Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1980, football running back Willie Parker was born in Clinton. He starred at UNC before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2004 as an undrafted free agent. Parker rushed for 5,378 yards and 24 touchdowns over six seasons, earned Pro Bowl honors in 2006-07, and played in Super Bowls XL and XLIII.

Happy Veterans Day to those who have served. Check out Top Stories for a roundup of events and deals being offered today. If you're a veteran, hit reply to let us know how you're marking the day.

Also, read about a Carteret County Coast Guard veteran who just celebrated his 105th birthday in Et Cetera.

🏅 As we mark Veterans Day, our Feel Good Flyover Podcast honors a young man who has spent half his life ensuring that no hero is forgotten. Ten years after placing his first flag, 20-year-old Preston Sharp's "Flags and Flowers" mission has grown into a global movement—one million tributes strong and still going. Watch it here.

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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.

Budd and Tillis Help Secure End to Shutdown

North Carolina Sens. Ted Budd and Thom Tillis joined fellow Senate Republicans and eight Democrats Sunday night to secure the 60 votes needed to reopen the federal government after a 40-day shutdown that is impacting SNAP benefits and flight schedules in North Carolina.

The stopgap measure funds operations through Jan. 30 and grants Democrats a future vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies. The bill awaits House approval before heading to President Trump's desk.

Budd accused Democratic minority leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of prolonging the shutdown to influence recent elections in New Jersey and Virginia, while Tillis said Schumer had "boxed himself in."

The Trump administration urged the Supreme Court to freeze full November SNAP benefits after a federal judge separately blocked a U.S. Department of Agriculture order to claw back payments. Meanwhile, at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, flight cancellations and delays totaled 54 and 155, respectively, as of Monday afternoon.

Residents Fight Currituck Erosion

A new petition by the Corolla Civic Association and Corolla Fire and Rescue demands immediate action from Currituck County commissioners to address severe beach erosion, warning that without intervention, Currituck "will soon join Buxton on the evening news" for collapsing oceanfront homes.

The petition highlights more than a decade of shoreline recession that has destroyed dunes, pools, and stairs, accelerated by 2025 storms. It also accuses commissioners of studying the problem since 2019 without action, while other Outer Banks counties secured grants to launch nourishment projects.

Meanwhile, in Buxton, where Cape Hatteras National Seashore has removed 500 truckloads of debris since Oct. 3, more homes are expected to collapse this winter.

Dare County recently proposed a $45 million plan to repair a groin and nourish eroding beaches there in an effort to protect N.C. 12.

Veterans Celebrated Across NC Today

North Carolina restaurants, businesses, and institutions are honoring veterans today with discounts, ceremonies, and commemorations in cities and towns including Apex, Cary, Durham, Asheville, Boone, Charlotte, North Wilkesboro, Cornelius, and Goldsboro.

Veterans can enjoy free meals or discounts at restaurants like Applebee's, Bad Daddy's, Chili's, Cracker Barrel, Golden Corral, IHOP, Red Robin, Starbucks, and Wendy's.

Additional perks include complimentary car washes at Autobell, free admission to the North Carolina Zoo through Nov. 14, and discounts at grocery stores like Harris Teeter and Food Lion.

The Sullenberger Aviation Museum in Charlotte is also offering free admission to veterans and their families today.

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➤ Charlotte: Testimony began Monday in the trial of Terry Connor Jr. and Steven Staples, accused of robbing and killing Brooks' Sandwich House co-owner Scott Brooks in 2019. Around 40 witnesses are expected to testify. (More)

➤ Durham: The City Council selected a $48 to $68 million plan to preserve and restore the historic Durham Athletic Park, after a study showed the site sits unused 66% of the year and the community wants more events that honor its baseball legacy. (See Details)

➤ Gaston County: Three former Stanley Fire Department leaders—Chief Eric Withers, Deputy Chief Michael Hullett, and Captain Ashley Price—have been indicted on felony charges for deliberately deleting critical safety data, including hydrant maps, which endangered firefighters. (More)

➤ Ocracoke Island: New owners of the iconic Jolly Roger restaurant and hotel, damaged by Hurricane Dorian in 2019, aim to reopen it by late spring 2026 as the Silver Lake Hotel. (More)

➤ Wilmington: The Wilmington Farmers Market on Oleander Drive is giving $45 in tokens to SNAP recipients affected by the government shutdown every Saturday this month. (More)

➤ Cumberland County joined the North Carolina Bradford Pear Bounty program last month, allowing residents to swap 200 of the invasive trees for native alternatives like dogwoods, black cherries, and eastern redbuds. (More)

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➤ Former Versailles High School and University of Dayton baseball player Craig Stammen was named the manager of the San Diego Padres. (More)

➤ Cincinnati will host the 2026 USA Fencing North American Cup from Feb. 12-15, a four-day competition expected to generate more than $2 million in economic impact. (More)

➤ Clinton-Massie High School football coach and three-time state champion Dan McSurley will retire after nearly 30 years. He finished with a 288-72 record with the Falcons. (More)

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➤ The 58th Annual Southern Christmas Show, billed as one of North America's largest holiday events, returns to Charlotte's Park Expo Thursday through Nov. 23, featuring a Santa's Workshop theme and 400-plus merchants. (More)

➤ Dare County halted construction within a Coastal Area Management Act-protected zone of a 180-site Frisco campground due to unpermitted grading. The overall project will proceed pending approval of the new state permit. (More)

➤ The average hourly wage in North Carolina is $34.06, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ranking North Carolina in the middle tier nationally for wage earners' ability to afford housing. (See Data)

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➤ A Denver, North Carolina, couple who lost their son after a 2009 heart transplant has launched the Hearts and Hope nonprofit to provide free housing in a Charlotte townhome near Levine Children's Hospital for families with children receiving long-term care. (More)

➤ Boston Celtics star and former Duke standout Jayson Tatum surprised the North Carolina Central men's basketball team Sunday with a pair of his new JT4 sneakers for every player. Now recovering from an Achilles injury, Tatum sent a video message wishing them luck as the shoes were delivered to the team's gym. (Watch Report)

➤ Carteret County resident and World War II U.S. Coast Guard veteran Houston Salter turned 105 Monday. U.S. House Rep. Greg Murphy, R-03, will have an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol to honor Salter, now recognized as the oldest living former Coast Guard member. (More)

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