concourses D and E is still underway.

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➤ Statewide: The Republican National Committee and the state GOP asked a federal judge Tuesday to let them join as defendants in a lawsuit over new mail-in ballot rules. A hearing is set for Oct. 14 in Winston-Salem. (More)

➤ Durham: Faith Hedgepeth’s former roommate testified Wednesday about finding the UNC student’s body in their apartment in 2012, calling it “just a nightmare.” Miguel Salguero Olivares faces first-degree murder, rape, and burglary charges. (More)

➤ Ronda and Rowland: North Carolina’s Local Government Commission voted Tuesday to take over the finances of Ronda in Wilkes County and Rowland in Robeson County after both towns failed to fix their money problems. Ronda’s board has voted to begin dissolving the town. (More) 

➤ Raleigh: More families have come forward claiming burial mix-ups at Raleigh’s Montlawn Memorial Park, discovering strangers interred in plots they purchased, following earlier reports of similar cemetery errors. (More)

➤ Harnett County: The state Charter Schools Review Board voted unanimously to approve a 900-student K-8 charter school in Lillington, set to open in 2028 near Campbell University. The board rejected a proposed statewide online school based in Apex. (More)

➤ Charlotte: The finished Charlotte Museum of Nature in Freedom Park sits closed while Mecklenburg County commissioners decide whether to declare Discovery Place in default on a $14.6 million loan it says it can’t pay in a lump sum by Oct. 27. (More)

➤ Chapel Hill: Three years after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks, Chapel Hill native Keith Siegel and wife Aviva are sharing their hostage captivity stories, detailing the violence, trauma, and recovery they experienced. (More)

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➤ Logan Stankoven recorded a natural hat trick, highlighted by a shorthanded goal, as the Carolina Hurricanes dominated the Vancouver Canucks 7-2 with three power-play goals Thursday night in Raleigh. (More)

➤ Carolina Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan was named NFC offensive player of the week after catching 14 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday’s 32-26 win over the Lions. He’s the first Panthers receiver to earn it. (More)

➤ NASCAR’s Truck Series rolls into Charlotte Motor Speedway today with 36 trucks entered for the third race of its playoff Chase. Points leader Kaden Honeycutt holds a 37-point edge over Layne Riggs. A public memorial service for Kyle Busch will take place after the race. (See Entry List)

➤ The women’s soccer match between No. 1 UNC and No. 22 Florida State in Tallahassee, which was scheduled for today, has been postponed due to the projected impact of Hurricane Isaias. (More)

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

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➤ Duke Energy, state consumer advocates, and tech giants, including Amazon and Google, reached a proposed large-load tariff agreement that would require big power users like data centers to pay upfront grid-connection costs. Duke says it shields other customers. State regulators must still approve it. (More)

➤ Atrium Health says a new program will cut State Health Plan members’ copays, but North Carolina Treasurer Brad Briner called it a “shell game” that would raise the plan’s total costs 30% to 40%. Open enrollment starts Oct. 12. (More)

➤ Durham chipmaker Wolfspeed’s shares shot up more than 25% in after-hours trading Wednesday after the company announced a loan commitment of up to $1.5 billion from the U.S. Department of War. (More)

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➤ Forty-six cars have gone to Western North Carolina residents who lost their vehicles in Hurricane Helene, closing out an Asheville nonprofit’s replacement program. The last one went out Sept. 28. (See Photos)

➤ The pit wall at Charlotte Motor Speedway turned pink Tuesday as breast cancer survivors, drivers, and track officials marked the start of Bank of America 400 race week. (Watch Report)

➤ Duke Divinity students are taking graduate-level theology courses inside the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, with roughly 10 from campus and 10 from the prison in each class. Inmates who finish five courses earn a certificate. (More)

➤ Winston-Salem ranks 14th among the 100 largest U.S. cities for how much a basket of common groceries costs relative to local income, according to a new study. That basket equals 2.64% of the city’s median monthly household income. Detroit ranked first at 4.03%. (See Ranking)

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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. 

➤ More than 60 million children have been automatically enrolled in Trump Accounts, no parental sign-up required. (Hear Details)

➤ The USS Abraham Lincoln is home after a 321-day deployment that raised alarms over shortages and sailor mental health. (Podcast Available)

➤ One of New York’s best-known nightclubs is threatening permanent bans for anyone caught carrying smart glasses inside. (Listen Now)

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