MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1943, singer Eva Narcissus Boyd (Little Eva) was born in Belhaven. She moved to New York as a child, worked as a babysitter for Carole King and Gerry Goffin, and recorded the 1962 hit The Loco-Motion, which topped the charts. She had several more hits before retiring in 1971 and passed away in 2003.

A dangerous heat wave is on track to make this the hottest Fourth of July in decades for central North Carolina, and somehow, a baby decided Saturday was the perfect day to be born at a Greensboro water park. All this and more in Top Stories and Et Cetera.

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NC Budget Deadline Passes Without a Deal

North Carolina is set to begin its new fiscal year Wednesday as the only state in the country without a budget, with Republican leaders in the House and Senate unable to reach a deal before the July 1 deadline and thousands of teachers and state employees left waiting on promised raises.

A budget framework announced in May called for 8% raises for teachers, 3% raises for most state employees, and a one-time 2.5% bonus for retirees, but none of those pay increases can take effect without a signed budget.

State government won't shut down without a budget, continuing to run on prior spending levels, but lawmakers are expected to leave Raleigh for the July 4 holiday with no deal in sight.

Triple-Digit Heat Headed for Central NC

A dangerous heat wave is bearing down on central North Carolina ahead of the Fourth of July, with forecasters warning of highs near 100°F starting Wednesday and temperatures that could reach 104°F by Friday, levels that would challenge daily and all-time records.

The heat arrives with little overnight relief, as lows are expected to stay in the mid-to-upper 70s, and heat index values could approach 110°F when humidity is factored in. WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels warned the prolonged stretch could cause serious heat-related illness for anyone spending time outside without precautions.

Officials are urging residents to take breaks from the sun, drink plenty of water, and check on vulnerable neighbors. Heat advisories are expected to be issued later this week, with the most dangerous stretch running Thursday through the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Title IX Probe Hits Buncombe County Schools

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has opened a Title IX investigation into Buncombe County Schools following complaints from parents that the district allowed biological males to access girls' restrooms, with the Trump administration asserting the policy violates federal sex discrimination protections.

The investigation is part of a broader federal push to reinterpret Title IX protections for female students in school facilities. Buncombe County Schools, based in Asheville, serves approximately 25,000 students across western North Carolina.

The district faces scrutiny as the administration works to enforce its position that Title IX requires schools to maintain sex-separated spaces, a stance that has prompted investigations into districts across the country.

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➤ Western NC: North Carolina will invest $5 million to build 24 emergency microgrids statewide, with six western counties receiving stationary systems at critical sites like fire stations and food banks to keep essential services running during future disasters. (More)

➤ Wilkes County: A 56-year-old Hays man was charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping after deputies found a USPS employee dead at a home on Monteith Acres Road on June 26. (More)

➤ Coastal NC: Two women face multiple felony charges after breaking into a CEMEX cement plant in Wilmington on June 27 and damaging approximately $1.5 million in electrical wiring, apparently to steal materials. (More)

➤ Wayne County: A Lenoir County Department of Social Servicesemployee was sentenced for stealing more than $100,000 in SNAP benefits through a fraud scheme. (More)

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➤ Former UNC basketball star Caleb Wilson told members of the media that he expects to win Rookie of the Year next season in his introductory press conference with the Chicago Bulls. (More)

➤ The Carolina Hurricanes sent defenseman Kyle Masters and the No. 192 overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft for the rights to former Anaheim Ducks defenseman John Carlson, marking their third trade of the day during Day 2 of the NHL Draft. (More)

➤ The Charlotte Hornets have announced their 2026 NBA Summer League schedule, beginning the season on July 9 against the Orlando Magic. (More)

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➤ Leon's Beauty School, a cosmetology institution open for 63 years, will close permanently on Dec. 31, citing regulatory, funding, and accreditation challenges. (More)

➤ AAA projects a record 2.33 million North Carolinians will travel at least 50 miles from home during the July 4th holiday period, with more than 2 million driving and roughly 160,000 flying, making it the busiest Independence Day travel period on record for the state. (More)

➤ A Senate-backed proposal to direct $500 million in state funding toward a $1.7 billion Raleigh baseball stadium, part of an effort to land a Major League Baseball expansion franchise, appears unlikely to make the final state budget after the House speaker expressed opposition to public financing for the project. (More)

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➤ A baby was born at Wet 'N Wild Emerald Pointe water park in Greensboro on Saturday, June 27, park representatives confirmed. (More)

➤ Chimney Rock State Park in western North Carolina marked one year since its reopening on June 27, nine months after Hurricane Helene struck the region, as the iconic park continues its recovery and welcomes visitors back to its trails and 404-foot waterfall. (More)

➤ Guy Fieri, the Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives host andand self-described Mayor of Flavortown, has joined Statesville-based Legacy Motor Club as a strategic owner, teaming up with seven-time champions Jimmie Johnson and Richard Petty on a NASCAR team the trio says is about more than racing. (More)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ A "perfect storm" of falling birth rates and high prices could shrink the U.S. auto market by 2040. (Listen Here)

➤ A mother's decision to leave her daughter behind after she forgot her passport has sparked a heated online debate. (Episode Available)

➤ The common habit of washing strawberries right after buying them is the main reason they spoil so fast. (Hear Details)