Good morning, North Carolina! Here's what you need to know today.

In 2023, the sheriff's office began noticing an influx of temporary South Carolina license plates with the same numbers. Investigators soon realized many of these plates were fake. “Some of the reasons that we're seeing them is just because people don't want to register their vehicle,” Deputy James Murray said. “They can't get their vehicle registered. They don't want to put insurance on their vehicle. They can't get insurance. They don't have a driver's license.”

Your Weather Planner

A cold front will move across the state today. Expect scattered showers with a small chance for a stray thunderstorm and gusty south winds. Friday will be sunny and cooler, but then it will warm nicely for the weekend. The next chance of rain will be Monday.

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Around North Carolina

1. N.C. lawmakers approve $528M more for Helene recovery

House and Senate Republicans worked out their differences and voted overwhelmingly this week for a compromise that includes an additional $327 million to address the recovery from previous storms — some several years ago — and disasters other than Helene.

2. McNeese State coach confirms contact with N.C. State about job

McNeese State coach Will Wade knows his name is in the mix during the college basketball coaching carousel. And unlike some coaches this time of year, he's not being coy.

3. Mecklenburg County sheriff responds to ICE on arrest of illegal immigrants

ICE said it arrested 24 people in the Charlotte area, accused of being in the country illegally, during the first eight days of March. The agency said the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office did not honor active detainer warrants. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said his agency cannot honor the detainers unless they are signed by a judge.

Around The Nation

1. Trump to order plan to shut down Education Department

2. Legal showdown as Justice Department resists judge's demand for more details on deportation flights

3. Newly released JFK assassination files reveal more about CIA but don't yet point to conspiracies

Editor's Pick - Samaritan's Purse starts rebuilding homes in western North Carolina

It’s been years since Amy Morgan has lived on Liner Street in Waynesville, but walking in front of her parents' property of nearly 50 years brings back many memories. When the floodwaters of Hurricane Helene ravaged her parents’ neighborhood, even Morgan said her faith was tested. “I knew the house was bad,” she said. “And then when I got down here and saw the devastation, I didn't know what we were going to do.”