TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1876, Wilmington’s Temple of Israel—the first synagogue in North Carolina—was formally dedicated, and Solomon Bear, a longtime president and key fundraiser, received a commemorative gold-topped cane inscribed in his honor. See a photo of the cane here.

Just in time for beach season, a new website reveals parking options at three popular North Carolina beaches. Learn more in Top Stories, then reply to share your favorite North Carolina beach.

Republicans and Democrats are in an all-out war over control of the House of Representatives, and the battle may already be over before a single vote is cast in November. Whoever wins this fight controls everything from your tax bill to war powers to whether President Trump gets impeached. One party has the upper hand, and the other is scrambling. Tune in to The Flyover Podcast as Ayla breaks down the three biggest impacts of this redistricting fight. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor, InvestorPlace, is sharing new research on emerging AI, robotics, and technology companies that analysts believe could represent some of the market’s next major investment opportunities.

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.

Durham Operation Results in 29 Arrests

Durham police announced that a three-day targeted anti-violent crime operation in late April that involved 97 vehicle stops resulted in 29 arrests and the seizure of 29 firearms, including two equipped with illegal auto-sear switches.

Operation Spring Seizure, conducted by the Durham Police Organized Crime Division in partnership with the FBI and other task force officers, also netted drugs, cash, and other contraband while serving 58 warrants.

The division’s captain credited data-driven strategies and community input for the success, noting reduced violent incidents and stronger public trust following the initiative.

The announcement comes days after a Mother’s Day shooting at a Durham restaurant on North Roxboro Street, where a fight between employees led to one man being critically injured. Samar Suliman Al-Mahmoud, a 55-year-old restaurant employee, was arrested in connection with the shooting and faces assault charges.

NC Celebrates Graduates Statewide

North Carolina colleges and universities across the state held commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2026 over the weekend. UNC-Chapel Hill featured country star Eric Church as commencement speaker at Kenan Stadium, while Duke University saw nearly 7,000 graduates cross the stage with Microsoft CFO and Duke alumna Amy Hood delivering the address.

NC State alumnus Harry Sideris, CEO of Duke Energy, spoke at the Wolfpack’s commencement, and, as Flyover North Carolina reported Sunday, donor Anil Kochhar and his wife, Marilyn, pledged to pay off any student loans taken out by Wilson College of Textiles graduates during the 2025-26 year.

Meanwhile, at UNC-Wilmington, entrepreneur Howard Stein gave Cameron School of Business graduates $500 each “to celebrate graduation.”

Western North Carolina institutions, including UNC-Asheville, Western Carolina University, Brevard College, Mars Hill University, and Blue Ridge Community College, also honored hundreds of graduates on Saturday, with Appalachian State’s taking place Thursday, when country star Luke Combs received an honorary degree.

Site Shows Real-Time Beach Parking Options

A new website launched over the weekend allows drivers to check real-time parking availability at popular North Carolina beaches before leaving home.

PivotGO!, created by parking vendor Pivot Parking, displays live updates for Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, and Surf City. There's paid parking at the beaches from March 1 through October 31, which is enforced at Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., and at Surf City from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily. Users can zoom in on specific lots to see occupancy levels.

The tool also provides direct navigation links to Google Maps, Waze, or Apple Maps once drivers select their destination. Town officials hope the system will reduce circling for spots and improve visitors’ experiences during peak season.

In February, Wrightsville Beach hired Pivot Parking to develop the real-time system, alongside lowering daily standard parking spaces from $30 to $25, and premium spaces from $35 to $30.

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➤ Fairview: Star Grant, the 16-year-old daughter of Travis Grant, 41, and Kimberly Grant, 42, was arrested in Tennessee along with her 28-year-old accomplice, Devan Loving, after the triple murder of her parents and grandmother, Sharon Harwood Grant, 66. (More)

➤ Gastonia: Police arrested Christopher Hooper, 27, after he hid in the ceiling of CaroMont Regional Medical Center following a chase involving two stolen motorcycles that he and Payton Beatty, 20—who was also found and arrested—crashed on Sunday afternoon. (More)

➤ UNC-Charlotte: The university announced it will end gender-affirming housing, requiring transgender students to be housed according to biological sex at birth to comply with new federal guidelines under the Trump administration. (More)

➤ Delco: The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down in the area Saturday afternoon, damaging one business and two homes with peak winds of 100 mph after traveling a 1.38-mile path from Delco School Road to Fertilizer Road. (Watch Report)

➤ Columbus County: Evergreen native William Burns, who was killed aboard the USS Glennon on June 8, 1944, following the D-Day invasion, was finally laid to rest Saturday with full military honors at Chadbourn Memorial Cemetery. (More)

➤ Outer Banks: Buxton and Ocracoke ceremonies held on May 7 and 8 marked the 84th anniversary of World War II British sailors lost off Hatteras and Ocracoke in 1942 due to the sinkings of the armed tanker San Delfino and HMT Bedfordshire. (More)

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➤ North Carolina had two teams make the NCAA softball tournament: Duke earned the No. 12 national seed and will host the Durham Regional, while UNC Greensboro landed in the Athens Regional. (More)

➤ A USA Today ranking of the state’s best high schools for athletes put Raleigh’s Cardinal Gibbons at No. 1, followed by Charlotte Catholic at No. 2, and Weddington at No. 3. (See List)

➤ The Carolina Panthers restructured cornerback Jaycee Horn’s contract, converting $16.4 million of his salary into a signing bonus to free up $13.1 million in cap space for their rookie class. (More)

➤ A UNC professor is urging university officials to rein in football players’ driving behavior on campus, citing reckless driving charges, speeding tickets, and parking in disabled spots. (More)

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➤ North Carolina-based chocolate maker Spring & Mulberry expanded a recall to the entire lineup of 12 chocolate bars over salmonella contamination fears linked to a specific batch of dates used in production. (More)

➤ PlayNation is bringing a large-scale screen-free indoor playground to East Charlotte’s Eastway Crossing. The 14,000-square-foot facility will serve kids ages 0-13, and is set to open in late 2026. (More)

➤ Convenience store chain RaceTrac dropped plans for a second proposed location in north High Point at N.C. 68 and Gallimore Dairy Road, leaving property owners facing higher taxes after the property was rezoned from agriculture to business use. (More)

➤ A 2026 ranking of the best U.S. cities for starting a career lists Raleigh at 18, Charlotte at 29, Durham at 54, Greensboro at 98, and Winston-Salem at 134. (See Rankings)

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➤ North Carolina receives roughly 2% more in federal spending than it contributes in taxes relative to its gross domestic product, making it a modest net recipient from Washington, D.C., based on 2024 IRS data. (See Data)

➤ North Carolina mountain towns dominated Travel + Leisure’s list of the eight best places to buy a home in the Blue Ridge Mountains, including Waynesville, Blowing Rock, Highlands/Cashiers, Asheville, and Mills River. Other towns that made the list include Blue Ridge/Ellijay, Georgia; Clayton, Georgia; and Roanoke, Virginia. (See List)

➤ The 38th OBX Senior Games concluded Friday with a ’70s-themed awards banquet at Outer Banks Brewing Station, where senior athletes danced to DJ tunes, played beach ball games, and received medals across 50 sports and 30 artistic events. (See Photos)

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