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Former Boise State linebacker to play for Bill Belichick at North Carolina

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Former Boise State linebacker to play for Bill Belichick at North Carolina


Nearly two months after leaving Boise State, Andrew Simpson finally found his new home in the transfer portal.

Simpson, who made 25 career starts for the Broncos at linebacker, announced his commitment to North Carolina on Wednesday. According to On3, Simpson was the No. 2 available linebacker in the transfer portal. 

A prep standout for Southern California power St. John Bosco High School, Simpson was a three-star prospect who signed with the Broncos over offers from Kansas, Oregon and San Diego State, among others. 

Simpson started three games as a redshirt freshman in 2022 before taking off as a sophomore, earning second-team all-Mountain West Conference honors with 66 total tackles (16 for loss) and 6.5 sacks. He missed time due to injury last season but still finished with 45 total tackles, three sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception. 

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The 6-foot, 238-pound Simpson was slated to start at weakside linebacker before entering the transfer portal during spring practice. 

With Simpson hitting the portal, Boise State moved Jake Ripp from edge rusher to linebacker. Ripp was a spring standout and is expected to start for the Broncos opposite middle linebacker Marco Notarainni. 

Under first-year head coach Bill Belichick, North Carolina had previously added four linebackers in the transfer portal. Simpson joins a crowded linebacker portal class of Jonathan Agumadu (Oklahoma State), Mikai Gbayor (Missouri), Timir Hickman-Collins (Florida State) and Khmori House (Washington). 

Here are Boise State’s 18 scholarship transfer portal losses since the end of last season:

Defensive lineman Demanuel Brown Jr. (New Mexico State)

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Running back Kaden Dudley

Linebacker Udoka Ezeani (UTEP)

Punter James Ferguson-Reynolds (Oregon)

Tight end Oliver Fisher (Idaho)

Wide receiver Jackson Grier (Appalachian State)

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Edge rusher Nick Hawthorne (UMass)

Wide receiver Tyrone Jackson 

Edge rusher Joseph Marsh

Wide receiver Zamondre Merriweather

Linebacker Wyatt Milkovic (Western Illinois)

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Quarterback Malachi Nelson (UTEP)

Linebacker Andrew Simpson (North Carolina)

Wide receiver Prince Strachan (USC)

Safety Gabe Tahir (Idaho State)

Cornerback Khai Taylor

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Cornerback Dionte Thornton (Portland State)

Defensive lineman Tyler Wegis

Here are Boise State’s 15 transfer portal additions:

Kicker Colton Boomer (UCF)

Punter Oscar Doyle (Weber State)

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Defensive back Demetrius Freeney (Arizona)

Defensive back Derek Ganter Jr. (Eastern Washington)

Long snapper Hunter Higham (Hawaii)

Kicker Evan Kiely (Sacramento State)

Edge rusher Sterling Lane II (Arizona)

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Defensive lineman David Latu (BYU)

Defensive lineman Keanu Mailoto (Arizona)

Defensive back Jaden Mickey (Notre Dame)

Running back Malik Sherrod (Fresno State)

Offensive lineman Alma Taleni (Utah)

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Offensive lineman Miles Walker (Ohio State)

Defensive lineman Dion Washington (Hawaii)

Edge rusher Malakai Williams (Idaho)



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North Carolina

2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers

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2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers


Here are the voter turnout numbers for the 2026 primary election, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Hyde County had the highest voter turnout, while Onslow County had the lowest turnout. Check out what the voter turnout in your county was below:

BERTIE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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31.85% (3,911 out of 12,280)

CARTERET COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

29.06% (16,543 out of 56,931)

CRAVEN COUNTY

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Ballots Cast:

18.63% (14,119 out of 75,778)

DUPLIN COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

21.93% (6,981 out of 31,832)

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EDGECOMBE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

18.16% (6,428 out of 35,396)

GREENE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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19.70% (2,147 out of 10,900)

HYDE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

37.27% (1,123 out of 3,013)

JONES COUNTY

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Ballots Cast:

25.91% (1,805 out of 6,966)

LENOIR COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

16.73% (6,251 out of 37,371)

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MARTIN COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

17.61% (2,858 out of 16,228)

ONSLOW COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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11.44% (14,816 out of 129,537)

PAMLICO COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

24.03% (2,446 out of 10,180)

PITT COUNTY

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Ballots Cast:

15.71% (19,429 out of 123,705)

TYRRELL COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

30.49% (723 out of 2,371)

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WASHINGTON COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

28.66% (2,312 out of 8,067)

WAYNE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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21.49% (16,408 out of 76,358)



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Statewide tornado drill has NC schools and workplaces practicing safety

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Statewide tornado drill has NC schools and workplaces practicing safety


Wednesday, March 4, 2026 6:41PM

NC schools and businesses encouraged to practice tornado safety

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — North Carolina schools and businesses took part in a statewide tornado drill Wednesday morning as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week.

The National Weather Service led the drill at 9:30 a.m., broadcasting it on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System. Schools, workplaces and households across the state were encouraged to join in.

The National Weather Service didn’t issue a follow up alert to mark the end of the drill. Instead, each school or business wrapped up once they felt they had practiced the procedures thoroughly.

Wednesday’s drill also replaced the regular weekly NOAA Weather Radio test.

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SEE | New warning for parents amid new ‘fire-breathing’ social media trend

Make sure to download the ABC 11 Mobile App ABC11 North Carolina Apps for Connected TV, Mobile News, Echo

Copyright © 2026 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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North Carolina Rep. Valerie Foushee holds narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam

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North Carolina Rep. Valerie Foushee holds narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam


Nida Allam in 2022; Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC) in 2025.

Jonathan Drake/Reuters; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images


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Jonathan Drake/Reuters; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee holds a narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam in the Democratic primary for North Carolina’s 4th Congressional district as ballots continue to be counted.

In a race seen as an early test of whether Democratic voters desire generational change within the party, Foushee holds a lead of just over 1,000 votes with 99% of results in so far, according to the Associated Press.

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Under state law, provisional votes will be counted in the coming days in a district that includes Durham and Chapel Hill. If the election results end up within a 1% margin, Allam could request a recount.

Successfully ousting an incumbent lawmaker is often extremely difficult and rare. However, there have been recent upsets in races as some voters are calling for new leaders and several sitting members of Congress face primary challengers this cycle.

Allam, a 32-year-old Durham County Commissioner, is running to the left of Foushee, 69, framing her candidacy as part of a broader rejection of longtime Democratic norms.

On the campaign trail, Allam ran on an anti-establishment message, pledging to be a stronger fighter than Foushee in Congress, both in standing up against President Trump’s agenda and when pushing for more ambitious policy.

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“North Carolina is a purple state that often gets labeled red, but we’re not a red state,” she told NPR in an interview last month, emphasizing the need to address affordability concerns. “We are a state of working-class folks who just want their elected officials to champion the issues that are impacting them.”

She drew a contrast with the congresswoman on immigration, voicing support for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Foushee has declined to go that far, advocating instead for ICE to be defunded and for broader reforms to the federal immigration system.

Allam also clashed with Foushee over U.S. policy towards Israel. As a vocal opponent of Israel’s war in Gaza, Allam swore off campaign donations from pro-Israel lobbying groups, such as AIPAC, and repeatedly criticized Foushee for previously accepting such funds.

Though Foushee announced last year that she would not accept AIPAC donations this cycle, she and Allam continued to spar over the broader role of outside spending in the race.

Their matchup comes four years after the candidates first squared off in 2022, when Allam lost to Foushee in what became the most expensive primary in the state’s history, with outside groups spending more than $3.8 million.

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However, this year is poised to break that record. Outside groups have reported spending more than $4.4 million on the primary matchup, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

WUNC’s Colin Campbell contributed to this report.



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