NC Is ‘First in Flight’ Once Again After Privately Funded Jet Breaks Sound Barrier For The First Time in History

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NC Is ‘First in Flight’ Once Again After Privately Funded Jet Breaks Sound Barrier For The First Time in History

North Carolina-based Boom Supersonic has successfully conducted a supersonic test flight, reinforcing the state’s reputation as “First in Flight.” On Tuesday, the company’s XB-1 aircraft became the first privately funded airplane to break the sound barrier.

Flying at approximately 35,000 feet (10,670 meters) over the Mojave Desert, the pilot accelerated the XB-1 to Mach 1.1, or about 845 mph (1,360 kph), shattering the speed of sound.

Boom Supersonic’s Overture is designed to carry 64-80 passengers across the Atlantic in approximately 3.5 hours. The company has already secured 130 orders and pre-orders from major airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines.

Last year, Boom Supersonic completed construction of its Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina, where it plans to build 66 Overture aircraft annually. This advancement brings supersonic commercial travel closer to reality.

North Carolina Ranked The 3rd Best State to Try Edible Insect and Wildlife Cuisine

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North Carolina Ranked The 3rd Best State to Try Edible Insect and Wildlife Cuisine

What are the best states to harvest edible wildlife and explore unique culinary experiences?

To highlight the growing interest in foraging and harvesting edible species, the website LawnStarter ranked 2025’s Top States to Try Edible Insect and Wildlife Cuisine.

How does North Carolina stack up in some key metrics (1st = Best)?

  • Number of Invasive Edible Species – 4th
  • Percentage of Sunshine – 19th
  • Incidence of Rabies – 2nd
  • Google Search Interest – 6th

To come up with our ranking, the site compared all 50 U.S. states, plus the District of Columbia, based on 4 categories. They considered the number of edible species, restaurants serving insects, and Google search interest, among 8 total metrics.

2025’s Top States to Try Edible Insect and Wildlife Cuisine

1 California 69.66 2 8 3 1
2 New York 62.57 1 29 3 4
3 North Carolina 53.86 3 18 3 6
4 Minnesota 49.87 4 11 3 20
5 Florida 48.91 9 43 3 3
6 Virginia 48.68 5 17 3 12
7 Massachusetts 48.48 7 2 3 15
8 Illinois 47.33 9 27 3 5
9 Georgia 46.41 6 47 3 8
10 Ohio 44.88 13 26 3 8
11 Texas 44.81 11 51 45 2
12 Pennsylvania 44.65 16 15 3 6
13 Nebraska 42.37 12 21 3 35
14 Wisconsin 41.92 18 16 3 20
15 Arizona 41.61 16 39 3 12
16 New Jersey 41.27 19 30 3 12
17 Oregon 41.27 15 35 3 17
18 Colorado 40.90 21 1 3 20
19 Maryland 38.82 20 32 3 17
20 Mississippi 38.71 8 50 45 35
21 Michigan 38.47 26 23 3 10
22 South Dakota 37.79 23 14 3 44
23 Kansas 37.16 22 37 3 31
24 Indiana 36.79 29 20 3 19
25 Kentucky 36.30 27 19 3 27
26 Iowa 36.25 30 10 3 31
27 Connecticut 36.07 32 6 3 31
28 Hawaii 35.99 45 6 1 35
29 Tennessee 35.91 27 40 3 16
30 New Hampshire 35.00 39 36 2 35
31 Missouri 34.99 30 34 3 23
32 Louisiana 34.67 14 49 45 27
33 Arkansas 34.59 25 46 3 31
34 Alabama 34.52 24 48 3 27
35 Washington 34.38 34 42 3 10
36 Idaho 32.98 36 28 3 35
37 Oklahoma 32.69 33 45 3 23
38 West Virginia 32.18 35 41 3 35
39 North Dakota 32.11 42 9 3 44
40 Utah 32.07 38 33 3 23
41 New Mexico 31.60 41 25 3 35
42 South Carolina 30.51 37 38 45 23
43 Maine 30.49 44 3 3 35
44 Delaware 29.61 43 22 3 44
45 Nevada 29.25 39 12 45 27
46 Vermont 27.82 47 24 3 44
47 Rhode Island 27.54 45 5 45 44
48 Montana 27.11 49 13 3 44
49 Wyoming 26.01 50 4 3 44
50 Alaska 24.92 48 44 3 44
51 District of Columbia 11.94 51 31 45 35

Charlotte Awarded $3.8 Million by NCDOT To Repair Several Miles of Badly Potholed Roads

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Charlotte Awarded $3.8 Million by NCDOT To Repair Several Miles of Badly Potholed Roads

Charlotte has just awarded $3.8 million by the NCDOT to repair numerous sections of overly pot-holed roads around our city.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation awarded the contract to Blythe Brothers Asphalt Co., LLC, to improve just over nine miles of roadway.

The project includes milling, resurfacing, shoulder reconstruction, curb ramps, driveways, and pavement markings. Work will take place on sections of N.C. 115/Old Statesville Road, including:

  • Cornelius St. near the Iredell County line to Cornelius Street
  • Hambright Rd to Independence Hill Dr.
  • Hambright Rd to Damson Dr.
  • Vance Davis Dr. to Solstice Way

The total improvements will also include parts of Charlotte’s Asbury Chapel Road, Riverside Drive, and Washam Potts Road.

Work is currently slated to start in mid-February and finish by summer 2026.

NC’s First Postpartum Retreat Opening in Charlotte This Week

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NC’s First Postpartum Retreat Opening in Charlotte This Week

North Carolina’s first full-service postpartum retreat will open to the public this week.

Ziva Postpartum Retreat is located inside of the Le Meridien Hotel Charlotte at 555 S McDowell St. Tower. The retreat will offer new moms around-the-clock nursery access, lactation consultants, postpartum doula care, meditation and yoga classes, a mother’s lounge, meals and snacks, and add-on services such as postnatal massages, pedicures and manicures.

The retreat is also accepting bookings for new and expectant mothers, and the soft opening will include refreshments and beverages, music, and tours of the retreat.

Founded by entrepreneurs Selena Williams and Lauren Hall, the retreat’s soft opening comes ahead of its grand opening to the public on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Whataburger Giving Away Free Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits This Week

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Whataburger Giving Away Free Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits This Week

Whataburger just announced they will give away free honey butter chicken biscuits for one day only this week.

Customers can enjoy the breakfast item on Tuesday, January 28, from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. at participating locations. No purchase is required, but the offer is limited to in-restaurant and drive-thru orders, according to a press release.

The honey butter chicken biscuit features a chicken strip with honey butter drizzle on a buttermilk biscuit.

This giveaway follows the groundbreaking of Whataburger’s first North Carolina location in Hickory and highlights the company’s expansion plans in the Carolinas. Whataburger intends to open seven new restaurants in North Carolina and one in South Carolina, all featuring 24/7 double drive-thrus and digital services like curbside ordering.

In 2024, Whataburger expanded into South Carolina, opening nine locations in the Midlands and Upstate regions. The first opened in July at 3647 Boiling Springs Road in Spartanburg County. Other South Carolina locations include:

  • 2900 Main St., Anderson
  • 202 Bridgeberry Lane, Columbia
  • 1466 Woodruff Road, Greenville
  • 1189 Dutch Fork Road, Irmo
  • 888 South Lake Drive, Lexington
  • 308 West Butler Drive, Mauldin
  • 1510 W.O. Ezell Blvd., Spartanburg
  • 1941 East Main Street, Spartanburg

Duke Energy Just Launched A New $500k Grant Program For WNC Recovery Efforts

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Duke Energy Just Launched A New $500k Grant Program For WNC Recovery Efforts

Duke Energy today launched a new $500,000 grant program to support long-term recovery efforts in western North Carolina.

Individual nonprofit organizations can now apply for grants of up to $25,000 through the Duke Energy Foundation until February 17, 2025.

This funding builds on Duke Energy’s $2.2 million commitment to disaster relief and rebuilding in North Carolina. Harry Sideris, Duke Energy President and incoming CEO, highlighted the importance of supporting communities affected by Hurricane Helene.

Nonprofits involved in recovery efforts in western North Carolina can find application details on Duke Energy’s website here.

The deadline to apply is February 17, 2025, at 5 pm.

North Carolina is Home To The Only US Rainforest East of The Mississippi

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North Carolina is Home To The Only US Rainforest East of The Mississippi

Nestled in the heart of North Carolina’s Transylvania County lies a natural wonder unlike any other in the United States – Gorges State Park, the only American rainforest east of the Mississippi.

This extraordinary ecosystem, spanning over 8,000 acres, is classified as a temperate rainforest since it receives an average of over 200cm (78.74 inches) of rain each year, according to InsightsIAS.

via Insightsonindia.com

The moisture, originating from the Gulf of Mexico, is funneled into the park as it collides with the Blue Ridge Mountains, creating a unique and enchanting environment that remains warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

via USGS

The park is distinguished by its diverse terrain, including 26 waterfalls, rugged river gorges, and the northern boundary of Lake Jocassee. It’s part of the Blue Ridge Escarpment and includes a section of the 70-mile Foothills Trail, offering various recreational activities like backpacking and horseback riding.

The park’s most popular feature is Rainbow Falls, known for its permanent rainbow effect due to sunlight interacting with mist.

The park’s ecosystem supports rare and endemic species, including the Oconee bells, filmy ferns, and Carolina star-moss, as well as endangered wildlife like the green salamander and Swainson’s warbler.

Gorges State Park is a significant natural area, showcasing a rare temperate rainforest environment with unique wildlife and plant species, making it a valuable and intriguing destination for nature lovers and conservationists.

Winthrop About To Offer Their First Doctoral Program and Become A New Class of University

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Winthrop About To Offer Their First Doctoral Program and Become A New Class of University

Rock Hill’s Winthrop University is about to launch its first ever doctoral program starting this fall.

The new Ed.D. in Leadership and Innovation received final state approval in December from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. The university will apply for reclassification to a Level 5 institution with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) this spring.

“This is a proud moment for Winthrop University,” Winthrop President Edward Serna said in a press release. “Now in its 139th academic year, Winthrop started as a college to train teachers. The addition of a doctoral degree is a natural evolution for our institution and will deliver significant dividends for the region and state for years to come.”

The doctoral program will focus on leadership, learning, and organizational change, integrating perspectives from PK-12 schools, higher education, nonprofits, and businesses. Students will conduct dissertation research addressing real-world problems.

Winthrop will also launch two new undergraduate degrees this fall: a Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence and a Bachelor of Science in Financial Technology (FinTech). The AI program will train students to develop advanced systems, building on the university’s strengths in computer science and data science. The FinTech program will combine traditional finance with emerging technologies like blockchain, algorithmic trading, and machine learning.

Both undergraduate programs received state approval last fall and are the first of their kind in South Carolina. Approval from SACSCOC for the programs is pending.

Charlotte Experiencing Her Coldest January Since 2018 and Longest Freezing Streak in 25 Years

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Charlotte Experiencing Her Coldest January Since 2018 and Longest Freezing Streak in 25 Years

Charlotte is now experiencing its coldest January since 2018, and it’s longest freezing streak in nearly 25 years, according to the National Weather Service.

Charlotte’s freezing streak, expected to end around noon Thursday, will tie the longest since 2000.

The current record stands at 138 hours, set in January 1982 when temperatures remained below freezing from January 9 at 8 p.m. until January 15 at 2 p.m.

The good news is that by next week, temps in Charlotte will return back above 60 degrees.

via weather undergound

NC Highway Patrol’s New Advanced CAD System Allows Instant Tracking of Residents

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NC Highway Patrol’s New Advanced CAD System Allows Instant Tracking of Residents

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) has just completed a major upgrade to its computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system, giving police access to immediate GPS tracking of calls and swift location of the nearest trooper – even while a caller is driving at highway speeds.

This modernization comes after the NCSHP’s reliance on an outdated CAD system, with parts dating back to the 1970s, necessitating an urgent overhaul. The allocation of $5.4 billion in State Fiscal Recovery Funds from ARPA in 2021 by the North Carolina General Assembly facilitated this and over 200 other projects aimed at enhancing the state’s response capabilities for daily operations and potential future emergencies.

The upgraded CAD system not only allows for precise tracking of 911 calls but also monitors the locations of NCSHP patrol units, enabling telecommunicators to quickly direct the nearest trooper to the scene. This system facilitates real-time information sharing, allowing troopers in the field to access call details on their laptops and ensuring efficient coordination and backup support among units.

“It’s going to improve public safety and trooper safety, and make sure we’re providing the best services possible,” sayed NCSHP Commander Captain Kevin Owens in a press release.

The complete CAD system is now expected to be finished by this summer.

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