The News & Observer
NC state auditor’s new report on Cary finds ‘excessive’ spending
Following months of reports of mismanagement in the town of Cary, the State Auditor’s Office confirmed a lengthy list of “questionable expenses” and an “intimidating” work environment under former Town Manager Sean Stegall in a new report released...
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Jury deadlocks in murder trial of Durham’s ‘top Blood’
A judge declared a mistrial Tuesday in the case of a selfproclaimed “top Blood” charged with killing a Durham club promoter whose body was never found. Darrius Tyson, 34, was charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping in the March...
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Animal Center seeks adopters as shelter exceeds capacity
The Wake County Animal Center is asking people to adopt and look for lost pets after a post-Independence Day surge has pushed the shelter beyond the number of animals it was meant to hold. The shelter is currently caring for about 630 animals. From...
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Appeals court limits police action on anonymous tips
A federal appeals court overturned a North Carolina man’s 30-month gun possession sentence, limiting the actions of officers responding to vague, anonymous tips in high-crime areas. In a 2-1 decision released Thursday, the majority of the U.S. Court...
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Loud, nighttime calls by tree frogs draw visitors to Downtown Cary Park
CARY Queenk, queenk, queenk. On summer nights, Downtown Cary Park comes alive with a wild chorus echoing from the ponds. It’s not a quirky new sound system — it’s the green tree frog, the headliner of Cary’s summer nights. Most easily heard late at...
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Why WakeMed says it needs Atrium merger to fix Raleigh campus
When you walk out of the visitors parking deck at WakeMed’s Raleigh campus on New Bern Avenue, you stand before the sprawling medical center’s two newest buildings containing the heart center and the children’s hospital. But behind the modern glass...
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Raleigh marks America 250 celebration with heat and history
aAs hundreds gathered at the North Carolina state Capitol to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Gov. Josh Stein thanked them for braving temperatures nearing triple digits Saturday. “Now every one of you who is here...
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Professed Bloods leader accused of killing NC man goes to trial
The trial of a Durham man accused of murdering a club promoter whose body has never been found began Monday with jury selection. Darrius Lavale Tyson, 34, is charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree kidnapping in the March...
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Out! Raleigh Pride brings visibility to LGBTQ+ organizations in the area
Throughout the afternoon of Out! Raleigh Pride, a blondhaired street preacher stood atop the steps to the old Wake County Courthouse. He flipped through Bible pages with his left hand and warned through the mic in his right hand about a “gay...
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More Helene recovery funds on the way, NC budget writer says
Fully recovering from the aftermath of Helene’s path through Western North Carolina is going to take a lot of state and federal funding, along with support from the private sector. That was clear in the immediate aftermath of the 2024 storm. And the...
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Neighbors respond to developers eyeing this rural NC community
Late-spring sunlight seeped through the leaves in southeastern Alamance County, but it cast its full light on the fields where Lloydtown and Morrow Mill roads meet. Wall lettuce, field garlic, musk and sow thistles surround the roadside entrance to a...
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Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup win brings surge of fans to parade
If the Carolina Hurricanes’ victory over the Vegas Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup was indeed a perfect storm, the storm surge arrived in downtown Raleigh Saturday, when an estimated 150,000 people gathered for a loud, boisterous...
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Big changes at NC highway exit as Buc-ee’s breaks ground
Buc-ee’s founder Arch “Beaver” Aplin said he’s happy Alamance County officials reached out when they did about building the state’s first mega-size travel center in Mebane. He was just moving past Orange County’s decision to reject Buc-ee’s first...
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NCDOT asks lawmakers for help with ferry diesel costs
North Carolina’s ferry system may need to cut back service during the busy summer months if it does not get help paying its unusually high fuel bills, state officials say. The cost of the diesel fuel the state uses in its ferry fleet is up 75% on...
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This year, Holly’s Nest will take in 150 orphaned baby deer
The collection of hard-luck critters relaxing around Holly’s Nest Animal Rescue already includes four beavers sleeping in the bathtub, a skunk nestled in the back bedroom and a one-legged duck nicknamed “Pogo Stick” hopping around the pond...
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NC law denies victim status in fentanyl death case
Winter brought Nicole Holliday’s mother back into her life, but spring took her just as quickly. A little over a year ago, Holliday was working from her Wake Forest home when her grandmother called with the news. “Nicole, they found your mom dead,”...
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Much has changed since 2006 Stanley Cup run
The last time the Carolina Hurricanes hoisted the Stanley Cup, 30,000 fans packed into the sizzling-hot parking lot of what was then called the RBC Center — a riotous celebration that drew Caniacs from Gov. Mike Easley to a 6-year-old girl. That...
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Canes season ticket holders had early access to Stanley Cup seats
Carolina Hurricanes season ticket holders had a three-hour window Saturday to purchase tickets to Stanley Cup Final games before everyone else could buy seats. Even with the early access, though, some season ticket holders weren’t able to buy tickets...
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Lawmakers propose cap on Triangle property taxes
Triangle homeowners are seeing property tax bills ranging from 60% higher to around double what they were a decade ago. And now, many local governments across the Triangle are considering tax-rate increases in their budgets for fiscal year 2027, which...
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Canes tickets come at a steep price
Being there for hockey history comes with a hefty price. Tickets to the Stanley Cup Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights went on sale Saturday and fans found steep prices for the opportunity to watch the Canes in the first...
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WakeMed merger documents won’t change before Wake decision
Wake County commissioners decided earlier this month to wait 90 days before voting on WakeMed’s planned merger with Charlotte-based Atrium Health to “allow ample time for public feedback.” But the public forums WakeMed finished this week have been...
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Raleigh’s $40M amphitheater move just hit a major milestone
The new Red Hat Amphitheater remains on track to open in the spring of 2027, with a sea of corporate and city officials gathering Tuesday to mark a construction milestone. The new amphitheater, across Lenoir Street from the existing Red Hat...
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Woman held without bail after courthouse shooting
The woman accused of shooting two attorneys outside the Wake County courthouse on Friday will be held without bail as she faces two counts of attempted murder, a judge said Tuesday. Gwendolyn White, 57, appeared in court Tuesday morning but did not...
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Crypto ATMs draw scams. Should machines be banned in NC?
At a 76 gas station in Cary on a sunny Tuesday in May, a shop cashier held a sign with the word “Caution” printed in large red letters. “Did someone send you to this crypto ATM? It’s likely a scam,” the sign read, followed by a translation in Spanish...
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‘Mature beyond his years’ teacher celebrated as Wake County’s best
Matin Maani was named the 2026 Wake County Teacher of the Year, but he didn’t get his crown until Thursday in front of hundreds of cheering students. Maani, a seventh-grade social studies teacher, strode through the halls of Apex Friendship Middle...
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Agave’s towering bloom captivates Raleigh neighbors
On a quiet Raleigh street, one humble agave plant has dazzled its neighbors with the final, glorious performance of its life — shooting up 25 feet in a single month. For 15 years, it sat quietly in Agata Slaczka’s yard, looking prickly and...
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NC insurance commissioner faces claims of improper texts
After 10 years as a state probation officer, a dangerous job with low pay and high turnover, April Taylor saw an opportunity to start a new career with the N.C. Department of Insurance. Taylor’s great-uncle was a big supporter of Mike Causey, who was...
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Church’s commencement speech at UNC goes viral
“I want to start with a sound.” That’s how country singer Eric Church began his commencement address at UNCChapel Hill. He compared six of his most treasured values to the six strings of the guitar, using the sounds to call up meditations on each. It...
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As Durham waits for final state reports, 5 parks stay closed
For two years, the orange mesh and metal, chain-link fences surrounding five Durham parks have kept children and families out of public space they used to enjoy. Once vibrant hubs remain padlocked “Keep Out” zones, warning people about toxins found...
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NC Museum of History display from World War I now an oddity
Down West Cabarrus Street, for reasons yet unclear, some mischief-maker propped up a life-sized World War I soldier — crisp in his olive-drab coat, off to face Hell in the trenches. Even more intriguing, this surprise installation on the sidewalk is...
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St. Augustine’s seeks $2M loan for campus security
A group of people broke into empty dorms at St. Augustine’s University and threw furniture out of the windows over the weekend, according to the university’s lawyer, Ciara Rogers. The crime comes after the 160-year-old historically Black university in...
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New woman-owned garage shucks auto industry’s ‘boys club’
Nikki Puckett Bosov still remembers the pair of brakes she bought when she was 20. The pricey repair, which a mechanic pitched as a musthave replacement for her brand-new sedan, still rings in her mind 20 years later because it’s one she now sees...
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Could AI make Duke business school students more human?
If an artificial intelligence agent informed you that you were talking over your peers too often in group discussion, would you heed its advice? Some Duke business school students do. It’s part of an experiment in which Duke professors and students...
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Downtown Raleigh campus to unite state education offices
The massive construction site in downtown Raleigh, covering a city block, is taking shape as the new North Carolina Education Campus. The News & Observer has the exclusive first look at all the images of the campus that will bring together the UNC...
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Alumni demand transparency amid St. Augustine bankruptcy
When St. Augustine’s University, Raleigh’s 160-year-old HBCU, announced last week that it was bankrupt and losing its accreditation, the leader of its young alumni association, Olivia Huckaby, was shocked she hadn’t received any advance notice. She...
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WakeMed leaders begin to make case for merger with Atrium Health
WakeMed leaders say they’ve got a lot of work ahead to sell skeptics on the benefits of merging with Charlotte-based Atrium Health but are confident they will win people over. The two nonprofit health systems announced the planned combination late...
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Pharma giant AbbVie plans to invest $1.4B in Durham facility
An American pharmaceutical giant plans to create hundreds of jobs at a new manufacturing site in Durham. On Wednesday, North Carolina awarded AbbVie a job development investment grant to open a Durham campus, where the company pledges to hire 734...
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Thousands of teachers expected to march in Raleigh on May 1
Teachers across North Carolina are submitting requests to take May 1 off to participate in a protest in Raleigh organized by the North Carolina Association of Educators. May 1 is a Friday so principals and district administrators are scrambling to...
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4 weather-watching tips from Raleigh NWS meteorologists
Remember back in elementary school when you learned about the water cycle? Evaporation. Condensation. Precipitation. It’s one of the few things about the weather still rattling around my mind left from school. So, now when I hear or read forecasts...
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Raleigh enforces water restrictions amid severe drought
Raleigh residents and businesses face water-usage restrictions starting Monday as central North Carolina enters a severe drought. The city announced the new restrictions Wednesday in a news release. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR RESIDENTS? ● People with...
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UNC faces backlash over sealed School of Civic Life probe
UNC-Chapel Hill spent $1.2 million investigating allegations of misconduct surrounding its own School of Civic Life and Leadership. Then, UNC announced that no one would get to see what that investigation found. Not everyone inside the school is at...
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Record number of NC high school students do college courses
A majority of North Carolina’s high school graduates are now taking and passing college-level courses, state leaders said Thursday. A report presented by the state Department of Public Instruction shows that 56% of graduates took at least one college...
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Apartments, townhomes planned for 27-acre Cary mobile home park
For decades, Chatham Estates Mobile Home Park has been a quiet pocket of affordability for hundreds of families, seniors and immigrants in Cary. But fears of displacement have loomed over the 27-acre mobile-home community, and now with a planned sale...
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NC’s first mosque gets historic marker in Durham
When she was just 5 years old, Dr. Rhonda Muhammad followed her father south to Durham, where he led North Carolina’s first mosque from a storefront on Pettigrew Street — an outpost for Islam and civil rights in the thick of Jim Crow. “It was scary,”...
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Leandro lawsuit tossed, NC public school fight continues
Public education supporters are livid that the North Carolina Supreme Court threw out the Leandro school funding case, but they say they aren’t giving up the fight for more public school funding. Last week, the Supreme Court dismissed the 32-yearold...
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UNC approves contract for new men’s basketball coach
Michael Malone officially became the new Tar Heels men’s basketball coach Tuesday after the UNC Board of Trustees approved his new contract. “Michael was the first coach we engaged with as part of the search process because of his reputation as a...
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Recent rain wasn’t enough to make a dent in statewide drought
Locally heavy downpours may have washed a layer of pollen from cars and patio pavers on Sunday, but they weren’t enough to get the Triangle or much of anywhere else in North Carolina out of drought. As of March 31, all 100 counties of the state were...
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Duke Gardens reopens April 8 with upgraded amenities
For years, the entrance to one of the Triangle’s most picturesque landscapes was a stretch of asphalt and a single building. But as the gates swing open this week, the $30 million Garden Gateway project will reveal a Sarah P. Duke Gardens that has...
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Western NC Helene rebuilding program faces funding shortfall
It’s been just over a year and a half since the remnants of Hurricane Helene struck Western North Carolina, and so far, 30 homes out of more than 3,500 active applications have been completed through the state program that uses federal funds to...
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NC State alum Gainey returns home as men’s basketball coach
Justin Gainey bought a Tshirt, but he couldn’t get Final Four tickets. He watched the game from his hotel. Gainey, despite coaching at Tennessee, wanted a piece of his alma mater’s historic run in the 2024 ACC Championship and NCAA Tournament. Almost...
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Raleigh Ponzi scheme mansion reborn as $6M luxury home
A sprawling North Raleigh mansion that was once owned by a real-estate fraudster, then abandoned to squatters and graffiti artists, has been reborn as $6 million palace featuring its own helipad, basketball court and floating spiral staircase. At...
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Helene-ravaged Nolichucky River faces pollution from illegal mine
Tessa and Leo Sharp figured things couldn’t get much worse than Hurricane Helene, which dropped up to 2 feet of rain across mountainous Mitchell County in September 2024. The storm and resulting reThe cord flooding sent so much debris down the...
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END OF THE ROAD FOR THE BLUE DEVILS
Duke guard Cayden Boozer covers his face as he leaves the court with his teammates after falling to Connecticut, 73-72, on Sunday in Washington. The No. 1-seeded Blue Devils were just a few seconds from a trip to the Final Four when their season came...
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