Canes Announce Celebration Parade in Raleigh

The Carolina Hurricanes will celebrate their second Stanley Cup championship with a parade in downtown Raleigh on Saturday, June 20, at 11 a.m.

The team clinched its first title since 2006 with a 3-0 shutout victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 Sunday night, capping a dominant 16-3 postseason run. Captain Jordan Staal earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, while head coach Rod Brind’Amour added to his legacy, having captained the 2006 championship team.

The victory marks North Carolina’s first major professional sports championship in two decades.

The parade was announced via email and on the Jumbotron inside the Lenovo Center on Sunday in front of thousands of fans attending a watch party. Additional parade details, including the route and road closures, are expected later this week.

NCDOT Plans Wildlife Crossings on U.S. 64

NCDOT is advancing plans to install wildlife underpasses and fencing along a 2.5-mile stretch of U.S. 64 in Dare County. The project, within the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, aims to reduce vehicle-animal collisions involving black bears, deer, and red wolves while enhancing habitat connectivity.

Funded by $25 million from the Federal Highway Administration’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program and $6.25 million in matching funds, the $31.25 million initiative is part of the State Transportation Improvement Program.

Recent studies highlight significant roadkill along the corridor, underscoring the need for safer passages.

A public meeting is set for June 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the Manns Harbor Community Building. Public comments are encouraged by July 10 to shape the final design.

Storm-Damaged Hiking Trails Reopen

North Carolina’s hiking trails are drawing renewed attention as some reopen following repairs from Hurricane Helene’s damage in 2024.

Privately owned Pearson’s Falls and Glen between Saluda and Tryon, which features a 90-foot waterfall accessible via a scenic forest hike through a botanical preserve, recently announced it will reopen in late June with required reservations and updated fees.

All North Carolina trails in the Blue Ridge Parkway are expected to fully open by the end of 2026, including direct access to the Linville Falls trail system.

Separately, Nantahala National Forest, the second wettest region in the continental U.S. after the Pacific Northwest, and North Carolina’s largest national forest, was featured on AllTrails’ 2026 bucket list as offering one of the country’s best hiking spots. 

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➤ Statewide: North Carolina legislative leaders have pushed back their budget timeline, with Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger now saying it likely won’t be completed this week but should still pass before the end of June. (More)

➤ Durham: A large fire at an apartment complex on University Drive injured seven people, including a firefighter. Residents were evacuated, with at least one jumping from the building. Heavy fire conditions made firefighting challenging for crews. (More)

➤ Wilson: A woman was hospitalized after being shot in the head while riding an Amtrak train through Wilson on Saturday night. Investigators determined the train was fired upon from outside, and a crime scene was established on Walnut Street. (More)

➤ Nash County: Herbert Earl Lawrence Jr. was fatally shot inside a Whitakers Dollar General following a heated argument that escalated into a mutual shooting. Wilbert Silver III, who also died, was found a half-mile away at a street intersection. Deputies responded quickly. One of the men worked at the store. (More)

➤ Ocracoke: The Cape Hatteras National Seashore is recruiting volunteers for its annual sea turtle nest watch program this summer, and will hold a required training session as loggerhead sea turtles begin nesting along the Outer Banks shoreline. (More)

➤ Asheville: Runners hit the streets Sunday for the 5th Annual RAD Half Marathon and 10K, with proceeds benefiting the River Arts District Artists Foundation as the creative community continues recovering from Hurricane Helene’s 2024 floods. (More)

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➤ The Carolina Hurricanes opened as the favorite to repeat as Stanley Cup champions next season at +700, followed by the Colorado Avalanche at +800 and the Vegas Golden Knights at +850. (More)

➤ UNC football landed a commitment from 4-star defensive lineman Kaiden Robinson-Vickers out of Dunnellon, Florida. He chose Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels over offers from NC State and Florida. (More)

➤ A Wake Forest professor says the World Cup could help address a youth fitness gap, noting that only 24% of American children currently meet physical activity guidelines. Germany’s team is training on campus in Winston-Salem, giving local kids a front-row seat to elite athletes. (More)

➤ Wake Forest landed 2027 quarterback Smith Stringer out of Presbyterian Christian in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The 6-foot-6 prospect threw for 2,783 yards and 37 touchdowns as a junior. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | College World Series | WNBA

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➤ Novant Health’s new Scotts Hill Medical Center, a 250,000-square-foot, 66-bed hospital along the U.S. 17 corridor north of Wilmington, is set to open today. It’s the first new hospital in New Hanover County in about six decades. (More)

➤ Charlotte Douglas International Airport is piloting self-service e-gates at its TSA PreCheck checkpoint, where travelers scan a REAL ID, and the system matches the uploaded enrollment photo before allowing entry to screening. (More)

➤ Dentsply Sirona named former U.S. Army Ranger John Fortson as executive vice president and CFO, effective July 20, to support its ongoing turnaround and Return-to-Growth Action Plan. Fortson brings more than 25 years of experience in finance and operations across global businesses. (More)

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A Drone Expert Is Making Flying Cars Real

After years working on military drones, Doron Merdinger began sketching a flying car in 2016. He saw how quickly the tech had advanced. Soon, people would fly from driveways. So he built Doroni.

It’s great timing, too. The urban air mobility market is worth $4B today. By 2040, Morgan Stanley puts it at $1 trillion. By 2050, $9 trillion. And with 600+ reservations for Doroni’s aircraft and $240M+ in potential revenue already, the demand for this innovation is undeniable. 

With commercial deliveries planned for 2028 and $1.4B+ in annual revenue targeted by 2032, Doroni’s scaling fast. They even just reserved the Nasdaq ticker $DRNI. But don’t wait. Invest in Doroni before their share price changes on June 18th.

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➤ The Poplar Boat Launch in Pisgah National Forest reopened to rafters and boaters on Friday after months of repairs following Hurricane Helene’s destruction. (More)

➤ World Cup fever is spreading across the Triangle this week as group stage play continues, with upcoming watch parties planned for the Rialto Theatre in Raleigh, WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, and various bars and restaurants across the region. (More)

➤ A 920-pound blue marlin from Morehead City’s Big Rock Tournament was donated to NC State’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, where students created fish prints, extracted otoliths to determine its age, and sampled organs and tissue. (See Photos)

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➤ Hot cacao vs Green Tea… Which of these hot drinks was proven in a study boost stem cells by 220% in 30 days? Billionaires drop 6 figures on stem cell therapy, but this hot drink costs 50 cents a day and boosts anti-aging stem cells improving heart health, blood pressure, and longevity.

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:

➤ With the U.S.-Iran war ending, here are five ways the deal could impact your wallet. (See List)

➤ The U.K. announced a sweeping ban on social media use for everyone under 16. (Hear Episode)

➤ A free climber known as Yemen’s “Spider-Man” fell to his death scaling a volcanic crater. (Listen Now)

Are you watching the College World Series?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Maybe a few games

Yesterday’s Results:

 In which coastal area of North Carolina would you build a beach house?

1. Crystal Coast: 25%
2. Wilmington beaches: 24%
3. Other: 20%
4. Outer Banks: 18%
5. I already built one: 13%

What does the Cherokee word “Nantahala” mean?

Show me the answer