UNC Fires Mack Brown

University of North Carolina Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham announced Tuesday that legendary Hall of Fame football head coach Mack Brown will not return next season. The announcement came a day after Brown said he planned to stay on.

Brown’s second stint with UNC football will end after six seasons. He has led the program to a 44-32 record, including five bowl appearances.

“While this was not the perfect time and way in which I imagined going out, no time will ever be the perfect time,” Brown said of the decision.

UNC is currently 6-5 with one regular-season game left: an ACC matchup against in-state rival N.C. State this Saturday. A decision has not yet been made about whether Brown will coach the Tar Heels’ bowl game.

NC Voter Registration Challenge Moves Forward

U.S. Chief District Judge Richard Myers will allow state and national Republicans to proceed with a lawsuit challenging 225,000 voter registrations in North Carolina.

Myers issued an order denying the N.C. Board of Elections and Democratic National Committee’s requests to dismiss the case, rejecting their argument that a 2023 N.C. Supreme Court ruling invalidated the case. See the court order here.

Myers initially refused to rule on the Republicans’ argument that the registration process violated the state constitution and sent the case back to state court, but on Oct. 29, a unanimous U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled that he shouldn’t have sent that part of the case back.

The case questions voter registrations completed using a now-discarded form that didn’t require applicants to provide driver’s license numbers or Social Security digits, which Republicans argue violated federal Help America Vote Act requirements.

Where to Find Free Thanksgiving Meals in WNC

Local nonprofits have partnered with businesses, ministries, and residents to provide hot Thanksgiving meals to western North Carolinians in need.

Asheville Poverty Initiative’s 12 Baskets Café, Blue Mountain Pizza, Hearts With Hands, and Montgomery Skyi Farm are among the establishments offering free meals and groceries on Thanksgiving Day. See the full list here.

The meals are a welcome offering to a community still recovering from Hurricane Helene at a time when the average cost of a Thanksgiving meal in North Carolina is roughly $60, according to this state-by-state analysis.

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➤ Statewide: North Carolina sheriffs were notified Friday that due to the passage of House Bill 10, all officers will be required as of Dec. 1 to cooperate with federal immigration detainers for undocumented immigrants, overriding some urban counties’ previous “sanctuary” policies. (More)

➤ Raleigh: The state fire marshal refuted social media rumors Tuesday that Hurricane Helene victims were evicted from tiny houses or other temporary shelters. (More)

➤ Western NC: A large number of shelter pets rescued after Hurricane Helene devastated the area are still in need of homes. (See Details)

➤ Oak Island: A Brunswick County animal shelter is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for injuring and killing pelicans in the area. (More)

➤ Forsyth County: The school system’s bus drivers held a walk-out demonstration Monday and Tuesday to protest low wages, lack of transparency, and safety concerns. (See Details)

➤ Blue Ridge Parkway: Freddie Morgan Jr., 70, of Concord, was found dead on a parkway hiking trail over the weekend. The cause of death has been classified as a medical emergency. (More)

➤ The Carolina Panthers made a surprising move on Monday by releasing Charles Harris, who is tied for the team lead in sacks. (More)

➤ The Charlotte Hornets’ Lamelo Ball continued his dominant stretch of play with another stellar performance, scoring 44 points and 9 rebounds. (Watch Highlights)

➤ No. 12 UNC men’s basketball pulled off a dramatic 21-point comeback against Dayton Monday. (More)

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

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➤ N.C. State Athletics has hired a firm to identify a potential naming rights partner for Carter-Finley Stadium, home of N.C. State’s football program. (More)

➤ Charlotte-Douglas International Airport was the country’s fastest-growing airport during the first half of 2024, after experiencing 19.5% growth during that time, according to a recent report. (More)

➤ Texas-based Stone Lake Capital Partners has purchased a 402,390-square-foot industrial building in Concord, where an Amazon fulfillment center is the sole tenant. (More)

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➤ A large box truck rear-ended an RV filled with 28 snakes, two tortoises, five bearded dragons, two dogs, one cat, and five people on I-95 in Wilson County Tuesday night. The driver of the box truck was seriously injured. (See Photos)

➤ The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras has been nominated for Best New Museum in the USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Voting continues through Dec. 23. (See Details)

➤ A Banner Elk mansion that sold for $16 million last week garnered the highest sale price on record in North Carolina—and exceeded the asking price by nearly $2 million. (See Photos)

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How much will Thanksgiving dinner cost your family this year?

1. Less than $60
2. Between $60 and $100
3. More than $100
4. I’m eating out

Yesterday’s Results:

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving pie?

1. Pecan: 19.6%
2. Pumpkin: 18.6%
3. Apple: 13.6%
4. Sweet Potato: 13.1%
5. Cherry: 12.1%
6. Other: 11.8%
7. Derby: 11.2%

What’s the difference between “stuffing” and “dressing”?

Show me the answer