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Wake County waterways carry rare warning: Don't eat any fish

Contamination linked to a former transformer company continues to trigger fish warnings.

Environment

In some Wake County waterways, signs announce to anglers that the fish cannot, under any circumstances, be eaten.Why it matters: Eating lots of freshwater fish in North Carolina comes with health risks because of the widespread presence of mercury in the environment. Total bans are uncommon, though. <ul><li>This one is caused by another contaminant: cancer-causing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).</li></ul>

The Triangle's luxury condo market heats up

A record number of condos in the Triangle are selling for more than $1 million.

Development

A record number of condos in the Triangle are selling for more than $1 million. Why it matters: Luxury condos are one of the most visible signs of the changing nature of the region, whose population is soaring and becoming wealthier.

Carolina Blaze brings pro softball to Durham

The Triangle is now home to one of just six AUSL teams as women's sports keeps growing.

Sports

The Triangle&#x27;s newest pro sports team — softball&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Carolina Blaze" data-vars-click-url="https://theausl.com/blaze/" data-vars-content-id="77b68d9b-e8da-4c9d-84eb-f3272c04f729" data-vars-headline="Carolina Blaze brings pro softball to Durham" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://theausl.com/blaze/" target="_blank">Carolina Blaze</a> — plays its first game in Durham on Tuesday.Why it matters: Women&#x27;s sports is a rapidly growing business, and Durham is one of just six cities with an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Athletes Unlimited Softball League" data-vars-click-url="https://theausl.com/news/ultimate-guide-to-every-2026-opening-day-matchup/" data-vars-content-id="77b68d9b-e8da-4c9d-84eb-f3272c04f729" data-vars-headline="Carolina Blaze brings pro softball to Durham" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://theausl.com/news/ultimate-guide-to-every-2026-opening-day-matchup/" target="_blank">Athletes Unlimited Softball League</a> team.

Raleigh is experiencing its driest start to the year ever

Drought conditions have worsened across North Carolina this spring.

The Raleigh area is off to its driest start in more than 140 years, as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="North Carolina&#x27;s drought" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2026/04/10/drought-north-carolina-farming-water-supply-rain-dry" data-vars-content-id="3c78f914-f747-4f59-bfb1-1917fcd91d10" data-vars-headline="Raleigh is experiencing its driest start to the year ever" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2026/04/10/drought-north-carolina-farming-water-supply-rain-dry" target="_self">North Carolina&#x27;s drought</a> has become extreme across much of the Triangle, according to data from the National Weather Service. Why it matters: Water restrictions remain in effect to prevent the drinking water supply from dwindling too low.

Raleigh's restaurant pay falls after COVID peak, still higher than average

It's a reflection of inflation's impact on restaurants and consumers alike.

News

Raleigh metro restaurant workers are seeing bigger-than-average paychecks ahead of the holidays, but their wage growth has overall declined since a post-pandemic peak.Driving the news: Wage growth for the local industry was at 7.8% in October, down from a peak of 13.4% in November 2021.

There's been an uptick in COVID-19 cases in North Carolina

If you noticed more people contracting COVID-19 recently, there's an uptick in cases

COVID

If you&#x27;ve noticed more people coming down with COVID-19 recently, it&#x27;s because there&#x27;s been an upswing in cases once again.Driving the news: The late-summer spread comes as new variant <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="EG.5" data-vars-click-url="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" data-vars-content-id="f7c2e04f-6fed-4db0-ad73-a8e89e03d01c" data-vars-headline="There&#x27;s been an uptick in COVID-19 cases in North Carolina" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank">EG.5</a> is now the dominant form in the U.S., per CDC estimates — though it&#x27;s unclear if that variant is directly responsible for the rising numbers.

The future of the Triangle's growth, according to PNC's Jim Hansen

There is a concern that while transplants are thriving and taking high-paying jobs, we aren't preparing Triangle-born residents to benefit as much.

Business

The Triangle&#x27;s economy remains one of the strongest in the nation, attracting thousands of newcomers every year. But concerns over whether that growth will be equality distributed are real, according to one of the region&#x27;s most influential bankers.Driving the news: In a conversation with Axios, Jim Hansen, the regional president for PNC Bank&#x27;s operations in Raleigh, said that the Triangle continues to benefit from a healthy mixture of steady industries, like health care and universities, alongside a strong science and technology scene.

Ivermectin doesn't meaningfully aid COVID-19 recovery, study finds

The study from Duke is one of the largest studies of the ivermectin.

Ivermectin, a drug used to treat parasitic infections, has no meaningful benefit for treating COVID-19 symptoms, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new study" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/28073535.9045/aHR0cHM6Ly9jb3Jwb3JhdGUuZHVrZWhlYWx0aC5vcmcvbmV3cy9zdHVkeS1maW5kcy1uby1iZW5lZml0LXRha2luZy1pdmVybWVjdGluLWNvdmlkLTE5LXN5bXB0b21zP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmV3c2xldHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1uZXdzbGV0dGVyX2F4aW9zbG9jYWxfcmFsZWlnaCZzdHJlYW09dG9w/624a478d8de5d288030b4174B5cca27ff" data-vars-content-id="7aa97ac2-75c3-4216-bb29-d4b9944734ac" data-vars-headline="Ivermectin doesn&#x27;t meaningfully aid COVID-19 recovery, study finds" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/28073535.9045/aHR0cHM6Ly9jb3Jwb3JhdGUuZHVrZWhlYWx0aC5vcmcvbmV3cy9zdHVkeS1maW5kcy1uby1iZW5lZml0LXRha2luZy1pdmVybWVjdGluLWNvdmlkLTE5LXN5bXB0b21zP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmV3c2xldHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1uZXdzbGV0dGVyX2F4aW9zbG9jYWxfcmFsZWlnaCZzdHJlYW09dG9w/624a478d8de5d288030b4174B5cca27ff" target="_self">new study</a> from Duke University.<ul><li>Duke and Vanderbilt University researchers studied around 1,500 people with COVID-19, with half receiving ivermectin and the other a placebo.</li></ul>

Teachers in NC and across the country are overwhelmed

Teachers in NC and across the country are overwhelme

American teachers have long been navigating stagnant wages — but the increasing stress in classrooms is causing some to second guess their profession. Context: In the last two years, demands on educators have mounted as they’ve been forced to navigate both a pandemic and intensifying political interference in their lesson plans. <ul><li>As the school year wraps up, the threat of school shootings has once again risen to the forefront of many teachers’ minds, including in North Carolina.</li></ul>Why it matters: Many experts warn of a looming staffing crisis, Axios’ Erica Pandey and Alison Snyder write.

Mapping North Carolina's poverty rate by county

Poverty rates were declining going into the pandemic.

North Carolina&#x27;s poverty rates were declining before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, new Census data shows.By the numbers: The latest five-year figures from the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="2016-2020 American Community Survey" data-vars-click-url="https://data.census.gov/cedsci/all?q=North%20Carolina%20poverty" data-vars-content-id="dd423844-72e1-468a-89de-4d2c3beddb31" data-vars-headline="Mapping North Carolina&#x27;s poverty rate by county" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://data.census.gov/cedsci/all?q=North%20Carolina%20poverty" target="_blank">2016-2020 American Community Survey</a> reveal 14% of North Carolina residents earned incomes below the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="federal poverty line" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/27518604.18/aHR0cHM6Ly9hc3BlLmhocy5nb3YvdG9waWNzL3BvdmVydHktZWNvbm9taWMtbW9iaWxpdHkvcG92ZXJ0eS1ndWlkZWxpbmVzL3ByaW9yLWhocy1wb3ZlcnR5LWd1aWRlbGluZXMtZmVkZXJhbC1yZWdpc3Rlci1yZWZlcmVuY2VzLzIwMjAtcG92ZXJ0eS1ndWlkZWxpbmVzP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmV3c2xldHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1zZW5kdG9fbG9jYWxuZXdzbGV0dGVydGVzdCZzdHJlYW09dG9w/624a478d8de5d288030b4174B4695a105" data-vars-content-id="dd423844-72e1-468a-89de-4d2c3beddb31" data-vars-headline="Mapping North Carolina&#x27;s poverty rate by county" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/27518604.18/aHR0cHM6Ly9hc3BlLmhocy5nb3YvdG9waWNzL3BvdmVydHktZWNvbm9taWMtbW9iaWxpdHkvcG92ZXJ0eS1ndWlkZWxpbmVzL3ByaW9yLWhocy1wb3ZlcnR5LWd1aWRlbGluZXMtZmVkZXJhbC1yZWdpc3Rlci1yZWZlcmVuY2VzLzIwMjAtcG92ZXJ0eS1ndWlkZWxpbmVzP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmV3c2xldHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1zZW5kdG9fbG9jYWxuZXdzbGV0dGVydGVzdCZzdHJlYW09dG9w/624a478d8de5d288030b4174B4695a105" target="_self">federal poverty line</a> ($12,760 for a single person in 2020).

Axios What's Next

Data: Square; Note: Earnings include base wages, tips and overtime; Chart: Axios Visuals

Average income of secondary school teachers

Data: BLS; Note: Excludes special education, career/technical education, and elementary school teachers; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

COVID 🦠

Raleigh's restaurant pay falls after COVID peak, still higher than average

There's been an uptick in COVID-19 cases in North Carolina

The future of the Triangle's growth, according to PNC's Jim Hansen

Ivermectin doesn't meaningfully aid COVID-19 recovery, study finds

Teachers in NC and across the country are overwhelmed