NC Prepares for REAL ID Enforcement

North Carolinians should expect long lines at North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) locations this week in preparation for the May 7 REAL ID deadline.

To accommodate backlogs caused by not only REAL ID appointments, but also in-person license renewals and staffing shortages, 42 NCDMV locations have extended their hours to 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., offering 10 hours of service daily.

Only 52% of North Carolina residents currently have a REAL ID, which displays a black or gold star. Starting tomorrow, domestic air travel passengers must show either a REAL ID or a U.S. passport at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.

Veterans can use their Veteran Health Identification Card in place of a REAL ID, and children under 18 are not required to present an ID for domestic flights. Read FAQs about the REAL ID here.

Court Revives Harassment Suit Against NCSU

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revived a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by former NC State soccer player Benjamin Locke against the university on Friday.

The court reversed a trial judge’s dismissal, citing a prior ruling in a similar case by another NC State student identified as John Doe 2.

Locke alleges that NC State’s former sports medicine director, Robert Murphy, improperly touched him during 75-100 massages between 2015 and 2017 and claims the university ignored a 2016 report about Murphy’s “grooming behavior.”

The court found Locke’s case similar to that of Doe 2’s, in which it ruled that a report of “sexual grooming” could constitute adequate notice for the university. Locke’s case has been remanded to determine whether the complaints reached an official with the authority required under Title IX.

11 NC Breweries Win World Beer Cup Honors

Eleven North Carolina breweries earned four gold medals, five silver medals, and two bronze medals at the 2025 World Beer Cup award ceremony in Indianapolis on Thursday. The competition included 8,000 entries from 1,700 breweries across 49 countries.

Gold-winning breweries included Diatribe Brewing Co. and Highland Brewing Co., both in Asheville, Pilot Brewing Co. in Charlotte, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Mills River.

Silver-winning breweries included Legion Brewing Co. in Charlotte, Hi-Wire Brewing in Asheville, Olde Hickory Brewery in Hickory, and Wise Man Brewing in Winston-Salem, which won two silvers.

Bronze winners were Armored Cow Brewing Co. in Charlotte and Little Brother Brewing in Kernersville. View a complete list of winners here.

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➤ Statewide: The Food and Drug Administration recalled H&C Farms tomatoes sold to wholesalers and distributors in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, due to possible salmonella contamination. (More)

➤ Charlotte’s city manager presented his 2026 budget proposal to the city council Monday, which includes a 1.37-cent property tax increase, a $100 million investment in affordable housing, and $50 million for new sidewalks, among other initiatives. (More)

➤ Wake County’s manager presented a 2026 budget proposal to the board of commissioners on Monday, requesting 10 additional ambulances, 16 more sheriff’s deputies, and seven more child welfare workers. (More)

➤ Boiling Spring Lakes: A wildfire spanning 1,369 acres was 10% contained as of Monday morning. All roads had been reopened and evacuation orders had been lifted. (More)

➤ Hatteras Island: State and local agencies toured the Hatteras Island shoreline last week to determine solutions for erosion and discuss ways to repair the Buxton jetties, which the U.S. Navy built in the late 1960s. (More)

➤ NC Coast: Commissioners in Currituck, Dare, Hyde, Beaufort, Pamlico, Carteret, Craven, and Brunswick counties planned to adopt a joint resolution on Monday opposing a General Assembly proposal to add or increase tolls on state ferry routes. (More)

➤ The Carolina Hurricanes face the Washington Capitals in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, beginning tonight at 7 p.m. Carolina enters the series following a dominant first-round win over the New Jersey Devils, while Washington defeated the Montreal Canadiens. (More)

➤ The Wake Forest and NC State men’s tennis teams have made it to Super Regionals in the NCAA Division I Tournament. They’ll face off against each other in the quarterfinals if both squads win this weekend. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, three North Carolina-based schools made it into Super Regionals for the NCAA Division I women’s tennis tournament—the most of any state in the country. (More)

➤ Seeding is set for the ACC postseason softball tournament, with Duke and North Carolina receiving the fourth and sixth seeds, respectively. NC State, finishing 14th, didn’t make the cut. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: MLB | NBA | NHL | Soccer

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➤ NC State tech spin-off Fathom Science Inc. is working with Cary-based SAS to validate a whale location prediction model that will help vessels avoid striking critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. (More)

➤ LaZoom comedy bus tours have expanded from Asheville to Charlotte. The purple buses offer 90-minute, open-air experiences that blend Charlotte’s history with humor, including one tour that features a four-piece band on board. (More)

➤ Duke Energy announced several key leadership appointments Friday following the retirement of Executive Vice President and Duke Energy Carolinas CEO Julie Janson. (See Appointments)

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➤ Matthews resident and airport pianist Josh King made it into American Idol’s top eight Sunday with his performance of Rolling in the Deep by Adele, earning a chance to perform Monday for a spot in the top six. (More)

➤ A North Carolina wildlife biologist summarizing a black bear’s daily routine said the species spends most of its day foraging for food and is generally more active around dawn and dusk. (See Details)

➤ North Carolina YMCAs are using state funding to launch an online Teen Mental Health Resource Hub that connects adolescents to mental health resources and advocacy initiatives. (More)

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What’s your favorite way to eat a tomato?

1. In a sandwich
2. In a salad
3. Dipped in mayonnaise
4. Other
5. Not a tomato fan

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever driven with an expired driver’s license?

1. Never: 66%
2. Once or twice: 18%
3. I plead the fifth: 16%

Which North Carolina National Park Service attraction is only accessible via a 3-mile boat ride?

Show me the answer