NC property tax debate, hospital merger and turtle tracks: The Triangle’s top stories
The News & Observer is tracking major developments across North Carolina today, from a Senate vote on property taxes to a hospital merger and the start of sea turtle nesting season.
Here are the top stories from Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Senate passes property tax pause: North Carolina senators voted 36-9 on a bipartisan bill to pause county property tax assessments for one year, with exemptions for Clay, Pamlico and Chowan counties. The bill’s future in the House remains uncertain.
Read more: NC Senate votes to pause property tax revaluations
WakeMed defends Atrium merger: WakeMed leaders held a press conference to make the case for merging with Charlotte-based Atrium Health, promising $2 billion in investment and 3,300 new healthcare jobs over five years. Wake County commissioners voted Monday to delay approval for at least 90 days, citing the need to answer questions from the community.
Read more: WakeMed leaders begin to make the case for merger with Charlotte-based Atrium
UNC Civic Life investigation invoices: UNC-Chapel Hill concluded an investigation into its School of Civic Life and Leadership but won’t release the results, having spent more than $1.2 million on Raleigh law firm K&L Gates to conduct the probe. Heavily redacted invoices obtained by The News & Observer offer some clues.
Read more: What we can learn about UNC’s Civic Life investigation by looking at the receipts
Sea turtle tracks on Outer Banks: A Leatherback sea turtle completed a “false crawl” at Cape Lookout National Seashore on April 29, coming ashore but turning back without nesting. Park biologists found the season’s first sea turtle nest on April 30.
Read more: Tracks show sea creatures have begun emerging from ocean at night on Outer Banks
Stanley Cup playoffs
Hurricanes need stars to step up: The Carolina Hurricanes lost their NHL-record streak of 337:55 minutes leading or tied to start the playoffs after unforced errors against Philadelphia, though they won in overtime. Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis have combined for just four goals and four assists in the playoffs.
Read more: Where is Carolina Hurricanes’ vaunted depth? Finally tested, they need to find it
Dancing in the aisles
Harris Teeter taproom goes viral: A video of customers dancing to live music at the Brier Creek Harris Teeter taproom drew hundreds of thousands of views, spotlighting the grocery chain’s in-store bars. The taprooms feature live music on Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m.
Read more: The hottest club in Raleigh might be inside this popular grocery store
The summer you turned in an extra
Casting call for Amazon Prime film: A casting company is seeking paid extras for a feature film shooting in Wilmington that’s rumored to continue “The Summer I Turned Pretty” series. Extras will be paid $143 for 10 hours or fewer, plus $25 for vehicle use.
Read more: Extras needed for Amazon Prime movie filming in NC. Here’s when + what it pays
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.