Booze It & Lose It Returns

North Carolina law enforcement officers in all 100 counties are running extra patrols and sobriety checkpoints from Oct. 26 through Nov. 1 for the annual Halloween “Booze It & Lose It” campaign.

Halloween consistently sees some of the highest numbers of impaired driving incidents each year, according to NCDOT. North Carolina logged 387 alcohol-related deaths and 105 drug-related deaths on its roads in 2025, and officers made 594 DWI arrests during last year’s Halloween enforcement period.

State officials urge anyone unable to drive safely to line up a designated driver, taxi, rideshare, or other safe way home. Those caught driving while impaired could face jail time, loss of driving privileges, and an average of $10,000 in fines.

King Tides Further Threaten OBX

Some of the year’s highest tides are washing over the already-damaged NC 12 on the Outer Banks this week, with no timetable for reopening the road.

King tides—the season’s highest, driven by Monday’s full moon—are washing over the damaged NC 12 on the Outer Banks this week. They could push water levels 1 to 2 feet above normal from Manteo to Carteret County’s Down East region through Thursday, peaking midweek.

NC 12 has been closed between the Marc Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe since an October nor’easter. Overwash has since damaged more than 1,100 feet of pavement and 1,800 feet of protective dunes near the Pea Island Visitor Center. 

Repairs began Monday, but NCDOT still has no reopening date and calls the stretch unsafe.

UNC-Chapel Hill Partners with Arts School

UNC-Chapel Hill and the UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem announced a strategic partnership on Oct. 20 to share programs, faculty, and back-office operations while remaining separate universities.

The deal pairs the state’s flagship research university with the nation’s first public arts conservatory, which serves about 1,400 students in five arts conservatories, a high school, and a liberal arts division. 

Ideas under study include semester exchanges, joint artistic work, shared services, and guaranteed UNC-Chapel Hill admission for qualified UNCSA high school graduates. Each school keeps its own governance, degrees, and identity.

The partnership will explore new possibilities “while preserving what makes each institution distinctive,” UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Lee H. Roberts said. A fuller roadmap is due in early 2027.

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➤ Statewide: NCDOT is expanding leading pedestrian intervals at signalized crossings statewide, giving walkers a 3- to 7-second head start before traffic lights turn green. About 30% of nearly 4,000 intersections now feature the safety upgrade. (More)

➤ Davidson County: A multiagency cold-case search will run through Oct. 28 in the Central Davidson area near Beck’s Church Road outside Lexington, involving the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, and State Bureau of Investigation. (More)

➤ Raleigh: The 2026 North Carolina State Fair concluded its 11-day run Sunday with 910,584 attendees under mostly sunny skies, a record $234,000 Junior Livestock Sale of Champions, and strong participation in competitions and agriculture displays. (More)

➤ Surf City: A petition to save the Surf City Farmers Market has surpassed 1,000 signatures, according to the Wilmington Star-News, as organizers fight town zoning rules that paused the popular Friday-evening event supporting dozens of local vendors. (More)

➤ Charlotte: Landscaper Suzanne Wilkerson is adapting to lingering drought conditions and Stage 2 water restrictions by using 80-gallon rain barrels to collect rainwater, reducing reliance on city supplies while sustaining her garden and business. (More)

➤ Raleigh: NC State and Notre Dame are leading a $4 million national initiative on teaching critical thinking and civil discourse, enlisting 375 faculty fellows at more than 125 institutions to reach over 70,000 students with online tools for argument analysis and structured discussion. (More)

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➤ The Carolina Hurricanes re-signed defenseman Alexander Nikishin to a one-year, $3 million deal Sunday, ending a months-long standoff that had kept the 25-year-old out of training camp and the start of the season. (More)

➤ The NASCAR Cup race at Talladega on Sunday was red-flagged with five laps left after Joey Logano’s car, from Mooresville-based Team Penske, went airborne in a 15-car wreck that also collected drivers from several other North Carolina-based teams. (More)

➤ Charlotte FC missed a chance to clinch a playoff spot Saturday, falling 3-2 at Portland on Alexander Aravena’s stoppage-time header. (More and See Stats)

➤ Greenville Christian Academy capped a perfect 21-0 season Saturday, winning the NCCSA volleyball state championship on its home floor. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NFL | NBA | NHL

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➤ What will you discover on this Amazon gadget list? Whether you’re browsing for yourself or looking for a gift, DealWatchdogs rounds up gadgets available on Amazon for you to explore. Take a look through the picks and see if something earns a spot on your wish list. LEARN MORE

➤ Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington added four certificates and two diplomas to its hospitality management program, responding to roughly 450 new tourism-related jobs in New Hanover County between 2023 and 2025. (More)

➤ Food distributor Foster is closing all three North Carolina facilities after losing a major customer representing 70% of its business. The company will eliminate 181 jobs, mostly in Winston-Salem. (More)

➤ Asheville GreenWorks is hunting for a new home for its Sandhill Native Tree Nursery after Buncombe County decided not to renew the nonprofit’s lease at the Buncombe County Sports Park, which ends in 2028, so the county can build an indoor recreation facility there. (See Photos)

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➤ Could your next grocery trip cost less? When checkout totals squeeze your budget, a few changes to your shopping routine may help. Explore The Penny Hoarder’s grocery savings tips for ideas to try before your next store run. See which tips could work for your household.

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➤ Western North Carolina is displaying peak fall foliage at higher elevations, including the High Country, the Smokies, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. View near-peak hues at mid-elevations and moderate autumn tones lingering in mountain valleys. (See Photos)

➤ Gary Cartwright and Carl Hollifield, former and current directors of NC State’s dairy program, created Complē Coffee, an Arabica coffee bean powder, after struggling to perfect a coffee ice cream for the university’s Howling Cow brand. (See Photo)

➤ The 10th annual Brewtag in Nags Head drew an estimated 2,500 spectators Saturday as 16 teams launched keg-laden gliders in high winds. The event supports the Rogallo Foundation, and FrankenPlane won with a spectacular 122-foot flight. (See Photos)

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➤ They Did Everything Right. They Still Had Heart Attacks. Nicole, 57, ate clean and walked daily. Frank, 66, was told his numbers looked great. Both had blood pressure and cholesterol “under control.” What went wrong? Researchers are examining the tiny energy engines inside heart cells and how they change with age. See the three overlooked nutrients tied to heart strength →

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ A new study ranks the top 10 and bottom 10 car models for resale value. (See Ranking)

➤ Humana and UnitedHealthcare are dropping Medicare Advantage plans, upending coverage for 1 million seniors. (Listen Now)

➤ A passenger’s alarming text message caused an entire plane to be grounded, searched, and delayed overnight. (Hear Story)

Have you tried NC State’s Howling Cow ice cream?

1. Yes, love it
2. No, not yet
3. Can’t remember

Yesterday’s Results:

What’s your favorite Appalachian folk song?

1. No clue—I’m not a fan: 38%
2. Tom Dooley: 29%
3. Wayfaring Stranger: 13%
4. In the Pines: 8%
5. Shady Grove: 5%
6. Cumberland Gap: 5%
7. Other: 2%

Which former Southern Living magazine editor served as chancellor of the UNC School of the Arts?

Show me the answer