MONDAY, MAY 4, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1959, Grammy-winning country music singer Randy Travis was born in Marshville. Known for his deep baritone and classic sound, he achieved 16 No. 1 hits, including Forever and Ever, Amen, released in 1987.

Sea turtles have started nesting along the Outer Banks coastline. Learn more in Et Cetera, and reply to share your sea turtle stories. Have you ever spotted a sea turtle, nest, or tracks in the sand?

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Mass Casualty Declared

Iredell County officials declared a mass casualty incident early Friday morning after a large overnight party at The Healing Chamber Farms turned chaotic.

Deputies, fire personnel, and EMS responded to the 60-acre equestrian farm on Archer Road in Davidson following a report of an unconscious person. Upon arrival, responders encountered a large crowd with multiple people needing medical attention.

The event, scheduled from 9 p.m. Thursday to 2 a.m. Friday, was promoted online to more than 3,500 invited guests, though not all attended. The exact number of people transported and the nature of their injuries remain unconfirmed as of Friday afternoon.

No arrests have been made. The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office continues investigating the incident at the farm, which rents space for training and retreats, with potential charges pending.

Wrongful Death Suits Filed in Biffle Crash

New wrongful death lawsuits target the estate of NASCAR driver Greg Biffle after a Dec. 18, 2025, plane crash in Statesville killed seven people, including his wife and children.

The estates of Dennis and Jack Dutton filed suits on April 17 seeking $15 million each. They allege Biffle, owner of the Cessna 550, failed to ensure proper maintenance, operation, and safety of the aircraft. The NTSB's preliminary report cited faulty instruments and pilot actions.

In February, Greg Biffle's ex-wife Nicole Biffle, beneficiary of their daughter Emma Biffle's estate, filed a $10 million wrongful death claim against the estate of pilot Dennis Dutton, who was reported to be the pilot with his son, Jack Dutton, seated in the right passenger seat.

Separately, Iredell County authorities are investigating a January burglary at the Biffle home, suspecting “friends” stole cash, guns, and financial data to defraud the estate.

Raleigh Named 1 of 5 USDA Hubs

Raleigh will serve as one of five national research hubs named by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the agency shifts resources closer to regional agricultural communities to improve services nationwide.

The North Carolina hub will join four others in Indiana, Texas, Missouri, and Colorado.

The Raleigh hub will focus on research programs. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program operations will move to Indianapolis, Child Nutrition Programs to Dallas, Supplemental Nutrition and Safety Programs to Kansas City, and Emergency Management and Continuity of Operations to Denver.

Leaders point to Raleigh’s strong agricultural research presence as a key factor in its selection.

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➤ Statewide: The voter registration repair project has resolved more than 36,000 incomplete records since July 2025, addressing 35% of flagged cases to comply with federal law and a court-ordered settlement. (More)

➤ NC Coast: Two matching state Senate bills filed on Thursday—1065 and 977—would impose a moratorium on new marine fisheries regulations while directing officials to reset catch limits and rules to 2019 levels within 30 days. (More)

➤ Durham: Over 5,000 runners from 40 states and 17 countries competed in the city’s inaugural Garmin Marathon Series, a Boston Marathon qualifier. (More)

➤ Apex: A South Carolina man will appear in federal court in Raleigh today after allegedly displaying messages on his SUV threatening to kill President Trump. (See Photo)

➤ Neuse River: Researchers are tracking GPS-tagged plastic bottles down the Neuse River to study how litter travels from urban areas through waterways and into the ocean, aiming to reduce microplastic pollution. (More)

➤ Maggie Valley: Hundreds of motorcyclists rolled into town this weekend for the first 2026 Thunder in the Smokies rally at the festival grounds, featuring live music, bike shows, games, and rides along the Blue Ridge Parkway. (More)

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➤ Carolina beat Philadelphia 3-0 in Game 1, extending its playoff winning streak to five. Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said his team wasn't "mentally prepared" coming off the Pittsburgh series. The Hurricanes host Game 2 at 7 p.m. today. (More)

➤ Duke men’s basketball has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Amazon Prime Video that will allow the streaming service to broadcast three games next season. (More)

➤ Former UNC men’s basketball star Tyler Hansbrough teamed up with Raleigh youth programs to organize a free golf clinic event last week. (More)

➤ No. 2 UNC men's lacrosse fell to fourth-seeded Virginia 16-6 Sunday in the ACC Championship, surrendering 11 straight first-half goals as the Cavaliers pulled away with a 6-0 second quarter. (More)

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➤ N.C. Blue Cross Blue Shield posted a $497 million loss in 2025, swinging from prior profits, as revenue fell nearly 16% to $10.06 billion amid surging claims and rising health care costs. (More)

➤ North Carolina awarded state grants to Brazilian firm TSEA Energy for a $25 million manufacturing plant in Eden expected to create 160 jobs with average salaries of $66,554. (More)

➤ Mylan will pay $11 million and lower out-of-pocket costs to settle a lawsuit filed by North Carolina over EpiPen price hikes from $100 to $600 per two-pack in under a decade. (More)

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➤ Fifteen-year-old Kal Burgess-Hicks, believed to be High Point University's youngest graduate, earned a biology degree Saturday and plans to attend medical school with a goal of becoming a neurosurgeon. (More)

➤ Duke ranks No. 12 and UNC-Chapel Hill No. 24 among U.S. non-Ivy League schools in a new analysis measuring academics, research, employability, sustainability, and global engagement, with MIT at No. 1. (See Rankings)

➤ Cape Hatteras National Seashore officials discovered the season’s first sea turtle nest Thursday, a clutch of leatherback eggs, and urged beachgoers to leave nesting turtles undisturbed in the dark. (See Photos)

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