https://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/article316291672.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/7c58c23a-c47b-4f90-a2a9-ee41c9923d74/1_th.jpg We tasted hushpuppies at a selection of Durham restaurants. Here are our thoughts. The News & Observer's Drew Jackson and Twumasi Duah-Mensah taste hushpuppies from Jean's By The Sea, Bullock's Bar-B-Cue, Cook Out and Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham. https://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/article316291672.html/video-embed 144 2026-06-29T14:58:00Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316283780.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/d21a3104-e2d6-4a5e-a3e7-15b725339875/1_th.jpg Cary mayor supports tax increases to support budget Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht speaks about the budget and how it was affected by the former town manager's "breach of trust". Cary’s property taxes are going up, with the town’s budget adding its first new police officers in a decade alongside more than 30 other new town employee positions. The tax increase will bring the town’s tax rate to 36.75 cents per $100. The owner of a home valued at $649,000, the median value in Cary, according to the town website, will see their town tax bill rise from about $2,206 to about $2,385, an increase of $179. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316283780.html/video-embed 179 2026-06-26T15:45:26Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316305112.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/c2f32776-ecb5-45b1-b921-74f3cd8a2c94/1_th.jpg NC town's July 4th parade will be led by a dog that survived a gator attack Southport, N.C. will have its first Dog Marshal on Independence Day: Strike the Labrador retriever, who survived an attack by a 10-foot gator. North Carolina’s southeastern corner is habitat for alligators who sometimes attack, but this dog endured a deep bite before his owner rescued him. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316305112.html/video-embed 43 2026-06-29T09:01:00Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316285773.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/054c0701-94a5-4c8c-89de-fb0a06b08905/3_th.jpg The heat is on in the Triangle for the week of July 4th Watch the ABC11 weather forecast for the next 10 days with temperatures heading into the triple digits in parts of North Carolina. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316285773.html/video-embed 85 2026-06-26T17:43:27Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article301778789.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/10e45f7a-38ac-4c3b-9720-0a982dacb76d/1_th.jpg Family of Durham father killed in suspected road-rage shooting on I-40 speaks out The family of a Durham man who was shot and killed while driving to work on I-40 early Friday morning spoke with our media partner, ABC11, in 2025. Ricardo Baez Cardenas, the 35-year-old shot to death in a suspected case of road rage, leaves behind three brothers and two children, a 12-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article301778789.html/video-embed 146 2025-03-10T15:02:16Z no