AGP Executive Report

Memorial Day Safety Push: North Carolina’s annual “Click It or Ticket” seat belt crackdown is underway statewide through May 31, with extra patrols and citations aimed at cutting preventable crash deaths and injuries. Local Travel Updates: NCDOT crews begin the first phase of intersection improvements in New Bern, closing left lanes on Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd (US 70 Business/US 17) near Hotel Drive for about two weeks, with more summer closures to follow. Tourism & Community Spotlight: Wake County surprised Principal Mariah Walker with a ceremony after she was named NC’s 2026 Wells Fargo Principal of the Year—another feel-good moment for families heading into the holiday weekend. Wildlife Reminder: The NC Wildlife Resources Commission is urging “bear aware” behavior as sightings rise into early summer, especially around trash and neighborhoods. Big Picture Energy: NextEra and Dominion are seeking to merge into a massive utility serving millions across NC and the region, as AI-driven power demand keeps growing.

Memorial Day travel: AAA expects more than 45 million Americans to hit the road Thursday–Monday, and North Carolina’s average gas price is about $4.19 a gallon—pushing some families to stay closer to home (parks, local attractions) and others to swap far-flung plans for nearby getaways like Asheville. Lake Lure comeback: Lake Lure in Western NC is reopening after nearly 20 months following Helene recovery work; Washburn Marina ramps and beach access are returning in phases, a big signal for tourism and local businesses. Roads and crowds: Raleigh is rolling out major weekend interchange closures around Western Blvd and the I-440 Beltline, with detours and delays expected. Travel brands watch: Buc-ee’s Benton (AR) is targeting a late-summer opening, underscoring how fast travel stops are becoming destination stops. Family-friendly fun: “Playcations” are trending—short, hobby-led trips—boosting interest in surf and beach towns along the NC coast. Sports spotlight: Duke softball’s Layla Lamar helped punch Duke into super regionals, and Winthrop earned the No. 2 seed for the Big South tournament in Asheville.

Lake Lure Reopens: Western North Carolina’s Lake Lure is back open after more than a year and a half of Helene recovery, with Washburn Marina’s boat ramp reopening for permitted motorized vessels starting Saturday and Lake Lure Beach slated for Memorial Day weekend—an “icing on the cake” moment for local businesses still rebuilding. Raleigh Road Watch: Raleigh crews are shifting major traffic this weekend as Western Blvd and connections to the I-440 Beltline close for final interchange work, so plan detours and extra time. Outer Banks Value Check: A new price comparison weighs Outer Banks trips against the Jersey Shore, Dublin, and Mexico, with the takeaway that drive-to-NC options may look better as summer costs and gas prices rise. Travel Culture Trend: Airbnb says “playcations” are driving summer travel—short, hobby-focused trips like surfing, golfing, and lake time—putting more spotlight on laid-back coastal towns. Local Business Note: Buc-ee’s is suing a Georgia convenience store over brand and mascot similarities.

Road Safety: A fatal crash on I-26 in South Carolina killed Winston-Salem man Benjamin Winston; three others were injured when a Honda CR-V hit a concrete barrier. Public Health: The FDA/USDA powdered milk recall tied to possible salmonella continues to expand, with more products added nationwide—North Carolina shoppers are urged to check affected items. Western NC Tourism: Lake Lure is reopening after Tropical Storm Helene recovery work, with marina ramp access starting Saturday and Lake Lure Beach set for Memorial Day weekend. Travel Disruptions (Raleigh): Major weekend closures are underway around Western Blvd and the I-440 interchange, with detours and delays expected. Blue Ridge Parkway Update: Debris cleanup is set to begin this summer to reduce wildfire risk, a plan some river groups oppose. Community Spotlight: Black Mothers March is calling out racial disparities in the child welfare system.

Raleigh Roadwork: Major weekend closures are underway as crews move the Western Blvd–I-440 interchange into its final configuration, with Western Boulevard and key connections closed starting Friday night—expect detours and delays. Blue Ridge Parkway Recovery: Debris cleanup is set to begin this summer on the Parkway after Hurricane Helene, with National Park Service crews targeting dozens of hazard sites to reduce wildfire risk. Lake Lure Reopens: Lake Lure is welcoming visitors again this weekend—reopening one week earlier than expected, with marina ramps returning first and the beach planned to follow later. Local Growth & Travel Context: New Census figures highlight fast-growing smaller cities in the South (including Charlotte in the top numeric gainers), underscoring why tourism and traffic planning matter. Food Safety Watch: A powdered milk recall tied to possible salmonella continues to expand nationwide, including products sold at major retailers.

Fed Leadership: Jerome Powell is stepping down as Fed chair after eight years marked by stubborn inflation and a fight to protect the central bank’s independence. Local Roads & Travel: Charlotte’s I-77 toll lane plan is in limbo after city council rescinded support, with debate now focused on traffic impacts near Exit 5 to Tyvola Road. Cost of Getting Around: Rising gas prices are pushing more drivers toward EVs, with commuters saying charging can cut costs and even boost earnings. Wildlife Watch: Black bear sightings are increasing across North Carolina, including in major cities—officials say don’t approach and let bears move through. Western NC Tourism Comeback: Lake Lure is reopening this weekend after a 20-month recovery from Hurricane Helene, with ramps returning first and beach access later. Tech in Healthcare: ECU Health in Greenville says it has performed its first noninvasive liver tumor treatment using ultrasound-based technology. Community & Culture: Rowan County will dedicate its Charters of Freedom setting on May 27 in Salisbury.

Outer Banks Travel Safety: NCDOT is lowering the seasonal speed limit on Highway 12 to 35 mph (from 45) through key beach towns like Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Frisco and Corolla, with the changes returning to off-season speeds Sept. 15. Wildlife Watch: Black bear sightings are rising across North Carolina as summer nears, including reports around Charlotte and other Piedmont cities—wildlife officials say it’s usually not an emergency, and the best move is to leave bears alone and let them pass. Road Notes for Visitors: Heavy traffic and crash delays were reported on US 17 near Alligator Creek in Leland, with drivers urged to expect slowdowns. Community & Culture: Winston-Salem/Forsyth and Greensboro arts councils are opening 2026–27 Artist Support Grant applications June 1, with awards up to $2,000. Family Fun Fundraiser: Kyle Petty’s Ride Across America charity motorcycle tour rolled through the Charlotte area this week, supporting Victory Junction.

Big Crowd, Big Buzz: The 2026 Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Air Show in Havelock drew about 70,000 people and featured the Navy Blue Angels, with visitors traveling from across the region for the free, two-day spectacle. Tourism Recovery Watch: As Western North Carolina continues rebuilding after Hurricane Helene, state leaders and local business owners are urging visitors to return—pointing to reopenings like Lake Lure’s Lake Luke and renewed momentum in Asheville-area shops. Coastal Reality Check: On Hatteras Island, Gov. Josh Stein weighed in on coastal protection debates, including how “hardened structures” could affect stability and the local economy. Coastal Environment: PFAS concerns are heating up again as regulators consider a proposed coastal “minimization” rule, with critics warning it could hurt a tourism-driven shoreline. Local Life & Leisure: Wilmington-area drivers are watching the Eastwood overpass discussion as construction and congestion questions linger. Health That Brings People In: ECU Health Medical Center performed its first non-invasive Edison Histotripsy procedure for liver tumors, expanding advanced care options in eastern NC.

Tourism Pulse (NC): North Carolina is still pulling in visitors—Visit North Carolina reports a record $30B in visitor spending in 2025, and the state ranks 7th for domestic travel, with operators in Asheville seeing more group travel and shorter booking lead times as travelers look for value. Local Hospitality Spotlight: Wilmington and the Beaches CVB handed out its 2026 Tourism Star Awards to standout hospitality leaders, including an Embassy Suites banquet manager and Sea Turtle Camp coordinator. Travel Access: Avelo is adding new nonstop service from Cleveland Hopkins to Concord, NC starting June 19 (Mondays and Fridays), boosting budget-friendly options for Northeast Ohio travelers heading to the Carolinas. Road Notes: Swansboro drivers should expect lane impacts on West Corbett Avenue May 17–20 for NCDOT asphalt and sidewalk ramp work. Fed Watch: Jerome Powell’s Fed chair term ends May 15 as Kevin Warsh is confirmed—another reminder that economic uncertainty can shape travel decisions.

Medicare Crackdown: CMS is pausing enrollment for new hospice and home health providers for six months, citing widespread fraud that targets vulnerable patients—aiming to stop “new bad actors” while investigators go after those already exploiting the system. State Travel & Roads: North Carolina lawmakers are weighing tougher rules on vaping sales to minors, while transportation commission discussions elsewhere include tolls and a low-income discount plan—showing how access and affordability keep driving policy debates. Tourism Spotlight: Appalachian State wrapped a record 4,300+ graduates in Boone, and North Carolina’s tourism economy continues to draw attention after hitting record spending levels. On-the-Ground Safety: A North Carolina-related mass-shooting threat case in New Orleans is moving through court, and local traffic incidents keep popping up across the region. What to Watch: Cheap flights are getting harder in May, and ticket-fraud concerns are pushing NC venues and lawmakers toward stronger anti-bot rules.

Public Health Alert: A major sewage spill—about 1.1 million gallons—hit near Raleigh’s Brier Creek area, raising fresh questions about water safety and cleanup timelines. Rural Development: Gov. Josh Stein highlighted Rural Infrastructure Authority grants in Edenton, pointing to downtown upgrades and a $6.48M investment creating 61 jobs at a new Center of Excellence. Tourism & Community Life: Strive Not to Drive Week returns May 15–22 across Western North Carolina, with events in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania aimed at getting visitors and locals walking, biking, and carpooling. Travel Safety: A former Maine champion swimmer, Keegan McKenney, died in a Charlotte crash, underscoring how quickly travel plans can turn tragic. Local Growth Watch: Huntersville’s “State of the Town” update focused on balancing fast development with transportation and infrastructure improvements.

Tourism Boom: North Carolina tourism hit a record in 2025, with visitor spending topping $37.2 billion—supporting 230,997 jobs and boosting tourism payroll to $9.8 billion. Public Safety Tech: Rutherfordton is rolling out HAAS Alert’s digital emergency warning system to help drivers get real-time alerts when fire units respond, starting with one engine and expanding to new apparatus. Health Watch (Hantavirus): State officials say the risk to North Carolinians remains extremely low after a NC resident was exposed on a cruise ship and is being monitored in Nebraska—while public messaging pushes back on COVID-style panic. Accountability: A former Pilot Mountain town manager, Michael Boaz, faces a felony indictment tied to $317,604 in questionable credit card purchases flagged by the state auditor. Travel & Events: Arizona softball heads to the NCAA tournament in Durham, and the state’s sports calendar keeps feeding visitor traffic.

College Sports Money: A new commentary argues college athletics has flipped from scholarships to a TV-and-donor-driven, CEO-style arms race—setting up fresh debate as the SCORE Act returns with proposed limits on in-season coach hiring. Public Safety & Community: Greensboro swore in a new police chief, while deputies seek help identifying a vehicle in a mail theft probe and police hunt a suspect tied to a shooting at Muzz’s Gym in North Wilkesboro. Historic Preservation: Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios added 13 new member sites, bringing its total to 93—good news for culture travelers. Roads & Getting Around: NCDOT schedules weekday lane closures on Wilmington’s 16th Street for maintenance through May 29. Tourism Context: North Carolina tourism spending hit a record $37.2B, reinforcing why visitors keep showing up.

Tourism Boom: North Carolina tourist spending hit a record $37.2B in 2025, topping the prior year’s $36.7B and supporting 230,997 tourism jobs statewide, with tourism payroll up to $9.8B. Local Growth Watch: Alamance County leaders are eyeing big ripple effects from Mebane’s retail surge—Target and other national brands are set for a new 83-acre development near I-40, while North Carolina’s first Buc-ee’s is planned for late 2027. Public Safety Tech: Burlington police say AI-enabled license plate readers are helping connect cases faster by flagging likely vehicle matches across agencies. Community News: UNC Health is moving toward a new Wilmington community hospital, with a certificate of need filing planned for June 15 and a target opening in 2030. Crime & Accountability: Former Pilot Mountain town manager Michael Boaz was indicted in Surry County after an audit alleged misuse of a town credit card for personal expenses. Weather & Outdoors: An EF-1 tornado touched down in Columbus County, and a national list spotlights Lake Superior as the cleanest lake in the U.S.

Gas-Price Relief Talk: A new study says Tennessee residents feel less financial strain from rising gas than many other states—gas burden at about 4.1% of median weekly income—while the federal government weighs suspending the gas tax ahead of Memorial Day travel. Outdoor Escape Spotlight: Robertson Millpond Preserve in Wake County is getting attention for a beginner-friendly, family-friendly paddle route through a rare blackwater swamp setting. WNC Fishing Buzz: Western North Carolina scored big in national “best of” lists, with Chetola Resort ranking No. 2 for fishing lodges and Blue Ribbon Angler taking the top spot for fly fishing guides. Tourism Marketing Push: Visit NC is leaning harder on social media creators, spending over $650,000 on content creators in five years, aiming to turn posts into bookings. Weekend Plans (Wilmington): Wilmington’s packed event calendar includes Thalian Hall Cinema screenings and more arts and music options for day-trippers and locals. Weather Watch: A cool front brings damp, mostly non-severe rain chances and cooler temps into Monday.

North Carolina tourism coverage in the past day is dominated by a major statewide economic milestone: Gov. Josh Stein announced that North Carolina set a new record for visitor spending in 2025, with travelers spending more than $37.2 billion in trips to and within the state (up from the prior $36.7 billion record in 2024). The announcement ties the result to National Travel and Tourism Week (May 3–9) and emphasizes that tourism supported jobs and local businesses even amid ongoing recovery challenges following Hurricane Helene. The reporting also specifies that domestic travelers accounted for $36.1 billion and international travelers more than $1.1 billion, alongside increases in tourism-supported employment and payroll.

Alongside the spending record, the most tourism-specific “local impact” items in the last 12 hours are more promotional and community-focused rather than policy-changing. Coverage includes Brunswick County’s Tourism Development Authority highlighting National Travel and Tourism Week and the role of travel spending in the county’s economy, plus a feature-style piece promoting a secluded campground near Asheville as an off-the-grid option close to downtown. Another tourism-adjacent development is a local media report that producers of The Summer I Turned Pretty asked fans not to visit filming locations or share set details online, citing safety concerns for cast and crew—an example of how “set-jetting” pressures are being managed in the Wilmington area.

Beyond the headline tourism economics, the broader last-12-hours stream includes several items that touch the visitor economy indirectly (events, hospitality, and travel logistics), but the evidence provided is limited to standalone mentions rather than a single coordinated trend. For example, there’s coverage of National Travel and Tourism Week recognition in Brunswick County and a separate note about North Carolina’s tourism record being framed as proof of continued demand “from our beautiful shore to our breathtaking mountains.” However, the provided material does not show additional, corroborated changes to tourism policy or infrastructure within the state during this window.

Older coverage (3–7 days ago) provides continuity on how tourism is being positioned in the state’s recovery and visitor narrative, including references to western North Carolina’s resilience and the arts’ role in post-Helene recovery (via a National Council on the Arts visit to Asheville). It also includes additional tourism-related local programming and destination features, but the most concrete, measurable development in the 7-day range remains the $37.2B 2025 tourism spending record reported in the last 12 hours.