The blooming of the WRAL Azalea Garden has been a constant symbol of the return of spring.  

WRAL Azalea Gardens: Everything you need to know for your visit

WRAL Azalea Gardens

North Carolina's teacher workforce is changing drastically. Where schools are finding teachers now.

NC teacher turnover hits highest mark in decades. New report shows changes in who is leading classrooms

Classroom generic, teacher generic

We lost a member of the WRAL family on Saturday. Director/producer Chris Bolanz, who had been with WRAL for 17 years, died after a short-term illness. 

Chris was responsible for making sure WRAL's morning and noon newscasts, as well as numerous live specials, looked great on the air. He would have turned 50 next month.

"We will miss Chris and his tell-it-like-it-is personality and his incredible work ethic and his wonderful sense of humor," said WRAL anchor Bill Leslie. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his son and daughter and the rest of his family."

WRAL remembers longtime director, Chris Bolanz, who died April 13, 2013, after a short-term illness.

WRAL remembers longtime director

<a href="https://www.wral.com/story/mystery-man-behind-anchors-baffles-viewer/9110124/">We wrote about Chris in this blog in August 2010</a> after a viewer wrote in, asking about the mystery man sitting in the background behind the anchors during newscasts. That was Chris, working hard on scripts for the next hour of news so he would know what to set up and call for in the control room.

WRAL Director Chris Bolanz works in the background behind Anchor Bill Leslie.

WRAL Director Chris Bolanz works in the background behind Anchor Bill Leslie

Longtime WRAL director dies after short illness

Chris Bolanz: 1963-2013

Gov. Roy Cooper's decision to treat bars differently from restaurants for Covid-19 lockdowns lacked scientific evidence, the NC Court of Appeals ruled, and improperly deprived the bars of their constitutionally guaranteed opportunity to make a living.

Did Cooper's Covid lockdowns violate the NC Constitution? Court of Appeals says yes, and no

Cooper, Cohen

A 38-year-old man, Jonathan Lecompte, died while trying to stop a carjacking incident in Lumberton.

Good Samaritan killed while trying to help carjacking victim in Lumberton

Jonathan Lecompte

From the ancient stadium in Olympia, a relay of torchbearers will carry the flame along a 5,000-kilometer (3,100-mile) route through Greece, including several islands, until the handover to Paris Games organizers in Athens on April 26.

Despite weather glitch, the Paris Olympics flame is lit at the Greek cradle of ancient games

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Tuesday will be partly cloudy and warm with storms expected to move in during the evening hours.

Summer-like heat in store ahead of potential storms Tuesday⛈️

Rain chances, Tuesday, April 16

The 2.01 earthquake rumbled around 5:50 a.m., according to the USGS.  The quake was about 8.9 miles deep.

Multiple this month: Another earthquake shakes Bryson City in NC mountains

Another earthquake shakes Bryson City in NC mountains

WRAL-TV News Broadcasts: Watch each newscast live or watch the most recent newscast on demand.

WRAL Late News 

WRAL Noon News

Get the latest WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast whenever you need it, including the DUALDoppler5000 and the 7-Day Forecast.

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

Nightly N.C. Education Lottery drawings during the 11 p.m. News.

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday Powerball drawings, as shown live on WRAL.

Powerball Drawing

Fans of the NC State Wolfpack's men's and women's basketball teams are celebrating the teams' run to the Final Four on Monday night on Hillsborough Street at the Memorial Belltower. NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson, Athletics Director Boo Corrigan and Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin are expected to speak Monday night at the event.

NC State men's and women's basketball teams honored for Final Four appearances at Memorial Belltower

Videos

Caitlin Clark has been selected with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever. The former Iowa star became a household name among basketball fans during her record-breaking college career. 

Caitlin Clark taken No. 1 in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, as expected

WNBA_Draft_Basketball_52462

Drake Powell is one of the top high school basketball players in the country.  Next year the Pittsboro native will play for his dream school UNC, but this season he had unfinished business at Northwood High School.  WRAL's Pat Welter followed Drake and the Northwood Chargers on their quest for a state title this season.  The Prince of Pittsboro is a documentary that takes you behind the scenes of their most emotional moments and shows a side of Drake and his head coach Matt Brown that you've never seen.  

The Prince of Pittsboro: UNC commit Drake Powell's final season at Northwood High School 

The Prince of Pittsboro 

Caleb Foster confirmed he would return for his sophomore season in Monday's episode of "The Brotherhood Podcast."

Caleb Foster to return, says he's '1,000% committed to Duke' for 2024-25 season

buckduke20

A student was filmed assaulting an educator Monday at Parkland High School, the sheriff's office said. On Tuesday, a secure custody order was issued for one count of communicating threats and two counts of misdemeanor assault. 