Friday, August 22, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1776, the North Carolina Provincial Council received a petition from the Watauga Association in present-day Tennessee requesting annexation after Virginia refused to annex the territory. The region was accepted as Washington County in 1777 and later became part of Tennessee in 1796.

A Cary teen received an impressive award for developing a potential treatment for cardiovascular disease. Learn more in Top Stories.

Also, did Hurricane Erin force you to change your weekend plans? Let us know by answering today's Poll.

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Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Erin Pulls Away After Brushing Coast

Strong waves inundated shorelines in Buxton, northern Hatteras Village, and northern Ocracoke Island on Thursday as Hurricane Erin's surge combined with high tide to flood shorelines.

Tropical Storm and Storm Surge Warnings remained in effect as Erin, then a Category 2 hurricane with wind gusts up to 125 mph, moved north-northeast at 17 mph. Her outer bands pushed 40-60 mph gusts inland and generated wave heights of 15-20 feet or higher.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation closed N.C. Highway 12 from Oregon Inlet to Hatteras on Wednesday evening, and it remained shut Thursday. Two homes in Rodanthe were precariously close to collapse, where 11 neighboring homes have fallen into the Atlantic since 2020.

Erin pulled away from North Carolina's coast Thursday evening but is expected to bring coastal flooding and strong winds to the Northeast today. This photo gallery shows Erin's impact across the Outer Banks.

Judge Allows NC Suit Against TikTok

North Carolina Business Court Judge Adam Conrad denied TikTok and ByteDance's motions to dismiss a state lawsuit on Tuesday that alleges TikTok inflicted cognitive and psychological harm on teen users by intentionally addicting minors through its algorithm-driven "For You Page."

Conrad wrote that "if the State's allegations are true," ByteDance misrepresented TikTok's safety and induced compulsive use despite known risks such as anxiety, depression, and self-harm.

He also rejected TikTok's claims of federal immunity, First Amendment protection, and lack of jurisdiction, citing the company's targeted marketing in North Carolina, where nearly 1 million users were between the ages of 13 and 17 as of 2023.

The original lawsuit, filed by then-Attorney General Josh Stein, also alleges TikTok and ByteDance violated North Carolina's unfair trade practices law. Current AG Jeff Jackson filed a motion in March defending North Carolina against the motion to dismiss.

NC Teen's Discovery Could Treat Heart Disease

Jamie Cheng, a 16-year-old Cary teen attending Green Level High School, received a $25,000 Davidson Fellows Scholarship for developing a potentially effective treatment for cardiovascular disease, the world's leading cause of death.

Currently a high school junior, Cheng is one of 21 students nationwide to receive the award. Her project, VAMPIRE (Vital Anti-aging Microneedle Patch for Induced REgeneration), centers on a painless microneedle patch that delivers an anti-aging molecule directly to blood vessel cells, potentially reversing signs of endothelial cell aging—a root cause of cardiovascular disease.

Cheng, who also enjoys public speaking and lacrosse, has a "deep passion for biomedical engineering research that addresses real-world health challenges" and runs an art-centered nonprofit called Paintfluence.

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WARNING: AI Threats That Could Shatter Your Dreams of Successful Retirement

The media is calling artificial intelligence a "revolution," but for many Americans, its real impact might result in a significant loss, not a gain. In fact, new reports reveal that AI is already driving three major threats to the global economy and your retirement.

Here are the three major AI threats you should be aware of:

Skyrocketing market risk due to overvalued tech stocks.
Tens of thousands of job losses in just the first half of 2025.
Banking security and privacy under siege.

More and more Americans are turning to time-tested strategies to help protect their life savings, and they're starting with a free copy of The Case for Silver ebook.

Don't wait until Artificial Intelligence potentially robs you of your financial future.

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➤ Statewide: The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles will hire 40 new examiners using funds from a mini budget recently signed by Gov. Josh Stein. (More)

➤ Charlotte: A Palisades High School student, now under arrest, allegedly fired a gun at the school after being cut from the football team. Parents are criticizing Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for delayed communication about the incident. (More)

➤ Durham: The city and county will provide low-income residents 600 MiFi hotspots with free internet service for a limited time, covered by a new MiFi Distribution Program funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. (More)

➤ Greensboro: Donations to Boone-based Samaritan's Purse funded the addition of a Boeing 767 to its fleet. The humanitarian aid nonprofit plans to put it into service next month. (More)

➤ Charlotte: The Hispanic Heritage Festival of the Carolinas co-founder said canceling the event was the "right call" due to concerns about increased U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity within Latino communities. (More)

➤ Asheville: Mayor Esther Manheimer announced Wednesday she will seek a fourth consecutive term and continue to prioritize Hurricane Helene recovery. (More)

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➤ Grimsley High School tops North Carolina's preseason football rankings, with Providence Day and Weddington rounding out the top three. (See Rankings)

➤ Former UNC football coach Mack Brown said the Tar Heels are committing to football excellence "for the first time in North Carolina history" under Bill Belichick. (More)

➤ Charlotte FC transferred center back Adilson Malanda to Middlesbrough FC this week in exchange for up to $8 million plus add-ons. (More)

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➤ Richmond County commissioners met Thursday to consider a request from Rockingham Speedway's owner for $375,000 to settle over $600,000 in debts and pay for SAFER barriers ahead of planned 2026 NASCAR races. (More)

➤ S&N Infrastructure will lay off 126 workers across North Carolina after losing its largest customer, internet provider Brightspeed. (More)

➤ The Savannah Bananas' two sold-out nights at Bank of America Stadium generated $38.6 million in economic impact, drawing 148,000 attendees, including 54,000 out-of-town visitors. (More)

➤ Asheville Regional Airport unveiled new branding featuring a logo "shaped by the timeless beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the spirit of western North Carolina, and AVL's promise to be more than an airport." (See Logo)

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AI Threats That Could Shatter Your Dreams

The impact of artificial intelligence isn't just hype anymore; it's happening right before our eyes. While it may be shaping the future, it could also unleash major damage to the U.S. economy, potentially putting millions of retirement savers at risk.

That's why more and more Americans are turning to time-tested strategies to help protect their life savings, and they're starting with a free copy of The Case for Silver ebook.

➤ Survivor revealed that Roxboro native Sage Ahrens-Nichols, a 30-year-old clinical social worker now living in Washington state, is among the cast of the 49th season, which premieres Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. on CBS. (More)

➤ NFL kicker and Wilmington native Connor Barth returned to his hometown to work in the luxury real estate market. He just listed an $8.5 million home dubbed "The Cypress House" in one of the city's most expensive neighborhoods. (More and See Home)

➤ A Duke University class of 2028 survey found that three in five respondents use AI to complete assignments at least weekly. (More)

➤ That same survey revealed that 33.9% of Duke 2028 class members identify as somewhat liberal, 29.9% as very liberal, 24.1% as moderate, and just under 12% as somewhat or very conservative. (More)

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