Monday, December 29, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1808, future President Andrew Johnson was born in Raleigh. Johnson became a well-known Tennessee Democrat and Unionist. In 1863, he freed his slaves, and in 1864, he ordered emancipation in Tennessee—moves that appealed to Republicans and led President Abraham Lincoln to nominate the Southern Democrat as his vice president.

A young North Carolina actor secured a role on the final season of Netflix's hit series Stranger Things. Learn more in Et Cetera, then answer our Poll to let us know if you've ever watched an episode of the show.

The Flyover Podcast is back after a break, with host Ayla Brown sharing podcast-exclusive stories on a major Midwest winter storm, the passing of a Mormon leader, and how a California high schooler got NASA begging on its knees to come work for them. Watch it here.

Today's sponsor is The Pour Over, and it's read by over 1.5 million Christians around the country. It summarizes the day's biggest headlines while pairing them with biblical reminders. Stay grounded in peace in just 5 minutes a day. Try it today. It's always free.

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.

Three Days Left in 2025... And Three Reasons to Invest

No. 1: 2025 Matters

We're entering the final three days of the year.

Our current investment round is closing next month, and once it's closed, this opportunity will be gone. If you've been on the sidelines—thinking about investing, meaning to act, waiting for the "right moment"—2025 is that moment.

Three days left in 2025. One last chance to decide before the year turns.

Invest in The Flyover today—three days left in 2025

No. 2: Bonus Shares Are Expiring

Right now, new investors receive:

+15% bonus shares
Even more for larger investments

These bonus shares are part of our end-of-year push—and they expire in just a few days. Once they're gone, they're gone.

If you've been considering ownership, these are the most favorable terms we're offering before this round closes.

Invest in The Flyover today—secure your bonus shares

No. 3: If Not You—Then Who?

There's a quote often attributed to Edmund Burke:

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Legacy media isn't failing by accident. It's failing because too many celebrity "journalists" chase clicks, outrage, and push agendas instead of facts and common sense. And too many good people tuned out, assuming someone else would fix it.

The Flyover exists because we chose a different path:

Facts over spin
Reporting over celebrity status
Common sense over political agendas

But a better form of journalism doesn't survive on good intentions alone. It survives because readers step forward—not just to read, but to build and own something better.

As 2025 comes to a close, this is a moment to act—not later, not next year, not when it's easier.

If you believe Americans deserve a better way to consume the news…
If you believe truth still matters…
If you believe doing nothing is no longer an option…

Take action and make a difference—invest in The Flyover today

Three days left in 2025.
This round closes next month.
Now is the moment.

NC Has Cleanest Air in Decades

North Carolina is breathing easier, with state officials reporting the cleanest air across the state in decades. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's (NCDEQ) latest Air Quality Trends report, released recently, shows significant reductions in key pollutants from 1990 to 2022.

Emissions of sulfur dioxide dropped by 95%, carbon monoxide by 74%, nitrogen oxides by 71%, fine particles by 48%, and volatile organic compounds by 67%. Carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide hit all-time lows in 2022, while pollutant concentrations have remained below federal health standards for more than a decade.

NCDEQ Secretary Reid Wilson noted that despite population growth, "North Carolina's air quality keeps getting better." Improvements stem from a shift to cleaner energy like solar, wind, and nuclear, along with more efficient vehicles and buildings, and stronger regulations.

Most New NC Voters Register as Unaffiliated

New voter registrations in North Carolina favor unaffiliated status, according to data from the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE).

In a recent weekly report, 72.5% of 6,538 new registrants chose unaffiliated, 17.1% chose Republican, and just 0.07% chose Democrat—consistent with 2025 trends showing about 7 in 10 new voters opt for no party.

As of Dec. 13, NCSBE records show 7,633,658 total registered voters, with unaffiliated leading at 2,962,428 (38.8%), followed closely by Democrats (2,310,814; 30.27%) and Republicans (2,309,598; 30.26%).

This shift highlights growing political independence in North Carolina, which is considered a battleground state. Unaffiliated voters first surpassed Republicans in 2017 and Democrats in 2022.

Post-Christmas Travel Rush Hit NC

North Carolina's post-Christmas travel rush continued over the weekend, with AAA projecting about 3.3 million North Carolinians driving during the holiday season—a 2.2% increase from 2024.

Peak congestion was expected daily between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., with yesterday predicted to be the busiest day of travel. A Northeast winter storm hampered air travel, causing a ripple effect of flight delays and cancellations.

At Charlotte Douglas International Airport, 28 flights were canceled and more than 400 were delayed as of Saturday, according to FlightAware. By Sunday afternoon, there was just one cancellation and 216 delays.

Meanwhile, at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, FlightAware reported 15 cancellations and 180 delays on Saturday, and 10 cancellations with 84 delays as of Sunday.

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Kickstart your 2026 resolution by growing closer to God.

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➤ Statewide: North Carolina ranks fourth nationally in charter school enrollment growth, adding 31,315 students—a 26.4% increase—from 2019-20 to 2024-25, behind Texas, Florida, and California. Charters now serve over 10% of public students. (More)

➤ Triangle Region: North Carolina's Research Triangle will host the 2029 FISU Summer World University Games—the first U.S. hosting since 1993. Over 10,000 athletes from more than 100 countries will compete in 18 sports July 11-22, 2029. (More)

➤ Outer Banks: A study by SeaD Consulting found that 28 of 44 surveyed restaurants failed genetic tests, serving imported farm-raised shrimp despite claiming wild-caught American. Only 16 passed, prompting concerns about mislabeling. (More)

➤ Whiteville: Meanwhile, more than 500 pounds of seafood—150 pounds of lobster tails and 400 pounds of shrimp worth over $7,700—was stolen via credit card fraud from Ray's Seafood & Produce on Dec. 23. (More)

➤ Mint Hill: Two police officers were wounded and a suspect was killed in a shootout during a child custody exchange outside a local store on Dec. 26. The officers suffered critical injuries but are now in stable condition. (More)

➤ Western NC: Airbnb's 2026 predictions highlight the North Carolina Mountains, including the Great Smoky Mountains, as a top solo travel and nature destination, with Gen Z leading searches for immersive experiences like forest bathing and highland cow therapy. (More)

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➤ The Carolina Panthers fell to the Seattle Seahawks, 27-10, yesterday. The loss sets up a crucial Week 18 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with the winner potentially being crowned NFC South champion. (More)

➤ Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel avoided serious injury after rolling his ankle in Friday's game. X-rays came back negative, showing no breaks or fractures. (More)

➤ ECU forced five turnovers in Saturday's Military Bowl against Pitt, leading to a 23-17 Pirates victory. (More)

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➤ Huntersville-based Metrolina Greenhouses is acquiring Tennessee's South Central Growers, effective Jan. 1. The combined company will operate under Metrolina's brand to enhance scale, with South Central's family owners becoming shareholders. (More)

➤ Charlotte Regional Business Alliance rebounded with nearly $1 million in operating profit in 2024, recovering from a $1.2 million loss in 2022 and the departure of six C-suite executives over the 18 months that followed. (More)

➤ North Carolina could gain from a federal shipbuilding surge via the new Maritime Manufacturing Initiative, linking state suppliers and workforce to Navy contractors like Newport News Shipbuilding. (More)

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The holidays are busy enough. The news shouldn't add to the chaos or stress.

The Pour Over helps you stay up to date while keeping Christ front and center, pointing you toward hope, not away from it.

➤ MacKenzie Scott's Yield Giving foundation donated millions to North Carolina nonprofits and colleges this holiday season, including $24 million to Robeson Community College, $12 million to Bladen Community College, and recent grants bringing totals to $108 million for N.C. A&T and $80 million for Winston-Salem State. (More)

➤ Hallmark is casting extras for the sequel to A Biltmore Christmas, which will be filmed at Biltmore Estate starting in January. Applicants should email a recent photo, their full name, their age, and other details to cherrixcastingnc@gmail.com. (More)

➤ Greensboro native Aidan Armstrong, a 20-year-old University of North Carolina School of the Arts sophomore, joined Stranger Things during its final season as Danny Harrington, Steve Harrington's father, in a flashback scene. (More)

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Have you watched any episodes of Stranger Things?

Yesterday's Results:

Do you make New Year's Resolutions?

Not my thing: 41%
Tried a few times: 33%
Every year: 26%

Why was President Andrew Johnson impeached?

Show me the answer

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