Taking the Temp: What’s Hot and Not in Local and National News

What’s Hot & What’s Not

That’s ~~show~~ biz, baby! For the second year running, NC nabbed recognition from CNBC as America’s Top State for Business.
Time to root through your junk drawer! A first-gen iPhone sold at auction for ~$190,000. (But did they keep the original box though…?)
Heads up, college applicants. Through Common App, schools will have the option to hide students’ race and ethnicity information on applications.
The FDA made two big Rx moves, approving an over-the-counter birth control pill and a novel Alzheimer’s drug.
Kratom kills? But who’s to blame? The American Kratom Association implores the FDA to regulate the supplement in response to wrongful death lawsuits.
Hot news (literally): The Sriracha shortage is real, mainly due to supply chain issues and drought conditions in Mexico. Desperate for a bottle? It’s gonna cost you—think ~$70 on eBay (!).
Scammer alert: In 2022 alone, a record $10.3 billion was stolen in the U.S., up from $6.9 billion in 2021, with NC losing a hot $175 mill.
2022 was a deadly year for pedestrians. Drivers killed ~7,000 people countrywide—the highest number of pedestrian-related deaths since 1981—with ~30 of those occurring in Raleigh.