North Carolina
Border Patrol in Charlotte, Driver that killed girl in parade pleads guilty
Good morning, North Carolina! Here’s what you need to know today.
Your Weather Planner
After some strong winds on Sunday, calmer conditions are expected for the start to the workweek. Monday will still be breezy at times, however, and we’ll need to continue to monitor the risk for wildfire danger.
Temperatures in the 30s and 40s will only climb into the 50s and 60s in the afternoon with breezy weather and sunny skies.
Get your full forecast:
Charlotte | Triad | Triangle | Coastal | Mountains
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Around North Carolina
1. Driver that struck, killed girl in 2022 Raleigh Christmas parade pleads guilty
A few days short of the three-year anniversary of when 11-year-old Hailey Brooks died after being hit by a truck in the Raleigh Christmas Parade, the driver pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 120 days, according to court records. Landen Glass, who was 20 years old at the time, lost control after his brakes failed, police said.
2. ECU, N.C. State boards approve hikes for in-state tuition
Leaders at East Carolina University and N.C. State have approved 3% tuition increases for incoming students. The N.C. State board of trustees gave approval Friday to the increase, which would take effect in fall 2026, a spokesman for the school said. ECU’s trustees approved the tuition increase for new undergraduate students beginning in the 2026-27 academic year, a university spokesperson said. The tuition increases at both schools must be approved by the UNC System’s Board of Governors.
3. Funeral to be held Monday for WakeMed officer killed in line of duty
Services for WakeMed Officer Roger Smith will start at noon Monday at Providence Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. Smith, 59, was shot and killed Saturday, Nov. 8, during a struggle at the WakeMed Garner HealthPlex, officials said.
Around The Nation
1. Trump drops tariffs on beef, coffee, tropical fruit as pressure builds on consumer prices
2. Trump to ask DOJ to probe Epstein ties to Clinton, Summers, Hoffman, JPMorgan
3. Experts say legislative path forward to lower health care costs remains unclear
The school year can look much different for children matriculating through the state’s foster care system. The National Center for Education Statistics showed only 57% of North Carolina students in foster care graduate high school compared with about a 90% graduation rate for their peers. Nita Nwakuche is proud to have graduated from high school as a product of the system, considering how much she had to overcome.
North Carolina defensive lineman D’antre Robinson plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. He transferred to UNC from Florida ahead of the 2025 campaign.
In his lone season with the Tar Heels, Robinson made 12 appearances. He recorded 39 tackles and a forced fumble. He was also credited with half a sack.
As a true freshman at Florida in 2024, Robinson played in 11 games. He notched 16 tackles, including three for loss, as well as 1.5 sacks.
D’antre Robinson played high school football at Jones (FL), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 267 overall player and No. 27 defensive lineman in the 2024 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.
This past season was legendary head coach Bill Belichick‘s first at the helm of North Carolina. UNC posted a 4-8 overall record and a 2-6 mark in conference play
In December, Belichick hired former Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino to serve in the same role for the Tar Heels next season. In November, there was speculation that Belichick would return to the professional ranks. Alas, the 73-year-old HC quickly squashed those rumors.
“Despite circulating rumors, I have not and will not pursue any NFL head coaching vacancies,” Belichick wrote. “Since arriving in Chapel Hill, my commitment to the UNC Football program has not waivered.
“We have tremendous support from the university, our alumni, and the entire Carolina community. My focus remains solely on continuing to improve this team, develop our players, and build a program that makes Tar Heel fans proud.”
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
Auburn’s latest incoming transfer brings experience and production to what was a position of weakness last season.
Former North Carolina tight end Jake Johnson signed with Auburn on Saturday, a source confirmed to AL.com. Johnson is the third transfer tight end Auburn has signed since the portal opened, joining Jonathan Echols and Xavier Newsom.
Johnson, however, is the most proven of Auburn’s signees at tight end. He brings four years of experience at North Carolina and Texas A&M, catching 16 passes for 144 yards and one touchdown in 2025.
His best season came with the Aggies in 2023, during which he caught 24 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, he brings versatility to Auburn’s tight end room and may be the best pass catching option.
With Johnson now signed, Auburn’s tight end room is now up to five players, putting the Tigers in a good spot going into the 2026 season.
The transfer portal officially opened on Jan. 2 and will remain open until Jan. 16. Keep up with all of Auburn’s incoming and outgoing transfers here.
Saturday is a monumental game for the North Carolina Tar Heels, who are coming off an embarrassing defensive performance against the SMU Mustangs last weekend. Boopie Miller and the Mustangs dominated the tempo of the game, leading to a 97-83 win over the Tar Heels.
North Carolina will be hosting the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at the Dean E. Smith Center on Saturday night. The Tar Heels enter this contest with a 13-2 overall record and a 1-1 conference record. Meanwhile, Wake Forest owns a 10-6 overall record and a 1-1 conference record.
With that brief preview, let’s take a look at a couple of keys to the game that will be deciphering factors in the outcome of this matchup.
Can North Carolina Bounce Back Defensively?
While speaking with the media on Friday during his press conference, head coach Hubert Davis explained what he saw on film against SMU, and how that will be the main message heading into Saturday.
- “Obviously, disappointed defensively,” Davis said. “It was just a number of things. I mean, it was on transition, one-on-one, not boxing out at times, not talking and communicating the right way, discipline, shot fake, stay down, putting guys at the free throw line. And so, I was really excited about this week not having a midweek game, to actually have practice. To practice on us, as opposed to preparing for Wake Forest until the latter part of the week. So, I felt like it was a perfect time not to have a midweek game, to be able to get to practice and start doing fundamentally the things that have allowed us all year to be a pretty good defensive team.”
Wake Forest’s top offensive weapon is Juke Harris, who is averaging 19.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 45.4 percent from the field and 33 percent from beyond the arc.
Last week, the Tar Heels struggled against their opponent’s best player, but Harris and Miller are drastically different players, so North Carolina may be able to contain the 6-foot-7, 200-pound guard more sufficiently. Nonetheless, the Tar Heels’ perimeter defense has to be stellar to win comfortably.
Backcourt Production Has to be Noticeable
We already know that Seth Trimble will do his part, but someone between Kyan Evans, Luka Bogavac, and Derek Dixon have to step up with an efficient performance. The trio has been extremely underwhelming for the majority of the season, especially Evans and Bogavac.
For Evans and Bogavac to find sustain success and confidence, a strong outing will go a long way in that regard. Saturday is an important game for the Tar Heels’ guard who need to show a sign of life with conference play heating up.
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