TUESDSAY, JUNE 30, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1963, Freedom Rallies began in Williamston. Organized by Golden Frinks and Sarah Small, these civil rights protests at Green Memorial Church aimed to desegregate schools and the public library. They drew up to 400 participants for 32 days of nonviolent marches.

Lawmakers reached a budget deal Sunday night, but it doesn’t include provisions for a Major League Baseball stadium. Learn more in Top Stories. Americans have been chasing the coveted 10,000 steps a day for years. We all know walking keeps the heart strong, the mind clear, and the body moving well into old age. But a major new study says the number of steps isn't what matters most. Researchers who tracked tens of thousands of adults found that how you walk does far more for your heart than how many steps you rack up. Tune in to today's Flyover Podcast as Ayla breaks down what the research found, plus five simple ways to get more out of the walking you're already doing. So are you walking the right way? Tune in here to find out!

Later today, watch for a special message from our partner, EnergyX, about an early-stage investment opportunity in a lithium company backed by major industry leaders.

Today’s sponsor, Fisher Investments, is helping you plan your ideal retirement with a free guide that aligns your goals, timeline, and investment strategy for lasting financial confidence.

NC Lawmakers Reach Budget Deal

North Carolina legislative leaders reached a deal Sunday evening on a long-overdue state budget and hope to vote on it this week.

The plan keeps the May framework from Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall: an average 8% raise for teachers, about 3% for most state workers, and between 10.1% and 17.7% for law enforcement. It also includes one-time bonuses of $1,000 for those making more than $65,000, and $1,750 for those making less than $65,000, to cover the current year.

The new budget lowers the income tax rate from 3.99% to 3.49% and would ask voters to cap future rates by constitutional amendment. Dropped from the deal: funding for a Major League Baseball stadium tied to a possible Raleigh expansion bid.

Gov. Josh Stein warned a tax cap could put the state in a “financial straitjacket.” North Carolina is the only state without a budget for the cycle that began in July 2025.

Bar Owners Seek Cooper, Cohen Depositions

North Carolina bar owners suing over the state’s COVID-19 shutdowns are asking a court to compel depositions from former Gov. Roy Cooper and former Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen.

The owners argue that the 2020 closures of bars, while other businesses were allowed to operate, violated their state constitutional rights to the “fruits of their own labor.” They want Cooper and Cohen to be questioned under oath about how those decisions were made.

The motion follows a 2025 state Supreme Court ruling that let the case move forward rather than dismissing it.

Cooper left office in January 2025, and Cohen went on to direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2023 to 2025. Neither has been found liable. The suit seeks damages for income lost during the closures.

Dogs’ Stride May Signal Cognitive Decline

A shorter stride in a dog’s front legs may be an early warning sign of dementia, according to new research from NC State University.

Scientists tracked 88 senior dogs, averaging about 12 years old, measuring their gait and cognitive performance every six months. They found that cognitive decline was tied to reduced stride length in the front limbs specifically, while the hind legs showed little change.

Natasha Olby, a corresponding author of the research, said the effect of cognitive decline on front-leg stride was larger than the effect of age alone.

The team cautions that stride length is not a diagnosis by itself, but it could help owners and vets catch canine dementia sooner and monitor it over time.

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➤ Statewide: Permitless concealed carry remains stalled in the state House, where Republicans lack the supermajority to override Gov. Josh Stein’s veto of Senate Bill 50. The measure, which would let adults 18 and older carry without a permit, passed the Senate but faces opposition from two Republicans and all Democrats. (More)

➤ Coastal NC: Lifeguards and bystanders rescued three swimmers from rip currents at North Carolina beaches over the past week. Officials are reminding visitors how to spot and escape rip currents, a hazard that turns deadly along the coast every summer. (More)

➤ North Topsail Beach: Officials are warning swimmers to stay away from the New River Inlet following the rescue of a 30-year-old woman on June 26 who had fallen into a 20- to 30-foot drop-off and was then swept out by strong currents. (More)

➤ Ocracoke: Gov. Josh Stein rode the state ferry and met with ferry officials, community leaders, and advocates about the island’s access challenges, including the vulnerability of N.C. 12 to ocean overwash and flooding in one of the state’s most isolated communities. (More)

➤ Wake County: Jury selection began Monday in the murder trial of a Durham man accused of fatally shooting another driver on I-40 during a suspected road rage encounter last year. The victim, a father of two, was on his way to work when he was killed. (See Details)

➤ Avery County: NCDOT crews began replacing a Helene-damaged culvert on N.C. 184 after a utility contractor finished relocating gas lines. It’s one of two High Country culvert projects expected to wrap by late fall, with brief weekday lane closures possible. (More)

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➤ UNC and NC State would both receive a cut of the state’s sports betting tax revenue under a proposal expected in the state budget. The Triangle schools, along with Appalachian State, Charlotte, and East Carolina, could receive up to $5.8 million annually beginning next year. (More)

➤ The Charlotte Hornets traded forward Miles Bridges and a 2029 first-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for former Duke great Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, and a 2033 first-round pick. (More)

➤ Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis had shoulder surgery following Carolina’s Stanley Cup run and will miss four to six months, likely sidelining him for the start of next season. Jarvis led the team with 32 goals this season and scored the overtime winner in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, the Hurricanes are actively shopping center Jesperi Kotkaniemi rather than buying out the remaining four years on his $4.82 million contract. He was a healthy scratch for every playoff game during Carolina's title run. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: World Cup | MLB | Wimbledon

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➤ Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools shortened its contract with the online reading and math platform i-Ready from two years to one in a 7-2 vote, after board members and parents raised concerns about screen time, excessive testing, and data privacy. (More)

➤ Asheville-based Aeroflow Health, which sells breast pumps and other maternal supplies, acquired Canopie, a digital health firm offering virtual preventive care and mental-health support for expecting and new mothers. Terms were not disclosed. (More)

➤ Carolina West Wireless of Wilkesboro is shutting down and shifting its network to Verizon, eliminating 127 jobs. The 35-year-old regional company says layoffs begin Aug. 24, and customers must move to Verizon or another provider by Sept. 30. (More)

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Source: HealthView Services, as of 11/07/2025.

➤ Old Armor Beer Company in Kannapolis is celebrating America’s 250th birthday with a new limited-release “America 250” post-revolutionary style beer honoring the founding fathers’ service and sacrifice. (More)

➤ The Charlotte Knights surprised 16-year-old Nick Adair, a former catcher recovering from a spinal cord injury, with a one-day contract. The Levine Children’s Hospital patient and the team’s graphic designer designed the Knights’ glow-in-the-dark black-and-green jersey, the colors for spinal cord awareness. (See Photos)

➤ North Carolina workers average 34.2 hours per week in the private sector, tying for 19th-longest among states, as Southern manufacturing and energy-driven economies continue to log above-average hours. (See Map)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Americans chase 10,000 steps a day, but a major new study says how you walk matters far more. (Hear Details)

➤ A coalition that owns nearly 400 local newspapers has accused OpenAI and Microsoft of copying their reporting to train AI systems. (Hear Episode)

➤ President Trump declared the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool "in full use" and blamed radical left vandals for the pool's recent problems. (Listen Now)