FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1984, one of the Carolinas' most destructive tornado outbreaks in history ripped across the region, spawning 24 tornadoes—11 of which touched down in North Carolina's Sandhills and Coastal Plain between 8 and 10 p.m., killing 42 and injuring 799.

The Tar Heel state is battling a different force of nature this week, as raging wildfires prompted Gov. Josh Stein to declare a state of emergency. Learn more in Top Stories.

We're sponsored today by Sam's Club, offering a special deal on new memberships for The Flyover readers.

Stein Declares State of Emergency

Dry weather created new fires in western North Carolina Wednesday, prompting Gov. Josh Stein to declare a state of emergency in 34 counties and the tribal lands held by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Eight fires remained active Thursday across Caldwell, Buncombe, Polk, Jackson, Haywood, and Swain counties. Stein urged residents to pay attention to local emergency alerts and evacuation notices.

Millions of fallen trees from Hurricane Helene are fueling the wildfires while also blocking logging roads and paths firefighters rely on to combat the blazes.

Currently, 476 first responders from North Carolina and across the country are fighting the 3,053-acre Black Cove Complex Fire in Polk County, which is considered the "highest priority" and was 17% contained as of Wednesday evening.

Approximately 250 homes have been evacuated in Polk County, where two other fires—the 3,231-acre Deep Woods Fire and the 199-acre Fish Hook Fire—were 11% and 86% contained as of Thursday, respectively.

NC Nurses Push for More Authority

North Carolina nurses gathered in downtown Raleigh Wednesday to advocate for legislation authorizing Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to handle the responsibilities they're licensed to carry out without doctor supervision.

Currently, nurses must pay doctors for supervision. Some doctors make tens of thousands of dollars a year from the fees.

Lobbying groups for doctors have fought against repealing these rules for years, but the North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA) and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle supported their repeal through previous legislation known as the SAVE Act.

The NCNA says removing these rules could save North Carolinians more than $650 million annually while increasing access to high-quality care.

Hornets Break Ground on New Facility

The Charlotte Hornets held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday on a new 160,000-square-foot training and performance facility that will include two full-size basketball courts and space for recovery, administrative offices, retail, orthopedic care, and sports medicine care.

The Novant Health Performance Center will be located in Uptown Charlotte across from the Spectrum Center, where the Hornets play their home games.

Designed to provide a best-in-class NBA experience focused on player development, health, and wellness, the facility will offer the "latest and greatest" technology, according to Hornets Co-chairman Rick Schnall.

The Hornets have missed the playoffs for the last eight seasons, but hope to rebuild under Co-Chairmen and Co-Owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin.

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

Because feeding a family shouldn't feel impossible.

Every trip to the store seems to cost more—and when there are kids to feed, there's no room for cutting corners. Sam's Club understands what families are facing right now. That's why they're offering a Plus Membership for $65—$45 off the regular price—plus a free 16-inch pizza to get dinner on the table without spending a dime more.

With a Plus Membership, families can save on groceries, everyday essentials, and name brands they trust—and get free delivery to skip the trip when life is busy. Plus, tools like Scan & Go and Curbside Pickup make shopping faster, so you spend less time in the store and more time at home.

If keeping the budget intact feels harder than ever, Sam's Club makes it easier to get more for less—without sacrificing quality.

➤ Statewide: A legal battle between Gov. Josh Stein and lawmakers over whether the state auditor should be able to make new elections board appointments goes to a three-judge panel on April 14, with a ruling expected by May 1. (More)

➤ Mecklenburg County: The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed former Republican Rep. Dan Bishop as deputy White House budget director in the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. (More)

➤ Raleigh: The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is planning to cut 80 jobs and will lose more than $100 million in funding due to the termination of several federal grants. (More)

➤ Durham: Former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines stopped at Duke University on Wednesday as part of her "The Fight is Far from Over" campaign opposing the participation of transgender women in women's sports. (More)

➤ Charlotte: Former Duke University football player Brandon David Braxton confessed to killing a Charlotte realtor last summer. Braxton was arrested and charged after DNA and fingerprint evidence connected him to the murder. (More)

➤ New Bern's Board of Aldermen unanimously voted to prohibit sleeping, camping, or staying overnight in temporary shelters or tents on publicly-owned parts of the city. (More)

➤ Apex partnered with the Carolina Hurricanes to open two street hockey rinks at Apex Community Park, with one designated for hockey only and the other incorporating basketball and futsal courts. The grand opening is on Saturday. (More)

➤ No. 1 seed Duke beat Arizona 100-93 in their Sweet 16 matchup Thursday night to advance to the Elite 8 this weekend against No. 2 seed Alabama. Cooper Flagg led the team with 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists, three blocks, and a steal. (See Stats)

➤ Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov is expected to return to the team's lineup for tonight's game against the Montreal Canadiens. Svechnikov had missed the team's previous six games due to an upper-body injury. (More)

➤ Duke baseball head coach Chris Pollard and ECU baseball head coach Cliff Godwin were both ejected from Tuesday's game after tempers flared when Godwin took exception to the actions of Duke players. Duke won 6-4. (Watch Video)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Elevate your golf performance with FlightPath Golf Tees. Designed to enhance distance and accuracy, these tees feature precision engineering that reduces friction, promoting straighter ball flight. Their durable construction ensures longevity, providing consistent performance round after round. (Shop Now)

➤ IBM will lay off 72 employees at its Winston-Salem location on Reynolds Boulevard on May 30. The news follows an announcement that IBM is expected to terminate about 3,900 workers across the U.S. (More)

➤ Panera Bread will close its fresh-dough facility in Greensboro due to a new on-demand baking model, through which third-party bakeries make the dough before par-baking and freezing it, then employees finish baking it as needed. The closure impacts 80 employees. (More)

➤ American Airlines will launch service from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport to Aspen, Colo., starting Dec. 18. Flights will be available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Is Your Magnesium Supplement Working? (Probably Not.) You take magnesium to sleep better, stress less, and feel healthier—but what if it's not working? Most people are taking the wrong kind. The solution? A highly absorbable magnesium that your body can actually use. Don't waste another dollar on the wrong supplement. Find out which magnesium actually works. 👉 See the best magnesium now!

Flying together with our sponsor

Beat rising costs with a membership designed to save more.

Sam's Club is offering a $45 discount on a Plus Membership, now just $65 (regularly $110), along with a free 16-inch pizza to kick off the savings, now through March 31.

Plus Members enjoy free delivery, early shopping hours, and the ability to skip checkout lines with Scan & Go.

With low prices on name brands and exclusive Member's Mark products, Sam's Club helps members get more for their money—especially when prices are rising everywhere else.

➤ Former NASCAR champion Kevin Harvick sold his South Charlotte mansion on Tuesday for $9.825 million, nearly a year after listing it at $12 million. Harvick also owns a mansion in Cornelius that was used in the movie Talladega Nights. (See Photo)

➤ A Bridge Between, a movie based on the life of basketball player Anthony Hodges, will begin filming in Charlotte next month. (More)

➤ Miss USA Alma Cooper, a 23-year-old active-duty soldier and West Point graduate, spoke to more than 100 students at South View High School in Hope Mills on Wednesday, encouraging them to push limits in leadership and service to others. (More)

➤ A Duke University executive said Duke did not approve the use of its trademarked apparel in the new season of The White Lotus, stating it "mistakenly suggests an endorsement or affiliation where none exists." (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Experience all-day comfort and relief with Vibrathotics vibrating insoles. Their patent-pending vibration massage technology increases blood flow, alleviating foot pain and numbness associated with conditions like plantar fasciitis and neuropathy. Designed for daily wear, these insoles support your arches, reduce fatigue, and improve balance. (Shop Now)