Raleigh breaking news and weather, Raleigh North Carolina news today, WRAL 7-day forecasts, NC lottery updates. WRAL news in Raleigh, NC.

WRAL.com

According to a 2022 letter sent by the state and signed by the mayor of Rocky Mount, seven city councilmembers, the city manager and the city's finance director, the city was made aware of financial issues facing the city.


Documents reveal Rocky Mount leaders knew about financial crisis for years

GOOD OLD-FASHIONED SAVINGS WILL GO IN DEATHS. THANKS FOR JOINING US HERE AT 7 O'CLOCK. I'M ASHLEY ROLE AND I'M DAN HAGGERTY. SO RIGHT NOW, ROCKY MOUNT, THEY ARE 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. >> CITY COUNCIL IS MEETING ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW IS SOME OF THE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE TO DEAL WITH THIS BUDGET CRISIS OR IDEAS THAT ESSENTIALLY PUNISH THE RESIDENTS BY CUTTING POLICE AND FIREFIGHTER JOBS AND RAISING EVERYONE'S ELECTRIC AND GAS BILLS. NOW, WRAL HAS SPENT THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEK AT WEEKS ASKING THE CITY HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? THAT BRINGS IN SOME OF ASHLEY'S REPORTING. YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF DOCUMENTS FROM THE STATE TONIGHT SHOWING TO THE CITY COUNCIL KNEW ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS FOR YEARS, WHICH IS KIND OF INTERESTING CONSIDERING THAT AT LEAST ONE COUNCIL MEMBER TOLD US LAST WEEK THAT THIS FINANCIAL CRISIS WAS NEW TO HIM. YEAH, DAN DOCUMENTS AND THAT I HAVE SHOW THAT THAT NOT ONLY DID THEY KNOW ABOUT THE DWINDLING RESERVE FUND AND OTHER ISSUES, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THOSE ISSUES TO THE STATE. WANT TO GET MORE ON THAT IN JUST A MINUTE. BUT FIRST, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT IS IN THE STATE DOCUMENTS SINCE 2022, THE STATE TREASURER'S OFFICE HAS SENT ROCKY MOUNT OFFICIALS. WHAT'S CALLED FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS OF CONCERN. HERE'S ONE OF THE FINDINGS FROM THE 2022. WHAT'S CALLED AN F PICK DOCUMENT. BUT THE OPERATING NET INCOME WAS IN THE RED BY $283,000. >> THEY GOT DEEPER AND DEEPER IN THE RED YEAR AFTER YEAR, JUST SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THIS AS A NEGATIVE BALANCE INDICATES THAT YOUR RATES ARE NOT COVERING. YOU'RE OPERATING EXPENSES, MAKES IT PRETTY CLEAR THERE. AND ONCE AGAIN, YEAR AFTER YEAR, IT GOES DEEPER AND DEEPER IN THE RED. ALSO, THE GENERAL FUND, THEY ACKNOWLEDGE IN THESE ETHICS. THIS IS FROM 2023. IT SAYS THE GENERAL FUND HAS A FUND DEFICIT WHICH MEANS THAT THE UNIT UNIT BEING MUNICIPALITY, ROCKY MOUNT REVENUES AND OTHER RECEIPTS ARE INADEQUATE TO SUPPORT ITS OPERATIONS. LASTLY, HERE'S FROM 2024. THE UNIT HAS EXPENDITURES THAT EXCEED LEGAL BUDGET ORDINANCE. THIS ONE REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME, DAN, BECAUSE THAT ONE IS INDICATING THAT THAT THEY HAVE OVERSPENT BEYOND THE LEGAL LIMIT. HERE'S THE 2024 OPERATING NET INCOME. REMEMBER WHAT I SHOWED YOU BEFORE AND IT'S A LOT TO FOLLOW HERE. WE SHOWED YOU THAT IN 2022, IT WAS ABOUT THEY WERE IN THE RED BY ABOUT $200,000. IT WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO 2.9 MILLION. THE SHORT EXPLANATION IS THEY'RE SEEING THE NUMBERS. THEY'RE SEEING THE NEGATIVE NEXT TO A REALLY BIG NUMBER OVER 2 MILLION DOLLARS. SO, BUT NONE OF THIS APPARENTLY WAS A SURPRISE TO THEM. THE STATE SENT THESE FINDINGS TO THE CITY. WHAT? >> WHAT DID THEY DO WITH THAT INFORMATION? SO THESE DOCUMENTS WHEN THERE ARE AREAS OF CONCERN, THEY THE CITY HAS 60 DAYS TO RESPOND WITH AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT. SO THEY HAVE TO OUTLINE EXACTLY HOW THEY ARE GOING TO IMPROVE ON THIS. NOT ONLY DID THEY SEND THOSE BACK TO THE STATE, THEY ALL SIGNED OFF ON IT. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE MAYOR, THE MAYOR, PRO TEM AND ALL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR. SO TO CLAIM THEY I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT. THAT THINGS WERE RED FLAGS THAT THEY JUST MISSED. THEY SIGNED OFF ON THESE DOCUMENTS. SO AGAIN, THIS MEETING IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW. HAS THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR ACKNOWLEDGED THESE DOCUMENTS WERE GOING TO BE ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS TONIGHT. MAYBE SOME PEOPLE. >> AT THE COUNCIL MEETING, YOU'RE GETTING THE ALERTS ON THEIR PHONES. YEAH. RIGHT NOW SEEING SOME OF THIS REPORTING AND WILL SEE WHAT OUT WHAT COMES OF IT. BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT DOWN, HEIDI KIRK IS AT THAT MEETING SHE HAS ALREADY SPOKEN WITH AT LEAST ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HAS RESPONDED TO THIS. >> YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR MORE AT 10 11 O'CLOCK HERE ON WRAL WITH

Documents: Rocky Mount leaders knew about budget problems for years

Rocky Mount city limits

Battling fires and burnout: Raleigh firefighters worked more than 117,000 hours of OT in one year

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

NC State suit admits 'extensive' PCB contamination, stops short of linking cancer cases to Poe Hall

A file photo of Poe Hall at NC State University.

One more cool night before weekend warmup coming

Friday, Oct. 3 temperatures

Two homes collapse into the Atlantic, bringing total to 8 lost this week in Outer Banks

Family Tides

North Carolina QB Gio Lopez questionable for ACC opener against Clemson

UNC loses to TCU on Sept. 1, 2025

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

Food truck at Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival

WRAL News+

WRAL News+ Live Thumbnail

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

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

Benadryl

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

2025 Graduation

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.

Hurricane season 2025: Imelda leaves Bermuda, two new areas to watch in the Atlantic

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

Lejeune is the only Department of Defense high school in North Carolina, and some of their best sports are in the fall. The Devilpups are back-to-back NCHSAA boys cross country champions.

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

Lejeune vs. Spring Creek football (Aug. 30, 2019)

The North Carolina chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is threatening to take legal action against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill if the university does not reinstate Dwayne Dixon.

NC ACLU chapter threatens legal action against UNC if professor is not reinstated by end of week

"Reinstate Dixon" sign written by a protestor ahead of rally in support of Dwayne Dixon

View WRAL's latest top news

MIX 101.5 WRAL-FM

95.7 That Station

99.9 The Fan

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.

What happens now that a government shutdown is underway

Congress_Shutdown_29564

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.


Raleigh charity golf event honors Grayson Murray, raises mental health awareness

Grayson Murray's Legacy Inspires Mental Health Awareness at Raleigh Golf Championship

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.

Don't Miss It

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

In Depth with Dan: Examining the cost of college

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

NC State admits 'extensive' PCB contamination in lawsuit, stops short of linking cancer cases to Poe Hall

1-on-1 interview: Canes GM Eric Tulsky focused on Stanley Cup run entering his second season

A file photo of Carolina Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky.

Eric Tulsky comfortable, confident and focused on the Stanley Cup in 2nd season as GM

Eric Tulsky

Tar Heel Traveler: Bluegrass TV

Video Central

WRAL 6am News | October 2

6am Newscast Static

WRAL 9am News | October 2

9am Newscast Static

WRAL Noon News | October 2

12pm Newscast Static

WRAL 4pm News | October 2

4pm Newscast Static

WRAL 6pm News | October 2

6pm Newscast Static

WRAL 10pm News | October 1

10pm Newscast Static

Gotta go? NC State Fair has new family restrooms this year

Local News

Duke extends Jon Scheyer through 2031 after Final Four run

'The Life of a Showgirl': Celebrate Taylor Swift's new album release with events in the Triangle

State Highway Patrol investigates crash on I-87; overturned car spotted by Sky 5

UNC Chapel Hill preps students for emergencies amid heightened campus security measures

Man kills 2 in car ramming and stabbing attack at English synagogue on Jewish holy day

Nation/World

Average long-term US mortgage rate ticks up for second straight week, to 6.34%

Israeli navy intercepts boats attempting to break Gaza blockade and arrests activists

Jane Goodall, Who Chronicled the Social Lives of Chimps, Dies at 91

How Trump's Online Drugstore May Affect Your Drug Costs

The first weekend in October is filled with fall fun, including the Triangle Oktoberfest and Falling for Local fest at Dix Park.

Weekend best bets: Triangle Oktoberfest, Falling for Local fest

Triangle Oktoberfest

Selma Railroad Days Festival to feature carnival rides, parade

Selma Railroad Days (Courtesy photo)

Quiz: Which new NC State Fair food are you?

New NC State Fair foods for 2025 include hot Cheetos pickle pizza, BBQ doughnuts

New NC State Fair foods for 2025

Discover 7 fascinating historical sites in North Carolina

NC Flag

Out & About

Federal government shutdown: Live fact-checks as Democrats, GOP spar over health care, layoffs

Politifact

Fact-checking claims that Erika Kirk's charity is tied to trafficking

Fact-checking claims about Tylenol's 2017 social media post and pregnancy guidance

Fact check: Noem says 1.6 million immigrants have 'voluntarily' left the U.S.

Fact-checking Trump's claims about the economy, foreign wars in United Nations speech

Millions in NC on Obamacare, Medicaid affected by budget fights

NC Capitol

Why a federal judge ruled NC Senate map is fair game

THC-infused treats spook state leaders, with Halloween just around the corner

Stein signs bills loosening DMV rules, funding disaster relief and Lenovo Center

Republicans prevail in racial gerrymandering lawsuit targeting NC Senate maps

Questions remain after fight at Durham high school

Education

Students, faculty rally for suspended UNC professor

Government shutdown and how schools, school programs will be impacted

Federal shutdown will affect some NC schools, officials monitoring possible impact on meals

Fight between more than a dozen people on Durham high school's campus didn't involve students

CJF America sends partial payment to worker amid lawsuit and executives evading police

WRAL In Depth

NC lawmakers wanted to make COVID shots easier to get. Why the law they passed did the opposite

NC officials begin process to help thousands of state workers switch doctors, as Duke negotiations sour

Former NCGOP director to lead 'election integrity' efforts, serve as election board liaison, says NC Auditor

Why Duke QB Darian Mensah was part of the conversation about new NC children's hospital

NC State can spend Lenovo Center naming rights money with fewer restrictions

WRALSportsFan

Injuries taking toll on NC State defense ahead of Campbell game

Yoshinobu Yamamoto shines as Dodgers sweep Reds to reach NL Division Series

Jazz Chisholm Jr. a gamer for Yankees in season-saving playoff win over Red Sox

College football picks: The discussion has turned to parity, close games and upsets

Predicted winners for 195+ games in football week 7

HighSchoolOT

Week 7 JV scores from across North Carolina

Undefeated Watch: 34 perfect teams remain in Week 7; Only one matchup between unbeatens

Alpaca Game of the Week to feature a top 20 matchup between Leesville Road and Millbrook

HighSchoolOT's Male and Female Athletes of the Week for September 22-27

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

5 On Your Side examines the impacts of the federal government shutdown

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.

CJF America sends partial payment to worker amid lawsuit

As sea levels rise at an increasing rate, oceanfront homes in the Outer Banks, particularly Buxton, face an increased risk of collapse.

High surf could topple more Outer Banks homes

Cleaning needed! WRAL's 5 On Your Side shows where health inspectors found restaurants in need of a deep kitchen cleaning. 

Restaurant Ratings: Benny Capitale's, Bojangles, Jamaica Jamaica

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.

Thousands of state workers might need to find new doctors, NC officials fear

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.

CJF America president misses court for second time in as many weeks, attorney says she's hospitalized

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

WRAL Specialists

How to save big on laundry costs

5 On Your Side: High lead levels found in three major food recalls in September

5 On Your Side: Three recalls for major foods containing lead

5 On Your Side: Alerting customers about unexpected charges from Lasta Fitness app

5 On Your Side

CJF America president misses court again, attorney says she's hospitalized

Two execs from Durham-based company charged in fraud investigation

Durham police charge two in CJF America fraud investigation

7 teens found after they escaped from Raleigh mental health facility

Investigations

Grace Ueng: What will you remember at 90?

Video gamer Electronic Arts to be bought in largest-ever private equity buyout valued at $55 billion

Tom Snyder: When the algorithm is the censor, free speech is at risk

The Fed's dual mandate: Keep unemployment, inflation low

WRAL TechWire

Wall Street ticks to more records, led by technology stocks

Gatorade and Cheetos are among the Pepsi products getting a natural dye makeover

Cockpit recorders of Delta jets that collided on LaGuardia taxiway are being analyzed

Don't Waste Your Money: Having a tire warranty doesn't necessarily mean free tire repairs

Business

Powerball

Mega Millions

Cash 5

Local kindergartener hears clearly for the first time thanks to innovative ear surgery

Family

100+ events in NC to enjoy this October

FDA authorizes first eyeglass lenses to slow nearsightedness in children in the US

NC State Fair teases new rides, attractions

Marbles Kids Museum shows off new 'Futuropolis' play exhibit, coming in 2026

SmartShopper

Top Amazon Deals: Electric Cordless Shower Spin Scrubber only $18.99, Chefman XL 10L Air Fryer and Dehydrator only $79.99, Fire TV Sticks up to 50% off starting at $17.99, Prime Day event Oct. 7-8

Latest News about Interpreter Services