David Raynor

1 month ago | newsobserver.com | Richard Stradling |David Raynor

Every few years, as a new town or community becomes the hot place for developers and homebuyers in the Triangle, you could pretty much be sure that it wasn't Garner. That's beginning to change. After decades of being bypassed as the Triangle sprawled outward, Garner has become one of the fastest growing places in North Carolina.

1 month ago | charlotteobserver.com | David Raynor

The News & Observer obtains, analyzes and shares public records to inform readers about how governments spend tax dollars. That includes publishing public-employee salaries. Below find 2025 salaries for Wake, Durham and Orange county employees. Excluding teachers and other school staff, Wake County employs nearly 5,300; Durham, almost 4,900; and Orange, just over 1,000. The county manager is the highest paid employee in each county.

2 months ago | newsobserver.com | David Lightman |David Raynor

Graduates listen during UNC Chapel Hill's commencement ceremonies at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, May 11, 2024. [email protected] Editor's note: This story was published Wednesday, April 23. Some information may now be outdated. The federal Department of Education is cracking down on student loan debt, announcing this week it will resume collecting defaulted federal student loan payments starting Monday, May 5.

2 months ago | newsobserver.com | Renee Umsted |David Raynor

North Carolina grocery stores have real followings. These are not the shoppers who just stop into whichever market is nearest them for one or two things. These are the Trader Joe's fans who swear by the store's house-brand versions of popular name-brand products, the Costco customers so devoted to the Kirkland brand that it generates more revenue than Nike or Coca-Cola, the Aldi shoppers who share their latest "aisle of shame" hauls on social media.

Mar 13, 2025 | newsobserver.com | Richard Stradling |David Raynor

Perched atop the roof of townhomes under construction near Charlotte's University City neighborhood, a worker reaches for a load of trusses from a crane. [email protected] Two metro areas in the Carolinas are among the fastest growing in the country, but they may not be the ones you'd expect.