This week’s best photos from News & Observer photojournalists
By Scott Sharpe
House Republican representatives listen as Democrats debate the state budget bill during the House session on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at the Legislative Building in Raleigh, 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.
The sun sets over U.S. 70 on Monday, June 29, 2026, in Clayton, North Carolina. Ben Pennington ben.pennington@newsobserver.com
Pedestrians pass the North Carolina Museum of History as they walk along Edenton St. Monday, June 29, 2026, in downtown Raleigh. Ben Pennington ben.pennington@newsobserver.com
Fans of the jam band Goose dance in the pit at the band’s Friday show at Red Hat Amphitheater. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Senators Bobby Hanig and Lisa S. Barnes walk with fellow legislators and staff from the Legislative Building to the State Capitol for a meeting on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 in Raleigh, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Ariana Nabors cooled off in the splash pad at Moore Square with her brother Ishmael on Monday, June 29, 2026, in downtown Raleigh. Ben Pennington ben.pennington@newsobserver.com
Connor Fox of Durham, left, and Jayden Williams of Raleigh, both 21, discover the wreck of a small fishing boat on a partially exposed lake bed while fishing along the shoreline of Newcombs Lake on Friday, June 26, 2026. Raleigh is 18.59 inches below its average rainfall since August 2025, and Falls Lake, Raleigh's primary water source, is 5 feet below its target level. As of mid-June, Durham was about 10 to 12 inches below normal rainfall since the start of the year. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
