Legislature Enacts Immigration Law

North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature overrode Gov. Josh Stein’s veto on June 24 to enact the North Carolina Border Protection Act, expanding state cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Senate Bill 153 requires law enforcement and other state agencies to contact ICE about people in custody who are in the country illegally, and it blocks state-funded benefits such as Medicaid and housing aid for illegal immigrants.

It also bars UNC System schools from adopting sanctuary policies or obstructing enforcement.

Stein, a Democrat, had vetoed the measure, arguing it pulls state officers away from their duties to act as federal immigration agents. Democrats warned it would also scare immigrant families from seeking care.

Raleigh Weighs Curfew Due to Teen Takeovers

Raleigh’s City Council directed attorneys to draft a citywide curfew for teens 17 and younger after July Fourth weekend “teen takeovers” left nine people shot.

Police Chief Rico Boyce said officers were ready for the crowds but not for the guns they pulled off of “unruly, undisciplined, unsupervised juveniles” at gatherings that drew thousands to Brier Creek and Glenwood South. He said he chased down and disarmed one himself Saturday night.

Mayor Janet Cowell backed the ordinance. District Attorney Lorrin Freeman went further, asking state lawmakers to toughen juvenile laws and to hold adults accountable for leaving guns within a minor’s reach.

Not everyone favors enforcement first. Longtime resident Octavia Rainey urged leaders to bring teenagers into the conversation, and Councilman Cory Branch pushed prevention, floating a return of late-night recreation programs.

Cary Among Safest Cities to Drive

Cary landed as the nation’s No. 5 safest city to drive in Allstate’s 2026 America’s Best Drivers Report, which ranks the 200 largest U.S. cities by collision-claim frequency.

Fellow Triangle and Sandhills cities also fared well, with Fayetteville at No. 24, Winston-Salem at No. 35, Durham at No. 42, Greensboro at No. 46, and Raleigh at No. 68. Nationally, Brownsville, Texas, held the top spot for a second straight year.

The report came with a caveat for North Carolina drivers, though, flagging Raleigh, Durham, and Fayetteville among U.S. cities with the highest rates of hard braking, which Allstate says can signal stop-and-go traffic or tailgating.

Allstate stressed that the rankings, now in their 18th year, are meant to spur safer habits. Its advice for staying off the risky list is simple: slow down, buckle up, and put the phone down.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Statewide: Child advocates on Monday asked the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to revive a lawsuit that calls North Carolina’s foster care system “in crisis,” after a federal judge tossed it last fall. (See Details)

➤ Triangle: About 40,000 Wake County students headed back to school Tuesday as the district’s year-round schools opened the 2026-27 year. (More)

➤ Asheville: North Carolina’s health department has started declining media questions about Mission Hospital, citing guidance from federal regulators at the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS denies ordering any blanket blackout. (More)

➤ Southport: A new state law abolished the town’s Historic Preservation Commission and barred it from creating or expanding historic districts following a fight over a proposed 386-parcel historic overlay. Critics said it infringed on property rights, while supporters said it protected the town’s character. (More)

➤ Greensboro is planning a 90-day trial closing part of South Elm Street to cars and turning it into a downtown pedestrian plaza. The idea has drawn mixed reviews, with some businesses pressing for better public safety and easier parking. (More)

➤ Wake County: A judge rejected bar owners’ bid to split their lawsuit over COVID-era shutdowns into separate liability and discovery phases, while a related case was revealed to have settled in mediation earlier this year. (More)

Enjoy reading Flyover North Carolina? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ The Tar Heel State ranked No. 9 in the country for sports fans in a new study that measured 20 metrics, including professional championships, sports charities per capita, and sports betting revenue. (See Study)

➤ Former MLB All-Star reliever Al Holland, who pitched at North Carolina A&T from 1972 to 1975, died this weekend at age 73. (More)

➤ North Carolina will begin formally authorizing and taxing prediction market companies like Polymarket and Kalshi, following Gov. Josh Stein’s signing of the state budget this week. The companies will pay a 6% tax rate, far less than the 23% sports betting operators will owe under the same law. (More) 

➤ Former UNC soccer star Eddie Pope was named one of the 25 greatest American men’s soccer players of all time by Sports Illustrated. Pope earned 82 caps for the U.S. national team across three World Cups and won three MLS Cups with D.C. United. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Wimbledon

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Summer is here and there’s still time to feel your best. If you’ve been thinking about losing weight, DirectMeds connects qualified patients with licensed providers who can prescribe GLP-1 medications like semaglutide. Start your journey toward a healthier, more confident you. See if you qualify today.

➤ Duke Energy defended its proposed 11.6% rate increase before North Carolina’s Utilities Commission, which is expected to issue a final decision this fall. (More)

➤ The new state budget keeps North Carolina’s plan to hand JetZero up to $450 million toward its planned airliner factory at Piedmont Triad International Airport, releasing another $133.9 million this fiscal year on top of $118.1 million approved last year. (More)

➤ French giant Bouygues Construction has acquired Vannoy Construction, one of North Carolina’s largest general contractors, in a deal finalized June 30. Founded in Jefferson in 1952 and now based in Charlotte, Vannoy posted about $1 billion in revenue last year. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Pack 3X More in Any Bag. Checked bags cost money and time. Aerless compression bags let you fit 3X more into a single carry-on, with a pocket-sized rechargeable pump that removes excess air in seconds. Over 1 million travelers use it, backed by 50,000+ five-star reviews. (Click here)

Flying together with our sponsor

The Flying Car Market Is Growing 550% By 2030

There’s a pattern to the way new markets take off. First they’re dismissed, then they’re debated, then they’re obvious. By then, the early opportunity is gone. The flying car market is somewhere between the first two stages, which is exactly where you want to be.

In 2024, the global eVTOL market was worth $4.4B. By 2030, it’s projected to hit $28.6B. That’s 550% growth in six years.

Most retail investors will watch it happen from the sidelines. A few will get in now.

AirCar is already in the market: $21M in deposit-backed pre-orders, 1,000+ manned test flights, a $99K aircraft that’s 4X more affordable than the competition and first deliveries ~12 months out. 

Invest by the July 13 deadline to receive 10% bonus shares.

This is a paid advertisement for AirCar Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.aircar.aero/

➤ Early risers in Central and Eastern North Carolina may have caught a SpaceX rocket launch this morning around 5:05 a.m., when its glowing vapor trail was expected to appear low in the eastern sky before sunrise. (See Details)

➤ Britt’s Donut Shop, a Carolina Beach boardwalk fixture that has been glazing rings since 1939, will open a second location in Charleston this fall while keeping its original stand as home base. (More)

➤ Speaking of doughnuts, the Winston-Salem-born doughnut chain Krispy Kreme rolled out a new line inspired by popular Girl Scout Cookies, turning fan-favorite varieties into doughnut form for a limited run. (See Photos)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Researchers recently discovered why so many collagen supplements fail to deliver noticeable results. It isn’t because collagen doesn’t work…It’s because much of it never gets absorbed in the first place.That’s why scientists are taking a closer look at a delicious new way to consume collagen that helps the body absorb dramatically more than traditional powders or pills. Read the full story here.

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ More than half of retirees regret their planning, undone by five mistakes they never saw coming. (See List)

➤ Search crews have found the Boeing 737 cargo plane that vanished in the Arabian Sea. (Hear Details)

➤ Nike is being sued for allegedly copying 7-Eleven’s trademark colors days before the shoe’s launch. (Listen Now)

Have you been to Britt’s Donut Shop?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Not yet

Yesterday’s Results:

How long was your last trip to the Division of Motor Vehicles?

1. Under 30 minutes: 32%
2. About an hour: 23%
3. Can’t remember: 18%
4. The better part of a day: 17%
5. I don’t drive: 10%

Which North Carolina fort is noted as the longest-running active-duty fort in the country, serving for more than 250 years?

Show me the answer