UNC will fold six area‑study centers into one umbrella with about $675,000 in funding, prompting faculty protests and a scramble among donors and stakeholders.

Tasting Table named Raleigh’s Mala Pata North Carolina’s best Mexican restaurant, capping a fast rise that included a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand. The masa-first menu and bold sauces helped seal the pick.

Pastrami Tom's Deli & Grill opened in downtown Cary with Reubens, Cubans, burgers, soups and big East Coast desserts.

A Greenville man was killed while visiting his baby on Feb. 10; police arrested 22-year-old Jaliyah Archer and charged her with murder, officials say.

Baltimore-based St. John Properties bought nearly 25 acres in Youngsville to build a three‑building flex and R&D park that could support 350+ jobs.

New Rolesville neighbors report recurring outages that sometimes last hours; Duke Energy says upgrades are underway to add capacity and reroute power. Residents want faster fixes and clearer timelines.

A 51‑year‑old Ayden man reported missing this week was found dead inside a pickup lodged in a rural culvert in Pitt County; investigators have turned the case over to the medical examiner.

Part of Cary’s Citizen’s Convenience Center sits in railroad right‑of‑way, forcing the town to weigh closure, a partial scale‑back or a multi‑million dollar relocation. Council approved a $40K study as staff prepares costed options.

State officials confirmed spotted lanternfly breeding populations in Davidson, Rowan and Caswell counties; surveys and treatments are underway.

A Wake County judge restored a 1981 sunset clause that could end quarrying near Umstead State Park by 2031, but Wake Stone has filed to intervene and appeal. The fight now turns on permit wording and whether a 2023 permit moots the coalition’s challenge.

A 33-year-old Raleigh woman faces obstruction and accessory charges tied to an October shooting on New Bern Avenue that killed a man; she posted $10,000 bond.

Wake County has started a multi‑month planning push to replace the South Wake Landfill. Consultants’ early modeling compares a new county landfill, hauling and waste‑to‑energy — with household cost and pollution tradeoffs.

Light rain this morning, then partly sunny and breezy with highs near 64°F. A wetter system looks likely late Saturday into Sunday.