Friday, April 10, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1806, Confederate Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk was born near Raleigh. A West Point graduate, Episcopal bishop, and founder of the University of the South in Tennessee, Polk commanded at Shiloh, Perryville, Stones River, and Chickamauga before being killed by artillery on Pine Mountain during the Atlanta Campaign.

Colorado State University released its highly anticipated 2026 Atlantic hurricane season outlook Thursday morning. Learn more in Top Stories.

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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.

CSU Predicts Below-Average Hurricane Season

Colorado State University released its initial 2026 Atlantic hurricane season outlook on Thursday, forecasting below-normal activity due to a potential moderate-to-strong El Niño pattern.

Researchers predict 13 storms, including six hurricanes, with two expected to reach Category 3 strength or higher. The moderate forecast indicates that the El Niño pattern is expected to suppress storm formation despite warm Atlantic waters.

The National Hurricane Center has prepared the 2026 storm name list: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Leah, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky, and Wilfred. These will be assigned in alphabetical order as systems reach tropical storm strength.

The outlook signals reduced risk for coastal communities as the June 1 season start approaches. Updates will follow as conditions evolve.

Brown Ruled Incapable in Zarutska Case

A Mecklenburg County judge has ruled DeCarlos Brown Jr. incapable of proceeding in the state murder case involving the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on Aug. 22, 2025.

The unprovoked attack occurred aboard a Charlotte LYNX Blue Line light rail train at Woodlawn Station, where surveillance video captured Brown stabbing Zarutska three times in the neck.

Brown, 34, who has schizophrenia and a lengthy criminal history and also faces federal charges of causing death on a mass transportation system, was evaluated at Central Regional Hospital. A December 2025 report determined he is mentally incompetent to stand trial on the state charges.

His public defender requested a 180-day continuance of the case, including any death penalty hearing, which the district attorney agreed to, citing his current federal custody in Chicago.

Fort Bragg Employee Arrested for Classified Leak

Courtney P. Williams, a 40-year-old Army veteran and former Fort Bragg employee, has been arrested and federally charged with leaking classified national defense information that risked national security and U.S. military personnel.

Williams held Top Secret clearance and had signed multiple nondisclosure agreements. She worked as an operational support technician in a special military unit from 2010 to 2016, and allegedly shared details about an elite commando unit with investigative journalist Seth Harp between 2022 and 2025.

The leaks involved roughly 180 text messages and over 10 hours of phone conversations. The information appeared in a 2025 Politico article and in Harp’s book, The Fort Bragg Cartel, which examined alleged misconduct, drug trafficking, and abuse within the unit.

Williams appeared in Raleigh federal court this week and remains in custody pending a detention hearing.

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➤ Statewide: A coalition of 24 states, including North Carolina, will argue in federal court that President Trump’s Section 122 tariffs on $1.2 trillion in imports exceed his authority and harm consumers and farmers. (More)

➤ Henderson County: Mountain Community Online School, western North Carolina's first tuition-free public online school, will open this fall for grades fourth through eighth, offering live and recorded classes, flexible scheduling, and community projects. Enrollment will be capped at 200 students. (More)

➤ Triangle: U.S. Senate candidates Republican Michael Whatley and Democrat Roy Cooper will visited the Triangle on Thursday for separate events on affordability as polls show rising economic concerns among North Carolina voters. (More)

➤ Forsyth County: More than 1,000 dogs and 400 handlers from the U.S., Canada, and Australia are competing this week in the first North Carolina UpDog International Finals in Clemmons, featuring 12 frisbee disc games through April 12. (More)

➤ Mooresville: Mayor Chris Carney refused to resign on Wednesday despite a vote of no confidence and three lawsuits over an alleged pants-less incident involving a female consultant, captured on video. (More)

➤ Wilmington: The Busy Bloom Co. will host Wilmington's first Fleur Couture floral fashion show on April 17 at Azalea Station in The Cargo District, featuring models wearing wearable flower creations. (More)

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➤ New UNC basketball coach Michael Malone has hired Arkansas assistant Chuck Martin as his associate head coach, reuniting the two after they worked together at Manhattan University. Martin helped the Razorbacks land back-to-back top-five recruiting classes. (More)

➤ The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association named Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi the team’s MVP after going 30-6-1 in his rookie season. (More)

➤ NC State guard Paul McNeil Jr. became the program’s fifth men’s basketball player to enter the transfer portal this week. He averaged 13.8 points per game while shooting 42.7 percent from three-point range. (More)

➤ North Carolina bettors wagered over $726 million in March, up 6% from the same month last year. (More)

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➤ ECU Health will lay off 161 workers on May 1 as it sells its home health and hospice operations to Liberty Home Care, citing financial pressures while aiming to maintain services in eastern North Carolina. (More)

➤ Charlotte-based Firebirds Wood Fired Grill named restaurant veteran Jeff Uttz as its chief financial officer, effective May 18, as the company prepares to open seven new locations this year. (More)

➤ UNC Charlotte received a leadership gift from alumni Craig and Darla Albert to establish the Albert School of Construction, launching the state's first construction management program tracking projects from planning through completion. (More)

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➤ The Pit restaurant's 16th annual Cuegrass Festival returns to downtown Raleigh on April 18, offering live bluegrass music, barbecue, local brews, and a silent auction benefiting SAFEchild and other nonprofits. (More)

➤ An NC State study found that middle school math teachers who use AI tutoring systems tend to help the same groups of students repeatedly, rather than engaging evenly across the classroom. (More)

➤ A powerful dust devil swept through a Burke County construction site near Morganton, rolling 60- to 80-pound pipes as workers filmed the minute-long whirlwind. No injuries were reported. (Watch Video)

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