Monday, May 18, 2026

MONDAY, MAY 18, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1963, over 200 students from Fayetteville State Teachers College launched the first organized protest march in Fayetteville. Led by the newly created Demonstration Committee, the peaceful event marked the start of sustained civil rights demonstrations against segregation.

UNC-Chapel Hill’s tenure issues are heating up again. Learn more in Top Stories.

Over the weekend, we asked whether any of you had invented something, and 28% responded yes. We’d love to know what your invention was. Hit reply to share the details!

Today’s sponsor, Fisher Investments, is helping you plan your ideal retirement with a free guide designed to align your goals, timeline, and investment strategy for lasting financial confidence.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

NC Ranks 48th in Financial Transparency

North Carolina earned a low transparency score of 45 out of 100 in Truth in Accounting’s latest report, placing it 48th among U.S. states.

The assessment, based primarily on fiscal year 2023 data, highlighted shortcomings in audit quality, timeliness, pension reporting, and accounting practices that can distort the government’s reported financial position. The state lost significant points because its largest pension plans do not issue separate audited financial reports.

Truth in Accounting also noted that most states, including North Carolina, released annual financial reports after completing their budget processes, limiting the usefulness of the data for decision-making.

Access reports of all state audits conducted in North Carolina, dating back to 1993, here.

Private Sector Unlocks Housing for the Homeless

Charlotte-based nonprofit Lotus Campaign says partnerships with landlords, developers, investors, and service providers have helped homeless participants secure housing, with 90% remaining stable after signing their first lease.

Using a market-driven model that reduces risk for property owners, the nonprofit brings together “unexpected allies” to work toward reducing homelessness by guaranteeing rent, covering fees, and pairing participants with ongoing support. Consequently, it has facilitated housing for 758 people across the state, including 149 placements and 63 renewals in 2025.

Landlords describe the approach as a practical “insurance policy” that aligns business sense with social impact.

Complementing such efforts, Charlotte’s Housing Impact Fund has privately raised over $225 million to preserve and renovate affordable units across the city.

UNC Trustees Halt Appointment

The UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees voted last week against hiring and conferring tenure on Kiran Asher for a distinguished professorship in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies.

Asher, former chair of the Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, had secured approvals from the department faculty, College of Arts and Sciences, UNC APT (Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure) committee, and Provost Magnus Egerstedt.

The May 13 decision marked a rare override of the standard academic review process, though university officials said nothing has changed in tenure policies and noted the board regularly confers tenure.

The move comes amid broader UNC System debates over tenure and academic freedom, and follows last year’s delays on dozens of tenure cases that drew faculty criticism.

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➤ Statewide: The state Supreme Court declined to rehear the long-running Leandro education funding case on Friday, upholding its April decision to end the 32-year lawsuit and vacate related rulings since 2017. (More)

➤ Charlotte: The Queen City added more residents than any other U.S. city last year, gaining 20,731 people to reach a population of 964,784, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data. (More)

➤ Belmont: Casey McMillen, a baseball coach at Stuart Cramer High School, died after collapsing before Friday night’s 4A playoff game. The cause of death has not been announced. (More)

➤ Raleigh: Former FBI Director James Comey hired Raleigh attorney Joseph Zeszotarski Jr. to defend him against federal charges alleging he threatened President Trump through an Instagram post featuring seashells arranged as “86” and “47.” The trial is expected to start on July 15. (More)

➤ Lake Lure: The lake reopened to the public on Saturday after over a 20-month closure for debris removal, restoring a key tourism driver as nearby Rumbling Bald also reopened its storm-damaged beach. (See Photos)

➤ Asheville: The Asheville Downtown Association launched its “Fabric of Downtown” quilt window trail, featuring at least 30 businesses displaying quilts and quilt-inspired art through August to boost foot traffic and tourism recovery. (See Photos)

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➤ No. 12 Duke softball clinched a super regional berth with back-to-back victories over Arizona at the Durham Regional. An explosive four-run fourth inning propelled the Blue Devils to victory in Game 2. (More)

➤ The Carolina Hurricanes will head into their Eastern Conference Finals series with nearly two weeks of rest after the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres went to seven games in their conference semifinals series. (More)

➤ UNC Greensboro softball saw its season end Saturday with NCAA Athens Regional losses to Georgia and Clemson, finishing 43-19 after winning the program’s first NCAA Tournament game. (More)

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➤ Farmers and timber owners affected by Hurricane Helene have a June 12 deadline to apply for shares of a $221 million USDA disaster grant for losses and infrastructure repairs. (More)

➤ Gastonia’s Covenant Village opened its $24 million Stonecrest Villas expansion, adding 22 residences in the retirement community’s first major growth project in more than 25 years. (More)

➤ Charlotte-based Cuadra Capital purchased four properties in Wilmington’s Soda Pop District for $15.75 million, including the Bottle Works building and Hi-Wire Brewing’s home. (More)

➤ An Apex man launched Om Botanical in 2011, building a thriving skincare brand with 40 plant-based products after searching for a steroid-free treatment for his son’s severe eczema. (More)

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A comfortable retirement requires a plan that accounts for all your cash flow needs, as well as inflation’s quiet erosion of your savings. Our guide offers insights to help you prepare. If you have $1 million or more, get your guide to help build a portfolio that lasts.

➤ Nine U.S. veterans were honored on Saturday at Fort Johnston-Southport Museum before today’s burial at sea at the nation’s only Veterans Memorial Reef. (See Report)

➤ North Carolina is among 31 states with a statewide ban on student cellphone use during classroom instruction, part of a rapid national shift toward phone-free learning environments. (See Map)

➤ Charlotte’s Hezekiah Alexander House, Mecklenburg County’s oldest building, offers docent-led tours Tuesday through Saturday that immerse visitors in North Carolina’s Revolutionary-era history. (See House)

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