TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1875, William A. Graham died in New York while arbitrating a Maryland-Virginia border dispute. The Orange County Whig had been North Carolina's governor, a U.S. senator, Navy secretary, and the 1852 Whig nominee for vice president.

What time do you eat dinner? Scientists say the answer could be shaping your weight, your blood sugar, and even your heart health. A growing field called chrononutrition finds that eating at the wrong time can throw off the body's internal clock, and the effects add up. Poorer blood sugar control. Stronger cravings the next day. Even a higher risk of heart disease. The same dinner eaten at a different hour can hit your body in a completely different way. So, what dinnertime is actually right for you? Today on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla breaks down the science of meal timing and what it means for your schedule. Tune in here!

How many of these 13 retirement investment mistakes could be hiding in your portfolio? Later today, watch for a message from our partner, Fisher Investments, with a free guide to help you find out.

Today's sponsor is Frontieras North America, an energy company developing technology to transform coal into valuable commodities while pursuing a potential $2.1 trillion market opportunity.

GOP Picks Balkcom for NC-11 Seat

North Carolina’s 11th District Republican Executive Committee selected state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom on Monday as its nominee to replace Rep. Chuck Edwards on the November ballot. Balkcom, who represents Henderson County in the state House, was chosen from among five candidates after Edwards withdrew his reelection bid.

Edwards dropped out Aug. 5 following a U.S. House Ethics Committee recommendation that he be censured over alleged sexual harassment and a hostile workplace. He has denied any wrongdoing. Balkcom announced her interest in the nomination just a day earlier, citing the need for a strong voice for Western North Carolina as it rebuilds from Hurricane Helene.

She will face Democrat Jamie Ager, a farmer who won his party’s primary in March. The race is seen as competitive as Republicans defend their narrow House majority.

State Lacks Staff for Virtual Charters

North Carolina’s Office of Charter Schools has no one on staff who can evaluate a virtual charter school, its executive director told the State Board of Education on Aug. 5.

The admission from Executive Director Ashley Logue came as remote charter academies nearly double—from seven sites in 2024 to 19 this fall, four of them standalone virtual schools. Lawmakers authorized the academies in 2023, and demand keeps climbing.

Some board members want firmer oversight. Vice Chair Alan Duncan questioned the money flowing to four statewide virtual charters that enroll about 10,000 students and, he said, post poor academic results.

Logue countered that parent demand “is not going away” and that some virtual programs already work, urging the state to study the successful ones. Her office, which approves and monitors the schools, has averaged fewer than seven full-time employees since 2009.

Charlotte's Growth is Eating Farmland

The Charlotte region lost 760 farms between 2017 and 2022, an 8% drop, as growth converted farmland to subdivisions at one of the fastest rates in the country, a new Charlotte Urban Institute report found.

That is nearly one in every 13 farms across 14 counties. The roughly 8,900 that remain are getting larger and more productive, consolidating into fewer hands.

Mecklenburg County, home to Charlotte, posted one of the region’s steepest declines and now has its smallest average farm size, a trend on display as century-old family farms sold to homebuilders in 2025.

National research projects North Carolina to lose more farmland to development by 2040 than any state except Texas, with Union and Iredell counties among the most threatened in the nation.

The squeeze is generational as well: the average local farmer is about 59, and few young producers can afford today’s land prices.

Flying together with our sponsor

The Next $435B Energy Empire Is Being Minted

In today’s dollars, John D. Rockefeller would be worth $435 billion. But “oil money” is old news, and what’s next might surprise investors in 2026: a $2.1 Trillion opportunity in “clean” coal*.

Now is the “Rockefeller” moment for Frontieras North America as it reforms coal into sulfuric acid, diesel, and other valuable commodities (just like Rockefeller did with oil). With a White House that favors domestic energy, the NASDAQ ticker FASF reserved, and the ground broken for their flagship coal reformation plant, Frontieras is positioned for potential growth.

The opportunity to invest is closing soon. Become an early-stage Frontieras shareholder by 8/27.

➤ NC Schools: Starting this fall, North Carolina will print crisis and suicide-prevention hotline numbers on student ID cards for grades six through 12 and for college students, a change funded through the new state budget. (More)

➤ Triad: Four people, including Nigerian permanent resident Adedayo Fateru, were sentenced at the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina in Greensboro to nearly 16 years combined for money laundering $1.7 million in fraud proceeds. (More)

➤ Rocky Mount: Three people died after electricity was shut off over a $2,000 unpaid bill. Family members are seeking answers about whether the loss of power may have contributed to the deaths, while authorities investigate whether a generator had been running inside the house. (More)

➤ Gastonia: Police arrested 28 people and recovered thousands of dollars in stolen goods in a retail-theft crackdown dubbed Operation Retail Roundup, hitting 12 locations with help from state and federal agencies. (More)

➤ Carteret County: Nash County Emergency Services Director Dale Griffin, 60, drowned in the waters off Shackleford Banks in Carteret County on Saturday while on a beach trip. Griffin had been with Nash County EMS for 38 years. (More)

➤ Carolina Beach: The Carolina Beach Mural Project will host its second annual MuralFest Reception and Auction on Sept. 17 at Kindred, with tickets at $65 and an online auction running Sept. 8-17 to fund future public art. (More)

Enjoy reading Flyover North Carolina? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ Wake Forest alum Michael Brennan won the Wyndham Championship by three strokes this weekend in Greensboro, his second PGA Tour victory. He’s the fifth Demon Deacon to win the event. (More)

➤ Five Tar Heels are competing in the U.S. Amateur golf tournament, which began yesterday at Merion Golf Club outside Philadelphia. The group is headlined by Niall Sheils Donegan, a 2025 semifinalist who ranks 18th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. (More)

➤ The Carolina Panthers signed quarterback Kyle Trask this weekend after backup Haynes King suffered a hamstring injury at the Hall of Fame game on Aug. 6. A former second-round pick, Trask appeared in seven games over four seasons with Tampa Bay but did not make a regular-season start. (More)

➤ Charlotte’s Mallard Creek Junior Little League softball team went 7-0 to win the Junior League Softball World Series in Kirkland, Washington, on Sunday, rallying with a five-run fifth inning to beat California 6-4 in the title game. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Tennis

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Selling your home doesn’t have to be complicated. Seniors Sell to Liz helps seniors get a clear cash offer without repairs, cleaning, showings, commissions, or pressure. You can sell your home as is and choose a closing date that works for you. Get a free, no obligation cash offer today.

➤ UnitedHealthcare members are back in network across the full ECU Health system, including Outer Banks Health Hospital, under a new multiyear agreement that restores in-network rates after a contract lapse. (More)

➤ The North Carolina Retail Merchants Association is opposing a proposal for NCDOT to fund two community grocery stores in west Charlotte, warning it would set a precedent that could hurt existing grocers statewide. (More)

➤ Charlotte-based Maya Hotels cut 11 guest rooms from its coming Steele Creek hotel to make room for an immersive restaurant, bar, and event venue at the property. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Protect your family's future with Legacy Will, an easy to use service that guides you through creating a professionally formatted Will & Testament in about an hour. Answer simple questions, make important decisions about asset distribution and guardianship, then receive step by step instructions to legalize your will with secure encryption. (LEARN MORE)

Flying together with our sponsor

The Company Unlocking $2.1 Trillion in Energy Potential

Founders Matt McKean and Joseph Witherspoon are on the path to commercializing a technology that extracts valuable resources (like jet fuel and diesel) from coal without burning it. For their team at Frontieras, it’s an opportunity to address up to $2.1 trillion in annual markets*.

Their latest progress speaks for itself. Here’s why you shouldn’t miss this limited-time opportunity:

“FASF” ticker reserved on the NASDAQ
$850M flagship facility in development
$40+ million raised from investors so far

Under a White House that favors domestic energy production, Frontieras is set up for potential growth. Become an early-stage Frontieras investor before the 8/27 deadline.

Sources* The global market for our products is worth a combined value of over $2.1 trillion.

This is a paid advertisement for Frontieras’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.frontieras.com/. The reservation of the ticker symbol does not guarantee that we will be listed on the NASDAQ. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.

➤ Charlotte cancer survivor Alex Bogran, now 20 but diagnosed with a rare bone cancer at age 11, created a coffee brand called Fortika and hopes to sell 5,000 bags by year's end so he can donate $25,000 to Atrium Health’s pediatric oncology clinic. (More)

➤ The Triangle Native American Society drew moviegoers to Raleigh’s Rialto Theatre for the second annual Triangle Native American Film Festival, a daylong showcase of animated shorts, documentaries, and features by Native American directors. (More)

➤ The Network for Endangered Sea Turtles reports a record 53 sea turtle nests on the Northern Outer Banks this season, surpassing the previous high of 52 set in 2016, with hatchlings beginning to emerge. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Coffee vs Hot Cacao vs Green Tea: Which of these hot drinks was proven in a study boost stem cells by 220% in 30 days? Billionaires drop 6 figures on stem cell therapy, but this hot drink costs 50 cents a day and boosts anti-aging stem cells improving heart health, blood pressure, and longevity.

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Scientists warn that the timing of your meals could disrupt your blood sugar and heart health. (Full Story)

➤ Stranded in Alaska waters, a small boat needed help, and the closest vessel was Mark Zuckerberg's superyacht, which stayed silent. (Listen Now)

➤ Michigan's famed Interlochen arts school has released the findings of an investigation into decades-old abuse allegations. (Hear Details)