Gerrymandering, emissions testing & the ACC: Monday’s top stories in the Triangle
The News & Observer is tracking developments across North Carolina today, from voting rights and environmental policy to a major school cybersecurity incident.
Here is a digest of top stories for Monday, May 11, 2026.
Gerrymandering suit dropped: North Carolina Democrats voluntarily dismissed their lawsuit challenging the state Senate map after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act, with N.C. Rep. Rodney Pierce saying the ruling left “no path” to protect Black voting rights.
Read more: NC Democrats drop gerrymandering suit following SCOTUS ruling on Voting Rights Act
Emissions testing ending: The Environmental Protection Agency agreed to end vehicle emissions testing in 18 North Carolina counties, including Wake, Durham and Johnston, a move regulators say will save drivers nearly $20 million a year. Testing is secpected to continue in Mecklenburg County under a state program. The agency will accept public comments for 30 days before finalizing the change.
Read more: The EPA grants North Carolina’s request to end vehicle emissions testing
Canvas access restored: The state Department of Public Instruction restored Canvas access to public schools at 4 p.m. Monday after shutting it down Thursday in response to a global cyberattack and ransomware demand. The hack by ShinyHunters affected nearly 9,000 schools worldwide and exposed data for more than 275 million users.
Read more: NC restores Canvas access to public schools after global data breach. What to know
Sports
ACC leaders convene: ACC administrators are gathering at Amelia Island this week to weigh uneven revenue distribution, international football games and Duke’s new streaming deal with Amazon for marquee men’s basketball games. The meetings come as the NCAA approved expanding the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments from 68 to 76 teams next season.
Read more: Happy together? ACC leaders gather amid college sports’ massive evolution
Best burger
Best burger in NC: Bull City Burger & Brewery in Durham was named North Carolina’s best burger shop by national travel site 5 Reasons to Go. Seth Gross opened the downtown spot 15 years ago. It makes nearly everything in-house and is known for its annual exotic meat month featuring camel, yak and tarantula.
Read more: A Triangle burger joint was just named the best in North Carolina
Evening read
Women-owned garage opens: Fluid Community Garage, co-owned by Nikki Puckett Bosov and Bear O’Brien, is set to open May 16 as Durham’s first women- and queer-owned auto body shop. The owners aim to create a welcoming alternative to male-dominated repair shops, where women make up just 10% of the workforce.
Read more: They were sick of the ‘boys club’ of auto shops. So they bought their own garage.
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.