Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 2019, UNC softball swept No. 3 Florida State in a doubleheader, ending a 16-game losing streak that dated back to 2013—their first series win over FSU since 2011.

Quite a few North Carolinians photographed the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch early Tuesday morning, which was visible from parts of the state. Were you one of them? See more photos in Et Cetera, then hit reply to share your photos with us for a future social media post.

Mother’s Day is almost here, and our 2026 Mother’s Day Gift Guide is full of ideas to make shopping easier. Whether you’re looking for something meaningful, useful, or a little indulgent, you’ll find picks for every kind of mom, plus a few worth grabbing for yourself. Skip the last-minute scramble and browse the guide now.

Today’s sponsor, Splash Spotless Cleaning Products, is here to upgrade your spring cleaning routine with a hands-free foam toilet cleaner that tackles stains and odors without scrubbing. Just pour, let it foam, and flush for a fresh, sparkling bathroom.

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.

NC Treasurer to Extensively Expand AI Use

North Carolina State Treasurer Brad Briner announced on Monday that the Department of State Treasurer will extensively expand artificial intelligence across all operations after a successful 12-week OpenAI pilot program launched in 2025.

The pilot, which used ChatGPT in the Unclaimed Property and State and Local Government divisions, delivered up to 10% productivity gains, with employees saving 15 to 60 minutes daily and reporting high satisfaction.

AI tools will now support coding, audits, research, brainstorming, data analysis, and legal compliance while maintaining strict privacy policies.

Briner emphasized the department’s “moral obligation to the taxpayer to use their money wisely,” noting that broader AI adoption will replicate productivity improvements and allow staff to focus on complex, human-centered work for better government efficiency.

NC Man Arrested for NJ Cold Case Murder

Robert William McCaffrey Jr., 54, was taken into custody Friday evening in Manteo by a multistate task force in connection with a 35-year-old cold case murder in New Jersey. He faces charges of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and second-degree burglary.

The victim, 27-year-old Lisa Marie McBride, was reported missing from her home in the Highland Lakes neighborhood in Vernon Township, New Jersey, in June 1990. Her remains were later found in October of that year in a wooded area by a hunter. McCaffrey, who lived in Sussex County, New Jersey, at the time, is accused of her death.

The breakthrough came through DNA evidence collected from McCaffrey in 2018 during a separate investigation into his wife's 2012 disappearance. A 2022 exhumation and advancements in forensic technology led to a match entered into the FBI database, allowing authorities to solve the long-dormant case.

McCaffrey is being held pending extradition to New Jersey.

Numerous TV Shows, Movies Filming in NC

North Carolina continues its run as a premier filming destination, with numerous TV shows and movies wrapping or in production across the state.

Notable projects include Season 2 of Netflix’s The Hunting Wives, which recently finished filming in the Charlotte area, and ABC’s R.J. Decker, which is shooting in the Wilmington area.

Hallmark filmed A Grand Biltmore Christmas for its upcoming Countdown to Christmas 2026 at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, and UNC-Wilmington actress and filmmaker Kristi Murdock produced a holiday romance titled A Proper Christmas in the Wilmington area.

In 2025, 38 productions generated an estimated $185.5 million in direct in-state spending—the fourth-highest total since the current film grant program began in 2015. Activity spanned 45 of the state’s 100 counties, creating more than 7,000 job opportunities for crew, talent, and extras.

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➤ Fort Bragg: Former base employee Courtney Williams, 40, who appeared in federal court Monday on four felony charges for leaking classified military information to a journalist, was released to home detention with electronic monitoring. The judge also ordered Williams to stay off of social media and not to speak with reporters while awaiting trial. (More)

➤ Wake County Public School System released its first draft calendar proposing to shift up to eight underenrolled year-round schools to a traditional August-to-June or single-track year-round schedule starting with the 2027-28 school year due to stagnant enrollment. (See Schools)

➤ I-77 South Corridor: Residents, architects, and students submitted creative design plans to local advocacy group Sustain Charlotte to reimagine the I-77 South corridor, proposing green spaces, parks, trails, and community amenities atop the highway in opposition to NCDOT’s express lane expansion. (More)

➤ Charlotte: Former Vice President Kamala Harris will be at Ovens Auditorium on Tuesday to promote her 107 Days memoir on the 2024 presidential campaign, just days after hinting at a possible 2028 run for president. (More)

➤ Ballantyne: Hair restoration surgeon, Dr. Bruce Howard Marko, had his North Carolina medical license indefinitely suspended last week after his guilty plea and 2025 sentencing for participating in a $17 million multi-state bank fraud scheme. (More)

➤ Asheville: The city is planning its first public pickleball complex at either Aston Park or Roger Farmer Park, funded by 2024 voter-approved bonds, and is seeking public input via April drop-in meetings and an online survey from April 27 to May 11. (More)

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➤ Davidson guard Charlise Dunn made program history Monday night when she was selected 36th overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft by the Toronto Tempo. A three-year starter and three-time All-Atlantic 10 selection, Dunn was the only mid-major player chosen in the 2026 draft. (More)

➤ Wake Forest men’s tennis clinched its second straight ACC regular season title with a 4-0 win over NC State last weekend, which puts them at 27-3 this season and a perfect 18-0 at home. They’ll enter the ACC tournament as the No. 1 seed. (More)

➤ Top-ranked basketball recruit Dylan Mingo decommitted from North Carolina this week as a result of the program’s coaching change. (More)

➤ NC State landed Santa Clara transfer Christian Hammond this week—head coach Justin Gainey’s first portal addition. The First Team All-WCC guard averaged 15.6 points and shot 39% from three last season. (More)

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➤ The NC Tweener Fund, led by Scot Wingo in partnership with NC IDEA, announced $700,000 in investments to 14 North Carolina startups, including seven new companies and seven follow-on investments, as it expands from the Triangle to a statewide model. (More)

➤ Aer Lingus launched nonstop service from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Dublin, Ireland, on Monday. The airline will fly the route on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays using an Airbus A321XLR, which seats 184 passengers. (More)

➤ Gastonia-based Parkdale Mills, the world’s leading manufacturer of spun yarns and the largest buyer of U.S. cotton, announced the closure of its Lexington plant effective June 7, eliminating 68 jobs amid rising energy costs. (More)

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➤ The Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington will offer a Fresh Air: Inflatable Sculptures exhibition June 19-Sept. 6 featuring large-scale inflatable works by artists such as Nick Cave, Andy Warhol, and Nancy Davidson. (More)

➤ SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched 29 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral early Tuesday, creating a bright, glowing trail visible across the Carolinas' pre-dawn sky minutes after liftoff. (See Charlotte and Triangle Photos)

➤ WRAL’s gardening guide recommends that the best plants for North Carolina’s 6a-8a hardiness zones include winter vegetables like kale, collards, carrots, and beets, as well as hardy ornamentals like winter jasmine, hellebores, pansies, and holly. (See Guide)

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