SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1771, the Battle of Alamance took place when farmers known as Regulators clashed with Royal Governor William Tryon's militia near Great Alamance Creek in what is now Alamance County. Outnumbered and poorly armed, about 2,000 Regulators were defeated, ending the War of the Regulation—a prelude to the American Revolution.

Western North Carolina’s Hurricane Helene recovery just hit 90%, a milestone worth celebrating. Learn more in Top Stories.

These are the three incredible benefits of drinking coffee in the morning that researchers say could have surprising effects on your long-term health. Your daily cup is reportedly doing far more than boosting energy, including helping protect one of your body’s most important organs. Tune in to The Flyover Podcast as Amy Hess breaks down the latest research on coffee’s unexpected health benefits and what you should know before your next sip. Listen here.

Today's sponsor, Money.com, is helping homeowners unlock record levels of home equity by matching them with HELOC providers that could save thousands in rates and fees in under a minute.

Don’t feel like reading the national edition of The Flyover? Tune in to The Flyover Podcast! New episodes drop daily—watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, all in under 15 minutes.

Helene Recovery Nears 90% across WNC

State Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson visited Jackson County Thursday as part of Gov. Josh Stein's rural listening tour, reporting that Hurricane Helene recovery across western North Carolina has reached nearly 90% completion.

Johnson met with community members at Southwestern Community College in Sylva, part of a listening-session series Stein launched in March to hear directly from mountain residents still rebuilding. NCDOT had already reopened 90% of Helene-damaged roads within six months of the storm and hit 97% within the first year.

Last year, Stein described the broader effort as a "marathon" that won't wrap anytime soon.

However, recovery funding faces new scrutiny at the legislature, where a Senate bill would shift disaster authority and redirect nearly $5 million in remaining Helene funds, drawing concern from recovery advocates.

Four Amendments May Be Headed to November Ballot

North Carolina voters could weigh in on four proposed constitutional amendments this November, the most placed on a single statewide ballot since 2018.

Republican leaders in the General Assembly filed two additional proposals Thursday: a cap on the personal income tax rate at 3.5% and a measure limiting annual property tax revenue growth by local governments. The filings add to amendments already headed to voters, including one requiring photo ID for mail-in voting, which the legislature approved in December 2024.

Constitutional amendments require three-fifths support in both chambers and cannot be vetoed by the governor.

Democratic Gov. Josh Stein has called the income tax cap "a financial straight jacket that could wreak havoc on our public schools and public safety." Republican leaders say it would protect taxpayers from future rate increases.

Downtown Raleigh's hotel count nearly doubles

Downtown Raleigh has added five new hotels since 2019, nearly doubling a count that sat unchanged for half a century.

The Tempo by Hilton and Hyatt House Downtown—Raleigh's first Hyatt House—both opened in October 2024. A 29-story Omni hotel is under construction downtown, with plans for hundreds of rooms and 61,000 square feet of meeting space.

Downtown hotel rooms ran at 68% occupancy in 2025, outpacing comparable cities and the 65% national average. Average daily room rates reached $207, per the Downtown Raleigh Alliance's annual state of downtown report.

Between 1969 and 2019, the downtown hotel count held at just six properties for five decades. The recent surge reflects Raleigh's transformation into a tech hub and convention destination drawing more visitors and business travelers.

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Homeowners Are Quietly Tapping Record Equity

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➤ Hyde County: A boat fire sparked a community fundraising effort across Eastern Carolina, with shrimpers and fishing organizations rallying to help two Carteret County shrimpers who lost their vessel. (More)

➤ Burke County: Hallyburton Academy, the district's alternative school, will move into a wing of Draughn High School next fall, saving the county $400,000 per year. (More)

➤ New Bern: Crowds gathered in Union Point Park on Friday to see the Harrier Jets, one of the last showings of the planes to the public in eastern North Carolina. (See Video)

➤ Asheville: Two people were shot at Spruce Hill Apartments in east Asheville on Thursday, and police are still searching for a suspect after the midday attack. (More)

➤ Cary: Niche named Cary the top place to live in North Carolina for 2026, with the town earning top grades in public schools, families, and health. Morrisville and Apex also ranked high. (More)

➤ Greensboro: New Police Chief Kamran Afzal, sworn in May 12, will hold six community meetings across the city in June to connect with residents and share his vision for public safety. (More)

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➤ The Carolina Hurricanes swept into the Eastern Conference Final at a perfect 8-0, awaiting either Montreal or Buffalo as their opponent. The top seed in the East, Carolina will host Games 1 and 2 in Raleigh. (More)

➤ NCHSAA girls soccer second-round action wrapped Thursday, with Thomas Jefferson Classical blanking opponents 5-0 and programs across the Piedmont and coast advancing in the 1A–4A brackets. (More)

➤ UNC women's lacrosse defeated Stanford 14-11 at Dorrance Field Thursday to reach the NCAA Final Four for the 15th time, with sophomores Chloe Humphrey and Addison Pattillo each scoring three goals. (More)

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If you’re sitting on untapped home equity, Money.com says you may be able to turn it into cash for renovations, debt consolidation, or major expenses without touching your savings.

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➤ The Cheerwine Festival returns to its hometown of downtown Salisbury today, running 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with free live music, local vendors, a kid's zone, and two beer gardens. (More)

➤ West Charlotte High School hosted the annual Glam Exceptional Students prom this week, a fully immersive red-carpet celebration for students enrolled in Exceptional Children programs across Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Programs for Exceptional Children serve students with disabilities. (More)

➤ North Carolina's most popular baby names in 2025 were Noah for boys and Amelia for girls, per new Social Security Administration data—Noah reclaiming the top spot for the first time since 2018. (More)

➤ The Cape Fear House, a clapboard Victorian built in Southport in 1868 by a Civil War blockade runner, is listed at $2.25 million, and TV fans may recognize it from The Summer I Turned Pretty. (More)

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