Flyover North Carolina @FlyoverNC

An outside actor hacked NC Ports’ IT systems late Tuesday, disrupting operations in Wilmington, Morehead City, and Charlotte. Manual gates and delays followed. Recovery is underway, and most gates were back to normal Thursday. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/friday-august-…. #NCPorts #Cyberattack #NorthCarolina

The PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship tees off today at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro—the final regular-season stop before the FedEx Cup playoffs. Defending champ Cameron Young eyes the first back-to-back since 1956. Field features Spieth, Day, and rookie Koivun. An $8.5M purse is at stake. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/thursday-augus…. #WyndhamChampionship #PGATour #Golf

Western North Carolina is turning Hurricane Helene’s fallen trees into biochar—a charcoal-like soil booster made by baking woody debris in low-oxygen kilns. In Haywood County, mobile units funded by $1M from the state DEQ are converting storm debris into carbon-rich material, shrinking landfill piles and aiding flood-damaged farms. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/wednesday-augu…. #Biochar #HurricaneHelene #WNCRecovery

North Carolina's inaugural sanctioned high school girls flag football season begins with Wakefield High, Cardinal Gibbons, and Willow Spring atop USA TODAY's preseason state rankings. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/tuesday-august…. #NCSports #FlagFootball #NCHSAA

A new analysis finds ~1.7 million North Carolina children—93% of the state’s K-12 students—qualify for scholarships under the Education Freedom Tax Credit. Donors can claim a dollar-for-dollar federal credit up to $1,700 for gifts to scholarship groups, starting January 2027. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/monday-august-…. #NCSchools #SchoolChoice #EducationFreedom

North Carolina’s economic development team pitched the state to aerospace and defense manufacturers at the Farnborough Airshow near London (July 20-24). They met with Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and new prospects—while rival states also recruited. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/thursday-july-…. #NorthCarolina #Aerospace #FarnboroughAirshow

Tonight the MLS All-Stars face Mexico’s LIGA MX All-Stars at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, the city’s first. Coach Dean Smith leads with a club-record three Charlotte FC players: Ream, Biel, and Westwood. Kickoff is at 8 p.m. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/wednesday-july…. #MLSAllStar #LIGAMX #CharlotteFC

North Carolina’s new state budget establishes the nation’s first statewide minimum reimbursement rate for child care providers. Signed by Gov. Josh Stein, it invests $100.8 million to raise rates, stabilize providers, lift teacher pay, and expand access in rural counties. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/tuesday-july-2…. #ChildCare #NCBudget #EarlyEducation

The Department of War has selected UNC-Chapel Hill and Virginia Tech as the first hosts for the new Senior Service College Fellowship—a 10-month alternative to traditional war colleges for senior officers. More university partners are coming soon. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/friday-july-24…. #MilitaryEducation #SeniorServiceCollege #UNC

Julia Taylor Morton, wife of famed photographer Hugh Morton and steward of Grandfather Mountain, died Monday at 100. In 2009, she donated the family’s last share of the mountain to create a nonprofit foundation that keeps the landmark open to the public. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/thursday-july-…. #GrandfatherMountain #JuliaTaylorMorton #NCicons

Gov. Josh Stein signed House Bill 747 authorizing the state’s first modern elk hunt. Two permits will be offered for 2027: one via $20 resident raffle, one via a nonprofit auction. Funds support elk management. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/wednesday-july…. #NCElkHunt #NorthCarolinaWildlife #ConservationWins

For the first time since 1959, Research Triangle Park will allow homes, shops, and restaurants alongside its corporate labs. The Research Triangle Foundation adopted the RTP 3.0 framework and opened development applications last week after a five-year planning process that received unanimous approval. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/tuesday-july-2…. #RTP #ResearchTriangle #MixedUse

North Carolina’s new budget greenlights AI-powered license plate cameras on state roads. NCDOT can now partner with law enforcement for automatic readers that scan every vehicle’s plate, make, model, and color to track stolen cars, suspects, and missing persons. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/monday-july-20…. #NCBudget #ALPR #SurveillanceState

NC lawmakers just approved major teacher licensure reforms in the new budget to tackle public school staffing shortages. No more Praxis Core or SAT/ACT minimums or first-year exams, easier reciprocity for out-of-state/international educators, and K-6 licenses now extend to grades 7-8 for added flexibility. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/thursday-july-…. #NCEducation #TeacherShortage #NCSchools

A new Public Policy Polling survey puts Democrat Roy Cooper ahead of Republican Michael Whatley by four points, 48% to 44%, in North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race—tighter than the same pollster’s 47-40 Cooper edge in March. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/wednesday-july…. #NCSenate #NCSenators #Election2026

⚾ UNC shortstop Jake Schaffner was picked 20th overall to go to the Red Sox in the 2026 MLB Draft, while NC State’s Ty Head went 46th to the Orioles. Overall, 14 players who attended NC high school were selected. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/tuesday-july-1…. #MLBDraft #UNC #NCSU

North Carolina slipped to No. 2 in CNBC's 2026 America’s Top States for Business ranking, behind Ohio and just ahead of Virginia—marking the sixth straight year the state has landed in the top two. The state ranked No. 1 in the economy category and No. 3 in workforce, and climbed to No. 8 in technology and innovation. However, it fell to No. 35 in cost of living, No. 34 in quality of life, and No. 13 in infrastructure. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/monday-july-13…. #NorthCarolina #CNBCTopStates #Business2026

North Carolina’s private schools added 8,260 students and 67 new campuses in 2025-26—the largest one-year jump in over four decades. Enrollment reached 143,998 (+6.1%), fueled by the fully funded Opportunity Scholarship program, which now serves 106,000+ students. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/friday-july-10…. #SchoolChoice #EducationFreedom #NCPrivateSchools

Cary ranked as the nation’s No. 5 safest city to drive in, according to Allstate’s 2026 America’s Best Drivers Report. Triangle and Sandhills cities that also made the rankings include: Fayetteville (#24), Winston-Salem (#35), Durham (#42), Greensboro (#46), and Raleigh (#68). Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/thursday-july-…. #SafeDriving #CaryNC #TriangleNC

Great news for North Carolina drivers. Wait times at DMV offices have dropped to just 20-25 minutes—an 87% improvement from last spring’s hours-long lines—thanks to House Bill 125, which added 64 new staff, 250K+ online transactions, and a new live wait time tool. Learn more at flyovernorthcarolina.com/wednesday-july…. #NCDMV #NorthCarolina #DMVImprovements