Shortages of teachers, infrastructure and technology workers will hamper schools’ ability to provide the best education, facilities and tools to children, Wake County Public School System Superintendent Robert Taylor said Thursday. Pay increases will help, he said, but a full reversal of the trends could take years and a much bigger effort than incremental raises.

 Wake superintendent: Teacher shortage trend could take years to reverse

More than 21% of North Carolina's four-year-olds enrolled in the state's pre-kindergarten programs during the 2022-2023 school year, up from the prior year but still below the state's pre-pandemic highs, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research.

North Carolina ranks 29th in public pre-K enrollment, new report shows

Durham County budget increases funding for pre-K students

Consumer Reports surveyed more than 2,000 members who shared their experiences with pet insurance.

Is pet insurance worth the bark? Survey reveals middling results

Pet insurance

To help him get his wish, send cards to:
Damien Hammonds
409 Burns Rd.
Lumberton, NC 28358 

LUMBERTON, N.C. — Damien Hammonds of Lumberton has an incurable form of leukemia.

For what might be his last Christmas, the 7-year-old is trying to see how many greeting cards he can gather.

To help him get his wish, send cards to:

Ailing Lumberton boy collecting Christmas cards

The Storm Prediction Center has the Triangle under a Level 1 risk for severe storms Friday.

Level 1 risk: Severe storms, damaging winds possible Friday ⛈️

Level 1 risk for severe storms Friday 

A person was pulled from Harris Lake on Friday, and a water rescue and search is underway for a second boater.

Man missing at Harris Lake after boat crashes into cement pole; 1 boater rescued 

Person pulled from water at Harris Lake, search continues for other boaters

A new North Carolina poll shows former President Donald Trump maintaining a slight lead over President Joe Biden ahead of a November rematch. The gubernatorial race remains within the margin of error.

New poll shows Trump with slight lead in NC, Robinson and Stein battling it out

Joe Biden, Donald Trump, candidates for president 2024

The owner of Clyde Cooper's Barbecue is selling the space in downtown Raleigh, according to a real estate agent representing the restaurant.

Clyde Cooper's Barbecue selling downtown Raleigh space for $2.9 million

Clyde Cooper's Barbeque

Durham police found a man shot at a shopping center along Miami Boulevard on Friday morning. The man died at the hospital.

Man dies in shooting at Durham shopping center on Miami Boulevard

Subway restaurant at The Village Shopping Center

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

Gov. Roy Cooper joins United States Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm to make a clean energy announcement.

Gov. Cooper makes clean energy announcement

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

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 drawings are held at 3 p.m. daily. They can be seen as live or on-demand video.

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

Videos

Game 1 is Saturday night in Raleigh. Game 2 is Monday at PNC Arena.

Make your plans: Complete Hurricanes-Islanders first-round schedule

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Brandon Butterworth picked up his first hit of the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to beat No. 11 North Carolina.

NC State beats UNC with walk-off homer in first game of baseball series

NC State at UNC

The Carolina Hurricanes are no stranger to playoff hockey. They're in the postseason for the sixth-straight season and are regarded as a Stanley Cup contender.

Chaotic Canes hope late-season surge continues into playoffs

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The No. 15 Tar Heels have now beat No. 25 Duke in 15 consecutive games. Both teams now prepare for the ACC championship next week.