Candidates Time NC Visits With Early Voting

Candidates from both presidential tickets are campaigning in North Carolina this week up to the first day of early voting on Thursday.

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris held a rally at ECU in Greenville Sunday, a day after meeting with black leaders in Raleigh and helping volunteers pack diapers and personal care products for victims of Hurricane Helene.

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance attended NASCAR’s ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Sunday, and he will hold a rally Wednesday at Wilmington Aero Center.

Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz will visit Durham and Winston-Salem Thursday.

Even Former President Bill Clinton is hopping on the Harris-Walz campaign trail with a rural bus tour through eastern North Carolina that starts Thursday.

Western NC Encourages Tourism

Businesses in Helene-ravaged communities want you to visit—even if it’s later in the season than usual. VisitSmokies.org published information about which Great Smoky Mountains sections are open and lists 17 accessible western North Carolina communities.

A separate link on the page lists businesses in those communities that have remained open or reopened.

Marked Tree Vineyard and Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Henderson County, for example, may have to open later due to road damage, but their owners say there’s plenty to do and see there in November and December.

Biltmore Estate in Asheville remains temporarily closed with no reopening date posted at this time, and Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock will remain closed until Nov. 29.

State Fair Kicks Off Thursday: A Preview

The 2024 North Carolina State Fair starts Thursday in Raleigh and runs through Oct. 27.

Fairgoers can brave a new 210-foot slide and Candy Adventure Fun House this year, listen to a strolling piano, and try 72 new sweet and savory foods.

Examples of the new foods include Sweet & Spicy Cheese Puff Fried Pickles, NC Crab and Shrimp Bomb Crusted in Hot Cheetos, Summerween Slushes, and Cotton Candy Mini Cakes.

The Homegrown Music Fest features 40 performances, and Smithfield Foods Hunger Relief Day is Thursday, Oct. 24. Bring six cans of food to the fair gates for free admission.

Other special event days include Wolfpack Day (Oct. 17), Accessibility Day (Oct. 20), Senior Citizens Day (Oct. 22), and Military Appreciation Day (Oct. 23). Purchase discounted tickets in advance here.

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➤ Asheville: A 36-inch bypass water mainline was reconnected to the city’s water distribution system as efforts continue to restore clean drinking water to the area. (More)

➤ Moore County: Deputies arrested Lowell Simon—head of the county’s Democratic Party and a candidate for the State House—for removing political signs that promoted Former President Donald Trump. (See Details)

➤ Durham: FEMA set up a Helene relief work center in a 38,000-square-foot American Tobacco Campus space in response to a need to house up to 500 personnel. The space can hold about 200 workers. (More) 

➤ Valle Crucis: The 115-year-old Mast General Store Annex reopened Saturday with its ceremonial tradition of marking the flood water line at the front entrance. (Watch Video)

➤ Chimney Rock: Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division are clearing mud and debris from homes and stores along the Broad River. (Watch Video)

➤ Rodanthe: The Dare County Board of Commissioners voted to approve applying for a FEMA flood mitigation grant to address storm-related damage and flood loss on Hatteras Island. (More)

➤ Five-star twin brothers Cameron and Cayden Boozer have committed to play basketball at Duke. Their father, Carlos Boozer, also played for Duke and was a two-time NBA all-star. (More)

➤ UNC football player Tylee Craft passed away Saturday due to a rare form of lung cancer. Craft, who was diagnosed in March 2022, was 23 years old. (More)

➤ The Carolina Panthers dropped to 1-5 on the season after a 38-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons yesterday. First-round rookie Xavier Legette provided a bright spot in the loss, reeling in the second touchdown of his career. (Watch Video)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | MLB | NBA | WNBA | NASCAR | NHL | PGA | LPGA

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➤ IKEA will open its second Charlotte store Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Promenade on Providence. It will be a plan-and-order store, offering items for delivery only. (See Details)

➤ The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association issued a statement that despite damage from Helene, its farmers have “every confidence” that choose-and-cut farms and wholesale trees will be available in November. (Read Statement)

➤ An interactive map shows which states have the most stressful jobs, with North Carolina ranking 22nd and earning a score of 49.6 out of 100. (See Map)

➤ Elon Musk posted a map on X showing the areas impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton that will continue to receive free Starlink service through the end of the year. (See Post)

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➤ The best chance to see Comet C/2023 A3 as it comes closer to Earth is after sunset between Oct. 13-21. (See Viewing Times)

➤ WECT Wilmington shared viewers’ photos of the Oct. 11 aurora borealis lights. (See Photos)

➤ A new map reveals the average cost of weddings in each state, with North Carolina’s around $31,000. (See Map)

Are you going to the 2024 North Carolina State Fair?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Haven’t decided

Friday’s Results:

Have you ever seen the aurora borealis?

1. Yes: 28.4%
2. No: 36.1%
3. It’s possible: 17.9%
4. I’m not sure: 17.6%

Why was Shallow Ford an important acquisition during the Revolutionary War?

Show me the answer