Sunday, January 11, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1909, Tab Smith was born in Kinston. A renowned alto saxophonist who played with Count Basie and Lucky Millinder, Smith recorded with performers like Billie Holiday, Earl Hines, and Coleman Hawkins during the 1940s, then transitioned to rhythm and blues during the 1950s, scoring a hit with Because of You.

A new list ranks one North Carolina eatery among the nation's best places for waffles. See today's Et Cetera section to find out which restaurant made the list.

If you or someone you know struggles with prostate or urinary issues, today’s sponsor, Prostadine, is revealing an unusual discovery that’s getting a lot of attention.

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.

Johnson & Johnson Expansion

Gov. Josh Stein announced that pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson is set to invest billions in an expansion of its Wilson plant, creating about 500 new jobs.

The expansion will manufacture medicines for oncology and neurological diseases. The state will also pay $12 million toward new programs at Wilson Community College that will train workers for the facility.

Johnson & Johnson previously invested $2 billion in a Wilson County campus creating 420 jobs and continued expanding in North Carolina with construction of a 160,000-square-foot Holly Springs facility.

Gov. Stein didn’t give a timeline for when the new plant would open.

Judge Blocks Release of Light Rail Murder Footage

A federal judge upheld a ruling barring Charlotte-Mecklenburg police from releasing audio and video of the highly publicized August light-rail murder of Iryna Zarutska to a local TV station.

The ruling, which came from U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, blocks a state judge’s ruling to release the audio and video. The request to block came from Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr.’s lawyer, saying it would “prejudice his constitutional rights to due process."

The earlier order that blocked the release of the footage came on Monday from U.S. Magistrate Judge David Keesler.

Brown faces a federal charge, and if found guilty, is eligible for the death penalty.

German National Team to Train at Winston-Salem

The German men’s national soccer team has selected Winston-Salem as its training center for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Germany selected Wake Forest as its training facility and Graylyn Estate as its headquarters, citing the collegiate atmosphere, state-of-the-art facilities, natural beauty, and relative seclusion.

Organizers also chose the area for its strategic location, placing the team within an equal distance of venues in Houston, Toronto, and New York/New Jersey.

The team has a scrimmage against Team USA on June 6 in Chicago before arriving in North Carolina on June 8. The World Cup starts on June 11.

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➤ Statewide: Rutherford County confirmed another measles case this week, raising the statewide total to five as health officials warn the highly contagious disease spreads easily without vaccination. (More)

➤ Rowan County: Police arrested a suspect after a two-county chase involving multiple agencies, during which troopers clocked the vehicle at 103 mph in a 70 mph zone before it stopped. (More)

➤ Eden: State wildlife officials confirmed bird flu after dozens of vultures were found dead in a backyard, noting the species’ vulnerability and similar clusters reported in southwest Virginia. (More)

➤ Durham: Transcripts from a 911 call made by Zoe Welsh indicate that she recognized Ryan Camacho, the man who broke into her home and murdered her. (More)

➤ Cabarrus County: A couple pleaded guilty to federal charges after stealing more than $1 million in COVID relief funds by defrauding multiple aid programs and filing fraudulent tax credit claims with the IRS. (More)

➤ Union County: Mysterious window-rattling booms have baffled residents and police, prompting a fruitless investigation as officers report no injuries or damage and ask the public for information. (More)

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➤ Carolina held a late fourth-quarter lead before Matthew Stafford’s final touchdown drive lifted the Rams to a 34-31 wild-card win on Saturday. (Recap)

➤ No. 6 Duke managed to escape with an 82-75 win against No. 24 SMU after a brutal start saw the Blue Devils trailing by 11 less than three minutes into the game. Duke is now 15-1 and 4-0 in the ACC. (More)

➤ The Carolina Hurricanes have activated Jaccob Slavin from injured reserve after the key defenseman missed 10 games with an upper-body injury. (More)

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➤ A recent list ranked Dame's Chicken & Waffles as serving the best waffles in North Carolina, offering customers customizable waffle types, butter flavors, and toppings. (See List)

➤ Sports bettors in the state wagered more than $7 billion in legal sports bets last year, with the final four months each topping $650 million in wagers. (More)

➤ Girls with Dough, a Wilmington pizza restaurant, will be featured on the YouTube channel America's Best Restaurants as the 2021-founded business plans a second location this spring. (More)

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