FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1953, the Atlantic Coast Conference was founded in Greensboro, when seven Southern Conference schools—Clemson, Duke, Maryland, UNC, NC State, South Carolina, and Wake Forest—split to form a new league. Key reasons included scheduling difficulties and lifting the ban on bowl games. Duke’s Eddie Cameron suggested the name.

Speaking of sports, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association just sanctioned two new championship sports. Learn more in Top Stories, then hit reply to let us know if you played a high school sport or two.

Say goodbye to backbreaking scrubbing and tangled cords. Today's sponsor, the HydroX5 Cordless Pressure Washer, delivers powerful, hassle-free cleaning that makes spring refreshes faster, easier, and oddly satisfying.

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 Schools Probe Statewide Cyberattack

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) is investigating a cyberattack affecting the Canvas learning management system, which serves millions of students and staff statewide for assignments, grades, and classroom communications.

The breach occurred April 25-29. Instructure, which runs the Canvas platform, disclosed it to NCDPI. Wake, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, and New Hanover County schools confirmed student and employee data may have been accessed, but stressed there is no evidence of compromised passwords, dates of birth, government IDs, financial information, or internal district networks.

Districts are coordinating with NCDPI and Instructure, which says it has contained the issue. Canvas remains operational as the probe continues. The incident marks the second such breach in two years. In 2024, a PowerSchool data breach prompted the switch to a new system.

NC Sanctions Girls Flag Football, Boys Volleyball

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Board of Directors voted on Wednesday to officially sanction girls flag football and boys volleyball as championship sports.

Both sports have grown in popularity at member schools in recent years, but previously operated outside formal NCHSAA governance.

Girls flag football will launch in the fall of 2026, with state championships at the end of the season under National Federation of State High School Associations rules. Boys volleyball will begin in the spring of 2027, with its first NCHSAA championship scheduled for May.

The Carolina Panthers helped expand the sport to more than 150 schools. Owners David and Nicole Tepper announced that their foundation will commit an additional $1 million to support the sport’s growth in both North and South Carolina, bringing their total investment to $2.5 million.

Campaign Aims for ABC System Overhaul

A new “Free Our Spirits” campaign launched this week, seeking major reforms to North Carolina’s long-standing Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) system.

Backed by business leaders, advocates, and community members, the initiative calls for the General Assembly to modernize liquor laws originally designed in the 1930s, expanding consumer choice and convenience. It centers on allowing spirits sales beyond the state-controlled ABC store network, which already occurs in 32 other states.

Supporters also aim to lower the state's liquor taxes (the nation's second-highest), improve distribution to restaurants, consolidate the 171 local ABC boards, increase transparency, and preserve revenue for local governments.

Senate Bill 938, filed by state Sen. Jim Burgin, R-Harnett, would transition alcohol sales to private retailers and phase out government-run stores between 2028 and 2029. The legislation is currently in the Rules and Operations of the Senate committee.

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➤ Statewide: The state Senate approved a moratorium blocking counties from applying new property reappraisals to 2026 tax bills. The measure now heads to the House. (More)

➤ Also statewide: Lawmakers have proposed requiring some dangerous drivers to install GPS- and AI-powered speed limiters in their cars after crash victims’ families urged tougher measures than license revocations. (More)

➤ Charlotte: Mayor Vi Lyles announced her resignation after nine years in office, effective June 30, to spend more time with family and give voters “more time to learn about their candidates.” (More)

➤ Rocky Mount: The state Senate filed Bill 1076 to bar Rocky Mount from transferring electric system revenue to other municipal funds, requiring it instead to cover utility costs, lower rates, or fund improvements. (More)

➤ Chimney Rock: Matt and Michelle Banz reopened Chimney Rock Gemstone Mine 19 months after Hurricane Helene devastated the property, restoring a longtime tourist attraction ahead of North Carolina’s busy summer travel season. (See Photos)

➤ Wilmington: The director of Amazon Prime’s The Summer I Turned Pretty is urging fans to stay away from the production set, citing disruptions to filming, loss of crew focus, and safety concerns. (More)

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➤ State lawmakers advanced a bill Wednesday that would shield public university payments to student athletes from public records laws, citing concerns about recruiting disadvantages against larger schools. (More)

➤ Jacksonville will break ground on the city’s first all-inclusive, ADA-compliant youth baseball field today, a $1.2 million project that will feature a rubber surface so children of all abilities can play. (More)

➤ Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller underwent surgery this week to repair a shoulder injury he played through all season and is expected to make a full recovery. (More)

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➤ Breeze Airways launched five nonstop routes from Raleigh-Durham International Airport this week, adding service to destinations in Maine, New York, Florida, Texas, and Wisconsin, with fares starting at $54. (More)

➤ The owner of animal sanctuary Fairytale Farm petitioned the North Carolina Supreme Court to review her zoning dispute with Winston-Salem, arguing the city unconstitutionally blocked her farm’s operations in a residential zone. (More)

➤ President Trump said during National Small Business Week 2026 that tariffs will help restore North Carolina’s furniture industry, bringing manufacturing jobs back from overseas and returning High Point to its “Furniture Capital of the World” status. (More)

➤ North Carolina exported more medicinal products than any other category in 2025, according to a map based on U.S. International Trade Administration data. (See Map)

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Spring is here—time to blast away months of dirt and grime without the hassle. The HydroX5 Pressure Washer delivers powerful, cordless cleaning that’s up to 5× stronger than a standard hose, making it easy to refresh patios, driveways, cars, and outdoor furniture in minutes.

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➤ A Substack journalist launched CooperReleasedHim.com, a searchable database detailing 4,234 prisoners released early under former Gov. Roy Cooper’s COVID-era settlement agreement, with records showing at least 2,412 later reoffended. (More and Search Database)

➤ Inmates at Nashville's Nash Correctional Institution produce one of the nation’s longest-running prison newspapers, using The Nash News to share stories of rehabilitation, hope, and life behind bars. (More)

➤ North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Parkway, featuring the Linn Cove Viaduct, was named the state’s most scenic drive in a roundup that also highlighted Tennessee’s Tail of the Dragon, Virginia’s Skyline Drive, and South Carolina’s Botany Bay Boulevard on Edisto Island. (See List)

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