MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1916, baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Enos “Country” Slaughter was born near Roxboro. Slaughter rose from farm roots to become a hustling MLB outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1938 to 1953. He also played in five World Series and 10 All-Star Games.

Congratulations to the Tar Heels! UNC women's lacrosse won its second consecutive ACC championship and ninth in program history. Learn more in NC Sports.

A Fuquay-Varina bearded dragon named Space Cowboy won a national contest. Find out why in Et Cetera.

Also, did your area finally get some much-needed rain over the weekend? Hit reply and let us know.

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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.

75K Register for High Point Furniture Market

Around 75,000 buyers, designers, and industry professionals registered to attend the spring 2026 High Point Furniture Market, North Carolina’s largest economic event and the world's largest furniture show.

The five-day event, which started Saturday and runs through Wednesday, features over 2,000 exhibitors representing all 50 states, and is expected to generate a massive economic boost for North Carolina, with an annual impact of $6.7 billion—equivalent to hosting four Super Bowls in the city.

Small businesses are also capitalizing on the influx through pop-up events like “Market-at-Market” in the showroom district, which allows local vendors who offer clothing, accessories, custom apparel, and artisanal goods to connect with visitors.

The event takes place every April and October, filling over 50,000 hotel rooms and generating $202 million in state and local tax revenue.

State Auditor Targets Coastal Projects

North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek is scrutinizing three major coastal initiatives: the state’s ferry system, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, and the long-delayed Mid-Currituck Bridge.

Boliek, who announced the audits at a Dare County Republicans event on Friday, said the ferry system, which is the nation’s second-largest state-run ferry system, will be audited for operational efficiency, return on investment, state subsidies, and its overall business model.

The review of the Division of Marine Fisheries will focus on the robustness of testing at the state’s fishing hatcheries.

A higher priority exists for auditing the Mid-Currituck Bridge project because Boliek wants to “look at how much money has been spent, so far, on something that doesn’t exist” after 20 years of planning. The project currently faces a roughly $1 billion funding gap and an uncertain future.

Jim France To Step Down as NASCAR CEO

Jim France is stepping down as NASCAR CEO after leading the organization since 2018, but will remain chairman and majority owner.

The change, announced on Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, marks the first time a non-France family member will hold the top executive role in the sanctioning body’s 78-year history.

Steve O'Donnell, a 30-year NASCAR veteran who served as president, has been promoted to CEO. Ben Kennedy, 34, France’s great-nephew and former executive vice president, was named chief operating officer.

France's tenure included navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, securing media rights deals, and finalizing team charters amid recent revenue-sharing tensions. During 2025, he took a hardline stance in revenue-sharing negotiations, which triggered an antitrust lawsuit by Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports.

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➤ Statewide: Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey negotiated a deal with the North Carolina Rate Bureau for an average statewide 5% annual increase in dwelling insurance rates over two years—far below the requested 68.3%. (More)

➤ Statewide: Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) announced on Sunday that he is ready to move forward with confirming Kevin Warsh as President Trump's Federal Reserve chair nominee, after the Department of Justice closed its investigation into Jerome Powell's building renovation project. (More)

➤ Fort Bragg: A case involving Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, who allegedly used classified information from the U.S. operation capturing Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro to win over $400,000 betting on Polymarket, continues in New York tomorrow. (More)

➤ Wake County: The Democratic National Committee has joined the North Carolina State Board of Elections in requesting a three-judge panel to hear the Republican lawsuit challenging a state law that allows “never residents” to register and vote. (More)

➤ Chapel Hill: For the second time in five months, House Oversight Committee Republicans accused Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools of deliberately skirting the Parents’ Bill of Rights by failing to notify parents of student name and pronoun changes and keeping explicit materials in elementary libraries. (More)

➤ Franklin County: A skydiver suffered minor injuries after a hard landing near Skydive Raleigh on Saturday, while another became stuck in an 80-foot tree but was unhurt. Both were safely rescued. (Watch Report)

➤ Pisgah National Forest: A U.S. Forest Service team is removing and redistributing a large debris pile in the Walker Creek floodplain caused by Hurricane Helene to reduce future flood risks to downstream homes and structures in the Appalachian Ranger District. (More)

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➤ No. 1 UNC women's lacrosse took down No. 11 Stanford 12-8 to win its second consecutive ACC championship and ninth in program history. (More)

➤ The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that tickets for the team’s second-round playoff games will go on sale this afternoon. Carolina will face the winner of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers first-round playoff series. (More)

➤ No. 2 UNC baseball took its series against Duke with a 22-5 run-rule victory, scoring more than it had in any game since 2010 against Princeton, when the Tar Heels put up 25 runs. (More)

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➤ The NC Tweener List has expanded statewide, adding 248 technology startups for a total of 559 companies eligible for potential investments by the fund—now known as the NC Tweener Fund, Powered by NC IDEA to acknowledge the participation of both organizations. (More)

➤ Raleigh-Durham International Airport launched a new mobile pay option for parking that allows drivers to scan a QR code on their ticket and pay via Apple Pay, Google Pay, or credit card before exiting within 30 minutes after settling up. (More)

➤ Triangle Town Center in Raleigh is losing anchor stores Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. Macy’s closed on Sunday amid an 80%-off sale. Mall owners plan to repurpose the vacancies for entertainment and smaller retail. (More)

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➤ A High Point University poll shows Democrat Roy Cooper leading Republican Michael Whatley by 8 points, 50%-42%, in North Carolina’s open 2026 U.S. Senate race to succeed retiring Sen. Thom Tillis. (More)

➤ Thalian Hall in Wilmington unveiled a replica of its historic 1858 stage curtain on opening night. The decade-long project involved a collaboration with Cameron Art Museum artists to restore the dramatic Greek scene. (See Photo)

➤ A Fuquay-Varina bearded dragon named Space Cowboy won the exotic pet category in Nationwide’s 2026 Wacky Pet Names contest, inspired by the anime Cowboy Bebop, alongside other winners like Internet Browser and Cheddar Big Booty Cheeseburger. (More)

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