SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1940, the USS North Carolina was launched at the New York Navy Yard. Christened by Isabel Hoey, daughter of North Carolina Gov. Clyde Hoey, the powerful new battleship slid into the East River, symbolizing America’s naval strength on the eve of World War II.

One North Carolina State employee has turned his office into a Carolina Hurricanes shrine in anticipation of a potential Stanley Cup championship. Learn more in Et Cetera.

The Pentagon just dropped its third batch of UFO files, and this time, we’re not just going to report what was in the folder, but instead move to the real question: Is there intelligent life out there? We’ll give you the strongest arguments on both sides, and then reveal what your fellow Americans actually believe. Tune in to our podcast as Amy breaks down where the debate stands on intelligent life beyond earth. Tune in here!

Today's sponsor, EnergyX, is helping meet surging lithium demand from AI, EVs, and battery technology with patented extraction tech, major industry backing, and an early-stage investment opportunity before its July 16 deadline.

Don’t feel like reading the national edition of The Flyover? Tune in to The Flyover Podcast! New episodes drop daily—watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, all in under 15 minutes.

Durham Drought Escalates to Stage 2

Durham is escalating to mandatory Stage 2 water restrictions starting Monday as the Triangle reaches exceptional drought, the highest category on the U.S. Drought Monitor.

"It's still the driest year on record," meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth said. "We've had 16 days in a row with no measurable rain at Raleigh-Durham International Airport."

Under Stage 2 rules effective Monday, spray irrigation and in-ground sprinklers are prohibited; hand watering and drip systems remain allowed. Car washing with city water is banned except at commercial car washes, and pressure-washing hard surfaces is also off-limits.

Exceptional drought now covers parts of the Triangle, including Durham, Orange and Granville counties, and while summer storms have arrived, officials say short rain events aren’t providing the sustained relief needed.

Charlotte May Be on Hook for I-77 Costs

A North Carolina state senator is circulating draft legislation that could force Charlotte and other Mecklenburg municipalities to repay the state for costs already incurred on the canceled I-77 toll project.

Sen. Vickie Sawyer (R-Iredell) is behind the draft, which would hold local governments accountable for the state’s sunk costs on the controversial managed-lanes project.

Years of opposition from commuters and local leaders eventually led to the state canceling the project, though costs already spent remain disputed. Sawyer’s legislation would require Charlotte and its Mecklenburg neighbors to absorb those costs—likely running into the millions.

Charlotte officials voted in May to rescind support for the project, a decision that eventually led to the planned toll road's demise.

Order to Avoid Blackouts During Heat Wave

The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order to help avoid blackouts on Friday in North Carolina as temperatures rose over 100 degrees in parts of the state, and a heat advisory was issued.

Federal officials said that Duke Energy warned that its system “may not have sufficient generation available to meet this unusually high demand and [Duke Energy] may be forced to curtail load in order to maintain security and reliability of the grid.”

The emergency order impacts Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress, which is the coverage area of the former Progress Energy for the Raleigh area.

The heat wave was being felt across North Carolina. In Winston-Salem, public pools were closed Friday because of the extreme temperatures, while Mecklenburg County Emergency Medical Services responded to five heat-related calls on Thursday.

AI's 80,000-Ton Battery Problem

As AI infrastructure explodes, so does lithium demand. Google's AI data centers currently use 100M+ lithium-ion cells for reliable, always-on power.

The problem? Big Tech’s race to build massive new data center capacity has Morgan Stanley forecasting an 80k-ton lithium shortage this year.

Few companies are better positioned to benefit than EnergyX. Their patented tech produces up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods at speeds 500X faster than evaporation ponds.

Beyond the tech, they have rights to ~150,000 acres of lithium-rich land across North and South America, and they’ve just announced plans for their second lithium production plant in America. Now, they hold rights to up to 13M tons of lithium across North and South America.

Industry leaders like General Motors and POSCO have already invested. Join them as an early-stage EnergyX shareholder before the 7/16 deadline.

➤ Manteo: Dare County commissioners unanimously adopted a $145.6 million fiscal year 2026-27 budget with no property tax increase, also approving beach nourishment project financing and a five-year, $108 million capital improvements plan. (More)

➤ Granville: In a reversal that affects one of the state's most competitive legislative races, State Rep. Bryan Cohn, D-Granville, says he will seek reelection after all. (More)

➤ Jacksonville: Marines at Camp Lejeune and Marine Corp. Air Station New River are running destructive weather exercises as the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season begins, with Marine Corps Installations East overseeing preparedness drills across both bases. (More)

➤ Statewide: Amazon and Corning announced a multibillion-dollar partnership to expand Corning’s North Carolina fiber optics manufacturing facilities, creating roughly 1,000 advanced-manufacturing jobs and hundreds of construction positions statewide. (More)

➤ Asheville: The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation’s Special Response Team arrested two men who escaped from the Vance County Detention Center after a multi-agency investigation traced them to an Asheville home. (More)

➤ Kannapolis: The former Stanley Black & Decker Inc. building in Kannapolis has inked a new lease, filling the large industrial vacancy left after the manufacturing giant exited the facility. (More)

Enjoy reading Flyover North Carolina? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ The Panthers signed wide receiver Jalen Coker to a three-year, $35 million extension, locking up the former undrafted free agent through 2029. Coker had a breakout playoff performance last season with nine catches for 124 yards and a touchdown in Carolina's wild-card loss to the Rams. (More)

➤ Duke's Cameron Boozer landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated's 2026 NBA Draft Preview issue this week. The AP National Player of the Year is projected as a top-three pick. (More)

➤ NC State landed a commitment from three-star offensive lineman Jacob Burns. The 6-7, 295-pound recruit chose the Wolfpack over Virginia Tech, North Carolina, and South Carolina. (More)

➤ The Charlotte Hornets and Sacramento Kings have held preliminary trade talks around center Domantas Sabonis, though a deal is not imminent as the two sides haggle over draft compensation. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | NCAA World Series | WNBA | Golf

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Carrying credit card debt? A balance transfer offer could help you take a break from high interest charges and give you more time to pay down what you owe. FinanceBuzz is highlighting a popular card option that combines valuable rewards with an introductory balance transfer offer, helping eligible cardholders save money while working toward their financial goals. See if this offer is right for you.

Flying together with our sponsor

Exxon Has an Unlikely New Competitor

Energy giants like Exxon have been buying land in America’s lithium hotspot. Now they’ve got a new neighbor.

EnergyX acquired the rights to 35k gross acres of lithium-rich land right next door. It’s not just the acres turning heads, either. Their tech can recover up to 3X more lithium than usual methods.

Now they’re preparing to drill and unlock America’s next major lithium supply. General Motors and 50k+ everyday people already invested. Invest in EnergyX before their July 16 investment deadline.

➤ A century-old estate in Asheville modeled after George Mason's Gunston Hall has hit the market for $9.8 million. (See Photos)

➤ A North Carolina State Wolfpack employee proved his hockey loyalty runs just as deep, turning his office into a full-on Carolina Hurricanes shrine, complete with jerseys and memorabilia. (See Video)

➤ Margaret Kerry, the Wilmington actress who served as the live-action model for Disney's Tinker Bell in 1953, has died at 97. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The Protein That Stops Hair Loss In Its Tracks. Watching your hair get thinner each year? Scientists have identified a unique protein that rebuilds hair follicles from within. Users report visibly thicker hair in just weeks with a reduction in shedding. This natural solution works where other treatments fail, strengthening each strand from root to tip. No expensive treatments, no side effects—just results. (Learn more)