Raleigh pauses certain large data center approvals

Durham is mourning firefighter Andrew Brokes, who died when a building’s roof collapsed during a fire that also injured two other firefighters; attention has also turned to conditions at the property. The trial of the man charged in UNC student Faith Hedgepeth’s 2012 killing has begun, with her former roommate testifying. Across Wake County, rapid growth is driving debate over school enrollment, staffing, teacher pay and funding, while county leaders warn of mounting pressures on housing, health care and public finances. North Carolina lawmakers are convening to consider relief from high gas prices, though transportation officials caution that suspending the gas tax could threaten road projects and maintenance. Local leaders are also weighing contentious technology and development decisions, including Apex’s use of Flock surveillance cameras and Raleigh’s temporary pause on approvals for some large data centers. Other concerns include early flu activity, possible local budget impacts from SNAP changes, and the continuing challenge of making sexual assaults on college campuses reported and addressed.