WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1941, the USS North Carolina battleship was commissioned four months ahead of schedule in the New York Navy Yard during an event that received tremendous media attention. The "world's fightingest ship" is now permanently moored on the Cape Fear River in Wilmington.

Did you know the Japanese reported, several times, that the USS North Carolina sank during World War II, even though it didn't? Find out why by answering today's Trivia.

Also, check out Et Cetera for part two of the scattered mail story we reported on yesterday.

We're sponsored today by BOXABL, offering an opportunity to invest in groundbreaking building technology.

State Audit Finds Mismanaged Funds

The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor (NCOSA) audited 22 programs covering $25.65 billion in federally awarded funds and found $8.5 million in questioned costs, most of which can be attributed to the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

State Auditor Dave Boliek said the department incorrectly used $8.5 million of Unemployment Insurance Administration funds by charging expenditures to the wrong timeframe, and may have to pay the funds back to the federal government.

The audit also found the department didn't adequately monitor $55 million designated for employment and training programs for adults, dislocated workers, and youth who face barriers to employment.

The report is for the most recent fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. View the audit here.

House Prepares to Vote on DEI Ban

The North Carolina House was scheduled to vote on a bill Tuesday that would ban state agencies from proposing to "promote, support, fund, implement, or maintain" workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, policies, or initiatives. However, the vote was delayed to today.

The delay was announced as dozens of protesters packed the House gallery in opposition to the bill.

House Bill 171, sponsored by Majority Leader Rep. Brenden Jones, (R-Columbus), was described by Jones as a bill that doesn't ban diversity, silence conversations, touch free speech, or erase protections already guaranteed by federal law. He added, "What it does do is stop government offices from choosing winners and losers based on race, sex, or background."

The vote comes amid a nationwide push to rid government agencies and universities of affirmative action policies.

Biltmore Gardens 2nd 'Most Vibrant'

A new study ranks Asheville's Biltmore Estate Gardens as North America's second-most vibrant, just behind Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Florida, and ahead of Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York.

The rankings are based on a "vibrancy score" created by the United Kingdom's Premier Inn hotel chain using unfiltered satellite imagery and color theory to measure saturation and brightness.

Researchers analyzed more than 150 gardens throughout the world and also ranked gardens in subcategories for Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Oceania, and Africa. Kensington Palace Gardens in the UK received the highest ranking worldwide.

Biltmore Estate's April 4 Bloom Report details peak blooms currently on display, including Chinese wisteria, flowering dogwoods, azaleas, and viburnums.

Click here to share Flyover North Carolina with all your friends!

Flying together with our sponsor

The father-son duo revolutionizing homebuilding

Home construction has been slow, costly, and inefficient for centuries. So in 2017, Paolo and Galiano Tiramani founded BOXABL to change that—bringing factory-built efficiency to a nearly $5t industry.

Where traditional homes take 7+ months to build, new homes can roll off BOXABL's assembly line nearly every 4 hours. Equipped with plumbing, electrical, and HVAC, they're ready to be delivered and lived in. They already have 190,000+ reservations from potential buyers*.

Now, the Tiramani's are preparing for Phase 2—where modules can be configured into larger townhomes, single-family homes, and apartments.

Invest in BOXABL today before their raise partially closes on Monday.

➤ Statewide: The IRS extended the tax deadline for North Carolinians to May 1 to aid Hurricane Helene victims. The extension also comes as reports suggest fewer Americans have filed taxes this year than they had by this time last year. (More)

➤ Raleigh: The House filed a bill Monday that would eliminate class-size requirements for K-3 classes and allow the hiring of unlicensed teachers. (More)

➤ Greensboro native Ryan Routh—the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Trump in September—asked a judge to suppress statements from an eyewitness due to "impermissibly suggestive" questioning by the police. (More)

➤ Chapel Hill Police arrested 22-year-old Anas Hammood on Sunday after he fired a gun into the air following a fight on a sidewalk near UNC. A campus alert wasn't issued because Hammood was arrested within minutes of police receiving the report. (More)

➤ Duke University men's basketball player Khaman Maluach could face deportation due to the Trump administration's decision to revoke visas belonging to South Sudanese passport-holders after its government refused to accept deportees in a "timely manner." (More)

➤ Wake County: Elon University researchers found that year-round school students aren't performing better academically than traditional-calendar students when adjusted for demographics and other school characteristics. (More)

➤ Lake Gaston: Kevin Munn was sentenced to life in prison Monday after pleading guilty to a 2018 home invasion, robbery, arson, and murder of a Lake Gaston preacher's wife. (More)

➤ Duke finished third in the final AP NCAA men's basketball poll behind Florida and Houston. (More)

➤ Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi will miss at least one week after suffering an undisclosed injury during the team's game on Saturday. (More)

➤ Shigeaki Hattori, a former NASCAR driver and NASCAR team owner, was killed in a collision on NC Highway 73 on Saturday morning. Local police confirmed Hattori's death Monday. (More)

➤ UNC women's lacrosse was the unanimous No. 1 in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) poll after pulling off a thrilling 12-11 victory over then-No. 1 Boston College this past weekend. (More)

➤ Sign up here in one click to receive NIL Wire to stay up-to-date on everything related to name, image, and likeness in college sports.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Experience five-star hotel luxury at home with the ZenFluff Pillow. Its 100% Fluff™ microfiber filling and breathable 300-thread-count cotton cover provide the perfect balance of comfort and support. Hypoallergenic and machine washable, it ensures a cool, sweat-free sleep every night. Order now and enjoy 50% off! (Shop Now)

➤ House Republicans introduced a bill that would allow State Auditor Dave Boliek to audit any person or business receiving state funding. Boliek already has the power to probe state and local government agencies. (More)

➤ The Charlotte Ledger announced its 2025 Forty Over 40 Awards, which recognize innovators and problem-solvers over age 40 in the Charlotte area who are "doing great things in our community." (See List)

➤ North Carolina joined Virginia in racking up the Southeast's highest train travel during 2024, with NC by Train's Piedmont and Carolinian trains experiencing "record ridership" since 2022. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Struggling with sleepless nights? Discover a simple, effective bedtime routine that can transform your sleep quality. Visit PhysioSleep to learn more and start your journey toward restful nights and energized days.

Flying together with our sponsor

A new chapter in home construction

What if a new home were as easy as opening a book? That's the story with BOXABL.

They ship readymade houses to their final destination. Then, they're unfolded and immediately livable. How? By using assembly lines to condense homebuilding from 7+ months to hours. They've already built 600+ with 190,000+ more reservations from potential buyers*. No wonder investors are buzzing.

Now the real transformation's coming. BOXABL's preparing for Phase 2—where modules combine into larger townhomes, single-family homes, and apartments.

Invest today for just $0.80/share.

**This is a paid advertisement for Boxabl's Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at https://www.boxabl.com/invest/ * Reservations represents a non-binding indication of interest to purchase as Casita. A reservation does not require purchase of a Casita and there is no assurance of how many will result in actual purchases.

➤ The North Carolina Museum of Art received a $2.5 million grant to expand staffing and programming for its Initiative for Jewish Art and Culture and Judaic Art Gallery. (More)

➤ Duke men's basketball standout Cooper Flagg is making waves on social media for earning a 4.0 GPA during the fall semester. (More)

➤ The U.S. Postal Service retrieved and reprocessed mail scattered across I-40 in Durham on Monday morning after a mail truck dropped several crates filled with mail destined mainly for Chapel Hill. USPS planned to deliver the mail by Tuesday. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Introducing WaterBear, the ultimate screen and lens cleaner! Effortlessly eliminate smudges and fingerprints from all your devices. Enjoy crystal-clear displays in seconds. For a limited time, get 50% off your purchase. Don't miss out—order now for pristine screens every time! (Shop Now)