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Don't miss the greatest new series. November fourth, only on Prime Video. It's five oh five, and welcome into a Wednesday edition of the Carolina Journal News Hour on Charlotte's FM News Talk one hundred seven point nine FM WBT. I am Nick Craig. Good morning to you.
We start without with a very bizarre story unfolding in Wake County as Jonathan D. Miller. The Libertarian candidate for North Carolina's Senate District 16 was taken into custody Monday following an hours-long standoff with Cary police that began with a welfare check after the candidate posted some very bizarre and concerning messages on social media. The incident unfolded near Cary's Lockmere neighborhood, where officers responded to the to Miller's residence around six twenty around eight. 30 a.m.
Monday morning. Police confirmed that Miller was taken into custody shortly after 3 p.m., ending the standoff without any gunfire. Miller's account posted a series of messages on X beginning Sunday night, in which he expressed suicidal thoughts. The posts continued Monday morning as police attempted to locate him, with several messages referencing the possibility of an armed confrontation and even a shootout with officers. He wrote in one post Monday.
Morning. The whole police department is chasing me with guns drawn. This should be fun. That is a direct quote from Miller. In another post, he wrote that he had quote six shots and the high ground, and that it would be a quote hell of a show if officers found him.
As the standoff continued, Miller posted updates about his interactions with police, including a conversation with negotiators. In one post, he indicated that the officers had surrounded his position and were using police dogs to locate him. During the standoff, Miller also reached out to a media in Raleigh, calling W R A L News and describing his emotional state the previous night, explaining that a social media post that that a social media post expressing suicidal thoughts had attracted far more attention than he expected. He told W R A L News last night, "I was pretty depressed and suicidal." Actually, millions of people have seen it. I usually get about fifty views on my posts, but this one has gone super viral on me.
I spent all night crying, angry, and upset, as well as depressed in all the emotions. And this morning, I was tired, but I but I had things I needed to do, and I didn't kill myself. Miller then described how his encounter with police unfolded Monday morning, saying he fled into a nearby wooded area near his house after an officer approached him with a weapon drawn. He told the news outlet, "So I got up and made coffee, and I had two sips." I went outside to have a cigarette, and while I was having a cigarette, a police officer approached me, knew my name, saw that I had a holstered revolver on my hip, so he drew his weapon and told me to keep my hands away from mine. I told him I was going to refuse that order, and I backed away slowly until I was far enough away from him to turn and run.
That's when I ran into the woods. Carry Police Chief Terry Salt confirmed the officer had initially attempted to contact Miller earlier Monday morning, but they were unsuccessful in those efforts. When officers returned to check on returned and checked on his welfare, welfare rather, they encountered him carrying a firearm. The Carri Police Chief said that he was instructed not to touch his weapon, but decided to flee the scene. While officers searched for Miller, his social media posts continued to attract widespread attention, including a response from Chase Oliver, the Libertarian Party twenty twenty four presidential nominee, who urged Miller not to harm himself or engage in any sort of confrontation with police.
Saying Oliver wrote in the post, "Stop what you're doing and announce where you are and drop the gun, please. Stop, folks. Want you to live." The situation was resolved Monday. Afternoon, when officers took Miller into custody. As I noted, Miller is the Libertarian nominee in North Carolina's 16th Senate District, which includes much of Cary and Western Wake County.
He is a challenging incumbent, a Senator Gale Attakok, the Democrat from Wake, alongside the Republican nominee in Philip Hensley, who is also running in that race. According to the campaign website, Miller has lived in Wake County since 2007. And has worked in carpentry and a few small retail businesses. His campaign platform emphasizes lower taxes, reduced government regulations, expanded school choice, and individual liberties. As it stands right now, it is not immediately clear exactly what charges, if there are any, that are going to be filed against Miller.
As this situation unfolded earlier this week in Raleigh, the incident occurred eight days. Before election day on Monday, with in person beginning October the in person early voting, excuse me, beginning October the fifteenth and ending October the thirty first. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or considering suicide, call or text nine eight eight. That is the suicide hotline. It is free.
It is available fully confidentially and is available twenty four seven. That is nine eight eight, the suicide and crisis lifeline. You can call or text a very bizarre story in the week leading up to Election Day. We'll be keeping an eye on this in the coming days of follow and track the details right here on the Carolina Journal News Hour. In some other political news, Vice President JD Vance will be making a return to North Carolina this afternoon for a campaign rally in Kinston, North Carolina, marking his second visit to the state in less than two weeks as Republicans make a final push ahead of the November the third midterm election.
The rally, which is being hosted by the Trump Forty Seven Committee, is scheduled to begin around twelve thirty. With doors opening at eleven a.m., the vice president is expected to deliver remarks mid-afternoon, around two p.m. Attendees that have registered through the website have received the official location of the event. Kinston is located in North Carolina's third congressional district, represented by Republican U.S. Representative Greg.
Murphy of Greenville. The visit follows Vance's October the 19th rally out in western North Carolina. He was in Hendersonville, where he campaigned for Republican U.S. Senate nominee Michael Wattley and 11th Congressional District nominee Jennifer Balkum, who currently serves as a member of the North Carolina General Assembly. During that appearance, Vance criticized former Democrat Governor Roy Cooper, who is facing off with Watley in the upcoming election, as well as Democrat congressional nominee Jamie Agar, who is running against Balcom.
He also announced additional federal transportation funding for Hurricane Helene recovery in the western half of North Carolina. Vance has also made several other stops in the state through 2026. In September, he headlined a rally in Greensboro to support Watley's Senate campaign, criticizing once again Cooper's record as governor during that event and promoting the Trump administration's policy priorities. Earlier in March of this year, the vice president visited Rocky Mount, where he focused on the administration's economic agenda and campaigned along. Alongside Watley and Republican congressional candidate Lori Buckout, who is challenging Democrat Representative Don Davis in the first congressional district, this upcoming rally today in Kinston follows President Donald Trump's October the twentieth campaign appearance last week in in nearby Greenville, where he promoted Watley's candidacy and urged Republican voters to turn out in November.
The the repeat visits by Trump and Vance come as Republicans work to retain control of Congress with North Carolina's open U.S. Senate race and competitive congressional contests drawing national attention. That is NC eleven and NC one. One is where a Lori Buckout runs against current incumbent Don Davis. NC eleven is an open seat after the controversy we covered a months ago with current Representative Chuck Edwards.
That's the open race. Race out there between Republican Jennifer Bulcum and Democrat Jamie Ager. It is not immediately clear whether Vance will be the final high-profile individual to make his way to the state ahead of next Tuesday's midterm election. But we do know for certain that Vance will be in eastern North Carolina today. We'll have full coverage of that coming up for you tomorrow morning, right here on the Carolina Journal News Hour.
He was a champion, an icon. Original goat, but before Muhammad Ali became the greatest, he was Cassius Clay, a young man finding his voice, his purpose, and his place in the world. Follow his journey through the victories, the challenges, and the defining moments that will shape a legend, both in and out of the ring. From Ben Watkins, creator of Cross, and executive producer Michael B. Jordan comes the first authorized scripted series about the man behind the legend, starring Jalen Bates as Muhammad Ali.
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It's five twenty-one. Welcome back to the Carolina Journal News Hour, Charlotte's FM News Talk, one hundred seven point nine FM, WBT. Got some pretty big news that unfolded last week here in North Carolina, as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullin Friday met with leaders of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, joined by Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs William Kirkland and U.S. Representative.
David Rouser, the Republican who is serves in North Carolina's seventh congressional district, to discuss law enforcement operations, disaster response, drug cooperation, and the tribe's new status as a federally recognized nation. We go back to a little less than a year ago, December of 2025. That is when President Donald Trump signed legislation adding the Lumbee Tribe to the officially to the official list of Federally recognized tribes, ending a recognition fight that tribal leaders said spanned more than 130 years. Mullin, who is a member of the Cherokee Nation and the first Native American to serve as a Homeland Security Secretary, told the gathering that the achievement reflected generational persistence. He told the group last week, "You guys never gave up the fight.
You guys were fighting from one generation to the next generation to the next." Next generation to be recognized, and it's the generation that's sitting in front of me that accomplished it because you guys never gave up. And as Secretary of Homeland Security, I'm never giving up the fight for my backyard and fighting for your backyard. Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowry opened the event by thanking Mullin, Kirkland, and Rouser for their roles in securing recognition and for continued engagement with the federal government. Lowry described the behind-the-scenes work required to pass the bill, including floor activity in the United States House and procedural steps in the Senate, and stressed that the recognition both brings new resources and new responsibility to the Lumbee Tribe.
Okay. He said during the event, it took a lot of hard work. It took a lot of people working in the background. It took a lot of different discussions going on, pushing, pulling, and dragging. And with the passage over, it is our job as a federally recognized tribe to build partnerships with federal agencies to work within these federal agencies.
Because at the end of the day, they have certain resources, they have certain trust duties and responsibilities. The tribal chairman and John Lowery singled out drugs as a long-standing problem in the tribal community and called for joint action with local law enforcement and brand new federal partners, saying in part, "One of the biggest issues we have here is drugs. We have had to fight that among our tribal community for years. We know who they are. You know who they are.
They're living in your community. They're living in your neighborhoods.
So when are you going to start taking up for the?" Drug abusers. When are you going to start taking up for the drug users? When are you going to start taking up for the person who overdoses time and time again? That should be against the drug providers. Mullin framed the visit around the Department of Homeland Security's core mission and value of partnerships with tribal governments.
He described patterns that he has seen across a variety of Indian, various communities across the. United States involving multi-generational drug and alcohol problems, and he linked recent declines in certain crimes and overdose statistics to targeted enforcement against illegal entrants. "End quote," the worst of the worst, saying in part, "If we don't enforce our nation's laws, we have become a lawless nation, and that makes us a third-world country. And that's unique because we have those unique challenges also on reservations. All." Throughout Indian Country, we have the same challenges, and we can see what happens.
It can erode the society that we grew up in, and I know who's standing there with us to enforce our nation's laws. It's the Lumbees. He also addressed ongoing friction with North Carolina officials over immigration detainers for individuals held in state facilities, saying, "We have had leadership in the state that has turned the worst of the worst out and put them back on the streets." When the Department of Homeland Security is asked for retainers on individuals that may be a North Carolina in the North Carolina State Penitentiary, and we're saying, "Hey, before you let this person back out on the street." Let us pick them up and ship them out. We can do better. Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Kirkland, who has worked with the Lumbee leadership for nearly a decade, at this point highlighted the government-to-government relationship and the connection between public safety and long-term economic and educational development.
Saying in part, "The Lumbee know that in order to have a strong North Carolina, the Lumbee Nation, if the Columbians are strong. North Carolina is going to be strong, and the first step to doing that is making sure that they're safe. If we want to bring security, if we want to bring capital infusion to stimulate the economy, to have a better education, folks have to be safe. Congressman David Rouser credited multiple actors for the recognition victory, including a former Senator Tom Tillis and Michael, or a current Senator Tom Tillis, who will be soon former Senator Tom Tillis and Michael Watley, and described the legislative strategy of attaching the measure to the National Defense Authorization Act. He also praised Mullin's approach to the job.
Rouser also added that the recognition is only a starting point. And that sustained congressional support will be needed for land into trust process, tribal courts, law enforcement capacity, infrastructure, education, and medical services. Congressman Rouser told the group, "A leadership matters. Who you send to D.C. matters.
The relationship in the White House matter. And while you guys have gotten one hurdle to for recognition done, you still have a lot of hurdles to cover.
Now you've got the Permit, you've got the financing, you've got the plans drawn up, but now you've got to lay the foundation for what the next 100 years are going to look like. Tribal officials noted that the federal recognition now opens access to tribal tribal set asides within FEMA for disaster recovery and mitigation resources previously unavailable after hurricanes Matthew and Florence. As the tribe is preparing to stand up its own law enforcement capacity, including training through through federal centers and coordination with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Justice Department on tribal courts. Mullen closed by underscoring that the department will respond when local officials invite federal agencies and assistance on crime and drugs, citing recent multi-agency operations elsewhere across the United States in many cases on reservations and Indian land, and that the mission is simply to enforce existing law regardless of political affiliation. The DHS secretary said, in part, "We all want to be safe in our own backyards.
All of us want to be safe in our communities. All of us want to be safe in our cities. We all want the criminals out of our states. We should do that, and it shouldn't be controversial. The Department of Homeland Security.
We don't make the laws. That's not our job. We enforce them." It has been a very busy 12 months for the Lumbee Nation in southeastern North Carolina, most predominantly in Robeson County. We will continue to track as now the federal recognition or federal recognition is a little, almost about a year old at this point. It was December of last year when it was officially signed into law.
We will be keeping our eye on that progress and keeping you up to date with details as they're relevant over on our website, CarolinaJournal. And as always, right here on the Carolina Journal News Hour, he was a champion, an icon, the original GOAT. But before Muhammad Ali became the greatest, he was Cassius Clay, a young man finding his voice, his purpose, and his place in the world. Follow his journey through the victories, the challenges, and the defining moments that would shape a legend, both in and out of the ring. From Ben Watkins, creator of Cross, and executive producer Michael B.
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See website for details. It's five thirty six. Welcome back to the Carolina Journal News Hour, Charlotte's FM News Talk, one hundred seven point nine FM, WBT. I'm Nick Craig. Good Wednesday morning to you.
Over the last couple months here in North Carolina, we have been keeping an eye on what really can only be described as a brutal battle between the North Carolina State Health Plan and one of the state's largest health networks in Atrium Health. We've seen a lot of back and forth there in recent weeks. To bring us up to date to the latest, as of a recent State Health Plan board meeting, Teresa Opeka, CarolinaJournal.com, joins us on the NewsHour. Teresa, you've been covering this in extensive detail. This thing has gotten real nasty, and it's been a really Public fight between the SHP and Atrium Health.
Yes, it has. Thanks so much, Nick. Thanks for having me on the show this morning. Yeah, it's been a long, long battle. In fact, State Treasurer Brad Briner said it's been a long journey.
Just seems that way between the state health plan and Atrium Health, and going back and forth about healthcare costs. The state health plan trying to save money. They developed this new preferred preferred Provider program different all different tiers, which trying to save the plan and members money. And Atrium really broke down with negotiations with the plan over the last several months, and eventually, they came up with their own system, which we'll talk about in a moment, and said, "Well, we'll save the the plan the members some money in the plan, you know, since we can't get into the preferred status, we're gonna we're gonna do it this way." But that in turn had Treasurer Briner saying, "Well, no, doing it that way is going to bankrupt the plan," so they went. Ahead and sued Atrium, and then a judge put a halt on the injunction for that.
And eventually, they've been working at best seven days a week on trying to come to an agreement. And lo and behold, an agreement was announced at their board meeting on Tuesday.
So now they are included in the access tier in that preferred provider program. Before we get into some additional details out of this very busy Tuesday meeting of the state health plan, Teresa, can we walk back just a little bit? You've been covering this now for a couple of years across the state. The state health plan itself was not really in good financial position. The previous state treasurer and Dale Falwell made some decisions to essentially raid the state health plan savings account to keep rates low for those that are state employees.
We're talking teachers, state highway patrol, a member. Of the staff of a lot of the governing agencies, in which we talk about, and while that was good for the end consumer and good for the the rate payers, it was not sustainable for the plan. And they were looking at what at one point nearly a billion dollar deficit in just the next couple of years.
So, major changes have had to been made by State Treasurer Brad Bryner over the last two years. Yeah, that's right.
So they were facing approximately 500 million deficit for this year, and then, like you said, about a billion for next year in 2027.
So they had to do that because, unfortunately, yeah, taking money out of the reserves.
Well, it was nice for the moment for members; didn't really do them any favors. Eventually, you know, what they say, the Piper comes calling, and eventually, it did.
So, yeah, Treasurer Briner had to make these hard decisions, and that's. They've been talking about the last couple of days. You had the state health plan executive administrator Tom Friedman said, "Well, if we don't make these changes now, all these different changes, it's only going to get worse." So right now there's a little bit of pain, but it would get a lot worse if they didn't do anything.
So yeah, it's it's been a it's been a long cycle, and unfortunately, you know, Brad Bryner had to be the the bad man in this whole thing. Not really the bad man, but you know, people. Members who were saying, "Well, my costs have gone up. I'm paying more money," but it could have gotten a lot worse. Yeah, and I interviewed the state treasurer back a couple of months ago and said just as much to him, Teresa.
It's not an advantageous position as a relatively new elected official winning in 2024 to come in and say, "Hey, I've got to jack up your monthly healthcare premiums to keep the plan solvent." But strictly looking at this from a math problem standpoint, there was really no other way. You talked about this new tier system that we'll get into here in a second, and also those rate increases that we've watched over the last year to try and bring this plan back into the green. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. It's just like if you're running your household, right?
You're you're you're running out of money, or you've got credit card bills, you've got a car payment, or whatever. You've got to strategically look at doing something and not keep charging more money on the credit card because eventually that minimum payment's going to balloon up to a payment you can't afford. It's just going to get worse.
So it's kind of the same, maybe not the same, but on that same vein. And so they're trying to look at doing that, and you know, coming up with different. Ways to maybe incentivize providers to, you know, give some discounts to members, while at the same time driving more business to these providers, and that's how that provider program came about. Yeah, and of course this is relevant. There's more than 700,000 individuals across the state, active state employees and retirees Teresa, that are on the state health plan.
So you're talking about a very large pool of individuals that are affected by things that go on there. Let's get back to this Tuesday meeting of the state health plan. You mentioned just a couple of minutes ago that this agreement between the health plan and Atrium Health will bring all of those Atrium facilities into the plans in network access. Here they were moved out of network access a couple of weeks. Weeks ago, what are some of the details of that meeting?
Yeah, so we did have the treasurer say that they said late last night. And this would be referring to Monday night that they they did reach an agreement for the final piece of the puzzle for that preferred provider program, and that they do have a contract to bring all current atrium facilities into the access tier, and entered into that contract through twenty twenty seven and beyond. That's a direct quote from the meeting. Basically, says that addresses both the affordability program, which is what. Atrium had, and also members continued access to Atrium.
So that affordability program that we mentioned a little while ago—that's gone because there's no need for it. And that's what they were suing over. Also, too, the lawsuit is going to be null and void and be withdrawn as well.
So now, plan members who rely on Atrium Health will now have in-network access to your coverage for all current Atrium hospitals and specialty care services, and that will. Allow members to make appropriate decisions about their health care before open enrollment ends on November sixth.
So that's coming up shortly, and they did end up extending that. That was supposed to end at the end of this week, but due to the ongoing fight with Atrium, they decided to extend that to November sixth. Yeah, that's incredibly relevant. We covered that press release back just a couple of weeks ago. As the that period of time is now open for those on private insurance through their employers, those getting theirs through the Affordable Care Act, and then of course members here in North Carolina through the state health plan.
There is a pretty set period of time to where you have to make your decisions for enrollment for the next calendar year, 2027. And we were right up against that, and in many cases still are here as that deadline comes through next week. Yes, yes, and I and I will say which not you know maybe it wasn't included, but was talked about. They did have a reporters roundtable on Monday for all of us who cover the state health plan. And Tom Friedman said at that point, you know, there have been a lot of people in the Charlotte area who do rely on Atrium, and they've been very vocal about all of this as well.
You know, saying, you know, well, I'm going to be paying for my health care. You're going to be a different tier.
So they they let their concerns be. Known to the state health plan and also to Atrium, it's not just the state health plan. Like you say, it's going back and forth between the two of them and working out this this disagreement that they had over the past several months. But basically, people in Charlotte were very vocal, so just wanted to let everybody know about that. That that probably also had a factor in coming to a decision that was made on this, which is great.
Yeah, and you're talking about in many cases a very large metropolitan area, our second most populous city in the and county in the state of North Carolina. A lot of current and former state employees working in and around Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, Teresa. A lot of atrium facilities in that area. No big surprise, but it's kind of been interesting to watch because the state health plan has made agreements with many of these other large healthcare systems across the state. We've talked about Duke Health, Novant, U and C Health, and Irdale Health have all come to some level of agreement.
They're not all the same, but some level of agreement with the state health plan. Atrium really kind of dug in on this, and we watched this nasty battle unfold publicly over the last couple of months. Yeah, yeah, they were like they say the last of the big four to sign on to this. You had UNC, and you mentioned the other one before. Iron Rail Health is one.
They all signed on early to this. They came to agreements. There were other agreements, and now that they can help out, they call it a white glove service. That if you don't get an appointment within two weeks, there's a special line for health, state health plan members to call. More an agreement.
With with the state health plan, and then Duke also signed on. Maybe a week or so after discussions to the access tier, yeah. And Novant Health was the other one. I apologize, I couldn't remember that.
So they all signed on early enough, but Atrium was the holdout, and this fight dragged on and on and on. Ended up with a lawsuit, and you know it's just then the state health plan said, "Fine, then we're we're not going to win the lawsuit at the moment. We'll keep fighting." But then. We're going to take you all out of network. That was the other thing that happened.
So it's just like it was one you know tit for tat. They're going back and forth with each other. I'm going to one up you, you know. But in the end, it's like they're trying to help the members save money and of course save the state health plan money, which as we said, has not been looking good the last several years and trying to keep that afloat.
So yeah, it's been an ongoing battle with with Atrium, and I think probably everybody right.
Now and they did say this in the press release. I'm sure members are relieved. I'm sure a lot of people are relieved that this is finally over for the time being. At least they says for for the foreseeable future, they do have an agreement.
So that is some great news for those who use the Atrium Healthcare and the the different providers and hospitals.
Well, and Teresa, you just kind of touched on a very important point to note with all of this, and we've heard this commentary from State Treasurer Brad Briner, who is responsible and oversees the state health plan. If the state health plan itself goes bankrupt or runs out of money, that creates a major problem moving forward, and it's not only going to affect people that were maybe looking at getting their services done through Atrium Health. You're talking about potentially having to kick off seven hundred thousand people from the state health plan if there's no. Money left, and so this is a something that we've seen a lot over the last year and a half or so. And in your estimation, following this so closely, do you think we're going to continue to see a lot of changes and a lot of work within the state health plan in years to come to get this plan back to solvent?
I think for the foreseeable future, yes. I don't know how long it's going to take. I would, I would suspect at least another year of changes. It could go beyond that, but I would say I would guaran—I shouldn't say guarantee—but it looks favorable that there will be more changes coming up in 2027. And an important note: they do receive some funding from the General Assembly as in kind, but.
All the funding for the state health plan comes from premiums. Comes from employers. Employers also they give money to the. There's a retirement plan fund with the state health plan.
So all this money does not come from the general fund or the or the state the. General Assembly, rather for the state budget, it's all coming in from different employers, and and they have to account for all of that. They've mentioned that several times.
So yeah, it. I think there are going to be some more changes coming up in the next year, because they have to get this back on track. And it's been mentioned several times, and I'm sure we're all aware of this, right? Everything's going up. You've got gas, you've got food, but healthcare is also going up at a significant rate.
So yeah, I think there will. Be some more changes in the upcoming year. Yeah, and unfortunately, here in North Carolina, in large part due to a lot of policies out of the North Carolina General Assembly, most predominantly Teresa's certificate of need, which we've talked about a lot over the last couple of years, North Carolina remains either at the top or very close to the top of some of the most expensive healthcare anywhere in the United States.
So this conversation is likely to continue. You can read more as Teresa's continued to cover this back and forth between Atrium Health and the North Carolina State Health Plan. We've got the Latest on that this morning over on our website carolinajournal dot com. As always, we appreciate the update. Teresa Opeka joins us on the Carolina Journal News Hour.
He was a champion, an icon, the original GOAT. But before Muhammad Ali became the greatest, he was Cassius Clay, a young man finding his voice, his purpose, and his place in the world. Follow his journey through the victories, the challenges, and the defining moments that would shape a legend, both in and out of the ring. From Ben Watkins, creator of Cross, and executive producer Michael B. Jordan comes the first authorized scripted series about the man behind the legend, starring Jalen Besse as Muhammad Ali.
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Each payment you make on a home may help build equity, which is the value you own in the property over time. As that equity grows, it can become a financial asset that may support your long-term goals. Owning a home can also provide stability. You have a place that's yours. Where you can build memories, establish roots, and truly make the space your own.
And the good news is that many people are surprised to learn there are programs designed to help first-time homebuyers get started, including grants and assistance programs that may help with down payments or closing costs. Learning about your options is the first step toward making an informed decision about your future. Visit ToolsForHomeOwnership.com. Ready to feel more energized and in control of your health? If you've tried diet and exercise but still aren't seeing the results you're looking for, it may be time to explore a different approach.
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Individual results may vary. See website for details. It's 5:56. Welcome back to the Carolina Journal News Hour, Charlotte's FM News Talk, 107.9 FM, WBT. We have got some new totals from the North Carolina State Board of Elections as it relates to the early voting period here across North Carolina.
Now, more than 1.8 million individuals have cast ballots during that early voting period. Democrats remain with a strong advantage: 40.3 percent of ballots. Cast are those registered as Democrats, thirty-four point four percent. Those registered as unaffiliated and Republicans at twenty-five percent. Even for them, right now, we will continue to track this through the remainder of the early voting period, which wraps up Saturday, October the thirty-first.
We'll keep you up to date with the details right here on the Carolina Journal News Hour. That's going to do it for a Wednesday edition. WBT News is next. Followed by Good Morning BT. We are back with you tomorrow morning, five to six, right here on Charlotte's FM News Talk, one hundred seven point nine FM, WBT.
He was a champion, an icon, the original GOAT. But before Muhammad Ali became the greatest, he was Cassius Clay, a young man finding his voice, his purpose, and his place in the world. Follow his journey through the victories, the challenges, and the defining moments that would shape a legend, both in and out of the ring. From Ben Watkins, creator of Cross, and executive producer Michael B. Jordan comes the first authorized scripted series about the man behind the legend, starring Jalen Besse as Muhammad Ali.
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