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Many Rocky Mount residents on Thursday went to a meeting with city councilmembers to learn why the city had a multmillion-dollar shortfall as documents from the state showed how far back the financial issues went.


As documents detail Rocky Mounty financial crisis, residents meet with city leaders for answers

>> WE'LL NEED ANNA LEE WRAL NEWS ROXBORO >> WHAT A TRAGIC STORY THAT IS NEW TONIGHT. WE'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE FINANCIAL CRISIS IN ROCKY MOUNT. WE TOLD YOU LAST WEEK THAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE UP FOR OVERSPENDING BY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THEY NEED TO FIND 30 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE NEXT 10 MONTHS AND SOME OF THEIR SOLUTIONS WILL FALL DIRECTLY ON THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN ROCKY MOUNT. >> WRAL'S HEIDI KIRK IS JOINING US NOW LIVE IN THE CITY WHERE A COMMUNITY MEETING JUST WRAPPED UP. IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE BUDGET. AND HEIDI FOLKS ARE FRUSTRATED >> WE KNOW THAT IS THE WORD THAT WE HEARD FROM SO MANY PEOPLE TONIGHT JUST STANDING HERE RIGHT IN THIS PARKING LOT AHEAD OF THAT MEETING. AND THEN AFTER IT, PEOPLE USE THE WORD FRUSTRATED, HER UPSET. THE LIST JUST GOES ON AND ON. NOW, THIS IS ONE OF A SERIES OF MEETINGS THAT'S HELD BY THE CITY TO INFORM PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. NOT HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE FEELING LIKE THEY'RE PAYING FOR THE CITY'S MISTAKE. >> AND THAT'S WHAT DROVE IN HERE TO THIS MEETING. >> WHY TONIGHT? A ROOM FULL OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH QUESTIONS ASKING HOW WE GOT HERE TO A FINANCIAL CRISIS IN THE CITY OF ROCKY MOUNT. I WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. WHAT HAPPENED FROM THE HORSES MAP IS SUPPOSED TO AND THEN BUT PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. THAT'S WHAT DROVE PEOPLE HERE TO THIS MEETING WITH CONCERNS ABOUT THE VERY ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO APPROVED THE BUDGETS. IT DOESN'T PAINT A GOOD PICTURE AS TO WHAT I LIKE TO FISH. YOU SUPPOSED TO DO SOME DOCUMENTS OBTAINED BY WRAL TONIGHT SHOW THAT SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS NOT ONLY KNEW ABOUT THE DWINDLING RESERVE FUND AND OTHER ISSUES BUT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE ISSUES TO THE STATE. SINCE 2022, THE STATE TREASURER'S OFFICE IN ROCKY MOUNT OFFICIALS. WHAT'S CALLED A FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS OF CONCERN IN 2022, THE OPERATING NET INCOME WAS IN THE RED. THEY WERE SPENDING MORE THAN THEY WERE BRINGING IN. THEY GOT DEEPER AND DEEPER IN THE RED IN 2023 2024. DRAWING FROM A FUND BALANCE TO HELP BALANCE ITS BUDGET. THE STATE SENT THESE FINDINGS TO THE CITY TO WHICH IT RESPONDED WITH A PLAN OF ACTION SCENE HERE AT THE MEETING TONIGHT, COUNCILMEMBER JABARI US WALKER SAYS NOW IT'S TIME TO LOOK FORWARD. >> I WOULD HAVE DONE A LOT OF THINGS DIFFERENT. A FEW THINGS. I WOULD DEFINITELY NOT A DIFFERENT LIGHT. YOU PUT YOU ASKED ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU ASKED. WE ASKED AS A COUNCIL FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, WE ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS. THIS IS WHAT WE WAS WAS IN IT. WE REALLY FELT AND THOUGHT EVERY DECISION WE MADE WAS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITY. >> TONIGHT PEOPLE ARE WALKING OUT WITH MIXED EMOTIONS, BUT ALL HOPING FOR A BETTER ROCKY MOUNT. >> THAT'S WORTH NOTING THAT THOSE DOCUMENTS THAT WE OBTAINED DO NOT TELL US EXACTLY WHY THE CITY SAVINGS DROPPED SO DRASTICALLY THAT SOMETHING THAT ALL OF THE CITY OFFICIALS THAT WE TALKED TO TONIGHT AND IN THE LAST WEEK HAVE TOLD US THEY ARE LOOKING INTO. WE'RE ALL AWAITING THOSE ANSWERS. HEIDI

Rocky Mount leaders meet with residents as documents detail depth of city's financial crisis

Rocky Mount city limits

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A file photo of Raleigh firefighters responding to a house fire.

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North Carolina hosts Clemson on Saturday in the first Atlantic Coast Conference game of the Bill Belichick era in Chapel Hill.

North Carolina QB Gio Lopez questionable for ACC opener against Clemson

UNC loses to TCU on Sept. 1, 2025

Two food truck workers were rushed to the hospital from an explosion within the food truck at a Chatham County music festival on Thursday afternoon.

2 rushed to hospital from food truck explosion at Chatham County music festival

Food truck at Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival

The crash happened Thursday afternoon near the intersection of Jenks Road and Morris Acres Road in Apex.

School bus crashes in Apex, police respond

A car appeared to rear end a school bus on Thursday in Apex.

The Granville County Sheriff's Office and Granville County Public Schools are warning parents about a viral TikTok fad that encourages teens to take an excessive amount of over-the-counter medications, potentially causing severe health effects and even death. 

Officials warn parents of dangerous TikTok 'Benadryl Challenge' after teen tries it

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Fort Bragg is starting to test soil samples in residential areas with homes built before 1978 to determine if dangerous levels of lead are present. 

Fort Bragg to begin testing soil near homes built before 1978 for lead

Fort Bragg renaming picture becomes clearer on Tuesday

Authorities arrested the owner and an employee of Little Life Changers in Raleigh for failing to report violence and child abuse against at least three different juveniles.

Warrants: Raleigh child care owner, employee charged for failing to report abuse captured on video

Authorities arrested the owner of Little Life Changers, Belinda McKissick, and employee Takayla Blackmon on Monday.

Competition for better class rank positions often hurts students, rather than helps them, members and advisors said this week.


Allow school districts to ditch class rank, State Board of Education asks lawmakers

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Johnston County's new District Attorney Jason Waller is spearheading a task force to target and prosecute dangerous offenders, streamlining communication among law enforcement agencies.

Johnston County DA develops dangerous offenders task force

Johnston County District Attorney Jason Waller

The North Carolina State Board of Education decided not to vote on language Thursday intended to make a new rule clearer: That North Carolina high school students can no longer receive an "FF" failing grade solely based on not attending enough classes.

NC Board of Education declines to vote on failing grades, attendance policy

Temporary classroom

The Atlantic hurricane season runs each year from June 1 to Nov. 30. The most active time is late August into October, but it's possible to see a hurricane make landfall any time of the year.

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Hurricane Imelda's path as of 11 a.m. on October 2, 2025

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Each week, we'll post a new weekly table of prices for 11 staple grocery items to help you compare across multiple Triangle area stores.

Where can I find the best prices on grocery staples this week?

Grocery tracker

A catty legend is missing in North Carolina from her usual home at a Richmond hardware store. Francine the Lowe's cat is such a beloved figure in the Richmond community that her owners and fans are offering a $2,000 reward for her return.


Viral search carries on at NC Lowe's for missing beloved Richmond cat, owners offering $2k reward

Photos of Francine the Lowe's cat

Beech Mountain Ski Resort season announced it will open on Nov. 22, weather permitting. Appalachian Ski Mountain plans to open Nov. 21 with the opening dates for other North Carolina ski resorts yet to be announced. 

NC ski resorts: Here's when Beech Mountain, Appalachian Ski Mountain will open for 2025-26 season

Skiers line up on Dec. 22, 2024, at the base of Beech Mountain.

The law requires agencies to furlough their "non-excepted" employees. Excepted employees, who include those who work to protect life and property, stay on the job but don't get paid until after the shutdown ends.

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A golf tournament and dinner in Raleigh on Monday will raise awareness and funds for mental health in memory of Grayson Murray, a local professional golfer who died in 2024.


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Another home fell in Buxton on Wednesday, Oct. 1, bringing the total to 19 homes that have collapsed during the last five years in the Rodanthe and Buxton area. This comes as several homes crashed into the ocean on Sept. 30, 2025. Photos: Donny Bowers

Photos: More Outer Banks homes collapse into the ocean 

7th home to collapse along the NC Coast making 19 total to fall in five years.

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WRAL anchor/reporter Dan Haggerty examines the cost of college in the state of North Carolina.

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Raleigh child care owner, worker charged for failing to report violence

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A file photo of Carolina Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky.

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As playoffs loom, sports 'paused' at Lejeune High School due to government shutdown

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On Wednesday, lawmakers failed once again to get the necessary votes to fund the government.

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A former employee of Durham-based CJF America, which faces lawsuits and criminal charges over accusations of not paying employees, says he finally received a partial payment.

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A fight between health care giants, Duke and Aetna, is worrying state leaders more and more. Duke Health and Aetna have a deadline of Oct. 20 to come to an agreement. Otherwise, those with Aetna would no longer be covered at Duke Health facilities.

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CJF America President Kristen Picot missed her second straight court date on misdemeanor worthless check charges, with her attorney stating she was hospitalized in Raleigh.

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Kristen Picot, president of the Durham-based nonprofit CJF America, is facing four misdemeanor charges for "simple worthless checks."

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