TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1781, Tory colonel David Fanning routed Patriot colonel Thomas Wade at McPhaul’s Mill in present-day Hoke County—the opening volley of North Carolina's Tory War.

Finance ministers and bankers from around the world are meeting in Asheville this week. Learn more in Top Stories.

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Your morning routine has a bigger impact on your day than most people realize. We looked at 10 common morning habits and ranked them based on research findings. Cold showers and workouts didn't land where you'd expect, and the habit that took the top spot takes less than five minutes. Today on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla counts down all 10 and reveals which one is worth adding to your morning. Tune in here!

Car insurance is one of those bills that’s easy to keep paying without checking whether you could do better. Later today, our partner Insurify will show you how to compare quotes from 100+ insurers in about two minutes, with users saving up to $1,100 a year when they compare.

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G20 Finance Ministers Meet in Asheville

Finance ministers and central bankers from the world’s largest economies opened a G20 Finance Track ministerial meeting Sunday at Asheville’s Omni Grove Park Inn, following a deputies’ meeting over the weekend.

The four-day gathering is expected to draw more than 500 attendees and pump roughly $2 million into a Western North Carolina economy still rebuilding from Hurricane Helene. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said the Trump administration chose Asheville partly to showcase the region’s recovery.

Bessent is also using the meeting to press other nations to cut financial ties with Iran, part of a sanctions campaign he announced Aug. 24. "Any entity that facilitates money laundering on behalf of Iran will be removed from the U.S. dollar system," he said.

Interest rates, the national debt, and tariffs are also on the agenda. Outside the hotel, demonstrators lined Merrimon Avenue to protest what they called a slow pace of Helene recovery.

24 Agencies Rescue Climber in Linville Gorge

A National Guard Black Hawk helicopter was part of a 24-agency rescue that hoisted an injured rock climber off Shortoff Mountain in Linville Gorge on Sunday after a fall left him with multiple fractures.

The man fell 15 to 20 feet in steep, rugged terrain near the Wolf Pit Trailhead in Burke County. Ground rescuers reached him but couldn’t carry him out safely, so a North Carolina Helo-Aquatic Rescue Team crew was called in.

Three Charlotte firefighters aboard the Black Hawk helped extricate the climber, who was flown out and transferred to a medical transport helicopter. He was conscious and told rescuers it was his first time climbing that stretch of the mountain.

Burke County officials said they average about 98 rescues a year in the Linville Gorge Wilderness, though few require a helicopter.

Locomotives Draw Global Crowds to Spencer

More than 30 red, white, and blue locomotives rolled into the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer this weekend for a once-in-a-lifetime display marking America’s 250th birthday.

The America 250 Locomotive Celebration gathered engines, freight cars, and cabooses from Class I, short line, and passenger railroads around the museum’s roundhouse—the largest operating roundhouse in North America, with 37 bays. One engine, the Santa Fe 5704, traveled from a museum in California.

Organizers said visitors came from as far as Australia, Canada, and England, filling hotels and restaurants across Rowan County. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of gathering," foundation administrator Marcus Neubacher said.

The Spencer site opened in 1896 as a Southern Railway repair stop between Washington and Atlanta. The three-day event ran Aug. 28-30.

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➤ Western NC: North Carolina extended its Hurricane Helene Disaster Case Management Program through Jan. 22, 2027, giving survivors continued help navigating recovery. New households previously had until Aug. 31 to enroll. (More)

➤ Eastern NC: North Carolina Republican House candidate Laurie Buckhout was fined and banned from Kalshi for three years after betting on her own race, violating the prediction market’s insider trading rules. (More)

➤ Buncombe County: State and local health officials are urging people to watch for symptoms after a person with measles traveled through an Asheville hotel while infectious. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said the case involved an out-of-state visitor. (More)

➤ Charlotte: Parents filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, alleging the district failed to protect their disabled child and retaliated against the family. The complaint cites bullying, repeated suspensions, and retaliation by school leaders. (More)

➤ Newland: A state audit of the town found financial problems including $418,658 paid to an unlicensed contractor who skipped bidding rules and a fraudulent $82,123 wire transfer. The Avery County town has been placed on the state's Unit Assistance List. (More)

➤ Smithfield: Johnston Community College is putting a voter-approved $30 million bond toward three projects, with about $23 million expanding its public safety training campus. (More)

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➤ NC State quarterback CJ Bailey and linebacker Popo Aguirre stressed lack of execution after the 34-8 loss to Virginia, while insisting the team’s confidence remains intact and they will rebound over the remaining 11 games. (More)

➤ UNC volleyball swept UNC Wilmington 3-0 in its home opener at Carmichael Arena on Sunday, holding the Seahawks to just 35 points across three sets. Graduate hitter Chelsea Thorpe led the way with nine kills as the No. 19 Tar Heels improved to 2-0. (More)

➤ UNC field hockey dropped its season opener to Michigan 2-1 in overtime on Aug. 28 in Winston-Salem. Charly Bruder scored for the Tar Heels, but Eva Bernardy and Sofia Ghanbari answered for Michigan, which won it in the extra period. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: U.S. Open | MLB | Soccer | NCAAWV

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➤ Fayetteville Technical Community College’s foundation received a $3,500 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, given on behalf of Piedmont Natural Gas, to refurbish a student support center. The award was part of $1 million in grants distributed to 39 local organizations. (More)

➤ Jack’s Towing and Recovery Service faces trial in July 2027 after Gastonia sued the Gaston County company for illegal trespass tows and cash-only payments that violate city ordinances. (More)

➤ Alive Nightclub in downtown Raleigh surrendered its alcohol permits after recent violence at the venue, including a shooting last weekend. Business owners and visitors said they remain confident in downtown safety. (More)

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➤ North Carolina is projected to add nearly 2 million residents by 2050, a 17.7% increase that ranks third nationally in absolute population growth behind only Texas and Florida. (See Map)

➤ Fans gathered at a Wilmington funeral home Sunday for a celebration of life honoring Dolly Parton, who died Aug. 25 at age 80. Guests shared Dolly-themed food and brought children’s books to donate in the spirit of her Imagination Library. (More)

➤ Walker World—just outside Wilmington—offers a wooded 11-acre artist retreat and event space created by Allen Walker, featuring unique self-built structures and hosting parties with the motto, “It’s always Friday.” (See Photos)

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➤ The Real Reason Skin Starts To Thin After 50 (It’s Not What You Think) Remember when bruises faded fast and skin bounced back? New research shows a particular deficiency impacts strength and dark spots too—and you don’t have to accept paper-thin, discolored skin as the “new normal.” Unfortunately, most people don’t know that thinning, aging skin is often caused by this. Learn More

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes.

➤ How do you start your morning? Research shows how 10 popular habits stack up, and which one is the best. (See Ranking)

➤ Regulators say Amazon secretly inflated ad prices for years, with the added costs quietly reaching everyday shoppers. (Hear Details)

➤ Prediction market Kalshi has permanently banned George Santos after accusing the former congressman of suspicious State of the Union trades. (Listen Now)