Thursday, February 5, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1981, a U.S. Marine Corps court-martial at Camp Lejeune convicted former POW Pfc. Robert R. Garwood of collaborating with the enemy during the Vietnam War and physically mistreating fellow POW Pfc. David Harker. He was found guilty on five specifications.

We've got good news and bad news: North Carolina scored a No. 1 ranking in economic development, but a C-minus in infrastructure. Learn more in Top Stories.

A quick note from The Flyover North Carolina team: This week, our entire Flyover team is doing something we don't get to do very often: we're all flying into Colorado to be in the same room together.
Because our writers, developers, and sales folks are spread across the country, most of our work happens over Slack, Zoom, and email. This fly-in gives us the chance to plan, debate, whiteboard, and—importantly—get to know each other better as humans. We'll be spending our time talking about how to make The Flyover North Carolina even better for you in 2026.
As a result, a few of our editions this week may be a bit more abbreviated than usual. That's intentional—and temporary. We'll be back to our regular edition on Sunday.
And while we're together, we'd love your input. If there's something you love, something you'd like more of, or something we could improve, hit reply and tell us. Many of our best ideas come directly from readers like you. Thanks for reading, and thanks for being part of The Flyover community.

—The Flyover Team ✈️

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NC Scores a C-Minus in Infrastructure

The American Society of Civil Engineers gave North Carolina an overall C-minus for the state's infrastructure systems in the 2026 Report Card for North Carolina. The report evaluates seven infrastructure categories statewide.

Drinking water received a C-plus, the highest grade, while bridges, aviation, stormwater, and roads earned a C-minus. Dams and wastewater were graded the lowest at a D-plus. The grades reflect aging systems, new population growth, and weather conditions, according to the report.

Co-chair of the 2026 Report Card, Chas Webb, P.E., said that while "growth is exciting, it will only remain possible if our built environment can adequately serve residents and businesses and keep our systems running smoothly."

Recommendations include increasing investment to manage population growth and storm response, enhancing resilience through emergency planning, strengthening dam inspections and roadway safety strategies, and securing long-term funding to modernize aging systems.

NC Ranks No. 1 in Economic Development

North Carolina has been named Business Facilities magazine's 2025 State of the Year for economic development—the third time in six years. The award recognizes the state's strong business climate and excellence in workforce and education, infrastructure, incentives, quality of life, and business attraction efforts.

In 2025, North Carolina reported more than 35,000 job commitments and $24 billion in capital investments across 56 counties, spanning aerospace, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing.

Key projects included JetZero in Greensboro, Genentech in Wake County, and Vulcan Elements in Johnston County. Gov. Josh Stein hailed it as the state's best year on record for job announcements and capital investment.

These successes are bolstered by incentive programs that include accountability measures, as demonstrated by companies such as Parexel, Red Hat, Dimensional Fund Advisors, American Fuji Seal, and Honeywell, which have met or exceeded targets for jobs, wages, and investments.

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➤ Statewide: The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles will end 7 a.m. early openings at 90 driver's license offices starting Monday, Feb. 9, reverting to standard 8 a.m. hours after exhausting federal American Rescue Plan Act funding. (More)

➤ Statewide: State Auditor Dave Boliek highlighted a performance audit of his own office as part of a push for transparency and accountability. The audit details filled vacancies, new hires, restructuring, and $747,000 in claims, attorneys' fees, and costs tied to "staff shifting." (More)

➤ Greensboro: U.S. Judge Aileen Cannon sentenced Ryan Routh, a Greensboro native, to life in prison plus seven years for attempting to assassinate President Trump at a Florida golf course in September 2024. Prosecutors said Routh showed no remorse for the attack. (More)

➤ Pitt County: North Carolina State Highway Patrol's Aviation Unit airlifted critical blood platelets from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to ECU Health in Greenville on Feb. 1 amid the recent snowstorm to avert a severe shortage for patients. (More)

➤ UNC-Chapel Hill: A team of 25 student journalists will cover the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics through on-site reporting and multimedia storytelling, producing coverage for WRAL and other media outlets as part of a hands-on program led by the Hussman School of Media and Journalism. (More)

➤ Greensboro: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is considering the former American Hebrew Academy campus as a potential immigration detention site. The location is one of seven sites being evaluated nationwide, according to documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina. (More)

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➤ No. 17 Duke women's basketball faces off against No. 6 Louisville tonight at 7 p.m. Both teams are undefeated in ACC play so far. (More)

➤ Hornets head coach Charles Lee was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month after leading the team to an 11-6 record in January, capped by a six-game winning streak to close the month. (More)

➤ Duke freshman Cam Boozer threw down an emphatic poster dunk over Boston College Tuesday night en route to a 67-49 victory. (See Dunk)

➤ Yesterday's Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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