FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1865, Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman's army demolished the Confederate arsenal's 20 buildings across 30 acres in Fayetteville. Using ornamental woodwork fragments as kindling, they rammed brick walls with railroad rails suspended by chains from X-shaped timbers, cheering on the destruction amid crashing roofs and bands playing.

A wild mustang named Gringo and his trainer just broke a Guinness World Record. Learn more in Et Cetera.

Today's sponsor, Goldco, is helping Americans prepare for economic uncertainty with a free Gold & Silver Kit explaining how precious metals like gold and silver have historically helped protect wealth during recessions and periods of inflation.

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.

VP Vance Visits Rocky Mount Today

Vice President JD Vance arrives in Rocky Mount this afternoon, his second trip to North Carolina since taking office, and one month after President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited Fort Bragg.

Vance last visited the state in September when he spoke in Concord about public safety following the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska.

The event will take place at Rocky Mount Mills, located at 1151 Falls Road, with doors opening at 1 p.m. Vance is scheduled to deliver remarks at 2 p.m.

Specific topics for the speech remain undisclosed in advance of his visit.

JetZero to Break Ground at PTI June 9

JetZero, the aerospace company developing fuel-efficient blended-wing body aircraft, plans to break ground on a factory at Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI) in Greensboro on June 9.

The milestone follows the company's site selection last year and a planned $4.7 billion investment over the next decade, which includes hiring around 15,000 employees with average salaries of approximately $90,000.

The factory aims to produce aircraft designed to be up to 50% more fuel-efficient, reduce noise, and provide a more comfortable ride, potentially transforming the Triad into a global aerospace hub.

JetZero is also renovating a leased office building at 725 N. Regional Road near PTI to serve as a temporary base for design work and early operations.

Optimism Builds for Asheville Train Revival

Optimism is growing for the revival of passenger rail service to Asheville, absent since the last train departed Biltmore Station in 1975. The service would follow Norfolk Southern tracks, starting in Salisbury and potentially stopping in Statesville and Hickory before arriving in Biltmore Village.

An upcoming Railroads and Regional Economic Development Conference on March 18 in Morganton will bring stakeholders together to discuss the proposed 139-mile service. NCDOT, Amtrak, Norfolk Southern and local advocates are working in coordination on the effort.

A January 2026 NCDOT study and a December 2025 economic report project that building the line would cost $650-$665 million, create thousands of construction jobs, and support 305 permanent jobs each year.

Potentially launching by 2035, the project could receive up to 80% of its funding from federal grants, requiring state and local governments to cover the remaining $130 million.

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War is raging in the Middle East.
Debt levels are at historic highs.
Wall Street is on edge.
Inflation is still bleeding your purchasing power.

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➤ Statewide: Registered Democrats led turnout for North Carolina's March primary, casting 297,985 ballots. In addition, unaffiliated voters chose Democrat ballots more often, resulting in 419,224 Democrat ballots cast compared to 295,805 Republican ones. (More)

➤ Statewide: North Carolina Medicaid spending on autism services quadrupled from nearly $122 million in 2022 to $544 million during the past fiscal year. Officials project the total will reach $843 million this year and exceed $1 billion next year. (More)

➤ NC Schools: Attorney General Jeff Jackson secured an agreement restoring $2.5 million in federal funding that will go toward the Full-Service Community Schools program, which serves about 23,000 public school students. (More)

➤ Fort Bragg: The U.S. Army's next round of Special Forces training, which is the final test for Green Beret candidates and is code-named Robin Sage, runs March 27-April 9 across 24 North Carolina counties and four South Carolina counties. The training simulates guerrilla scenarios in a fictitious country called "Pineland." (See Photos)

➤ Washington County: Karen Rojas, kidnapped from California in June 2020 at age 5 by her mother, was found safe on Tuesday. Now 11 and in protective custody, Rojas had been living under an alias and enrolled in school. (More)

➤ Wrightsville Beach: Resident Douglas Wilson launched a petition to allow dogs in designated areas of the beach during morning hours between April 1 and Sept. 30. The Board of Aldermen planned to vote on the issue yesterday. (More)

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➤ NC State was knocked out of the ACC tournament yesterday by No. 10 Virginia in an 81-74 loss. Paul McNeil Jr. scored 26 points to lead all scorers. (More)

➤ The Carolina Panthers signed wide receiver John Metchie, one of quarterback Bryce Young's former Alabama teammates, to a one-year deal. (More)

➤ Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin scored his eighth goal of the season against Calgary, tying the franchise record for goals by a rookie defenseman. One game later, he scored his ninth against Pittsburgh to claim the record outright. (More)

➤ A recent study found that the state of North Carolina has had the fifth-greatest impact on March Madness over the course of college basketball history. The ranking was based on a combined 14 men's and women's championships, five Final Four Most Outstanding Player awards, and four championship-winning coaches. (More)

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➤ A Carolina Liberty Conference panel predicted North Carolina will maintain a major role in digital assets. The panel cited its early 2016 regulatory adoption, Charlotte's financial technology growth, efforts to diversify state investments, and potential legislation supporting a stablecoin market. (More)

➤ The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors is expanding its probe into Randolph County contractor Larry Kendall Johnson. He is accused of taking thousands of dollars for unfinished home renovations, and officials are urging more victims to come forward. (More)

➤ Sycamore Brewing in Charlotte's South End has rebranded as Club West Brewing and will reopen March 14 after co-founder Justin Brigham's arrest and indictment on statutory rape charges. Owner Sarah Taylor plans to sell the brewery to longtime operations director Brad Bergman, pending regulatory approval. (More)

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The next recession is coming, and experts warn: "This Time, You're the Collateral." A recession isn't just likely... It's inevitable. The cracks in the system aren't just cracks anymore.

Debt levels are at historic highs.
Consumer savings are drained.
Wall Street is on edge.
Inflation is still bleeding your purchasing power.

One wrong move and the whole thing could snap. That's why thousands of Americans are turning to physical gold and silver. Your FREE Gold & Silver Kit from the top precious metals company, Goldco, reveals why gold is often a safe haven during recessions and the truth about inflation. Get your Free Guide today.

➤ Cape Fear horse trainer Lauryn Zepeda and her once-wild mustang, Gringo, broke a Guinness World Record on March 5 by performing 38 tricks without a bridle, rope, or halter in 2 minutes and 47 seconds. Tricks included honking a horn, ringing a bell, bowing, and playing a piano. (Watch Report)

➤ The Town of Kure Beach unveiled a new historical marker Thursday at Ocean Front Park commemorating a German U-boat attack on the Ethyl-Dow plant in July 1943 during World War II. (More)

➤ The North Carolina Symphony will present Hollywood Hits tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m. in Raleigh's Meymandi Concert Hall, featuring iconic songs from films like A Star Is Born, Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman, Rock of Ages, Top Gun, and Elvis. (See Details)

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