THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2024

Happy Halloween! On this day in 1765, angry Wilmingtonians held a mock funeral for "Liberty" the day before the British Parliament’s Stamp Act went into effect. Just prior to lowering the casket, a group member checked the effigy's vital signs and proclaimed, “Liberty had still an existence in the Colony!”

Will Lady Liberty make an appearance at your Halloween party tonight? Check out Et Cetera for North Carolina’s most popular costumes and hit reply to let us know what costume you—or your kids—are donning tonight.

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Today's sponsor is DigestSync, be sure to check them out below.

Voting Shenanigans Flare Up

From receiving the wrong ballot to taking ballot selfies, voting shenanigans are afoot across North Carolina.

Four Franklin County voters received ballots omitting a local race, prompting the county's Republican party to call for the review of all District 3 ballots and reissue of correct ballots.

A few weeks after Moore County's Democratic party chair admitted he stole signs supporting Former President Donald Trump, Raleigh supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris voiced concerns after their yard signs were stolen.

Meanwhile, polling officials at Bond Park in Cary have reported seeing viral videos of people ripping up pro-Trump signs at the park's entrance.

Finally, a Wake County woman who posted a ballot selfie during the March primary is suing the county elections board over a state law that makes it a misdemeanor to photograph a completed ballot. But that didn't stop her from taking a general election ballot selfie over the weekend.

Early Voter Turnout Favors Republicans

Early votes in North Carolina totaled 3,367,548 as of Wednesday morning, with Republicans accounting for 34.1%, Democrats accounting for 32.8%, and unaffiliated voters accounting for 33.1%. Of the 3,188,613 votes cast in person, Republicans accounted for 34.5%, Democrats accounted for 32.7%, and unaffiliated voters accounted for 32.8%.

In western North Carolina, 39.97% of registered voters have cast a ballot, compared to 39.93% across the rest of the state.

Turnout among ages 18-24 is down by 45,000 compared to 2020, but young Republicans are up by 1,600 votes over young Democrats, who are down by 37,000 votes based on four years ago. Unaffiliated turnout among young voters is down by about 10,000 votes.

A fourth trend reveals that black North Carolinians are underperforming compared to same-day totals in 2020, dropping by more than 44,000 votes.

Chucky and Deadpool Top Costume Trends

A map of Google-designated marketing areas reveals what Halloween costumes trick-or-treaters may be donning as they head out tonight.

Trending costumes include Chucky in the Triangle, Poison Ivy in Charlotte, Deadpool in Asheville, Nuns in the Triad, and the Queen of Hearts in Wilmington.

Other costumes making the top five in those areas include Cookie Monster, Ghostface, Puss 'n Boots, Spider-Man, Princess Peach, and Mr. Potato Head.

Costumed Carolina Panthers players gave out candy to Levine Children's Hospital patients Tuesday. Xavier Legette dressed up as Woody from Toy Story while other players wore Batman, Scooby-Doo, and Mario costumes.

If you live in an area where temps will reach the 80s today, consider the Rockette costume, currently trending in the Triad.

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

Scientists at the Washington University discovered that doing this simple couch-yoga pose fixes constipation, bloating, and embarrassing gassy moments.

At the same time, they were shocked to see that something SO simple can empty your bowels faster than any laxative or fiber-rich diet can.

Read all about this revolutionary trick here:

This Couch-Yoga Pose Clears Your Gut Fast

➤ Statewide: Five state parks—Gorges' Grassy Ridge, Grandfather Mountain, Lake Norman, Rendezvous Mountain, and Crowders Mountain will reopen Friday. (See Details)

➤ Central NC: Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris both held rallies within an hour of each other Wednesday, with Trump in Rocky Mount and Harris in Raleigh. (More)

➤ Western NC: Feeding Charlotte, a local food charity, partnered with Mars Candy to distribute 100-plus pallets of goodies to western North Carolina families impacted by Hurricane Helene. (More)

➤ Garner: FBI agents raided a home on Hay River Street, seizing photographs, envelopes, and a vehicle. No arrests have been made. (See Photos)

➤ Raleigh: A window panel in a home belonging to Gov. Roy Cooper on St. Mary's Street was damaged Saturday, but police don't believe the person responsible knew it was the governor's home, and no one has been arrested. (More)

➤ Wilmington: A contract with SafeLight, which captures photos of cars that run red lights, expires in June 2025. The city currently mails $50 citations to violators. (More)

➤ Shelby: Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge reopened Wednesday after a fire destroyed much of the restaurant, including the smoke pits. For now, staff will use outdoor cookers to prepare the food. (More)

➤ NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports that the Carolina Panthers have no plans of moving on from star players Chuba Hubbard and Jaycee Horn, despite interest in them on the trade market. (More)

➤ Charlotte's City Council approved two property transactions allowing the Charlotte Hornets to move forward with building a 160,000-square-foot practice facility and team headquarters. (More)

➤ Gatorade has signed current Duke freshman and projected NBA No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg to an NIL deal. Flagg is the first men's college basketball athlete to be signed by the company. (More)

➤ Yesterday's Results: MLB | NCAAF | NBA | NHL

If you're passionate about college sports and want to stay updated on rising stars like Cooper Flagg—plus all things name, image, and likeness—check out NIL-Wire! Sign up here with one click!

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Losing your hearing? Don't pay $2,500+ for a prescription, try this new OTC Hearing Aid for only $189 from Audien Atom! (See It Here)

➤ A Bank of America study revealed a 3% increase in grocery products across Charlotte. Target (0%) and Harris Teeter (2%) had the lowest increases, and Aldi’s prices were 12% lower than Walmart’s. (See Details)

➤ Black Mountain-based Ingles announced Tuesday it suffered between $35 million and $55 million in property and inventory losses due to Hurricane Helene. (More)

➤ Topsail Steamer, a family-run company on Topsail Island, netted a partnership with Shark Tank Sharks Lori Greiner and Todd Graves, founder of Raising Cane’s. (More)

➤ Did you miss our donation opportunity yesterday? I checked our revenue numbers last night, and we're in danger of missing our target for October. If you've ever wanted to help Flyover North Carolina cover its expenses, this is your chance. I would appreciate your support! - Cole, CEO

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Flying together with our sponsor

Any person who is struggling with bloating, gas, or constipation must know about this quick remedy:

Simply squat down, do this very simple movement for 5 seconds and you'll feel the instant need to go number 2.

Using it for more than 7 days will not only restore the health of your gut, but will also allow you to eat whatever you want, without worrying about your next trip to the bathroom.

Thousands of people have already tried this squat-and-move method and they swear by it!

Watch this short video to find out all about it:

Squat Down & Do This Movement For 5 Sec To Empty Your Bowels

➤ Flying out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport in your Halloween costume today? TSA Agents share checkpoint tips and say they will "haunt down any prohibited items." (See Tips)

➤ An OBX Folklore map created by Dare County GIS and Dare County Library virtually connects users to spooky places along the Outer Banks. (See Map)

➤ Repairs are underway on the historic Thomas Wolfe Home in Asheville after Hurricane Helene caused a large tree to fall on its roof. (See Photo)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ ZQuiet is a ready-to-use, anti-snoring mouthpiece that provides immediate relief by gently moving your jaw forward. With ZQuiet, you can finally stop snoring at the source — for good! (See It Here)