The News & Observer covered a range of top stories across North Carolina on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, from political turmoil to a major museum leadership change.
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Here’s a quick digest of what’s making headlines.
Budd urges Edwards to drop out: Republican Sen. Ted Budd told Rep. Chuck Edwards, also a Republican, his reelection race is not winnable and encouraged him to withdraw after a House Ethics Committee report found substantial evidence he sexually harassed two young female staffers. Edwards denies wrongdoing.
NCMA director departing for Abu Dhabi: Valerie Hillings, director of the North Carolina Museum of Art since 2018, will leave Aug. 19 to become the inaugural director of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, scheduled to open Dec. 11. Deputy director Katherine White will serve as interim director.
Best NC hospitals ranked for 2026: Three North Carolina hospitals landed in the top 50 by specialty in the newly released U.S. News and World Report rankings, and 20 hospitals across the state were labeled Best Regional Hospitals. Atrium Health and WakeMed recently announced a proposal to merge.
Four shot at Garner cookout: Four people, including a child, were shot Monday night at a neighborhood cookout near Garner on Joe Leach Road. Three victims were taken to WakeMed with non-life-threatening injuries, and a fourth walked into a Johnston County hospital with more serious wounds. No suspects are in custody.
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Delta adds Ft. Myers route from RDU: Delta Air Lines will begin daily nonstop seasonal service between Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Ft. Myers, Florida, starting Nov. 21 and running through April 11, 2027. The route revives service Delta briefly offered before the pandemic.
Durham restaurant rebrands overnight: La Santa Modern Mexican Food opened Friday, July 24, at the former La Mala location on Corcoran Street in Durham after the same team quietly closed La Mala for two days. It’s La Santa’s second Triangle location and the brand’s third overall.
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.
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