Local

This week’s best photos from News & Observer photojournalists

By Scott Sharpe

March 27, 2026 5:56 PM

Duke’s Delaney Thomas is fouled by Baylor’s Taliah Scott during the first half of the Blue Devils’ second-round NCAA Tournament game on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. — Duke’s Delaney Thomas is fouled by Baylor’s Taliah Scott during the first half of the Blue Devils’ second-round NCAA Tournament game on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com

Here’s a curated selection of photos from the Triangle and beyond as captured through the lenses of News & Observer photojournalists. This feature can be seen in Sunday’s newspaper, as well as in our online Edition. See it at eedition.newsobserver.com.

Paula Seamster, elections director for the Rockingham County Board of Elections, center, confirms the final tally after a bipartisan team hand-counted a sample of ballots Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the board office in Reidsville in the Republican primary between Senate leader Phil Berger and Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page. A full machine recount last week showed no change in the results, with Page leading Berger by 23 votes. To trigger a full hand recount, the partial hand count must show a net gain of two votes for Berger. The final count of the sample in Rockingham County showed no change. — Paula Seamster, elections director for the Rockingham County Board of Elections, center, confirms the final tally after a bipartisan team hand-counted a sample of ballots Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the board office in Reidsville in the Republican primary between Senate leader Phil Berger and Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page. A full machine recount last week showed no change in the results, with Page leading Berger by 23 votes. To trigger a full hand recount, the partial hand count must show a net gain of two votes for Berger. The final count of the sample in Rockingham County showed no change. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com

Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page, center, watches as a bipartisan team with the Rockingham County Board of Elections hand-counts a sample of ballots Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the board office in Reidsville in the Republican primary between Senate leader Phil Berger and Page. Berger ended up conceding the critical race in state politics. — Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page, center, watches as a bipartisan team with the Rockingham County Board of Elections hand-counts a sample of ballots Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the board office in Reidsville in the Republican primary between Senate leader Phil Berger and Page. Berger ended up conceding the critical race in state politics. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com

A pair of yellow-bellied slider turtles swim beneath a film of pollen on the water’s surface along a boardwalk on the Crabtree Creek Trail in Raleigh on Monday, March 23, 2026. Pollen from trees including pine, birch, oak and maple was very high Monday, according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. — A pair of yellow-bellied slider turtles swim beneath a film of pollen on the water’s surface along a boardwalk on the Crabtree Creek Trail in Raleigh on Monday, March 23, 2026. Pollen from trees including pine, birch, oak and maple was very high Monday, according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com

North Carolina’s Elina Aarnisalo is pressured by Western Illinois’ Addi Brownfield and Mallory Shetley during the first half of the Tar Heels’ first-round NCAA Tournament game on Friday, March 20, 2026, at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, N.C. — North Carolina’s Elina Aarnisalo is pressured by Western Illinois’ Addi Brownfield and Mallory Shetley during the first half of the Tar Heels’ first-round NCAA Tournament game on Friday, March 20, 2026, at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com

The Blue Devil dances during a timeout in the first half of DukeÕs game against TCU in the second round of the NCAA MenÕs Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., Saturday, March 21, 2026. — The Blue Devil dances during a timeout in the first half of DukeÕs game against TCU in the second round of the NCAA MenÕs Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., Saturday, March 21, 2026. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com