https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article316697558.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/ea405f9f-1a22-47c5-a1fa-fb573fd1fa20/1_th.jpg Chronic understaffing, DOGE cuts strain NC's federal wildlife refuges With DOGE cuts and chronic understaffing less than a dozen staff manage North Carolina's 400,000+ acres of refuges. Advocates say those numbers are not nearly enough to keep up with land maintenance and restoration, which could put visitors and conservation efforts in danger. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article316697558.html/video-embed 71 2026-07-29T13:26:46Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316694733.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/722c153f-0906-4e52-804d-8ea54e20ed86/1_th.jpg Chatham County property owner speaks out against proposed gas pipeline across her land Dorasue Christian, age 85, is concerned about the proposed natural gas pipeline crossing her property. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316694733.html/video-embed 77 2026-07-29T03:58:53Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316697363.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/45539c99-3436-4501-82df-56f6804ebf29/1_th.jpg Man killed when tree falls on house in Wake County A man died after a large tree fell on a home on Bartons Enclave Lane near Raleigh during severe storms that caused outages, flooding and storm cleanup in Wake County. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316697363.html/video-embed 58 2026-07-29T13:11:39Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316697219.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/566daa7b-1401-4306-949f-8a76b9d81cce/1_th.jpg Surveillance video shows missing Cary woman at Grenada beach Elizabeth “Liz” Waddell, 44, was on a trip in Grenada when she told a friend she was going down to the water for a swim. She was last seen on security footage swimming at Grand Anse Beach on July 22, around noon but was never seen leaving the water, Grenada police said during a news conference Tuesday morning. Note: Video has been edited to a slower speed. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316697219.html/video-embed 16 2026-07-29T12:51:11Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article316690072.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/0c78c1aa-515e-491b-9d0d-01c258536534/1_th.jpg Durham fire station's slo-mo video has the internet on fire The Durham Fire Department recently posted a slow-motion video of its Station 2 personnel sliding down a pole, participating in a social media trend where the subjects don’t know what “walk-up song” will be added to their clip. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article316690072.html/video-embed 56 2026-07-29T10:00:00Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/living/article316689188.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/c2ee252b-8fee-40bc-af80-1fae696ccd95/1_th.jpg The new Benchwarmers Bagels is giving smoky cottage vibes The newest Benchwarmers Bagels looks like a cottage in the woods, set against the tall trees and tall buildings of its glitzy shopping center neighborhood. The wood-fired bagel oven offers wisps of smoky smells and the fairy tale seems complete. https://www.newsobserver.com/living/article316689188.html/video-embed 100 2026-07-28T20:44:41Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article316692290.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/885571a8-5673-4159-b0e3-c3e2087cf295/1_th.jpg Spectators protest before the NC Senate votes on controversial elections bill As onlookers in the N.C. Senate gallery silently protested a bill with signs reading “We are watching,” lawmakers voted to reshape elections law along partisan lines. One of the bill’s provisions gives Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek the ability to conduct post-elections audits in counties that he chooses. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article316692290.html/video-embed 65 2026-07-28T22:56:23Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article316691239.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/615b6178-bda5-4958-8f9e-a9b3cefc3a87/3_th.jpg Advisory committee tours land for new UNC satellite campus Members of the Carolina North Stakeholder Advisory Committee tour the former Horace Williams Airport in Chapel Hill on Monday, July 27, 2026. The 230-acre site, located 1.5 miles north of the main campus, is designated for UNC-Chapel Hill's upcoming satellite campus development, Carolina North. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article316691239.html/video-embed 78 2026-07-28T21:31:51Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/article316667457.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/9c44fa9d-ac54-40e7-bd09-68a67c19366d/3_th.jpg William Shatner gushes over PRIME Barbecue At GalaxyCon Raleigh Saturday actor William Shatner started his Q&A shouting out Knightdale's PRIME Barbecue, which Shatner said was so good it should be a destination unto itself. https://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/article316667457.html/video-embed 48 2026-07-27T04:16:48Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/news/weather-news/article316683324.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/83471cbe-9c9a-4545-b1b9-499ffe15ec09/1_th.jpg Forecast: Strong to severe storms possible across Central NC Tuesday All of central North Carolina, including the Triangle, faces a slight risk of severe storms July 28 with possible damaging winds, hail and isolated tornadoes. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/weather-news/article316683324.html/video-embed 108 2026-07-28T13:22:16Z no https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316669775.html https://img.thecontentserver.com/8b048a8a-c948-48ad-89ad-31642e228415/1_th.jpg 'She's an amazing person': Friends, family plea for help in Cary mom's disappearance in Grenada A Cary woman’s family and friends are making an urgent plea for help as the search continues for Elizabeth "Liz" Waddell, who disappeared July 22, 2026, while on a trip to Grenada. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316669775.html/video-embed 99 2026-07-27T12:58:11Z no