Saturday, October 31, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1952, American funk and disco bass player Bernard Edwards was born in Greenville, North Carolina. He co-founded Chic with Nile Rodgers, writing and producing hits like Le Freak and Good Times. A masterful bassist, Edwards also produced for Sister Sledge and Diana Ross before dying in 1996.

Twenty-five singers from Charlotte’s Johnson C. Smith University are headed to Carnegie Hall, and for some of them, it’ll be their first trip to New York. Get the details in Et Cetera.

The toilet gets scrubbed every week. So why do scientists say it’s one of the cleanest spots in the house? Today, we count down the seven biggest germ hotspots in the average home. Which refrigerator drawer tested positive for Salmonella and Listeria? What morning ritual grows mold in half of homes? Why would a microbiologist rather make a sandwich next to the toilet than in most kitchens? Amy has the answers on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor, Fisher Investments, is offering a guide for tips and advice on creating a retirement strategy that’s cohesive, current, and aligned with your full financial picture.

State Questions 31 Gas Stations’ Prices

Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s office has sent letters to 31 gas stations asking why their prices stayed high during the state’s gas tax holiday.

Lawmakers suspended the 41-cent-per-gallon tax this month in a Republican-backed bill that Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, signed. The break runs through Nov. 30.

Jackson’s office launched NC Fuel Check so drivers could report stations charging well above nearby competitors. More letters are expected next week.

“Any gas station not passing their tax savings onto customers is violating the law,” Jackson said. His office noted that a letter isn’t a finding of wrongdoing and that it will weigh wholesale and transportation costs.

The law doesn’t require stations to cut prices, but unfair trade practices carry fines of up to $5,000 per violation. Regular gas now averages $3.41 a gallon in North Carolina, down 16.7% in a month, according to AAA.

Ex-Contractor Charged with Leaking Secrets

The FBI arrested a former Fort Bragg contractor Tuesday on charges he posted classified military material to social media.

James Thomas Ashbacher, 37, of Spring Lake, held a top-secret clearance while working for a company that provided security to an Army special operations facility.

Prosecutors say he photographed and filmed classified operations on the job and posted the files online. When other users reposted them, he allegedly asked one to take some down, saying he was “trying to do some damage control.”

Agents who searched his home found a classified award write-up and missing Army night vision goggles. He’s charged with transmitting and retaining national defense information and theft of government property.

Durham Draws Record Visitors

Visitors spent a record $1.17 billion in Durham last year, according to Discover Durham’s annual tourism report.

The Bull City drew 13.4 million visitors in 2025, and 70% came from inside North Carolina. Their spending generated more than $82 million in state and local taxes.

Festivals and sporting events are pulling in the crowds, with Durham Bulls Athletic Park and the Durham Performing Arts Center among the top stops. Medical travel is another big driver, as patients and their families come for extended care at Duke Health.

At The Federal, a dive bar near Duke for 23 years, owner Josh Wittman said business is up but so are his costs. “Our numbers now are the best they’ve ever been, but the issue is everything costs more,” he said.

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When to Retire: A Quick and Easy Guide

A successful retirement strategy should account for more than individual investments. Your goals, health, spending needs, family and other accounts all influence when you may be able to retire and how much you may need. For investors with $1 million or more, bringing those pieces together can be especially important. When to Retire: A Quick and Easy Planning Guide explores how to balance short-term volatility against long-term growth needs, prepare for inflation, generate investment income, schedule withdrawals and keep your retirement plan current.

Download the guide for tips and advice on creating a strategy that’s cohesive, current and aligned with your full financial picture. Then schedule a conversation with a financial professional to discuss ways to bring your retirement plan to life.

➤ Eastern NC: The 1st Congressional District race between incumbent Don Davis, D, and challenger Laurie Buckhout, R, is now the most expensive U.S. House general election on record, with nearly $53 million in ads spent or reserved. Democrats account for $29.6 million and Republicans $23.3 million. (More)

➤ New Hanover County: School board member David Perry posted an AI-generated image of fellow members Pat Bradford and Josie Barnhart as witches stirring a “poison potion,” with the message “Vote Out the Witches.” Perry called it a Halloween joke; the board had censured him earlier this month. (See Details)

➤ Forest City: Three customers suffered chemical burns at a Chili’s after an employee mistook an industrial degreaser, borrowed from a power-washing contractor, for sugar and used it in the margarita mix. Health officials suspended the restaurant’s permit, then reinstated it Thursday. (See Details)

➤ Robeson County: The state is adding a 3,005-acre tract near Fair Bluff to Lumber River State Park. The purchase brings the park to 16,594 acres, making it the second-largest in the state system behind South Mountains. (More)

➤ Western NC: After Hurricane Helene, an NC State study found bacteria and elevated lead in water at some Buncombe and Mitchell County homes that rely on wells and springs. Researchers have since installed filters in several homes with help from Wine to Water and Mayland Community College. (Read Story)

➤ Greensboro: A water main break on Yanceyville Street closed part of the road and cut service to businesses in the area, city officials said. (More)

Flyover North Carolina exists to call things what they are, fairly and objectively. We keep the spin out and trust you with the facts. So today we’re asking: if news that calls things what they are is something you want to see thrive, will you stand behind it? Support the news in plain words. Free, every morning. Will you make a generous donation to support Flyover North Carolina?
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➤ The Carolina Panthers fired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley after Thursday’s 27-19 loss to Green Bay, its second straight. Defensive line coach Todd Wash takes over play-calling for the 3-4 Panthers, who host Denver on Nov. 8. (More)

➤ The Hornets will retire Muggsy Bogues’ No. 1 jersey at halftime of their Feb. 11 basketball game against Milwaukee. The 5-foot-3 guard, Charlotte’s all-time leader in assists and steals, will be just the third player in franchise history to receive the honor. (More)

➤ Thursday’s JV football game between West Forsyth and Parkland in Winston-Salem ended in multiple fights and pepper spray. The district is investigating and promised discipline, and Friday’s varsity rematch was moved up to 6 p.m. under heightened security. (More)

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

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More accounts, managers and investment choices do not always add up to a cohesive wealth strategy—especially when you’re considering when to retire. Investors with $1M+ may benefit from considering how each decision fits their goals, time frame and full financial picture.

When to Retire: A Quick and Easy Planning Guide examines risk, inflation, withdrawals and your investment income sources. Download the guide and schedule a conversation with a financial professional to talk about your plan.

➤ A deer bolted across a Winston-Salem parking lot, knocked into a woman, crashed through a laundromat’s window, and climbed onto the machines before escaping the way it came in. Owner Corey Pendergrass said nothing like it had ever happened to him. (See Video)

➤ Folklorist Dan Sellers, whose Carolina Haints podcast ran seven seasons, has been putting up “Legends and Lore” markers at spooky North Carolina sites, including Lydia’s Bridge in Jamestown and the haunt of the Bladenboro vampire-beast. A third, honoring Lake Norman’s monster “Normie,” awaits dedication in Mooresville. (Read Story)

➤ Twenty-five members of the Johnson C. Smith University’s choir will sing gospel and contemporary music at New York’s Carnegie Hall during Thanksgiving week. They’re one of four ensembles in the Sounds of the Season program. (More)

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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, straight from the heart of the country.

➤ What are the seven dirtiest things in your home? Hint: the toilet doesn’t make the list. (Hear List)

➤ Election season may take a measurable toll on your heart, researchers say, no matter which party wins. (Listen Now)

➤ New research is challenging centuries of scholarly doubt over a nearly 2,000-year-old non-Christian account of Jesus. (Podcast Available)