The Triangle’s top headlines Thursday: Catch up on these 6 stories
From a former Chapel Hill police officer accused of plotting a mass shooting to a growing wave of data center moratoriums across North Carolina, here are the top stories from The News & Observer on Thursday, April 23.
• Congresswoman investigation results: Rep. Alma Adams of North Carolina reportedly faced a 2023 House ethics investigation into an alleged relationship with her deputy chief of staff, NOTUS reported Thursday. Adams said the committee closed the matter after finding no violations of House rules.
Read the story: Rep. Alma Adams of NC reportedly faced ethics investigation into staff relationship
• Mass shooting thwarted: A former Chapel Hill police officer and Orange County sheriff’s deputy, Christopher Gillum, was arrested at a Destin, Florida, hotel after authorities said he planned to carry out a mass shooting at a New Orleans festival. Deputies recovered a handgun and roughly 200 rounds of ammunition from his hotel room.
Read the story: Former Chapel Hill police officer accused of planning a mass shooting in New Orleans
• Investigation continues: Experts say any additional charges against the driver in the Durham crash that killed 15-year-old Jack O’Shea could hinge on investigators’ reconstruction of the scene. The driver, Joseph Savarino, 26, was charged with DWI after recording a blood alcohol level of 0.11%.
Read the story: Charges in Durham crash that killed teen could hinge on reconstruction of scene
• Data center moratoriums: A growing number of North Carolina communities are passing temporary moratoriums on data centers, including Orange County and two towns in Wake County. Residents have raised concerns over the water, electricity and noise the facilities require.
Read the story: Which NC communities now have data center moratoriums, in the Triangle and beyond
Mark your calendars
• Final countdown: Red Hat Amphitheater in downtown Raleigh is in its last season at its current location before moving one block to make way for a $387.5 million Raleigh Convention Center expansion. The new venue is expected to hold about 6,000 concertgoers when it opens in 2027. Here’s who is on the season lineup so far.
Read the story: Who’s playing at Red Hat Amphitheater in 2026? See concert lineup so far
From the Opinion Desk
• Berger election response: An opinion column argues that Senate leader Phil Berger’s response to his primary defeat — blaming Democrats for voting in the Republican primary — underscores the dismissiveness toward constituents that cost him the election.
Read the story: Opinion | Phil Berger’s response to his primary defeat underscores why he lost
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.