Monday, January 12, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1971, former NFL defensive end Oscar Sturgis was born in Hamlet. Sturgis won back-to-back Class 4-A state football titles with Richmond Senior High School in Rockingham, then played at UNC in college. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1995 and later played for the Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins.

Davidson College is receiving $4 million from the U.S. Department of Education to launch a civil discourse network through its Institute for Public Good—part of a funding shift under the Trump administration. Learn more in Top Stories.

Former Trump administration official Steve Bannon is laying the groundwork for a presidential run in 2028. How serious is he? Listen to Ayla Brown as she breaks down Bannon's not-so-quiet moves toward a run in 2028 in today's Flyover Podcast episode. Watch it here.

As AI reshapes the global economy beyond just chips, today's sponsor EnergyX is positioning itself at the center of the massive lithium demand powering the next wave of innovation.

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 Lifestyle Costs Rise Despite Strong Economy

Despite projections of continued economic strength, robust population growth, and increasing business investments across the state in 2026, North Carolinians face rising lifestyle costs that outpace wage growth—pressures economists say are likely to take a heavier toll on younger generations.

In June 2024, the median price for a home in the U.S. was $426,900—the highest ever recorded by the National Association of Realtors. By April 2025, the price had dipped slightly to $414,000.

Tuition and housing costs "have for decades been outstripping inflation," said Jon Sanders of the Raleigh-based John Locke Foundation. He called this trend "the inevitable consequences of supplanting free markets with government control," despite ongoing efforts to make these costs more affordable.

Business and policy leaders will gather in Durham today at the NC Chamber and North Carolina Bankers Association's 24th Annual Economic Forecast Forum to discuss these issues, as well as how the state's economy will impact its growth and competitiveness.

NCDOT Reports Record Train Ridership in 2025

The North Carolina Department of Transportation reported Friday that Amtrak's state-supported trains achieved a record of nearly 740,000 passengers in 2025—a 15% increase since 2023 and the highest ridership in the service's 35-year history.

The growth marks the fourth consecutive year of post-pandemic highs and a 59% increase over 2019.

NCDOT attributes Amtrak's success to more frequent service, affordable fares, targeted promotions, and extra trains for events such as the North Carolina State Fair, Lexington Barbecue Festival, and Carolina Panthers games.

October 2025 set a monthly record with 74,400 passengers, highlighting the appeal of reliable, traffic-free travel between cities like Raleigh, Greensboro, and Charlotte. One passenger, headed to Saturday's Carolina Panthers Wild Card playoff game, said the train allowed him to "just sit down and chill."

Davidson Gets $4M to Promote Civil Debate

Davidson College's Institute for Public Good has been awarded a $4 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education to foster respectful disagreement and civil debate across about 100 U.S. college campuses.

The four-year award, the largest competitive government grant in the college's history, aims to strengthen democratic engagement by supporting a new Deliberative Citizenship Network that will train faculty and staff to facilitate conversations on controversial topics and help students host discussions.

The initiative's director hopes the network will bridge divides on campuses and beyond by equipping students with "deliberative leadership skills" needed for constructive dialogue around the world.

Founded by Concord Presbytery in 1837, Davidson is a highly selective liberal arts college with approximately 2,000 undergraduate students.

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Nvidia's Not the Only Winner of the AI Boom

The AI boom's demand for chips turned Nvidia into the most valuable company on the market. But chips won't be the only winner.

Keeping these AI processors running is creating substantial new demand for lithium. Google alone needs 100+ million lithium-ion cells to power its AI data centers.

With experts forecasting 5X lithium demand growth by 2040, it's no wonder 40,000+ investors backed EnergyX. Their patented tech can recover 3X more lithium than traditional methods. That's already earned investment from giants like General Motors and POSCO.

Now, they're moving toward commercial production. With 100,000+ acres of lithium deposits in Chile, that's a potential $1.1B in annual revenue opportunity at projected market prices.

Invest in this boom as an early-stage EnergyX shareholder today.*

➤ Statewide: Activists in Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, and other North Carolina cities joined nationwide protests this weekend against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after an ICE officer fatally shot a Minneapolis woman. (See Raleigh and Charlotte News)

➤ Charlotte: North Carolina Republican Reps. Jake Johnson, Brenden Jones, and Harry Warren sent letters to Charlotte and Mecklenburg County officials citing rising violent crime, deadly transit attacks, and concerns that DEI initiatives and limited ICE cooperation may prioritize ideology over public safety. (More)

➤ Guilford County: Former U.S. Tennis Association Coach Douglas Wade Booth, 71, was charged with second-degree rape, child sex offenses, and felony abuse for allegedly assaulting young players in Greensboro during a 1980 tournament. He was arrested in California and faces a $1 million bond. (More)

➤ UNC-Chapel Hill's Dr. Beth Mayer-Davis called the U.S. Department of Agriculture's decision to drop "drinking in moderation" from the newly released dietary guidelines—previously defined as two drinks daily for men and one for women—a "serious omission" that fails to warn about cancer risks. (More)

➤ Durham: Olympic track coach George Williams delivered new Nike uniforms to Riverside High School's track team Friday, saying, "I can't stop" helping youth because others helped him achieve success. (More)

➤ Wilmington: The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher will begin construction on a temporary Discovery Cove at Independence Mall today, featuring marine exhibits, education programs, and a gift shop while the main facility undergoes a renovation and expansion. (More)

➤ Asheville: Biltmore's "fancy" McDonald's celebrated its grand reopening on Jan. 8, following repairs to damage from Hurricane Helene, which restored the restaurant's Biltmore-style design and self-playing piano. The event also included a $1,000 donation to the Asheville GreenWorks nonprofit. (More)

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➤ The Charlotte Hornets crushed the Utah Jazz 150-95 on Saturday night. The 55-point win is Charlotte's second-largest margin of victory in franchise history. (More)

➤ The Carolina Panthers rank in the middle of the pack in terms of cap space heading into the 2026 offseason, coming off their most successful season in nearly a decade. (More)

➤ A tribute for NASCAR legend Greg Biffle titled Burnout for Biffle will be held in Mooresville on Jan. 16. (More)

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➤ Discover exclusive senior discounts that can help stretch your budget further on everyday essentials, travel, prescriptions, insurance, and more. This free resource shows seniors how to unlock hidden savings programs and special offers they may already qualify for—helping you save money without changing your lifestyle. (LEARN MORE)

➤ Kinston-based flyExclusive's shares more than doubled, from around $3.50 to $7.20 on Jan. 8, after the company signed a dealership agreement with Starlink to sell and install high-speed communications systems on its Challenger 350 fleet. (More)

➤ Charlotte's PNC Music Pavilion, a 20,000-seat outdoor concert venue, has been renamed Truliant Amphitheater under a new naming rights deal with Truliant Federal Credit Union. The change takes effect for the 2026 concert season, which starts in April. (More)

➤ NASCAR champion Joey Logano's foundation donated $100,000 to Youth Villages in North Carolina to expand its LifeSet and Scholars programs, which support youth aging out of foster care with housing, education, and independent living resources. (More)

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Investors Can't Get Enough of This Precious Metal

The price of lithium recently hit its highest levels since late 2023.

No surprise with experts expecting demand to jump 30-40% next year and Google deploying 100+ million lithium-ion cells to help power their AI data centers.

Even less surprising? 40,000+ people joined General Motors as early-stage EnergyX investors to get a piece of this boom. Their patented tech recovers up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods. It's more than the tech turning heads, though.

They're moving toward commercial production on 100,000+ acres of lithium-rich Chilean land, a potential $1.1B annual revenue opportunity at projected market prices. Next up? ~50,000 acres of deposits in Arkansas and Texas.

Become an early-stage EnergyX investor today.

Comparisons to other companies are for informational purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Energy Exploration Technologies, Inc. ("EnergyX") has engaged The Flyover to publish this communication in connection with EnergyX's ongoing Regulation A offering. The Flyover has been paid in cash and may receive additional compensation. The Flyover and/or its affiliates do not currently hold securities of EnergyX.
This compensation and any current or future ownership interest could create a conflict of interest. Please consider this disclosure alongside EnergyX's offering materials. EnergyX's Regulation A offering has been qualified by the SEC. Offers and sales may be made only by means of the qualified offering circular. Before investing, carefully review the offering circular, including the risk factors. The offering circular is available at invest.energyx.com/.

➤ An international panel led by NC State veterinary professor Dr. Natasha Olby released new guidelines for diagnosing and monitoring canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (canine dementia) in senior dogs, standardizing criteria and recommending screening starting at age 7. (More)

➤ North Carolina's ABEL (At Both Ends of the Leash) program is partnering with the nonprofit Eyes Ears Nose and Paws to place assistance dogs in prisons in Warren, Caswell, and Orange counties, where inmates train the dogs to help people with disabilities. (More)

➤ North Carolina adults spent an average of $943.46 on alcohol in 2024—slightly above the national average of $897.57—reflecting a 0.78% increase from 2023. (See Map)

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➤ This mind-bending research shook the medical world to its core! It seems 97% of the people who get Alzheimer's and dementia use specific words in conversations three years before the disease strikes. This word, especially, is a precise indicator of early Alzheimer's. Find out all about it here: Alzheimer's Words in Conversation