FRIDAY, November 1, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1859, Cape Lookout lighthouse was lit for the first time with a first-order Fresnel lens that still shines out for over 18 miles. Its 163-foot-high red brick tower was painted in 1873 with the daymark black-and-white diamond pattern it has become internationally renowned for.

Some important endings take place this weekend: early voting at 3 p.m. Saturday, daylight saving time at 2 a.m. Sunday, and hopefully No. 5 Miami's winning streak! Learn more in Sports.

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Senators Work to Replenish SBA Loan Funds

North Carolina Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are leading a congressional effort to replenish Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Program funding, which has run out due to Hurricane Helene's impact on six states, including North Carolina.

SBA spokesperson Donika Farham announced that more than 6,000 people requested SBA loans. "Our resources have been spread thin," she said.

Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) are joining Tillis and Budd in leading passage of the act, which would appropriate $550 million toward the program, allowing for $2.48 billion in lending capacity projected to last until the end of 2024.

Election Watch: Secretary of State

An Oct. 29 poll indicates Secretary of State incumbent Elaine Marshall (D) could win her eighth term.

Marshall is polling 5 points ahead of her challenger, Chad Brown (R). She is running on her record of prioritizing economic development and “cutting red tape.”

Brown is a steel company manager and chair of the Gaston County Board of Commissioners who previously served as mayor of Stanley and played professional baseball. He believes in eliminating “wasteful spending” and establishing governmental transparency, accountability, and efficiency.

North Carolina’s Secretary of State does not serve as the chief election official, unlike in other states. That role is chosen by a governor-appointed State Board of Elections. (The North Carolina legislature has proposed changes to this process.)

Early voting update: As of Thursday morning, 3,621,936 ballots had been accepted in North Carolina. Also, if you’re a working mom in need of child care so you can vote, Olympic medalist Allyson Felix wants to help.

Coastal 'Ghost Forests' Expand

What scientists call "ghost forests" are creeping up along the East Coast, affecting species from cypress to pines.

New images from NASA show once-green bald cypress forests along North Carolina's Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula turning increasingly brown. Images taken in 2005 of the same region present a greener version of the same bald cypress forests.

Scientists believe saltwater contamination from rising sea levels is killing these coastal woodlands. The salt affects the soil chemistry and tree health, which slowly kills the forest.

Scientists also believe land subsidence is exacerbating the problem in North Carolina, where the sea level is rising between 3 and 4 millimeters per year—three times faster than the worldwide average.

A science panel advising North Carolina's Coastal Resources Commission recently issued a report projecting that sea levels will rise along the state's coast by more than a foot by 2050.

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➤ Statewide: The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services now reports 101 verified deaths in the state due to Hurricane Helene. (More)

➤ Western NC: I-26 reopened between North Carolina and Tennessee Wednesday as contractors finished a temporary causeway crossing the Nolichucky River. (More)

➤ Asheville: A 35-foot Fraser fir was delivered to Biltmore in a horse-drawn carriage Wednesday. At least 40 people helped carry the tree into the Grand Banquet Hall, where it will be decorated for Christmas. (See Video)

➤ Hamlet: The FBI arrested Earl Carter, nicknamed "AK Guru," for making and selling hundreds of machine guns by modifying legal firearms or piecing together parts from deconstructed machine guns. (See Details)

➤ Selma: Republican Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance will host a rally today at 5 p.m. at The Farm on Batten Road. (More)

➤ Garysburg: A peanut warehouse fire that started Tuesday may not be extinguished for weeks due to peanut oils fueling its flames. (See Video)

➤ Outer Banks: The OBX Marine Mammal Stranding Network is searching for an injured manatee last seen near Kitty Hawk Bay. (See Photos)

➤ The Carolina Panthers will start Bryce Young at quarterback Sunday. Young began the season as the Panthers' starter but was benched ahead of Week 3. (More)

➤ Duke Football (6-2) travels to No. 5 Miami (8-0) for a noon game Saturday after coming off a tough overtime loss to No. 20 SMU last weekend. (More)

➤ MaxPreps' latest North Carolina High School football rankings have Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Rabun Gap) at No. 1, Hough (Cornelius) at No. 3, and Grimsley (Greensboro) at No. 3. (See Rankings)

➤ Yesterday's Results: NFL | NCAAF | NBA | NHL | LPGA

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➤ Federal regulators are scrutinizing Charlotte-based Bank of America's anti-money laundering and economic sanction compliance programs. (See Details)

➤ King Street Properties completed the core and shell of two life-science buildings in Morrisville that are being described as the size of five football fields. (See Photo and Renderings)

➤ Greensboro chipmaker Qorvo may sell part of its business and transfer its production line to another location after profits dropped due to increased demand for less expensive smartphones, which require less profitable innards. (See Details)

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➤ K-9 Luc, a 16-month-old German shepherd being trained to detect drugs, search for missing persons, and locate clothing articles, joined the Creedmoor Police Department Tuesday. (See Photo)

➤ Neonatal nurses at UNC Health Rex and WakeMed Health and Hospitals dressed up NICU babies for Halloween in costumes ranging from owls to football players. (See Photos)

➤ Discovery Place Science will open an immersive multimedia exhibit titled "Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall" on Nov. 16. (More)

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