Strong Rains Bring Flooding

Heavy rains and storms brought flooding and power outages to areas around the state on Friday.

Parts of Harnett and Johnston Counties saw heavy rains, with some parts receiving up to four inches of rain. The city of Dunn reportedly had the worst flooding, with water up to people’s knees.

In Johnston County, crews are working to repair a dam that burst in Four Oaks. Roads near the dam were closed.

In Charlotte, Duke Energy is working to restore power to about 2,000 people in the metro area, as well as about 2,500 in Iredell County.

The rains come on the heels of an unseasonably warm July, with forecasts predicting cooler weather in the coming weeks.

OpenAI Program Sees Success

State Treasurer Brad Briner released results of a 12-week study on ChatGPT use in the workplace, citing increased productivity and a majority of participants reporting a positive experience.

The study found generative AI boosted productivity by 10%, with 85% of participants reporting high satisfaction with the technology and saving 30 to 60 minutes daily on workplace tasks.

Briner said that personal data was not used during the study, and that the “bright red line of privacy” will be respected.

Education Funding Released

The U.S. Department of Education has released the remaining $5.5 billion in nationwide frozen funding that had been withheld for review.

North Carolina will be receiving $130 million—the remainder of its allotted funding. The state had previously received $35.7 million in funding for after-school and summer programs.

On July 14, Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined a bipartisan coalition of 25 states in an attempt to get the Trump administration to unfreeze the funding.

At the beginning of July, the Trump administration froze $6 billion in grants nationwide as part of a review to ensure the programs were in line with the administration’s goals.

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➤ Statewide: Most North Carolinians approve of President Trump’s job performance, though Gov. Josh Stein receives higher marks, according to an Emerson College survey of 1,000 residents. (See results)

➤ Chapel Hill: The Danville, Virginia, city councilman who was set on fire and was severely burned earlier this week was taken to the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center at UNC Health Care. (More)

➤ Wake Forest: The family of Sandor Szabo, who was killed in 2018 after being punched by assistant basketball coach Jamill Jones, is seeking $18 million in damages. (More)

➤ Oxford: A woman accused of stealing the identities of two women over the course of ten years was apprehended by police after a high-speed chase on I-85. (More)

➤ Ocracoke Island: Officials awarded a $250,000 contract to rebuild the dune barrier between the Atlantic and NC Highway 12, moving about 14,500 cubic yards of sand. (More)

➤ Outer Banks: Coast Guard crews rescued three children reported missing by their father after they kayaked around an island. (More)

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➤ Carolina Panthers star defensive tackle Derrick Brown is the Panthers’ highest-rated player in Madden NFL 25, coming in at 95 overall. (More)

➤ UNC football is expected to land four‑star tight end Carson Sneed, who is projected to flip from his verbal commitment to Tennessee after a recruiting push intensified this summer. (More)

➤ NC State football has 13 players named to the East-West Shrine Bowl watch list, the most of any North Carolina school. (See Full List)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Soccer | WNBA | PGA | LPGA | NASCAR

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➤ Sunny, a mini goldendoodle, offers comfort and calm to children facing abuse and trauma at Jo Ann’s Place Southmountain Children’s Advocacy Center in Rocky Mount. (See Sunny)

➤ Five pigs are roaming a Wake Forest neighborhood, raiding gardens and charging residents, as neighbors care for them and authorities work to identify their owners. (See Pigs)

➤ A Monroe teahouse partnered with local charities for A Cause for Tea, supporting addiction recovery, pregnant mothers, and the group’s ongoing mission work in Nicaragua. (More)

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Were you raised to say “Yes, ma’am” and “Yes, sir” to your elders?

1. Yes, ma’am/sir
2. No, ma’am/sir
3. Can’t remember, ma’am/sir

Yesterday’s Results:

About when are you ready for summer to end in North Carolina?

1. In September: 28%
2. In August: 23%
3. Never: 17%
4. Before it begins: 16%
5. In July: 16%

What was the worst hurricane to ever hit Ocean Isle Beach?

Show me the answer