TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1774, 71 delegates convened North Carolina’s First Provincial Congress in New Bern—the first such assembly in any colony. They endorsed a Continental Congress, chose William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, and Richard Caswell as delegates, and pledged support for self-government.

A new poll suggests the U.S. Senate race between former Gov. Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley is tightening. Learn more in Top Stories.

New state editions alert: We’re launching The Michigan Flyover and The Pennsylvania Flyover on Sept. 1! If you call one of these great states home (or just want to stay informed on them), click your link above and sign up. We'll see you in a week!

Flying over the Atlantic Sunday night, passengers on a red-eye to Rome felt the plane suddenly drop. Then the captain came over the intercom and said one of the engines had "blown out." Inside the cabin, some passengers prayed while others screamed, fearing this flight might be their last. What happened next, and during the long night that followed, is a story no other outlet is covering. In a first-of-its-kind exclusive for The Flyover Podcast, Ayla spoke directly with a passenger who lived through it all, including one moment nobody saw coming. Tune in here!

Later today, our partner Fisher Investments is sharing seven habits high net worth investors use once their portfolios reach $1 million, including a few that may be surprisingly easy to overlook.

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Zarutska Family Sues Charlotte over Death

The family of Iryna Zarutska, the Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on a Charlotte light rail train a year ago, has sued the city and its transit security contractor.

The 33-page complaint alleges the city and Professional Security Services knew about violent crime on the light rail system and failed to provide adequate staffing, fare enforcement, and security. It argues her death was preventable.

Zarutska was killed while riding home from work. DeCarlos Brown Jr. is charged with first-degree murder, but a judge ruled him incompetent to stand trial, putting the criminal case on hold.

The case helped spur Iryna’s Law, which tightened bail rules for repeat offenders and expanded mental health evaluations. The family says it is now seeking accountability beyond the criminal courts, and both the city and the company are expected to respond in the coming weeks.

Boltinhouse Sues Pageant for Defamation

Former Miss North Carolina USA Brittany Boltinhouse has filed a defamation lawsuit against the Miss USA organization, its CEO Thom Brodeur, and state pageant operators A Blaize Productions.

The suit, filed Sunday in Duplin County Superior Court, alleges officials falsely portrayed her as a racist, homophobe, and transphobe after stripping her of the 2026 title.

Boltinhouse, a Duplin County native, isn’t disputing the pageant’s right to remove her title over resurfaced social media posts from 2017 and 2019. Instead, she says officials’ subsequent public statements falsely painted her as a racist, homophobe, and transphobe, and that the real motive was her conservative Christian views and support for figures like Donald Trump and Charlie Kirk.

She seeks damages for lost opportunities, emotional distress, and reputational harm. Pageant officials have not commented on the suit.

Cooper-Whatley Senate Race Tightens

Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s lead over Republican Michael Whatley in the race for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat has narrowed to 5 points, according to a High Point University Poll released Friday.

Among the 660 likely voters surveyed, 50% backed the Democrat while 45% supported the former Republican National Committee chairman. The poll was conducted Aug. 3-12 with a 5.2-point credibility interval.

Earlier surveys last week put Cooper ahead by 7 to 12.5 points. The seat is held by retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.

North Carolina remains a key battleground state that could influence Senate control. Democrats trail 53-47 and need multiple flips. Cook Political Report rates the race Lean Democrat. Absentee ballots become available Sept. 4, with Election Day Nov. 3.

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➤ Charlotte: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is scheduled to address the Charlotte Economics Club at a private uptown luncheon on Sept. 2. The visit comes a day after the G20 finance ministers wrap up their meeting in Asheville. (More)

➤ Monroe: Dr. Richard T. Ariviello, 61, a licensed physician and owner of Family Urgent Care in Monroe, was arrested after allegedly shooting into a Jeep on I-77 in Virginia during a road rage incident that injured two sisters, ages 12 and 20. (More)

➤ Morehead City: The Coast Guard’s Sector North Carolina changed commanders Friday, with Capt. Jared A. Harlow relieving Capt. Timothy J. List. The sector oversees missions across the entire state with more than 1,300 members. (More)

➤ Wake County: Parents worry students are returning to overheated classrooms after HVAC failures hit several schools during back-to-school open houses last week. The district says repairs are underway or finished. (More)

➤ Cary: Kenna Zhang, a Cary Academy graduate headed to MIT, won first place in the video category of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s national teen scholarship contest by showing how to use AI to detect Alzheimer’s early. (More)

➤ Duke University: A Duke Chronicle report reveals that the university revised its undergraduate essay prompts to move away from identity questions after a 2023 Supreme Court ruling on race in admissions. (More)

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➤ Nevada cited North Carolina’s new prediction-market tax—which takes effect Jan. 1—in a federal court fight against Kalshi, arguing it proves event-contract platforms are gambling. (More)

➤ Former Duke basketball player Mark Mitchell committed to Kentucky after a court granted him a disputed fifth season of eligibility. Mitchell averaged 18.3 points at Missouri last year and went undrafted before playing in the NBA's Summer League. (More)

➤ NC State closed its $17.9 million athletics deficit and is pursuing stadium naming rights for Carter-Finley and jersey patches for new revenue. Athletic director Boo Corrigan says the program is going "all in" on the NCAA's new $20.5 million revenue-sharing allowance. (More)

➤ Greensboro native Faizon Brandon was named the University of Tennessee's starting quarterback, making the Grimsley High School product the Volunteers' first true freshman to start a season opener since 2004. Brandon went 35-1 and won two state titles in high school. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | U.S. Open | WNBA | Little League World Series

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➤ 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.

➤ WakeMed is moving forward with a major Wake County expansion that includes new hospitals, healthplexes, and upgrades to its Raleigh and Cary facilities, while separately pursuing a $2 billion combination with Charlotte’s Atrium Health that awaits a county commissioner vote. (More)

➤ Moore & Van Allen, North Carolina's largest law firm, which had opened its first office outside the Carolinas in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood this past spring, plans to open a Washington, D.C., office around Oct. 1. (More)

➤ New Belgium Brewing hosted a Peach Fest on Sunday, pouring new peach-themed drinks alongside goods from local businesses and gardeners, with line dancing rounding out the afternoon. (See Photos)

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➤ New Bern marked the 252nd anniversary of the New Bern Resolves on Saturday, honoring the 1774 First Provincial Congress—the first colonial assembly to convene in open defiance of British rule. (More)

➤ The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro said goodbye to Heath, a 12-year-old cougar euthanized on Friday after battling chronic kidney disease and mobility trouble. Orphaned in Oregon, he had lived at the zoo since 2014. (See Photo)

➤ Nearly 200 women from across Western North Carolina gathered at the Country Club of Asheville on Sunday for a community-wide “mega challah bake” ahead of Rosh Hashanah. (See Photos)

➤ NC State launched a two-day homecoming Monday dubbed “Around the Moon and Pack” for alumna Christina Koch, a three-time NC State graduate and astronaut. The celebration features a mural of Koch in the university’s Free Expression Tunnel and continues today with a panel discussion. (More and See Mural)

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