Sunday, May 11, 2025

SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2025

Happy Mother’s Day! On this day in 1898, Ensign Worth Bagley of Raleigh became the first North Carolinian killed in the Spanish-American War, during a naval battle near a Cuban harbor.

Just in time for Mother’s Day, a mother and son duo graduated from North Carolina Central University Saturday. Learn more about their great accomplishment below.

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Don’t feel like reading the national edition of The Flyover? Tune in to The Flyover Podcast! New episodes drop daily—watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, all in under 15 minutes.

University Title IX Investigation

Western Carolina University is under federal investigation for allegedly failing to maintain sex-separated spaces on a federally funded campus, a potential Title IX violation.

The Department of Education announced on Thursday that it had received credible reports alleging WCU allowed a male student to stay in a girls’ dorm and investigated a female student who asked a male to leave the women’s locker room—a video of the incident has since gone viral.

The DOE also claimed the school has failed to comply with several of President Trump’s executive orders, stating that “WCU continues to assert that it will not change its policies to comply with Title IX.”

No-Confidence Vote Considered

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police is weighing a vote of no confidence against CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings, emailing the 1,700-member department to assess support.

Tensions between the FOP and CMPD grew after an April shooting that killed four officers, partly over Chief Jennings’ opposition to officers using outer carrier vests. A closed-door meeting with city leaders escalated the situation.

The no-confidence vote is seen as a symbolic gesture and is not expected to affect public safety.

Earthquake Felt in Western NC

A 4.1-magnitude earthquake originating near Greenback, Tennessee, was felt throughout North Carolina Saturday morning.

Residents from western North Carolina reported shaking that lasted 15–20 seconds. The only reported damage was pictures falling from walls, though many residents also said their pets were frightened.

The earthquake could also be felt in Kentucky, Georgia, and South Carolina. The U.S. Geological Survey said that the earthquake occurred 15 miles underground and likely didn’t cause any damage. There’s also little chance of an aftershock.

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➤ Durham: A mother and son graduated together from North Carolina Central University on Saturday, overcoming obstacles and encouraging each other to reach the milestone. (More)

➤ Hillsborough: A venue owner faces multiple charges after serving alcohol to minors at a large party that drew 75 police calls from neighbors reporting blocked roads and trespassing partygoers. (More)

➤ Fayetteville: The Fire Department has teamed up with a local high school to help install stovetop fire-suppression units in kitchens around the city. (More)

➤ Woodfin: The body found in the French Broad River earlier this week has been identified as Garren Keith Gentry, missing since December 2024. (More)

➤ Concord: The city council unanimously approved trolley pubs in the renovated downtown area, allowing customers to pedal a mobile bar while consuming alcohol. (More)

➤ Rolesville: A snake caused a two-hour outage for 7,000 Duke Energy customers after slithering into a substation, marking the second snake-related power outage this week. (More)

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➤ Andrei Svechnikov scored his sixth postseason goal Saturday, and Frederik Andersen made 21 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes shut out the Washington Capitals 4-0 to lead the series 2-1. (More)

➤ The Carolina Panthers have announced the jersey numbers for all eight of their 2025 draft picks. Tetairoa McMillan, the Panthers’ top pick, will wear No. 4—his old high school number. (More)

➤ Duke softball took No. 1-seeded Florida State down to the wire during the ACC tournament semifinals on Friday, but ultimately weren’t able to score enough, falling 3-2. (More)

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➤A Raleigh Post Office was renamed in honor of the late Millie Dunn Veasey, a veteran of World War II who served in a black female mail unit. (More)

➤A tuxedo kitten named Heritage hitched a ride in the engine compartment of the Oak Ridge town manager’s car. (See Heritage)

➤A Dairy Queen that opened in 1947 was sold for $1.1 million by the couple that had owned it since 1974. It will continue to serve ice cream. (More)

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