$4M Helene Grant Aids NC Workers

Gov. Josh Stein announced the release of $4 million in Dislocated Worker Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act on Friday.

Part of a $10 million grant awarded in October 2024, the funding supports temporary employment opportunities for Hurricane Helene cleanup and rebuilding efforts across Western North Carolina.

The funding will be distributed by the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions through five regional workforce development boards, including the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board, which serves Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania counties.

To date, 275 people have participated in the program. Those interested in applying can contact their local NCWorks Career Center for more information.

CATS Leaders Approve Fare Evasion Fix

The Charlotte Metropolitan Transit Commission has approved a resolution to strengthen fare enforcement on public transit following the August stabbing of Iryna Zarutska by a suspect who didn’t have a ticket.

Under the new plan, fare evasion will incur a $50 fine, and the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) will increase security measures and prioritize fare checks. The resolution also rolls back a program that offered free fares to homeless individuals.

Security staff will undergo de-escalation training to enhance safety on public transit, and CATS will hire off-duty police officers to patrol the Blue Line and rail trail, adding 966 extra patrol hours weekly.

Charlotte’s Blue and Gold Line ridership fell 10% in September following the fatal stabbing. The Blue Line specifically saw a 10.2% ridership drop, with 492,021 riders compared to 549,083 in September 2024.

Halloween ‘Booze It & Lose It’ Kicks Off

The North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program (NCGHSP) launched its annual Halloween Booze It & Lose It campaign Monday to curb impaired driving. Agencies across the state will increase patrols and sobriety checkpoints through the holiday to enhance road safety.

Last year’s campaign led to 588 DWI arrests during the Halloween period.

NCGHSP Director Mark Ezzell emphasized the importance of planning ahead and urged drivers to use designated sober drivers for safe travel to and from festivities.

Halloween-themed events planned throughout North Carolina range from haunted neighborhood displays across the Triangle to costume contests in Charlotte and ghost tours in Asheville. Search for events in your area here.

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➤ Statewide: North Carolina ranks 34th with a homelessness rate of 105 per 100,000 residents, falling below the national average of 227 per 100,000. (See Rankings)

➤ Charlotte: A mother and daughter found a 2-year-old boy after he crawled a quarter-block from his father’s home in 45-degree temperatures. They called the police, who arrested the father on child abuse charges. He has since been released from jail. (More)

➤ Holly Springs: A 14-year-old Holly Springs High School student riding a bike died after being struck by a car driven by 16-year-old Ashton Rahlfs, whose vehicle then collided head-on with another car, critically injuring its 19-year-old driver. Rahlfs was charged with DWI. (More)

➤ Asheville: Newly released state Department of Transportation maps show the four segments of the $2 billion I-26 Connector project, labeled AA, AB, B, and D. AA and AB are currently under construction, and construction of B and D will start next summer. (See Maps)

➤ Hendersonville: The city and its Tree Board hosted a free tree giveaway for county residents, distributing seven-gallon potted trees to help replenish the urban forest damaged by Hurricane Helene. (More)

➤ Outer Banks: The National Weather Service issued Coastal Flood and High Surf Advisories for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, and the Northern Outer Banks, in effect from Monday night through Wednesday, with expectations of 1 to 3 feet of flooding and 8- to 12-foot waves. (More)

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➤ Duke freshman Cameron Boozer posted 24 points and 23 rebounds to lead the Blue Devils past Tennessee 83-76 in a Sunday exhibition game. Fayetteville native Isaiah Evans added 22 points, including four three-pointers. (More)

➤ No. 3 NC State men’s soccer beat No. 19 Duke 2-0 this weekend, despite playing a man down for the final 21 minutes. Superstar Donavan Phillip—the nation’s leading scorer—also didn’t play for undisclosed reasons. (More)

➤ Former NC State basketball player DJ Burns was acquired by the Hornets’ G League affiliate team, the Greensboro Swarm. The former March Madness star most recently played in the Korean Basketball League, where he averaged nine points per game. (More)

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

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➤ Meredith College was named North Carolina’s “Hidden Gem” and ranked No. 17 in the Southeast by College Raptor. It is also ranked No. 11 in Niche’s 2026 Best Women’s Colleges. (More)

➤ Trailborn Surf & Sound in Wrightsville Beach, formerly the Blockade Runner, is ranked No. 18 in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards for Top 25 Hotels in the South. (More)

➤ Mackey’s Ferry Sawmill, a sixth-generation company in Roper, shut down after nearly 40 years due to federal tariffs that triggered Chinese retaliation and led to a sharp drop in exports. The closure resulted in 50 layoffs. (More)

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➤ A credit score report by state reveals North Carolina’s average as 707, qualifying as “good” on the 300-to-850 scale used by analytics company Fair Isaac Corporation. (See Details)

➤ The Dare County Radio Control Flyers won the 9th Annual OBX Brewtag competition on Oct. 25, with their keg-attached glider soaring 118.1 feet. The event raised funds for the Rogallo Foundation’s Aviation Center. (See Photos)

➤ Daylight Saving Time ends Nov. 2 at 2 a.m., with North Carolina’s 2025 Senate bill seeking permanent DST recessed and awaiting congressional action. In 2023, a similar House bill passed but later died in committee. (More)

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Should North Carolina stick with Daylight Saving Time?

1. Yes, make it permanent
2. No, get rid of it
3. Keep things the way they are
4. I’m fine either way

Yesterday’s Results:

How do you feel about shrimp burgers?

1. Haven’t tried one: 30%
2. Love them: 25%
3. They’re OK: 23%
4. Hate them: 22%

What was Meredith College’s original name when it opened in 1899?

Show me the answer