WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1962, the 13-day Cuban missile crisis began. As tensions rose between the U.S. and Soviet Union, a Hawk air defense missile battery was airlifted from California, to Cherry Point, North Carolina, where the battalion and their equipment were staged for transport to Guantanamo Bay to protect our naval base there.

From trail conditions in the Great Smoky Mountains to migrating manatees along the coast, we’re covering all the North Carolina news important to you. Hit reply and let us know how we’re doing.

Learn a language in just 10 minutes a day with today’s sponsor, Babbel.

Robinson Sues CNN for Defamation

Republican gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against CNN for alleging in a Sept. 19 story that he made offensive comments on a pornographic website more than a decade ago.

The lawsuit accuses CNN of getting the information from a dubious source. Robinson calls the story a hit piece that amounts to election interference and says CNN should have looked into the possibility of the posts being created by hacked information found on the dark web.

CNN has not commented on the suit.

Robinson is currently polling about 15 points lower than his democratic opponent, Attorney General Josh Stein.

NCDOT Reopens 600+ Roads

NCDOT has reopened more than 600 North Carolina roads, mostly in western parts of the state impacted by Hurricane Helene. Transportation crews created 4,100 debris sites while cutting and moving debris to shoulders.

Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins estimates several billion dollars in damage to western North Carolina roads and bridges, describing the damage as “nothing we’ve ever seen after any storm” and predicting a long-term recovery operation.

Visit DriveNC.gov to see which roads have reopened.

NCDOT also kicked off three projects in the Outer Banks this week: pipe replacement under U.S. 158 at Whalebone Junction in south Nags Head, repaving intersections in Corolla, and replacing Slash Creek Bridge in Hatteras.

Parts of Great Smoky Mountains Remain Closed

Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers have determined that Cataloochee Valley took the biggest hit from Hurricane Helene and is closed until further notice. The storm washed away nearly all footlog bridges, impacted historic buildings, flooded campsites, and damaged power lines there.

Balsam Mountain and Big Creek are also closed until further notice, due to storm damage and safety concerns.

Inclement weather may further hinder recovery efforts in elevations above 3,500 feet, where at least 2 inches of snow was forecasted to fall Tuesday night.

Visit this page to see the park’s latest openings and closures.

Do you have any friends or family who would like to receive Flyover North Carolina? Feel free to refer us to them!

Flying together with our sponsor

It’s Learning Season! Whether you’re headed back to school or just looking to explore something new, Babbel is your private tutor in your pocket. Their bite-sized lessons (just 10 minutes a day!) fit seamlessly into your routine, helping you confidently start real-world conversations in as little as three weeks.

With Babbel, learning a new language is flexible, fun, and easy. For a limited time, get up to 55% off your subscription.

➤ Charlotte: Former President Donald Trump will meet with faith leaders on Monday, Oct. 21. Trump’s son, Eric, and Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson will accompany him. (More)

➤ Asheville: City officials say that although running water has been restored in some parts of the city, it isn’t safe to drink out of the tap and must be boiled first. (More)

➤ Apex: Some residents were charged water bills as high as $1,800 due to a July cyber attack on the town’s billing systems. (More)

➤ Iredell County: The Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education rejected a request to adopt a display of the Ten Commandments and the Bill of Rights in the district’s schools. (See Details)

➤ Swain County: The CDC says consuming undercooked bear meat caused 10 people to fall ill with muscle pain, fever, and facial swelling. (More)

➤ Nags Head: Manatees have been spotted off the coast of the Outer Banks as they migrate back to warmer Florida waters. (See Photo)

➤ Duke and UNC are both ranked in the top 10 of the preseason AP Top 25 for NCAA men’s basketball, with Duke coming in at No. 7 and UNC at No. 9. (See Rankings)

➤ The Carolina Panthers are opening the practice window for rookie second-round pick Jonathan Brooks, the top running back selected in the 2024 NFL draft. (More)

➤ The New Hanover County Special Olympics chapter will host its fall games at North Carolina’s Legion Stadium Oct. 17-18. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NBA | NHL

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The Lightbulb That Protects Your Home – Introducing Sight Bulb™, the revolutionary security camera that easily screws into any socket like a lightbulb! It’s perfect for homeowners, parents, pet owners, and businesses. (See It Here)

➤ Wolfspeed will receive up to $750 million from the Biden-Harris administration to support its new silicon carbide factory in Siler City. (See Details)

➤ The Charlotte Hornets released renderings of its new performance center and announced project partners, which include CAA Icon, Populous, Gilbane Building Company, and R.J. Leeper. (See Renderings)

➤ Walgreens will close 1,200 U.S. stores over the next three years but hasn’t announced where the closings will take place. There are currently 334 Walgreens in North Carolina. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Check out the future of pain relief with Kailo. An all-natural pain patch, designed to quickly relieve pain anywhere on your body in as little as 60 seconds. It’s all-natural, drug-free, and works anywhere on your body. (See It Here)

Flying together with our sponsor

Picture yourself chatting with locals at a cozy café in Paris or navigating the bustling streets of Tokyo. Babbel's interactive lessons, packed with real-world vocabulary and culturally relevant topics, get you ready to break through the language barrier with friends, loved ones, and strangers alike.

Don’t miss out on meaningful connections — subscribe to Babbel today and get up to 55% off!

➤ Rare noctilucent clouds were spotted over Franklinton Tuesday that may have resulted from the SpaceX launch. (See Photo)

➤ The City of Raleigh is encouraging residents and businesses to turn off nonessential city lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. to prevent disorienting nocturnal birds as they migrate south. (More)

➤ Extras are needed for two movies being filmed in Charlotte: Apopka starring Sydney Sweeney and Ben Foster, and Roofman starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst. (See Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Never lose your reading glasses again! With ThinOptics®, you’ll always have your reading glasses handy! These thin, incredibly durable, and comfortable glasses stick right to the back of your phone, keeping them safely tucked away until you need them. (See It Here)