Courthouse shooting fallout and Canes are back at home: The Triangle’s top stories

The News & Observer is tracking the latest fallout from the Wake County courthouse shooting, a pivotal night for the Carolina Hurricanes and major changes across the Triangle.

Here’s a rundown of top stories from across the region on Friday, May 29.

Warning signs preceded courthouse shooting: Court records show Gwendolyn White, accused of shooting two attorneys outside the Wake County courthouse on May 22, left a 30-year trail of dismissed lawsuits and extraordinary allegations that documented her spiraling mental health without intervention.

• Read more: Accused shooter’s ‘folk hero’ narrative spread fast

Mental evaluation ordered for accused shooter: White, 57, will undergo a mental capacity exam to determine whether she can understand legal proceedings and assist in her defense on two counts of attempted murder, with her next hearing set for June 15.

• Read more: NC woman accused of shooting attorneys to face mental evaluation

New Wake County nature preserve opens: The 65-acre Old Creedmoor Nature Preserve, which was slated for housing development, opens Saturday as Triangle Land Conservancy’s eighth public preserve, protecting Falls Lake drinking water and nearly four miles of trails.

• Read more: New Wake preserve features trails that could have been lost to development

Glenwood South sports bar closes: Tobacco Road Sports Cafe abruptly closed its Raleigh location after nearly 20 years in business, with Clouds Brewing set to take over the West Jones Street space on June 1.

• Read more: Longtime Raleigh sports bar closes after 18 years

Carolina-Montreal Game 5

Canes one win from Stanley Cup Final: Goalie Frederik Andersen will start his 13th straight game in Friday’s Game 5 against Montreal, days after the death of his agent Claude Lemieux, with Carolina leading the Eastern Conference Final 3-1.

• Read more: Hurricanes-Canadiens Game 5 live updates

Power play a concern despite shutout: The Hurricanes dominated Game 4 with a 4-0 win, outshooting Montreal 37-16 at even strength, but players acknowledged their power play — including a 5-on-3 that produced no shots — still needs work.

• Read more: What the Carolina Hurricanes believe needs to improve

Lucky pig returns to Canes games: Hamilton, an 8-year-old Juliana pig and unofficial Canes mascot, made his first appearance since 2023 at Saturday’s playoff game, continuing a track record of attending games the team wins.

• Read more: Hamilton the pig is back. Can he help the Canes win?

Photos of the week

News & Observer photojournalists captured a curated collection of animal photos from the Triangle and beyond. This week features a photo of Bo, a K-9 bloodhound for the Gastonia Police Department, who was honored by N.C. Gov. Josh Stein for his heroic actions that helped save a teenager with special needs during a snowstorm earlier this year. Bo’s handler, Sgt. David Rowland, was presented the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, and Bo was awarded a Certificate of Pup-preciation.

• See the photos: A red wolf and a dog and bears, oh my

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.

This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 8:22 PM.

Jessica Banov

The News & Observer

919-829-4831

Jessica Banov is a news editor and audience growth specialist at The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. She was part of the team from The N&O and The Charlotte Observer that was named a 2025 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Breaking News for coverage of Hurricane Helene. She also serves as The N&O’s intern program coordinator.