SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1921, jazz guitarist Tal Farlow was born in Greensboro. Renowned for his remarkable speed, fluid improvisation, and innovative harmonic style, Farlow became a leading figure in modern jazz and worked with many musicians from New York, where he later moved.

You might see goats at a park in Raleigh this week. Find out why in Et Cetera.

In case you missed it, this week on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla broke down a Social Security shift that quietly took effect this year, one that could permanently shrink your monthly check if you claim at the wrong time. Retirement experts say knowing your exact number before you file could mean the difference of hundreds of dollars a month for the rest of your life. Listen here

Today's sponsor, United States Tungsten, is highlighting a rare opportunity to invest in a critical mineral essential to industries from aerospace to electronics as the company works to revive domestic tungsten production at a historic North Carolina site.

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.

NC Retiree Health Costs Rise

The NC State Health Plan Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Friday to raise Medicare Advantage out-of-pocket costs and copays for state retirees, with the changes set to take effect in 2027.

Out-of-pocket maximums will climb from $4,000 to $4,500 on the base plan and from $3,300 to $3,700 on the enhanced plan. The plan covers more than 750,000 state employees, teachers, and retirees statewide.

Board officials also warned that WakeMed's proposed merger with Atrium Health could spike premiums further—Atrium charges 15 to 40 percent more for services than WakeMed. If WakeMed adopts Atrium's rates, the cost increase could ripple across all 750,000 covered members.

WakeMed pushed back, saying that a merger would actually lower costs for the plan. The board meets again July 10 to vote on 2027 premium rates for active employees. State workers and retirees are also being encouraged to review their current plan details and consider switching tiers before open enrollment closes this fall.

WNC Hurricane Season Wildfire Risk Elevated

Western North Carolina enters hurricane season carrying a threat Helene left behind: 822,000 acres of downed, drying timber that could turn any spark into catastrophe.

The NC Forest Service has already logged more than 4,300 wildfires in 2026—nearly the state's typical full-year total—with 99 percent human-caused. Helene's debris buried old fire roads and broke apart the firebreaks crews historically used in mountain blazes. State fire officials warned lawmakers in March they are not prepared for the risk.

Governor Josh Stein toured a mitigation site near Weaverville last month and noted the timeline is sobering: downed trees take about 20 years to degrade. The NC Forest Service is launching a Disaster Mitigation Program offering no-cost debris removal to private landowners and expanded fuel breaks near homes.

"When you combine the dryness, the drought we've had in North Carolina with all of these downed trees—which essentially is just fuel—people have to be really, really careful," Stein said previously.

NASCAR Legend Ned Jarrett Dies

Ned Jarrett—two-time NASCAR champion, Hall of Famer, and voice known by a generation of racing fans—died Thursday at 93 of natural causes at his home in Newton.

He won Cup titles in 1961 and 1965, accumulating 50 career victories and earning the nickname “Gentleman Ned” for his quiet, dignified manner. He retired from driving in 1966 and became one of NASCAR’s most beloved broadcast voices.

Jarrett’s most iconic broadcasting moment came at the 1993 Daytona 500, when he openly cheered from the booth as his son Dale edged Dale Earnhardt for the win—a call that ranks among NASCAR’s most emotional. Dale Jarrett would go on to win his own Cup title in 1999.

Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011, Jarrett leaves behind a racing legacy spanning seven decades and two generations of North Carolina champions. Born in Newton on October 12, 1932, he grew to embody everything the sport stood for—grace, grit, and genuine love for racing fans.

Flying together with our sponsor

North Carolina’s Moment in the $10 Billion Tungsten Boom

The global tungsten market is surging toward $10 billion by 2030, and a historic site in North Carolina is drawing attention as domestic minerals become a national priority.

Modern industry has no substitute for tungsten. From the precision drills that build cities to the high-heat engines that power flight, it's the indispensable backbone of global manufacturing:

Automotive: $3T+ market
Electronics: $500B+ market
Aerospace: $800B+ market

With global prices surging 557%, the demand for a domestic source has reached a boiling point.

That's exactly where United States Tungsten comes in. The company is working toward reopening a domestic recovery and processing facility at the Tungsten Queen, which holds approximately 1 million tons of tungsten-bearing minerals.

The opportunity is here. Lock in up to 23% bonus shares as an early-stage United States Tungsten investor before June 12.

➤ Wrightsville Beach: Ocean Rescue teams have handled more rip current rescues than normal for this time of year, urging beachgoers to check conditions and swim near lifeguard stands before heading into the surf. (More)

➤ Charlotte: A hazmat situation at a west Charlotte chemical plant near the airport Friday was not an explosion, officials confirmed, though emergency crews responded in force as a precaution. (See Video)

➤ Goldsboro: A trash collection company's sudden closure has left customers waiting on refunds, with at least one filing a legal demand letter for the $175 she's owed after service abruptly ended. (More)

➤ Winston-Salem: Three Atkins High School students are heading to Washington, D.C., this month to compete in the Presidential AI Challenge with an AI tool that diagnoses Parkinson's disease through voice analysis and hand drawings. (More)

➤ Asheville: Demolition of St. Joseph's Hospital—a community institution for over a century—is stirring deep emotions for residents and former patients who built careers and memories within its walls. (See Video)

➤ Western North Carolina: The state Department of Environmental Quality has kicked off its annual summer E. coli water testing season for recreational waters, including the French Broad River, with real-time results available on a public online map. (Details)

➤ The Carolina Hurricanes erased a four-goal third-period deficit in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Andrei Svechnikov's tying goal, only for Shea Theodore to end it in double overtime and lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-4 win. Carolina now trails the series 2-1. (More)

➤ No. 5 UNC baseball shut out USC 4-0 yesterday to force a decisive Game 3 today at the Chapel Hill Super Regional. The Tar Heels will advance to the Men's College World Series with a win. (More)

➤ Denny Hamlin races today at Michigan's FireKeepers Casino 400 seeking career win No. 63, which would tie him with the late Kyle Busch on NASCAR's all-time wins list. The Cornelius resident starts this afternoon on Amazon Prime. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

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This Metal Has Already Jumped 557%

Tungsten powers everything from aerospace to EVs. That’s why it’s projected to be a $10 billion industry by 2030, and one company is positioning itself to transform the domestic tungsten supply chain.

United States Tungsten is working to reopen a domestic recovery and processing facility through the Tungsten Queen, which holds approximately 1 million tons of tungsten. Demand is expected to surge as the U.S. rebuilds its domestic mineral supply. With critical mineral legislation accelerating and defense budgets rising, domestic suppliers have a unique opportunity to lead the market. United States Tungsten is already in talks with the government about supply contracts.

You can now invest in United States Tungsten and lock in up to 23% bonus shares before June 12.

This is a paid advertisement for United States Tungsten Corp. Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.unitedstatestungsten.com/

➤ The Vibe is launching summer surf camps for Hatteras Island youth this season, aiming to remove the financial barriers that often keep local kids from learning to surf on their home waters. (More)

➤ Nearly three dozen goats are back at Dix Park in Raleigh, grazing along a difficult-to-reach stretch of the Rocky Branch Greenway Trail to clear invasive plants and trees. (More)

➤ Great Smoky Mountains National Park earned the top hiking ranking in a new list, and a new guidebook names its best trails—already the country's most-visited park by a wide margin. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

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