THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2025

Good morning! On this day in 1616, Sir Walter Raleigh, our capital's namesake, was released from the Tower of London to make a second expedition to Venezuela in search of El Dorado, the legendary secret golden kingdom.

Did you know Sir Walter Raleigh's ships carried horses from Hispaniola to the Outer Banks in 1585 to bring food and supplies to the Roanoke Colony? New DNA research helps offer insight into the lineage of the wild horses living there today. Learn more in Top Stories.

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ICE Arrests 24 in Charlotte Operation

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Tuesday that 24 people believed to be illegal migrants were arrested as part of a targeted operation conducted in Charlotte March 1-8.

Two of the migrants were affiliated with the MS-13 gang. Charges for those arrested included 13 aggravated felonies or other violent offenses, three illegal firearms or weapons offenses, one assault on a federal officer, five property crimes, and 11 DWIs.

Six suspects had active immigration detainers that the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office didn't honor, and 18 additional suspects are still at large who also have detainers the sheriff's office didn't honor.

"These aliens could have been safely and efficiently transferred into ICE custody if their detainers had been honored," ICE stated in a March 18 news release.

Stein Presents Two-Year Budget Proposal

Democratic North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein unveiled a two-year budget proposal on Wednesday focused on expanding job opportunities, reducing costs for families, lowering middle-class taxes, building more homes, and improving public education.

Stein proposed raises for state law enforcement officers and teachers, free community college for students pursuing certain jobs, and public school bonds for building and upgrading schools. Teacher raises, Stein said, would be funded by cutting the Opportunity Scholarship program, which provides private school funds to families based on income.

Stein also requested that Republican legislators freeze tax rates scheduled to decrease "rather than recklessly walking to the edge of the fiscal cliff and then stepping off it."

Read the full budget here.

DNA Tests Help Sustain Wild Horse Herds

Riptide, a 6-year-old Banker Horse removed from Corolla's wild herd when he was a year old to receive lifesaving medical treatment, is among a group of horses undergoing DNA tests conducted by the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

The tests help identify health anomalies and document the herd's modern-day and historic lineage since arriving in different parts of the Outer Banks via explorers during the 1500s.

"The more we know about them genetically, how they behave, how they interact with their environment, how they interact with each other, the more we understand," said Meg Puckett, director of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, which focuses on sustaining the dwindling breed's population.

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➤ Statewide: A North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee voted to approve a bill allowing gun owners to carry concealed handguns without obtaining a permit on Tuesday. The legislation now heads to the Senate Rules Committee. (More)

➤ Statewide: The House Judiciary Committee also approved a bill on Tuesday that would prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across state agencies, local governments, and non-state entities using state funds. (More)

➤ Monroe's city council voted 4-3 to maintain its DEI committee, despite concerns from the mayor that it could jeopardize federal funding, particularly for the city's airport. (More)

➤ Mecklenburg County House Rep. Jordan Lopez, a Democrat, filed a bill Monday that would legalize the sale and use of marijuana for anyone 21 or older, but restrict where it could be grown and smoked. (More)

➤ Western NC: Lawmakers compromised on a fourth round of Hurricane Helene recovery funding Tuesday that allocates $524 million toward farm restoration and repairs to homes, roads, and bridges. (More)

➤ Wilmington is the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the state, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The city grew by more than 13% between 2020 and 2024, outpacing Raleigh's 10% and Charlotte's 8% growth. (More)

➤ Eastern NC: ECU Health announced the system's first pediatric robotic-assisted gall bladder removal, with the division chief of pediatric surgery stating, "This is where medicine is headed." (More)

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➤ Duke's Cooper Flagg was the lone North Carolina basketball player to be named to an AP All-America basketball team. Flagg was also one of two unanimous selections. (More)

➤ LaMelo Ball was absent for the Charlotte Hornets' 134-102 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night due to wrist soreness. (More)

➤ Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov is close to returning to the team's lineup after missing over a week due to an awkward hit from the Winnipeg Jets earlier this month. (More)

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➤ North Carolina teachers are reporting medical cost increases and provider limitations due to the state health plan switching from Blue Cross Blue Shield to Aetna. (More)

➤ A new study ranks North Carolina as the sixth best state for doctors based on 19 metrics that include opportunity and competition, medical environment, average annual physician wages, and other factors. (See Study)

➤ A partner who worked with former Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson is accused of embezzling more than half a million dollars from Thompson's business. (More)

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➤ Duke Gardens' cherry blossoms are anticipated to be in full bloom this weekend. Renovations currently limit access to the area, but a livestream showing the blossoms and a Cherry Check-In photo contest are available online. (See Details)

➤ North Carolina has the fourth most impact on March Madness due to its 13 NCAA championships, three Final Four Most Outstanding Player awards, and three championship coaches, according to a new study. (See Study)

➤ James Taylor, who spent most of his childhood and teen years in North Carolina, will be the latest music legend to inspire a stage musical. Fire & Rain will feature Taylor's iconic hits. (More)

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