MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1663, King Charles II granted a charter giving Lords Proprietors the power to guarantee political and religious freedoms to the inhabitants of Carolina, which stretched east to west from the Atlantic Ocean to the South Seas, and north to south from the Albemarle Sound to the present-day Georgia/Florida border.

The Duke men's and women's basketball teams are moving on to the Sweet 16! Learn more in Sports! How's your basketball bracket holding up? Hit reply and let us know.

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Wildfires Burn 3,500 Acres, Prompt Evacuations

At least 125 wildfires had burned more than 3,500 acres across North Carolina by Sunday as a statewide burn ban remained in effect and firefighters battled flames in multiple counties.

Two Polk County wildfires that surpassed 1,000 acres as of Sunday prompted Polk County Emergency Management to issue mandatory evacuations for residents of Piney Gate, Green River Cove, and Holberts Cove Road over the weekend. Firefighters from Randolph County traveled to Polk County to help fight the flames.

Firefighters are also battling a 276.6-acre fire in Stokes and Rockingham counties, a 250-acre fire in Wilkes County, a 160-acre fire in Burke County, and a fire of undetermined size in Forsyth County.

The North Carolina Forest Service has provided a map that shows the location and status of all active fires here.

UNC-CH, NC State Students Can Sue for Refunds

The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled unanimously Friday that UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State students can move forward with a lawsuit seeking refunds related to COVID-19 campus shutdowns.

Students challenged mandatory fees they paid when the two UNC System campuses closed for most students in the fall of 2020 while other system campuses remained open, rendering the services "of no value whatsoever."

The Supreme Court ruling modifies an October 2022 Court of Appeals ruling that the lawsuit could move forward by agreeing that the universities' "sovereign immunity does not foreclose plaintiffs' breach of contract claims," but acknowledging that the lawsuit alleges "the existence of express—not implied—contracts between plaintiffs and the Board."

The Supreme Court warned that students may lose their case if the evidence produced during discovery confirms the Board's contention that students were not entitled to refunds.

NC Weather Spotters Needed

The National Weather Service is asking amateur weather spotters in North Carolina to join a nationwide network of volunteers to help document the size, intensity, duration, and patterns of rain, hail, and snow across the state.

Named the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), the network wants to focus on covering rural, coastal, and higher terrain areas in mountain locations.

Those interested can join via the network's website by clicking the "Join CoCoRaHS" link. After registering, volunteers must purchase a required 4-inch plastic rain gauge and can then begin submitting reports via the network's website or app.

CoCoRaHS formed after a severe thunderstorm hit Fort Collins, Colo., in July 1997. North Carolina joined in 2007.

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➤ Statewide: A three-judge Court of Appeals panel heard oral arguments in Republican Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin's ballot challenge case Friday, but did not issue a ruling immediately. (More)

➤ Guilford County: The state Supreme Court reversed lower court rulings against a teen who was forcibly given a COVID-19 vaccination without parental consent, enabling the teen and his mother to move forward with their suit against the school board and Old North State Medical Society. (More)

➤ Durham: George Bell, once known as the world's tallest man at 7 feet 8 inches tall, died at his home in Durham. Bell played for the Harlem Globetrotters and worked as a deputy in Norfolk, Va. (More)

➤ Union County: Police charged a 14-year-old Thursday for the creation and distribution of social media messages threatening violence against Union County Early College students. Police also seized multiple firearms and ammunition from the student's home. (More)

➤ Asheville: Good Morning America will visit Highland Brewing on Thursday, March 27, to cover Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. The program airs locally on ABC affiliate WLOS from 7 to 9 a.m. (More)

➤ Cary is home to one of two American factories that make Cheez-It crackers. ABC11 toured the factory, which employs 700, for an inside look at operations. (Watch Report)

➤ Duke men's basketball knocked Baylor out of the NCAA tournament Sunday with a solid 89-66 win thanks to Tyrese Proctor's seven 3-pointers. The Blue Devils now move on to the Sweet 16. (More)

➤ Duke women's basketball nearly fell to Oregon Sunday during the second round of NCAA play, but finished with a 59-53 win and advanced to the Sweet 16 against the winner of Monday's game between UNC and West Virginia. (More)

➤ Will Wade, current McNeese State head basketball coach, has signed a six-year deal with NC State to become its next head men's basketball coach. Wade will finish out the remainder of the season at McNeese before joining the Wolfpack ahead of the 2025-26 season. (More)

➤ McNeese State manager Amir "Aura" Khan will also be joining Wade at NC State. Khan gained fame for leading the team onto the court while carrying a boombox and became the first manager to sign a NIL deal. (More)

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➤ Johnson & Johnson broke ground on a $2 billion manufacturing factory in Wilson—the first of four new manufacturing plants the company will build in the U.S. The facility is expected to employ around 500 workers who will be paid an average of $109,000 annually. (More)

➤ A new list ranks North Carolina as the No. 15 most innovative state based on 25 key indicators ranging from its share of STEM professionals to research and development spending per capita. (See List)

➤ Checkpoint 2 opens in Charlotte Douglas International Airport's Terminal Lobby for limited screening today and will become fully operational on Wednesday. It will serve as the main screening location for TSA PreCheck and flight crews. (More)

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➤ Residents of four states, including North Carolina, reported seeing a meteor streaking across the sky early Saturday morning. Tracking data suggests it was first spotted in Greensboro traveling south toward Asheboro. (See Photo)

➤ Researchers spotted a killer whale near Kitty Hawk on March 13. The last killer whale sighting in North Carolina was in 2011 off Oregon Inlet. Most killer whales live in the colder waters of Antarctica, Norway, and Alaska. (See Photo)

➤ Ruby the Rocker Dog has been "signed" to the High Point Rockers' roster. Born just before Hurricane Helene hit, Ruby spent her early days in a western North Carolina shelter but now is the team mascot and greets fans at the stadium. (Watch Report)

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