Jumat, 31 Juli 2026

Rewritten Election Bills, a Bee-Killing Hornet, and NC’s Top Bars

FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1949, Depression-era Gov. J.C.B. Ehringhaus died. The Elizabeth City native balanced the state budget through the hardest years of the Depression and created North Carolina’s sales tax to keep public schools open.

The North Carolina Senate passed two rewritten election bills that could cut early voting during the primary down from 17 to 10 days. Learn more in Top Stories.

Today's sponsor, PuriProduce, offers a simple, chemical-free way to help clean your fruits and vegetables, giving you added peace of mind with every meal.

Senate Passes 2 Rewritten Election Bills

The North Carolina Senate passed two rewritten election bills Tuesday, one of which would cut early voting for primary elections from 17 days to 10.

House Bill 958 passed 28-13 on a party-line vote and would also direct the state auditor to review election procedures in all 100 counties at least once every six years.

Sen. Warren Daniel, R-Burke, said the shorter window would ease the cost and staffing burden on county boards during low-turnout primaries. Sen. Val Applewhite, D-Cumberland, objected that auditor Dave Boliek would be reviewing a board he helps appoint.

A companion bill passed 42-0 and would give voters five business days instead of three to fix ballot and registration problems. Most changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027, so they won’t affect November’s election, and the House must still agree before the bills reach Gov. Josh Stein.

Super PAC Pledges $71M for Whatley

A super PAC aligned with Senate Republican leaders pledged $71 million to elect Michael Whatley to North Carolina’s open U.S. Senate seat, beginning with a $17 million summer ad campaign.

The Senate Leadership Fund's first ads target Democrat Roy Cooper, the former governor Whatley faces for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Thom Tillis.

Communications director Chris Gustafson said the group is “strongly committed to ensuring voters reject” Cooper over the early prison releases of prisoners during his two terms as governor.

Cooper’s campaign called the attacks false, saying he fought the releases in court and that Whatley pushed to free prisoners during the pandemic. Cooper led Whatley 49.8% to 38.7% in a May Carolina Journal poll.

NC Lawmaker Floats Teacher Dress Code

State Rep. Erin Paré, R-Wake, said she may draft a bill requiring “gender-appropriate professional attire” for North Carolina public school teachers.

Paré wrote on social media that she acted after parents contacted her about a Wake County elementary school hiring a teacher she described as a biological male who wears women’s clothing.

"I will ALWAYS protect our children," Paré wrote, adding that schools should keep young students from being exposed to mature gender-identity concepts too early.

Rep. Julia Greenfield, D-Mecklenburg, replied that the post implied a transgender teacher endangers children simply for being transgender. Judging people that way, she wrote, teaches kids “to fear people who are different.”

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➤ Statewide: North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Texas Sen. John Cornyn, both Republicans, withheld support for acting Attorney General Todd Blanche over a Trump-IRS tax settlement Blanche brokered, leading the Senate Judiciary Committee to postpone Thursday’s vote on his nomination. (More)

➤ Pitt County: Jaime Santiago-Corona, an illegal immigrant deported three times, was indicted on a federal illegal-reentry charge after a crash just outside of Greenville killed 6-year-old Calli Toler. He also faces a state misdemeanor death-by-vehicle charge. (More)

➤ Cary: The husband of Elizabeth Waddell, a Cary woman who vanished a week ago while visiting Grenada, said he does not suspect foul play. Surveillance video appears to show her entering the Caribbean surf for a swim. (More)

➤ Union County: A Matthews homeowner reported unusual activity near her hummingbird feeder that state officials confirmed as a yellow-legged hornet, an invasive bee-killing species recorded in North Carolina for the first time. (More)

➤ Coastal NC: NCDOT rejected a private proposal from Delivering Bridges LLC to replace Wilmington’s Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, with Division Engineer Trevor Carroll saying the plan mirrored a replacement already in the state’s transportation plan. (More)

➤ Triad: Forsyth County and Winston-Salem officials began handing out bottled water at four sites starting Thursday after a water-main break disrupted service, with distribution limited to one case per vehicle. (More)

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➤ Carolina Panthers rookie receiver Chris Brazzell tore his LCL in Wednesday’s training camp practice, the second major camp injury after linebacker Nic Scourton tore his ACL last week. (More)

➤ Charlotte businesses reported one of their busiest stretches of the summer during MLS All-Star Week, with uptown restaurants and shops seeing a significant boost from the crowds in town for the events at Bank of America Stadium. (More)

➤ Former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah was voted preseason ACC Player of the Year after transferring to Miami, receiving 97 first-place votes. (More)

➤ North Carolina voters broadly support legalized sports betting but want the state to ban prediction markets, according to a Meredith College poll. Two-thirds of registered voters said they would back legislation banning platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Golf

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➤ Charlotte’s first Wegmans is set to open in Ballantyne on Oct. 14 and is hiring about 450 workers. The 110,000-square-foot store will feature two concepts not available at other Wegmans: an eatery called The Grill and an outdoor play area for kids. (More)

➤ Developer William “Web” Bostic is planning a 176-site RV resort called Bostic RV Park & Campground on more than 40 acres near St. James along N.C. 211 in Brunswick County, with room to add cabins or tiny homes. (More)

➤ Adrina Farms, a locally owned indoor hydroponic farm in Charlotte, is selling out of lettuce as buyers seek local produce amid cyclospora concerns at conventional growers. The operation grows greens vertically and reuses about 95% of its water. (Watch Video)

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➤ The Corolla Wild Horse Fund said goodbye to Topnotch, a wild stallion in his 30s who was euthanized after developing acute colic. The formidable stallion had been moved to the group’s farm sanctuary last November and lived there nine months. (See Photos)

➤ Two North Carolina bars—Potential New Boyfriend in Asheville and The Fortunate Glass in Wilmington—earned spots on USA TODAY’s 2026 Best Bars in America list for their intimate wine-focused vibes. (See List)

➤ The American Red Cross says a national blood shortage has left North Carolina short on type O since donations dropped in May. Duke, UNC Health, WakeMed, and Mission Health report no impact on patients so far. (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:

➤ The father who gave his son the rifle used in Georgia's deadliest school shooting has been sentenced in a first-of-its-kind case. (Hear Details)

➤ Coordinated cyberattacks on dozens of Minnesota water plants are reportedly under investigation for possible ties to Iran. (Hear Episode)

➤ Belgian authorities say an intern inside NATO's top military command is suspected of spying for an unnamed foreign power. (Listen Now)