Friday, December 5, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1886, a rare southern winter storm blanketed North Carolina with heavy snow, dumping 26 inches in Asheville. By Dec. 6, unofficial reports put totals as high as 33 inches.

Parts of central North Carolina are under a Winter Weather Advisory today as a mix of snow and rain moves in from the south. Learn more in Top Stories.

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Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

NC Braces for First Winter Storm

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect through midnight as a quick-moving storm system delivers a wintry mix that began overnight in western North Carolina and is moving across parts of the northern Piedmont and Coastal Plain today.

Ice, snow, and rain are expected north and east of Asheville, potentially causing travel delays this morning.

Up to 1 inch of snow is possible north of the Triangle, with precipitation expected to shift to rain by midday. A chance of evening showers turning to a wintry mix could complicate Friday evening commutes.

Communities south of Asheboro will mostly experience cold rain.

Mostly cloudy skies are forecast over the weekend, with highs in the 40s to low 50s and spotty showers on Saturday. Cooler air returns early next week, with no further wintry threats in the forecast.

Stein Touts Economic Growth Despite Setbacks

Gov. Josh Stein announced Wednesday that North Carolina is positioned for strong future economic growth after securing pledges of over 33,000 new jobs and nearly $23 billion in investments during 2025 across sectors like aerospace, biotech, and advanced manufacturing.

Despite the boom, performance-based state incentive payouts reveal uneven follow-through, with some companies, like Cisco and Ernst & Young, meeting or exceeding job targets, while others, like Credit Karma and Atlantic Building Components, have fallen short.

Hurricane Helene's impact also lingers, with six Western North Carolina counties shifting to more economically distressed tiers for 2026. Recovery efforts continue, though 86% of affected businesses reported earnings at or below pre-storm levels in July.

North Carolina also faces a budget impasse until Dec. 15, with House Speaker Destin Hall stating the House will not support a budget that limits teacher and state employee raises to 2%, arguing that higher increases are needed despite projected future deficits.

NC Football Teams Score Talented Recruits

North Carolina universities secured highly ranked players during Division I National Signing Day Wednesday, with UNC securing 4-star quarterback Travis Burgess (No. 95 nationally). The program then pulled off a major coup by flipping 4-star defensive lineman Vodney Cleveland, who had previously committed to both Alabama and Texas. Other top UNC signees include defensive linemen Trashawn Ruffin (No. 14 in North Carolina) and Zavion Griffin-Haynes (No. 17 in North Carolina).

Duke signed 4-star interior offensive lineman Sean Stover (No. 1 in Texas), 3-star quarterback Terry Walker III (No. 36 nationally), 3-star edge rusher Obinna Umeh (No. 60 nationally), and 3-star tight end Ben Moseley (No. 69 nationally).

NC State claimed 3-star standouts like linebacker Zykir Moore (No. 17 in Pennsylvania), wide receiver Amiri Acker (No. 72 nationally), wide receiver Tyreek Cooper (No. 79 nationally), and safety D'Various Surratt (No. 29 in North Carolina).

Wake Forest's class features 4-star cornerback AJ Marks (No. 36 nationally) and 3-star players like quarterback Grant Lawless (No. 26 nationally), receiver and safety Walker Bryson (No. 31 nationally), safety Mahamadou Siby (No. 41 nationally), and linebacker Monroe Partin (No. 41 nationally).

View a list of recruits nationwide here.

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➤ Boone: A gunman hijacked a turboprop plane owned by Samaritan's Purse en route to Maiwut, South Sudan, on Tuesday, forcing the pilot and a staff member to land in Wau. The National Security Service of South Sudan arrested the hijacker, and no serious injuries have been reported. (More)

➤ Raleigh: Former Gov. Roy Cooper filed to run for U.S. Senate in North Carolina's 2026 race on Wednesday, entering the Democratic primary just one day after Trump-endorsed challenger Michael Whatley officially launched his GOP bid. (More)

➤ Charlotte: U.S. Border Patrol announced Wednesday that over 425 individuals have been arrested so far during Operation Charlotte's Web, saying the effort targets "some of the most dangerous criminal illegal aliens." (More)

➤ Statewide: The North Carolina State Board of Elections rebutted Democratic claims Tuesday that a September 2025 settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice grants the federal government "unfettered access" to private voter data, saying the access is limited, court-monitored, and compliant with the Help America Vote Act. (More)

➤ Eastern NC: In a 2-1 ruling, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal law banning bombmaking instruction tied to violent crimes, rejecting a First Amendment challenge from convicted defense trainer Christopher Arthur, who faces 25 years in prison. (More)

➤ Duke University released its Class of 2029 admissions profile Wednesday after a two-month delay, citing changes to align with new federal data reporting standards. Of the 1,750 enrollees, 52.5% are female. Demographically, 33% are white, 25% Asian, 11% Hispanic, and 7% black. (More)

➤ NC State: The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal of Professor Madhusudan Katti's racial discrimination lawsuit against five faculty members, ruling that the allegations are speculative. (More)

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➤ Duke women's soccer takes on Stanford tonight at 8:45 p.m. in the NCAA College Cup semifinal. If they win, they'll play either TCU or Florida State in the National Championship game. (More)

➤ Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is reportedly selling a significant stake in the team to help finance a purchase of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, which are valued at over $4 billion. The Hurricanes are currently valued around $2 billion. (More)

➤ Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for November, while his former college roommate, Cooper Flagg, earned the honor in the Western Conference. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, ESPN ran an article that claimed Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball may have "negative value" in the trade market because of his injury history and a perceived lack of winning mentality. (More)

➤ Yesterday's Results: NFL | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer | PGA

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➤ Iowa-based 10 Roads Express trucking company will close its Greensboro operation in February, eliminating 74 jobs after losing the U.S. Postal Service as its main customer. (More)

➤ The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority approved Atrium Health's plan to build a $450 million, 200,000-square-foot hospital campus in Fort Mill, South Carolina, with 60 beds, four operating rooms, and 15 emergency bays. A mid-2029 opening is expected. (More)

➤ Raleigh's long-vacant Western Boulevard Kmart is being transformed into a hub with tenants that include Gold's Gym, Final Score basketball, Nail Lab, 810 Billiards & Bowling, Vavela Café, and Mythic Golf. Openings are expected in spring or summer 2026. (More)

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➤ A new map highlights the percentage of U.S. credit card accounts that became 30 or more days past due between quarters one and two of 2025, with North Carolina's 24.19% delinquency rate ranking it the ninth-highest state. (See Map)

➤ K&W Cafeteria fans are recreating beloved dishes at home following the chain's closure on Monday by sharing copycat recipes online for baked spaghetti, creamy coconut pie, and mac and cheese. (See Recipes)

➤ Raleigh leaders designated the cylindrical Holiday Inn on Hillsborough Street, which opened in 1969, as a historic landmark on Tuesday, granting a 50% tax deferral for preservation. IHG Hotels and Resorts will convert it into a Hotel Indigo while retaining its iconic shape. (See Photo)

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