WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1952, Grandfather Mountain dedicated its Mile-High Swinging Bridge near Linville. The 228-foot suspension span hangs a full mile above sea level and sways underfoot as visitors cross it.

Another G20 event is taking place in North Carolina today, and a Professional Pickleball Association tournament is underway in Cary. Get the details in Top Stories. What do you think of the pickleball craze? Hit reply to let us know.

What are the things experts say you need to buy before you retire? Research shows there are seven purchases worth making while paychecks are still coming in. We ranked them by urgency, and some are pricier than you'd think. The one at the top of the list only gets more expensive every year you wait, so join Ayla on The Flyover Podcast as she counts down all seven and reveals which purchase you can't afford to sit on your to-do list. Tune in here!

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Chapel Hill Hosts Global Tech Summit

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Elon Musk are among the tech leaders speaking at the G20 Innovation Ministerial at Chapel Hill’s Carolina Inn—a two-day summit that started yesterday and continues today.

Hosted by the U.S. Commerce Department and the White House science and technology office, the summit gathers commerce and tech ministers from more than 20 countries to discuss artificial intelligence. Huang and Altman speak today, with Musk expected to appear virtually.

Gov. Josh Stein cast the event as proof of the state’s momentum, noting North Carolina has ranked a top-two state for business six years running and logged its best year of job announcements in 2025.

The summit also brings a heavier security presence to downtown Chapel Hill, with officers and K-9 units stationed around the Carolina Inn.

Forsyth Teen Indicted in Mosque Killings

A Forsyth County grand jury indicted 17-year-old Sarah Santiago on three counts of murder and one count of conspiracy Monday, accusing her of live-streaming a deadly attack on a San Diego mosque from North Carolina.

Charged as an adult, Santiago allegedly agreed to broadcast the May 18 shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, distribute the video, and release a manifesto written by the gunmen, Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O'Neill said.

Prosecutors say she also bought a patch bearing a white-supremacist symbol and mailed it to one attacker to wear. Three people watched the initial stream.

The gunmen, 17-year-old Cain Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Vazquez, fatally shot three men, including a security guard, before killing themselves nearby.

Under North Carolina's aiding-and-abetting law, Santiago faces the same penalties as if she had carried out the attack herself. She is being held without bond.

Pickleball Pros Descend on Cary

More than $1 million in prize money is on the line as the Veolia Pickleball National Championships take over Cary Tennis Park this week, the sport’s first major of the 2026 Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour season.

It's the first time Cary has hosted the national championships, though the town has staged pro pickleball events before. Organizers say a big chunk of tickets sold within 24 hours of going on sale.

Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is a major backer of the PPA Tour, and organizers are betting Cary’s setup keeps the event coming back. Previous tournaments here have generated millions in economic impact.

“The ticket sales just show that Cary is the place to be,” said Jeff Watson, the tour’s senior vice president of marketing and communications. The tournament runs through Sept. 6.

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➤ Statewide: The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revived North Carolina woman Delsonya Wilkins-Bailey’s religious discrimination lawsuit against Essity Professional Hygiene North America, which fired her in 2021 for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine. (More)

➤ Central NC: A teenager died Monday from a rare brain-eating amoeba infection, state health officials confirmed. The family identified him as Moises Ponce Mendoza. The case, caused by Naegleria fowleri, remains under investigation. (More)

➤ Charlotte: Roughly a year after Ukrainian immigrant Iryna Zarutska was killed on Charlotte’s light rail, her family shared her story, from fleeing Kyiv in 2022 to building a life in the U.S. as an artist and volunteer. (More)

➤ Also Charlotte: A state appeals court ruled that parents whose children were expelled from Charlotte Latin School after disputes over diversity, equity, and inclusion policies can move forward with defamation and fraud claims against the school. (More)

➤ Monroe: Lake Twitty and Lake Lee have reopened after a drought closure that began in March, when levels at Monroe’s primary drinking-water source fell too low. Both will stay open during weekends through Nov. 1. (More)

➤ Durham: Construction on the new $200 million-plus campus for the Durham School of the Arts is about 60% complete, with doors set to open in fall 2028. The campus sits about 2 miles from the school’s longtime downtown home. (More)

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➤ UNC defenders Xavier Lewis and Derek McDonald swept ACC weekly honors after the Tar Heels’ 15-10 win over TCU in Dublin. Lewis, named Defensive Lineman of the Week, posted career highs of 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, and McDonald earned Linebacker of the Week with 11 tackles. (More)

➤ NC State women’s basketball announced jersey numbers for the 2026-27 roster, with six returners keeping their numbers and two digits worn for the first time in program history. (More)

➤ North Carolina pulled in more than $14 million in sports-wagering taxes in July, a record for that month, and the first month under the state’s new 23% tax on gross wagering revenue. (See Report)

➤ Yesterday's Results: US Open | MLB | Soccer

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➤ North Carolina’s Rural Infrastructure Authority approved 11 grants totaling nearly $5 million for local governments, backing projects expected to create 673 jobs and draw more than $2 billion in private investment. (More)

➤ North Carolina is one of 22 states joining the Federal Trade Commission in a lawsuit accusing Amazon of using hidden surcharges in its ad auctions to overcharge businesses. Attorney General Jeff Jackson said the scheme cost advertisers roughly $20 billion. (More)

➤ Two top WakeMed executives are leaving the Raleigh hospital system as it weighs a proposed combination with Charlotte-based Atrium Health. Chief physician executive Dr. Seth Brody left for rival UNC Health, and Chief Operating Officer Tom Gough is joining Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Florida. (More)

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➤ Nest 16 in Nags Head achieved a rare perfect score when all 114 Green Sea Turtle eggs hatched and every hatchling safely reached the ocean, the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles reported on Sunday. (See Photo)

➤ The Duke Herbarium, once facing closure, will move to Chapel Hill and merge with UNC’s collection to form the largest herbarium in the Southeast and the third-largest university plant collection in the country. (More)

➤ Honey Head Films is seeking approval to shoot its production JoJo and the Freaks at Wilmington’s Wallace Park on Sept. 19-20, bringing four cast members and about 45 crew to the film-friendly port city. (More)

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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.

➤ Buying these seven things before you retire could save you thousands, but the clock is ticking. (See List)

➤ Federal officials say a monthlong immigration sweep across New York netted thousands of arrests, including a number of violent criminals. (Hear Details)

➤ A Lake Tahoe swimmer needed nearly 40 stitches after an otter pulled her underwater and wouldn't let go. (Hear Story)