🛫 Delayed flight? No problem. Airlines are now required to provide automatic cash refunds within a few days to flyers experiencing significantly delayed or canceled flights.
🎉 Inclusivity for the win! Battling bankruptcy and sexual abuse claims, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding to Scouting America on its 115th birthday in February.
🍃 Keep calm and get high? The USDA is reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule I drug (think heroin, LSD) to Schedule III (ketamine, some anabolic steroids).
💰 Mo’ money, less problems. NC Theatre is requesting a cool $2 mill from the state after filing for bankruptcy earlier this year.
🎥 Perhaps sex doesn’t sell. Per recent study, sex scenes in major films have declined by 40% since 2000, with action movies seeing the least, well, action (down 70%).
Our U.S. Open hot takes + fun facts from media day
Fore! Raleigh Mag took to the green at Pinehurst Resort for the U.S. Open media day May 6 ahead of the 124th U.S. Open championship in June—its fourth year at Pinehurst No. 2 (see also: 1999, 2005, 2014) and 38th in NC.
Our MO on the green? Sinking putts and taking names (!). We spent the day hitting the links at the famous Donald Ross-designed Pinehurst Course No. 2, which opened in 1907 and was later restored in March 2011.
During the exclusive event, we feasted our eyes on the 18-inch-tall 8.5-pound U.S. Open trophy, met last year’s winner Wyndham Clark, and heard from the USGA president and CEO (and other USGA reps) and the CEO of Pinehurst. Talk about a great day—by par!
We also got schooled on the course and the U.S. Open—already scheduled to return to Pinehurst No. 2 in 2029, 2035, 2041 & 2047! Here, our top takeaways and fun facts. May the course be with you!
⛳️ The first U.S. Open took place in 1895.
🏠 The USGA recently made Pinehurst an anchor site for their office, making this year’s championship the first they’re hosting from “home.”
🏌️ Anyone can enter the championship, whether you’re a professional or amateur golfer, with the final qualifying round taking place in June. All those who make it receive at least $8,500.
🐅 Fifteen-time major champ Tiger Woods will be competing in this year’s U.S. Open!
💸 While the 2024 purse has yet to be announced, 2023’s was $20 million, and the winner took home $3.6 million (!).
🌱 This year’s course saw some slight changes: The greens were changed to championship Bermuda greens; hole 13 was narrowed to be more difficult; tees were leveled; and mounds more wire glass was planted.
🛠️ Through 2029, ~$1 million is committed to the local community college’s gap skilled labor program, which will foster jobs keeping up with the golf course, maintaining the landscaping and more.
HOW TO WATCH
The 2024 U.S. Open broadcast schedule is as follows:
Planning on taking a swing at or getting away to Pinehurst for the U.S. Open—or just because? We rounded up where to eat, stay, play and what to do when you’re not taking your shot (or watching). See all of our recs here.
Gut check: The State Health Plan halted coverage of trending weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound—though officials are in talks with the companies who make them to negotiate another deal for coverage.
Joel Justus, NC State men’s assistant basketball coach, danced away from the program following the team’s Final Four run to become the associate head coach at Ohio State.
More money, more problems. SmartAsset recently reported you need to pull in a salary of $102,752 to live comfortably in Raleigh.
Inflation is (still) rising, with consumer prices rising 3.5% in March, up from February’s 3.2%—derailing Fed’s plan to reduce interest rates in June and raising questions on whether cuts = economic slowdown.
After serving two terms, Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin has announced she is not running for reelection. In an exclusive video, Baldwin shares her difficult decision not to run again due to personal and family health concerns.
“Raleigh is growing—that’s an inescapable fact,” says Mayor Baldwin. “We’ve got a lot going for us. I look forward to seeing who decides to step forward to offer themselves to serve our great city. We need to support candidates who have experience in government and the know-how to keep Raleigh moving forward.”
In the video, the mayor thoughtfully reflects on her nearly 15 years serving on the Raleigh City Council—as well as her hopes for the city to fulfill its high potential moving forward. Watch the full announcement video below.
First things first: Go Pack 🐺🏀! NC State men’s and women’s basketball teams are each playing in the Final Four this weekend, with the women’s team set for a Friday night faceoff against South Carolina at 7pm and the male Cinderella shooter’s taking the court against Purdue Saturday night at ~6pm.
As the Pack preps for a duo of (hopeful) dubs, here are a lineup of local spots to witness NC State wolf out a win or commiserate an L this weekend—or beyond (🤞) when the championship game takes place Sunday, April 7, for the ladies and Monday, April 8, for the gents. Wake up, Wolfpack—and get ready to light it red this week! No matter what happens, it’s surely been a March Madness to remember! See you at the Belltower? #WPN
Game Times
NCAAW | Friday, April 5, 7pm, ESPN/ESPN+, 3 seed NC State vs. 1 seed South Carolina NCAAW | Friday, April 5, 9pm, ESPN/ESPN+, 3 seed UCONN vs. 1 seed Iowa
NCAAM | Saturday, April 6, 6:09pm, TBS/TNT/truTV, 11 seed NC State vs. 1 seed Purdue NCAAM | Saturday, April 6, 8:49pm, TBS/TNT/truTV, 4 seed Alabama vs. 1 seed UCONN
NCAAW | Sunday, April 7, 3pm, National Championship, ABC, winner of NCSU/USC vs. winner of UCONN/Iowa
NCAAM | Monday, April 8, 9:20pm, National Championship, TBS/TNT/truTV, winner of NCSU/Purdue vs. winner of Alabama/UCONN
Photo courtesy of Pack Athletics
Prime Watch Spots
Players Retreat Packed from the start, this OG NC State go-to watch spot is sure to be a packed house this weekend—blasting volume like you’re at the game itself. Go for the could-be-in-Phoenix (without Raleigh FOMO) feels, stay for the comfort food (burgers FTW)… and to (🤞🏼) witness some Wolfpack dubs. Added bonus: It’s an easy jump to the Belltower. @theplayersretreat
Mitch’s Tavern A fan fave for its prime locale on Hillsborough Street (read: also less time sprinting to the Belltower after the final buzzer), travel the stairs to the tavern for fab fare and team camaraderie. Pro tip: Go at least two hours before tipoff. @mitchstavern.raleigh
Photo courtesy of Amedeo’s
Amedeo’s A true NC State staple (and literally built on a history of Pack athletics), Amedeo’s touts all the collegiate memorabilia to percolate the good game day energy—so book your watch party rez and bite your nails alongside dozens of your closest friends. Pro tip: Order the Pack Pasta to fuel all the cheering! @amedeos_restaurant
The Avenue Adding one more DJ to mix—NTM huge outdoor screens, Jenga during commercial breaks and a spinning tunes postgame to amp up the winning party or lessen the blow of an L—the hoppin’ alfresco-esque garage-bar vibes have been a huge draw for a howlin’ good game time, offering an outdoor sprawling playground all weekendlong. @theavenueraleigh
TheMixx If you’re in north of West Raleigh and want to Mixx up March madness, vibe and imbibe at this wolf den for a (hopeful) Wolfpack win! @themixx_raleigh
Tobacco Road Sports Cafe A weekly in-season fave for State fans—it’s Tobacco Road, baby!—the sports cafe is a primo Wolfpack watch spot for its smattering of TVs. … And those Wolfpack Wings don’t hurt anybody’s chances at a good time, win or lose. @tobaccoroadnc
Photo courtesy of My Way Tavern
My Way Tavern Fingers crossed WPN has it their way! Regardless, good sportsmanship and loaded menu selects abound at a neighborhood tavern plenty of Wolfpackers deem worth watching at. @mywayraleigh
Carolina Ale House If the strength of the wolf is the Pack, find plenty of wolves to pack in with raising the roof on Glenwood South at this game-day go-to. Pro tip: Cheetos wings and $5 March Madness margs, natch. @carolinaalehouse
Woody’s Sports Tavern Another RM Best Game Day Bar you’ll find plenty of revelry and fans throwing up Wolfies at. Come for the camaraderie, stay for the “best damn wings in the Triangle.” @woodyscitymarket
