Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 2006, the Houston Texans selected NC State’s Mario Williams, a 6-foot-6, 292-pound standout, with their first overall pick in the NFL Draft after agreeing to the deal the day before. Williams, a consensus All-American and Wolfpack MVP who set school records with 14.5 sacks in 2005, became the first NC State player ever taken as the No. 1 draft pick.

Independent registrations continue to outpace Republican and Democrat registrations. 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.

Elections Board Discovers 34K Dead Voters

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has identified approximately 34,000 deceased people still listed on the state’s voter rolls.

The discovery came from a data comparison of nearly 7.4 million voter records submitted on April 17 against the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database, using names, dates of birth, and partial Social Security numbers.

Executive Director Sam Hayes noted the number was higher than anticipated, though some cases were expected. “Our goal is to use every available and legal tool at our disposal to achieve the most accurate voter rolls possible,” Hayes said. Officials emphasized that the finding does not indicate illegal votes were cast.

The state board plans to work with county boards to remove the names and continue broader verification efforts for eligibility, duplicates, and other anomalies.

Unaffiliated Registrations Outpace Major Parties

Unaffiliated voters now comprise the largest bloc of the state’s electorate. As of late April, 3,060,908 North Carolinians—39.5% of the total 7.75 million registered voters—are listed as unaffiliated, surpassing both Republicans at 30% and Democrats at 29.9%.

In the most recent seven-day period, overall registrations increased by 4,559, with unaffiliated registrations growing by 4,784, Republicans growing by 12, and Democrats losing 257.

Reps. Carla Cunningham and Nasif Majeed, former North Carolina House Democrats who recently switched to unaffiliated status after losing their primaries, are part of a trend that underscores a broader shift away from traditional party affiliation in battleground North Carolina. Both cited a desire to prioritize constituents and independent thinking over party loyalty.

North Carolina citizens can view their registration status here.

NC Sees Historic Drop in Infant Deaths, Overdoses

North Carolina achieved a historic milestone in 2024 as its infant mortality rate fell to the lowest level in state history. The rate dropped 8.7% from 6.9 to 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births, driven largely by a 14.9% decline in neonatal deaths.

State health officials credit investments such as Medicaid expansion and extended postpartum coverage for the improvement.

The positive trend coincided with a sharp 34% decrease in overdose fatalities, falling from 4,442 in 2023 to 2,934 in 2024. Opioid-related deaths declined even more steeply by 38.3%. Officials pointed to increased naloxone distribution and settlement funds from pharmaceutical litigation as key factors.

While disparities persist, health leaders expressed encouragement and pledged continued efforts through targeted programs.

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➤ Asheville: Residents and business owners are divided over Fox News’ portrayal of downtown Asheville as unsafe and plagued by rising homelessness, panhandling, and disorder, with former councilman Carl Mumpower agreeing, while city officials defend increased police patrols and outreach programs. (More)

➤ Winston-Salem: Greidy Mendoza-Soriano and Karissa Gamez, both 16, were charged as adults with two felony counts related to rioting in the deadly April 20 mass shooting at Leinbach Park that killed two teenagers and injured five others. (More)

➤ I-77: A viral video captured a street takeover on I-77 under the Lakeview Road overpass involving a group of young people—some masked—who blocked traffic, walked among stopped cars, and lit a firework. (Watch Video)

➤ NC State: Plaintiffs in a sexual abuse lawsuit filed by 31 former university athletes against former athletics trainer Robert Murphy voluntarily dismissed all claims against former chancellor Randy Woodson on Monday. A hearing involving additional dismissal requests is scheduled for today. (More)

➤ Garner: NCDOT awarded a nearly $26 million contract to widen more than one mile of U.S. 401 into a six-lane divided highway, eliminating left turns from side streets and adding medians, synchronized signals, sidewalks, and crosswalks to improve safety. (More)

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➤ Former Blue Devil Cooper Flagg was named NBA Rookie of the Year, narrowly beating out Charlotte Hornets sharpshooter (and his college teammate) Kon Knueppel for the award. (More)

➤ Federal prosecutors plan to file new bribery and fraud charges against former Hornets guard Terry Rozier as part of an ongoing gambling probe. (More)

➤ UNC basketball added Northwestern transfer Cade Bennerman, a 7-foot redshirt freshman with four years of eligibility. He’s expected to help fill the void left by Henri Veesaar, who’s entering the NBA draft. (More)

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➤ Duke University’s BRiDGE incubator in Durham is empowering startups by providing affordable lab space and connections to investors. Part of the Pratt School of Engineering’s Christensen Family Center for Innovation, the program currently supports 13 startups. (More)

➤ Raleigh-based Martin Marietta Materials appointed Christopher Samborski as executive vice president and chief operating officer, a new position, effective May 1. Samborski previously served as president of the company’s West and Specialties divisions. (More)

➤ North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson is urging businesses impacted by tariffs to apply for refunds through the new federal Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) portal in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system. (More)

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➤ North Carolina State Treasurer Brad Briner announced the launch of a high school internship program in his department on Friday, as well as financial literacy clubs at schools statewide to expand students’ knowledge of personal finance, investing, and state economic issues. (More)

➤ Topgolf customers in Charlotte watched a man drive his car onto the driving range around 12:15 a.m. Sunday, crashing through the netting and circling the bays before being guided off. The facility sustained roughly $5,000 in damage. (Watch Video)

➤ Joe Gibbs Racing pit crew members visited young patients and their families at Novant Health Hemby Children's Hospital in Charlotte last week, delivering encouragement and morale-boosting moments to children receiving care. (See Photo)

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