Elections Board Fixes 32K Voter Records

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has completed repairs on 32,620 voter registration records through its Registration Repair Project. Launched in July 2025, the effort targets incomplete registrations missing the ID information required under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

The project, part of a 2025 settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice following lawsuits over HAVA compliance, initially affected 103,329 voters. By late January, that number had dropped to 70,709.

Only 2.5% of the remaining registrations not yet updated belong to voters who cast ballots in the 2022 primary election, and 14.8% belong to voters who participated in the 2022 general election.

No voters will lose their registration status, but those whose records still lack the required information will be required to cast provisional ballots. Those ballots are counted for federal contests if the voter is otherwise eligible.

FTA Releases CLT Light Rail Audit Findings

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) released an audit Monday, revealing 18 safety compliance failures in the Charlotte Area Transit System’s (CATS) light rail and bus operations. The review followed the 2025 fatal stabbing of passenger Iryna Zarutska on the Lynx Blue Line.

Key issues included inadequate risk assessment, poor tracking of safety fixes, insufficient de-escalation training, and weak risk mitigation—contributing to passenger crime rates three times the national average and employee assaults five times the national average.

Most deficiencies involved safety protocols and unfulfilled risk-reduction requirements, though CATS has made progress by boosting police presence, adding private security, and targeting high-risk areas.

FTA leaders toured Charlotte in January to inspect recent upgrades like enhanced platform security. CATS must submit a corrective action plan within 30 days to avoid potential funding penalties or increased oversight.

17 New Plaintiffs Join NC State Sex Abuse Suit

A lawsuit against North Carolina State University now includes 31 former male student-athletes accusing the former director of sports medicine, Robert Murphy, of sexual abuse, harassment, and exploitation from 2012 to 2022. Murphy has denied the claims.

An amended complaint filed last week in Wake County Superior Court added 17 new plaintiffs—mostly anonymously named “John Doe”—to a case that originated with a 2022 federal lawsuit brought by former soccer player Benjamin Locke.

Plaintiffs allege Murphy abused his authority through improper touching during treatments, massages, and drug tests, creating a pattern referred to as “a Rob Murphy Special.” They claim university officials, including former Chancellor Randy Woodson and former Athletic Director Debbie Yow, knew or should have known but failed to act, allowing abuse across multiple sports.

The state court case seeks accountability for alleged negligence. Durham-based attorney Kerry Sutton has said she expects more victims to come forward.

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➤ Statewide: North Carolina is one of 12 states being considered to host the Democratic National Committee’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary election for 2028 due to its battleground status, diverse population, and regional significance. (More)

➤ Central NC: A wintry mix of sleet and snow is possible late this afternoon and evening, mainly near and north of I-40. Accumulations are expected to be light and primarily impact the evening commute. (More)

➤ Raleigh: Sentencing began Tuesday for Austin Thompson, who pleaded guilty to five counts of murder in the 2022 Hedingham shooting. He’ll undergo a Miller hearing, which prohibits mandatory life-without-parole sentences for offenders under 18 at the time of their crime. (More)

➤ Duke: Behavioral economics professor Dan Ariely, mentioned hundreds of times in the recently released Jeffrey Epstein files, stated he had limited, professional interactions focused on research funding and decision-making topics. He said he had no involvement in Epstein’s criminal activity. (More)

➤ Newton: An 18-year-old shot in the leg by police during a Feb. 2 trespassing incident was released from a Winston-Salem hospital without police being notified. Authorities say he is considered armed and dangerous and is wanted on multiple warrants. (More)

➤ Mount Airy: Noah Trevon McLeod, 20, and Kimora Shadai Unique Galloway, 20, are charged with two counts each of first-degree murder, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy in Thursday’s Samurai Lane shooting. Two juveniles face identical charges. (More)

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➤ ESPN’s College GameDay will broadcast live from UNC’s campus Saturday ahead of the Tar Heels’ men’s basketball matchup against Duke. (More)

➤ Women’s Basketball AP Poll: Duke rose three spots in this week’s poll, landing at No. 17. UNC also re-entered the poll at No. 25. (See Poll)

➤ UNC women’s basketball beat NC State 61-59 on Monday night—their first win on the Wolfpack’s home court since 2019. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ Miners at The Quartz Corp.’s Spruce Pine facility are challenging a Biden-era policy that halted a decertification vote to remove the United Mine Workers of America. They are seeking review by the National Labor Relations Board, arguing the policy denies employees a free choice in union removal elections. (More)

➤ Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington is hosting its fourth annual Health Science Career Fair on Feb. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Daniels Hall in Union Station. (More)

➤ Former Treasury official and Citigroup global chief economist Nathan Sheets delivered a cautiously optimistic 2026 economic outlook at Duke University last week, predicting a “Goldilocks” global performance. He said AI could eventually spark a U.S. productivity boom akin to the 1990s internet era. (More)

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The Tale Behind SpaceX’s $1.5 Trillion IPO

SpaceX plans to IPO at a $1.5T valuation. If true, they’d be the tenth-most-valuable public company by the time the average person can invest.

The lesson? Like Uber, which delivered 490,000% returns to First Round Capital, the biggest growth today comes at the private stage.

A similar dynamic is playing out in lithium, with EnergyX crossing a $1B private valuation. Only this time, you can invest at the private stage, too.

Why did big names like General Motors already back EnergyX? Because lithium powers everything from EVs to data centers. Demand will grow 5X by 2040, and EnergyX’s tech can recover up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods.

➤ A couple’s midnight snowy dance in downtown Raleigh during the recent winter storm, captured in a viral video by Ann Win Anh Nguyen, has won hearts online, amassing over 50,000 likes in under 24 hours. (Watch Video)

➤ Doxie By Proxy Rescue, a dedicated all-volunteer group in central North Carolina, saves dachshunds and doxie mixes from shelters and neglect through fostering, comprehensive vetting, and rehoming. (More)

➤ Kellen and Braden Rumfelt, twin brothers from Murphy, took the stage on this week’s episode of American Idol, with Kellen on guitar supporting Braden’s audition. The brothers highlighted their lifelong bluegrass gospel roots and shared musical journey. (More)

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Of these legendary North Carolina college basketball coaches, who do you think was the best?

1. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
2. Dean Smith, UNC
3. Roy Williams, UNC
4. Frank McGuire, UNC
5. Jimmy Valvano, NC State
6. Bob McKillop, Davidson
7. Other

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever walked onto a frozen pond?

1. Yes, but it was safe: 31%
2. No, not a chance: 29%
3. Yes, and it was risky: 21%
4. I can’t remember: 19%

Which North Carolina High School did former UNC men’s basketball coach Roy Williams attend?

Show me the answer