Ethics fallout for a Western North Carolina congressman, a dropped mass-shooting case and a new Senate poll headlined Thursday’s news.
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Here’s a rundown of the top stories from The News & Observer on Aug. 13, 2026.
Edwards campaign funds tied to Vegas trip: A House Committee on Ethics report shows Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards used campaign donations to fly a young female former staffer to Las Vegas during the government shutdown, skipped votes to decorate her Christmas tree and canceled a shutdown-era tele-town hall to have dinner with her.
Read more: Edwards took ex-aide to Vegas during shutdown. Records tie trip to campaign money
Charges dropped in alleged NOLA plot: An Orleans Parish grand jury declined to indict former Chapel Hill police officer Christopher Gillum on a terrorizing charge tied to an alleged plot targeting the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said statements Gillum made to family members were vague and did not directly express intent to commit crimes in Louisiana.
Read more: Charge dropped against ex-Chapel Hill cop accused of plotting New Orleans mass shooting
Cooper leads Whatley by 11 points: A new Elon University poll shows Democrat Roy Cooper leading Republican Michael Whatley 53% to 42% among likely voters certain to vote in the U.S. Senate race. Cooper’s name recognition remains far higher, with 84% of registered voters saying they’ve heard about him versus 53% for Whatley.
Read more: Cooper cruises to lead over Whatley in Senate campaign, a new poll finds
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UNC class crunch could worsen: UNC-Chapel Hill students face waitlists and failed registrations for in-demand STEM courses like chemistry and biology labs, and a plan to add 5,000 students by 2034 could deepen the squeeze. A $25 million administrative cost-cutting initiative also raises questions about capacity in student services.
Read more: UNC students struggle to get into in-demand classes. Will growth make it harder?
Adventure Landing closing after 38 years: Adventure Landing Family Entertainment Center in Raleigh will permanently close Sunday, Aug. 16, after owner Hank Woodburn opted not to renew the property lease. The venue known for mini golf, laser tag, go-karts and arcade games is urging customers to redeem tickets, vouchers and gift cards before it shuts down.
Read more: Raleigh staple Adventure Landing abruptly shuts its doors after 38 years
NC State refreshes ‘slobbering wolf’: NC State debuted an updated version of its vintage “slobbering wolf” logo this week, with the wolf’s red hat now reading “NC State” instead of “NCSU” and featuring bolder, cleaner lines. The redesign follows a controversy last basketball season when then-coach Will Wade wore throwback gear tied to the retro branding.
Read more: NC State has updated its vintage ‘slobbering wolf’ logo. Here’s why
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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