Thursday, January 30, 2025

Flyover North Carolina

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2025

Good morning! On this day in 1871, North Carolina Gov. William Woods Holden’s impeachment trial began. Holden was the only chief executive—and the first in the nation—to be impeached and removed from office. His impeachment stemmed from a series of decisions that led to the imposition of martial law in Alamance and Caswell counties.

Learn more about our country’s use of martial law in today’s Trivia answer.

Thanks to everyone who let us know what city or town you live in. From Flat Rock to Pinehurst, we’ll continue covering the Tar Heel State with all of the news important to you!

We want to say thanks to all the readers who contributed to our tip jar Tuesday—it helps Flyover North Carolina keep producing free, unbiased news. If you missed it, there’s another opportunity to contribute further below. We appreciate it!

Today’s sponsor is Weight Loss by Hims. Check out their products below.

Schools Release ICE Response Guidance

Wake County Public School System has issued guidance on how staff should respond to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, should they enter school property to detain illegal immigrants or gather evidence.

ICE officials can enter the property only if they have a federal judicial warrant to detain someone. Otherwise, principals should consult with the system’s Q&A or seek advice from supervisors.

Durham Public Schools sent a message to families assuring them it will not ask students about their immigration status or record that information, and confirming that student information will only be disclosed to ICE as authorized or required by law.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools stated it will adhere to “all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding immigration matters,” and that only those who have criminal records and removal orders should be concerned.

NC Leaders Named to FEMA Oversight Council

President Donald Trump named four North Carolinians to the newly created Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which he established by an executive order last Friday after visiting western North Carolina.

Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley will head the council, which will include three other North Carolina Republicans: U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, NC-11; U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, NC-05; and U.S. Rep. Tim Moore, NC-14.

Other council members will include Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Director of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. No more than 20 members will serve on the council, which will meet for one year.

Trump’s executive order calls for a widespread evaluation of FEMA’s services and describes “serious concerns of political bias” within the agency.

Math Up, Reading Down for NC Students

Newly released National Assessment of Educational Progress data shows North Carolina fourth and eighth graders’ math performance improved slightly since 2022, while reading performance went down.

The data—reflective of students’ performance following nationwide COVID-19 pandemic school closures—shows that 77% of fourth graders performed at or above “basic” levels in math, up from 75% in 2022, while eighth graders only improved from 61% to 62%.

Meanwhile, fourth graders at or above basic reading levels went down from 61% to 58%, while eighth graders went down from 66% to 65%.

National Center for Educational Statistics Director Peggy Carr says “the news is not good,” because it reveals students are not making enough progress toward recovering from the learning lost while schools were closed.

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➤ Craven County: A manhunt is underway for John Matthew Nigh, an attempted murder suspect who escaped from a Craven County jail through the building’s ventilation system. (More)

➤ Northeast NC: Two plaintiffs filed a lawsuit arguing that the state Senate election map discriminates against black voters in northeastern North Carolina and therefore violates the U.S. Constitution. (More)

➤ Charlotte: North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson of Charlotte joined 22 other state attorneys general Tuesday in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s federal funding freeze. (More)

➤ Sampson County: A turkey flock tested positive for bird flu, marking the state’s second commercial operation to be affected by the virus this month. (More)

➤ Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board members voted unanimously Tuesday to increase the district’s minimum wage for many workers to $20 per hour. (More)

➤ McDowell County: Linville Caverns, which closed in September due to damage from Hurricane Helene, will reopen to tourists on Jan. 30. (More)

➤ Lake Lure: Town officials hope to expedite the reopening of Chimney Rock State Park by extending Lago Vista Road, which would increase access to the area. (More)

➤ The Carolina Hurricanes dominated the New York Rangers Tuesday night with a 4-0 win. Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen made 22 saves to secure his first shutout of the season. (More)

➤ UNC men’s basketball suffered another loss Tuesday night, falling to Pitt 73-65 and dropping to seventh place in the ACC. (More)

➤ NASCAR announced the format and field size for the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem on Feb. 2. (See Details)

➤ Yesterday’s results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ Boom Supersonic, which operates its Overture factory in Greensboro, made history Tuesday when its XB-1 jet broke the sound barrier, marking the first time a civil aircraft has gone supersonic over the continental United States. (See Photo and Details)

➤ Aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney will spend $285 million to expand its turbine airfoil manufacturing plant in Asheville, a move that is expected to create 325 new jobs. (More)

➤ Kepley’s Barbecue, an iconic High Point restaurant that opened in 1948, will permanently close on Feb. 8. (See Details)

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➤ A land conservation deal between private donors, conservationists, and the North Carolina Forest Service will protect nearly 4,000 acres of “critical” property in the Great Balsam Mountains along the Blue Ridge Parkway. (More)

➤ Edenton’s newest passenger vessel is the Albemarle Queen, an authentic paddlewheel boat that will offer lunch and dinner cruises. (Watch Report)

➤ A UNC-Charlotte chemistry professor has developed a purification system that removes highly toxic PFAS chemicals—known to cause cancer and other health issues—from contaminated drinking water. (More)

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