Reporter Faith Wardwell joins The N&O’s expanding Breaking News team

Beach music, blood plasma donations and a twist in a downtown stabbing incident.

These are just the stories posted this week by reporter Faith Wardwell, the latest addition to The News & Observer’s Breaking News team. The newly expanded team brings you the latest news on public safety, what people are talking about each day and what’s gone viral on social media.

Faith comes to us from Politico, where she was a breaking news intern this past fall and produced nearly 100 stories, including coverage on the Jeffrey Epstein case and President Trump’s deployment of federal troops to American cities. Before that she interned at NBC News, where she covered poll results on Election Night 2024 and confirmation hearings for Trump’s Cabinet nominees.

Faith was managing editor of the GW Hatchet at George Washington University, where she oversaw 100-plus reporters and 50 editors. There she led coverage of administrative shakeups and a two-week pro-Palestinian encampment in the spring of 2024.

“What drives my work is a hunger for news and a constant curiosity — instincts shaped by the stories I’ve delivered under pressure.” Faith says. “I’m dedicated to delivering readers across the Triangle not only the news they’re looking for, but also the untold stories lying just beneath the surface. “

Faith joins a Breaking News team that includes reporters Virginia Bridges, Twumasi Duah-Mensah and Lexi Solomon. The team works closely within the larger metro desk that includes Raleigh reporter Nolan Wilkinson, Durham reporter Kristen Johnson and Orange County reporter Tammy Grubb. Look for an announcement about the newest addition to this team in the coming weeks. The team is led by metro editor Mark Schultz.

To reach Faith with a question or news tip contact her at faith.wardwell@newsobserver.com

This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 2:58 PM with the headline "Reporter Faith Wardwell joins The N&O’s expanding Breaking News team."