Morrisville, NC Local News and More

Live roaches, no food thermometer: 2 Triangle restaurants get B grades

The News & Observer publishes a weekly roundup of restaurant sanitation scores to keep you up-to-date on the health grades at Triangle dining spots. Sanitation scores and their corresponding letter grades are used in North Carolina to assess restaurants’ adherence to rules and standards intended to mitigate and prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses. You’ve likely seen sanitation grade cards at restaurants you’ve visited, and The N&O previously explained what those scores mean and how they’re calculated . Here are sanitation scores in Triangle counties from Nov. 3-9. Wake County sanitation scores The Wake County inspection management system shows 73 restaurant inspections were completed Nov. 3-9. Two restaurants received a B grade (a score of at least 80 but lower than 90): Dum N Grill (1000 Market Center Drive, Morrisville) received a score of 87 on Thursday, Nov. 5. The restaurant was in violation of 17 standards. Violations include gnats at a sink, no sanitizing solution test strips or food thermometer available, employees not washing hands while switching tasks and an employee tasting cooked rice with gloved hands and then putting the excess rice back into the pot of cooked rice, among other violations. The restaurant previously has not previously

Wake County, NC · 1h

hoodline.com

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NCDOT's $340M US 64 Overhaul Will Cut Direct Access to Costco, Apex Businesses

John M. Brown Community Center — Public Meeting Venue For Project. Drivers who rely on U.S. 64 to reach Costco, car dealerships and neighborhood shopping centers in Apex and Cary are facing a major shake-up. The North Carolina Department of Transportation plans to widen the highway from Salem Street in Apex to U.S. 1 in Cary from four to six lanes, add two new freeway interchanges, and reroute access to businesses along the corridor as part of a project now expected to cost more than $340 million.

Apex, NC · 1d

Rubbing The Rock

Clemson should be elated over NC State's questionable decision to hire Philip Rivers

While it is still being finalized, it is looking more and more likely that the North Carolina State Wolfpack are going to hire NFL legend and their former star quarterback Philip Rivers as their next head coach. Clemson has to be loving this move so much.

Raleigh News & Observer

Best restaurants in Raleigh? These rank as the top 10 places to eat

A North Carolina restaurant was named one of the nation’s best — but it wasn’t done having its moment in the spotlight. Second Empire Restaurant & Tavern now ranks as the No. 1 place to eat in Raleigh . To determine the best restaurants in the city, Tripadvisor said it studied food listings on its travel website. It considered “page views, reviews and individual attributes such as price range, cuisine and location, as well as aggregated Tripadvisor data comparing user interactions with all the other restaurant pages for this locale.” Which other Raleigh restaurants rank high? Like Second Empire Restaurant & Tavern, several of the other top-ranked restaurants are in downtown Raleigh. But the list also included dining destinations ranging from a Glenwood Avenue institution to a fan-favorite spot near N.C. State University. Here are the restaurants rounding out the top 10: Angus Barn at No. 2 The Pit Authentic Barbecue at No. 3 Big Ed’s City Market Restaurant at No. 4 Brewery Bhavana at No. 5 Neomonde Mediterranean Raleigh at No. 6 Seasons 52 at No. 7 Bida Manda at No. 8 Poole’s at No. 9 State Farmers Market Restaurant at No. 10 Why Second Empire stands out Second

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WRAL News

Hold your nose: Apex town leaders expected to get formal update on odor concerns

Apex's town manager will provide town council members with an update about odor concerns in New Hill on Tuesday. Some people in Apex are fed up with what they say is an unbearable smell in the air, comparing it to a "hog farm." Some neighbors believe it is coming from...

Apex, NC · 1d

ABC11 Eyewitness News

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Apex driver faces 19 charges after deadly cyclist crash

Prosecutors alleged that the 76-year-old man was under the influence Saturday when he drove into a group of 30 cyclists, killing one and injuring 20.

Apex, NC · 18h

Ball Durham

partner publisher · 1.5K followers

Duke basketball vs. Michigan State: final odds and a prediction for Champions Classic

Duke is in Chicago to take on Michigan State in a Top 5 showdown in the State Farm Champions Classic.

Durham, NC · 4h

Raleigh News & Observer

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Upscale Italian restaurant chain expands into Raleigh at Crabtree mall location

A major restaurant group is expanding in the Triangle as the mall makeover continues at Crabtree Valley. The upscale Italian chain Maggiano’s will open a new location at Crabtree next year, taking over the former Brio space at the mall. Maggiano’s is usually connected with shopping malls, but there’s currently only one location in the Triangle — at Durham’s Streets at Southpoint mall. Crabtree Valley owner Macerich confirmed the addition of Maggiano’s in an email. “Maggiano’s Little Italy has built its name on classic Italian-American dining, memorable experiences and timeless flavors, and it is exactly the kind of brand that becomes part of the destination,” said Guy Mercurio, Macerich’s vice president and director of national restaurant leasing, in an email. “As Crabtree’s redevelopment continues, we’re focused on adding more entertainment and bringing dining, retail and entertainment together to create a destination guests want to return to,” he wrote. “Maggiano’s strengthens that mix alongside both established names and distinctive new concepts.” Brio closed last year, a move that surprised many in the Triangle and coincided with the brand filing for bankruptcy in August 2025. The restaurant had been open for 15 years and left North Carolina without any Brio locations. Maggiano’s

Raleigh, NC · 5h

USA TODAY Sports Media Group

Kickoff time, network revealed for FSU vs. NC State in Week 12

The FSU Seminoles won their first game under Rick Stockstill and have a chance to finish the season strong as they fight to make a bowl game. They will play the Pitt Panthers this week before returning home to play the NC State Wolfpack on Nov. 21 in Doak Campbell Stadium. The Seminoles announced on Monday that the game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will air nationwide on the ACC Network. It will be Stockstill's first home game as the interim head coach. It will be a special game for FSU, as it serves as the annual Seminole Heritage game, representing the University's unique friendship and relationship with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. They are 3-0 in these games, beating the Duke Blue Devils 38-20 in 2023, Charleston Southern Buccaneers 41-7 in 2024, and Wake Forest Demon Deacons 42-7 in 2025. The game will also be FSU's homecoming and a continued celebration of FSU175. FSU is 27-17 all-time against the Wolfpack, with a 16-6 record at home. NC State has dominated it lately, though, winning the last four meetings. NC State also fired its head coach this season, moving on from Dave Doeren after a 3-4

Raleigh, NC · 23h

familydestinationsguide.com

Fill An Entire Cart For Only $25 At This Enormous Thrift Store In North Carolina

There’s a store in Cary, North Carolina that will permanently ruin your ability to pay full price for anything ever again. Dorcas Thrift Shop is that store, and once you’ve been, you’ll wonder how you spent so many years shopping any other way. Let’s start with something...

Cary, NC · 14h

hoodline.com

Jim ‘N’ Nick’s Smokes Into Holly Springs, Bringing Triangle’s First Location This Week

Jim ‘N’ Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q is set to open its first Triangle location in Holly Springs on Wednesday, bringing the Alabama-born chain’s slow-smoked pulled pork, brisket and banana pudding to a new quick-casual spot at 115 Grand Hill Place. A grand opening celebration follows Thursday, complete with photo opportunities and a check presentation benefiting the Holly Springs Food Cupboard.

Holly Springs, NC · 19h

unearththevoyage.com

This Classic North Carolina Diner Still Serves a Full Breakfast for Under $8

Some of the best meals in North Carolina hide behind plain little storefronts you could easily drive past without a second glance. I almost did, until the smell of sizzling sausage and fresh coffee pulled me through the door before sunrise. What I found was a warm, crowded room full...

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The Wake Weekly

Wake County and 100 Black Men of Triangle East to host community conversation on men’s health and fatherhood

Strong fathers help build strong families, and strong families help build strong communities. To support that mission, Wake County Public Health and 100 Black Men of the Triangle East are hosting a free community town hall focused on fatherhood engagement.

Wake County, NC · 16h

Raleigh News & Observer

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How police found a man they say stole $380,000 worth of property from Raleigh homes

After a pattern of burglaries in north and southwest Raleigh in May, the Raleigh Police Department announced Tuesday it is charging a man accused of similar robberies in Greensboro. Stephen Neal Trotter Jr., 52, will face 40 felony charges related to second-degree burglary, larceny after breaking and entering and larceny of a firearm, police said. The break-ins began May 15, when an unknown suspect targeted homes of victims who were out of town between the hours of 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., police said. The suspect used a prying tool to break in through side and back doors, taking an estimated $380,000 worth of silverware sets, jewelry, watches, security safes and firearms, police said. The Greensboro connection Raleigh police analysts created multiple crime pattern reports and shared them with law enforcement agencies across the state. The Greensboro Police Department responded and provided several pieces of evidence from similar burglaries in the Greensboro area that linked Trotter with the Raleigh burglaries, Raleigh police said. Surveillance footage shared by Greensboro police also showed a suspect who matched the suspect seen on surveillance footage from the Raleigh burglaries, Raleigh police said. Trotter is currently being held in the Forsyth County jail, Raleigh police

Raleigh, NC · 2h

WRAL News

Triangle cyclists push for awareness, safer roads after deadly group ride crash

Members of the Triangle's cycling community are pushing for more awareness on the roads after a crash Saturday killed a rider and injured several others near Holly Springs. Police confirm that Patrick Turner, 63, of Cary, died, and 20 others were injured after a car ran into the group of bicyclists.

Holly Springs, NC · 14h

Raleigh News & Observer

How Cary's spending scandal is already shaping the 2027 mayor's race

The 2027 Cary mayoral race is taking shape unusually early, driven in part by the fallout from Town Hall’s spending controversy . Two former elected officials — former Morrisville Mayor Mark Stohlman and former Apex council member Scott Lassiter — are already campaigning to replace longtime Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, both arguing that Cary’s elected leaders failed to adequately oversee former Town Manager Sean Stegall. Weinbrecht, mayor since 2007, said on his blog in January that he intends to seek reelection. He has not faced a close race since defeating Michelle Muir 58%-41% in 2011. He ran unopposed in 2015 and 2023 and won 84% of the vote in 2019, meaning a three-way contest could become his most competitive reelection campaign in 16 years. Weinbrecht did not respond to an N&O interview request. On his blog, he has said he began questioning Stegall’s spending in fall 2025, contacted Cary’s outside auditor Nov. 14 and supported removing Stegall after staff raised additional concerns. He has also argued that Cary remains financially strong and that most of the roughly $24.2 million in town P-card transactions from Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2025, listed by the state auditor represented routine expenses. The council

Cary, NC · 1d

hoodline.com

Duke Health Pitches $575 Million RTP Hospital, Setting Up New Fight With UNC

Duke University Hospital — Source of Proposed 50-Bed Relocation. Duke University Health System wants to build a brand-new hospital at Research Triangle Park, and the price tag is steep: $575 million. The health system has filed a certificate-of-need application with state regulators, according to officials, setting off a review process that will include a public hearing next month in Durham.

Durham, NC · 21h

Raleigh News & Observer

‘Coldest air' of the season headed to the Triangle. When to expect first freeze

Central North Carolina could see frost and the area’s first freeze of the season this week. Temperatures dipped in the 30s and 40s early Monday, Nov. 9, and parts of the Triangle could see frost Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service. “Some frost is possible tomorrow morning,” said Nick Petro, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Raleigh office. “Keep that in mind if you have concerns about that.” Frost is the formation of ice crystals on leaves and plants (or your car windshield), and can happen even if the temperatures don’t get below freezing. Think of it as the dew freezing from the colder temperatures. A frost advisory was issued for 1-8 a.m. Tuesday for all of central North Carolina, with temperatures expected in the “mid to upper 30s.” “Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold, as frost could harm or kill sensitive outdoor vegetation if left uncovered,” according to the advisory.

Central North Carolina, NC · 23h

Raleigh News & Observer

The Gables, a historic Raleigh hotel, returns thanks to Tift Merritt & friends

Vacant since 2017, The Gables, located on Wake Forest Road near downtown, makes it return to Raleigh’s growing hospitality scene with its official opening on Monday, Nov. 9. Tift Merritt, Grammy-nominated songwriter and Raleigh native, bought The Gables property in 2018 with business partner and co-owner of The Durham Hotel, Daniel Robinson. Now, this historic Raleigh hotel makes its comeback as a one-of-a-kind enclave designed to be a space for “meaningful exchanges.” “It was a series of wonderful happy accidents,” Merritt told The News & Observer. “This is a collaboration of friends, and it was like we all wanted to be at a dinner party together, and The Gables and whatever grace was going on with his project was helping us set that table.” In addition to Merritt and Robinson, the group of friends behind the renovation includes Craig Spitzer of Early Bird Night Owl, a Durham-based hotel management and marketing company; Sarah Yarborough of Raleigh Denim and Heyday Productions; and others who take a “non-transactional” approach to hospitality. “There’ll be things they can transact with, of course, but it’s an afterthought for us,” Spitzer said. “We’re more about creating the warmth and the welcome, and the other things kind