Lutra Cafe & Bakery will open in June at the American Tobacco Campus, moving from pop-ups to a 2,600‑sq‑ft café with buns, giant cinnamon rolls and a 100‑layer hashbrown.

Fuquay‑Varina activates Stage 1 water restrictions this Friday to curb outdoor watering and cut usage roughly 10% as a severe drought tightens.

Creedmoor commissioners unanimously restricted Mayor Antwane Downey’s duties after his February crash and DWI charges, barring public representation and unscheduled City Hall access.

A former Beast Industries executive says she was demoted after reporting harassment and fired shortly after returning from maternity leave in a federal lawsuit.

Duke has frozen its SJP chapter after an Instagram flyer using a 1970s Emory Douglas cartoon drew complaints and outside condemnation. The move is an interim step while the university reviews the matter.

A former Benson officer was arrested Wednesday and now faces multiple felony charges as the NC SBI investigates an alleged break-in and sexual assault.

A $100M Life Time Living tower is poised to break ground at The Exchange Raleigh, pairing an 80,000‑sq‑ft Life Time club and rooftop beach club with about 250 luxury rental units.

A Texas investor paid about $20M for a fully leased industrial building near RDU that houses local tenant Storr Office Environments and reflects strong industrial demand.

A 6-1 vote rezoned about 113 acres along U.S. 158 after packed public comment; residents warned of water, power and neighborhood impacts.

A packed Raleigh hearing criticized proposed PFAS and 1,4‑dioxane rules as “toothless.” Advocates warned downstream communities could end up paying for costly water treatment.

Walker & Dunlop arranged a $105M loan to refinance Maeve, a newly delivered 297‑unit luxury tower in Raleigh’s Warehouse District.

Forty-eight cells at the Wake County Detention Center are offline for renovation, pushing the jail past capacity and forcing temporary bunks while expansion plans move forward.

Raleigh police are investigating a shooting Saturday on Walnut View Road near Rock Quarry and Cross Link Roads; investigators remained on scene and details remain limited.