MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1926, actor Andy Griffith was born in Mount Airy. Best known for playing Sheriff Andy Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show (1960-68) and defense attorney Ben Matlock on Matlock (1986-95), he began his career on Broadway and starred in films like A Face in the Crowd.

Hey Caniacs, are you ready for the Stanley Cup Final? Check out Top Stories for a preview of Game One and an update on how ticket sales are going.

Flyover Updates officially launches today! Each weekday afternoon, we're bringing the nation's biggest developing stories straight to your phone via text message. It's designed to be brief and easy to read, giving you news that breaks after your morning edition lands. If you’d like to stay informed between editions of The Flyover, sign up today.

Today’s sponsor, the knēNest Pillow, is designed to relieve nighttime pain and improve sleep by keeping your body properly aligned for deeper, more restorative rest.

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.

Stanley Cup Final Kicks Off Tuesday

The Carolina Hurricanes are heading to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 20 years, opening a best-of-seven series against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh.

Carolina finished the Eastern Conference Finals with a 5-game series win over the Montreal Canadiens, going 12-1 in the playoffs overall—the best postseason record in franchise history.

Rod Brind'Amour, who has been involved in all 174 of Carolina's playoff games as both player and coach since 2000, can become just the seventh person in NHL history—and first since Toe Blake in 1956—to win the Stanley Cup with the same franchise as player and coach.

Home game tickets at the Lenovo Center sold out within hours of Saturday’s on-sale, with resale prices starting around $1,000.

Budget Battle Returns to Raleigh

North Carolina lawmakers return to Raleigh this week with the state budget still unresolved as the fiscal year deadline nears.

Gov. Josh Stein endorsed the General Assembly’s budget framework as progress but pushed for greater spending on teacher, law enforcement, and state employee pay raises, arguing current proposals fail to keep pace with inflation and rising costs.

State agencies have been operating on a continuation budget, but a final deal must clear before June 30 or further disruptions follow.

The standoff is already rippling beyond Raleigh. Aviation startup JetZero, which announced a North Carolina operation earlier this year, has delayed its hiring timeline, citing state budget uncertainty.

Mattel Waterpark Coming to Roanoke Rapids

Barbie, Hot Wheels, and other iconic brands are coming to northeastern North Carolina in the form of a Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark, slated to open at Weldon Mills Resort in Roanoke Rapids in 2029.

The facility, which will span 100,000 square feet and include a retractable roof so guests can enjoy it year-round, will be one of the nation’s first Mattel-branded indoor waterparks, allowing visitors to experience immersive environments built around the company’s iconic brands.

Roanoke Rapids, a small city of about 14,000 in Halifax County, is positioning the resort as a major regional tourism destination due to its location along the I-95 corridor.

Weldon Mills will also encompass a hotel, amphitheater, motorsports facility, distillery, adventure park, restaurants, and other amenities.

Flying together with our sponsor

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➤ Shelby: A police officer was fired Saturday after a viral video showed him punching a woman during an arrest. The State Bureau of Investigation opened a review, and dozens marched to police headquarters in protest. (More)

➤ Dare County: Health officials are urging residents with special medical needs to register with the county's voluntary registry ahead of hurricane season, which officially began today. (More)

➤ Charlotte: Several advocacy groups called on police, FIFA, Tepper Sports, and Charlotte FC to ban U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials from yesterday’s Allstate Continental Clásico, a U.S. Men's National Team World Cup tune-up game at Bank of America Stadium. (More)

➤ Elon: Elon University ranked No. 1 in the nation for best first-year student experience in U.S. News & World Report's 2026 Best Colleges rankings. (See List)

➤ Boone: The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation is launching a campaign to provide retention bonuses for childcare workers in Watauga County, addressing what organizers call “the workforce behind the workforce.” (More)

➤ Western NC: Tourism leaders launched a new scavenger hunt today featuring Carl the Sasquatch across the Smokies region, encouraging visitors and locals to explore businesses with clues and prizes to boost community engagement and summer tourism. (More)

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➤ No. 5 UNC baseball advanced to the Super Regionals with a strong 9-3 victory over ECU. The Tar Heels scored eight of their runs in the game's first three innings. (More)

➤ Wake Forest baseball saw its season come to an end yesterday after falling 10-5 to No. 16 West Virginia in an elimination game at the Morgantown Regional. (More)

➤ Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream, who will soon become the oldest U.S. player to play in a World Cup, has been named the team captain of the U.S. Men’s National Team. (More)

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➤ Elevation Church is launching Elevation College in Matthews this fall, partnering with Southeastern University in Florida to offer faith-integrated degree programs. The megachurch, with campuses across North Carolina, plans to welcome its first class in August. (More)

➤ The Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte delivered strong ratings for Amazon Prime Video and NASCAR, averaging 3.06 million viewers—up 12% from last year—with significant gains among younger demographics during its debut on the streaming platform. (More)

➤ A new state audit found North Carolina's 31,000-plus employee workforce at community colleges has just 136 long-term vacancies, with only two Western North Carolina colleges—A-B Tech and Haywood Community College—reporting any open positions. (More)

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➤ East Carolina University hosted a sustainability symposium spotlighting North Carolina's solar and offshore wind industries, drawing students, faculty, and business leaders to chart the state's clean energy future. (More)

➤ Sky Ridge Yurts ranked among the best glamping destinations in the U.S., earning a No. 2 ranking in USA Today’s 2026 10Best Readers’ Choice awards for the Nantahala-area retreat in Swain County. (More)

➤ North Carolina residents are advised to finalize hurricane preparedness plans as the 2026 Atlantic season officially opens today. (See Tips)

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