50 NC counties and 1 VA county are under alert, including Wake, Cumberland, Durham, Johnston, and Orange counties.

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

Compared to pre-pandemic prices, ground beef is up 35%, chips are up 45%, bread is up 57% and a 12-ounce can of soda is up 66%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks trends on common grocery store items.

WRAL Investigates: 'Greedflation' and other drivers behind inflation at the grocery store

A look at inflation at the grocery store

Piedmont Natural Gas launched the Share the Warmth Roundup. Customers who participate can opt to round up their monthly bill with the extra money going to a fund to pay the bills of the needy.

A natural gas company announced a program Wednesday to allow customers to help each other to pay energy bills.<br />

Piedmont Natural Gas launched the Share the Warmth Roundup. Customers who participate can opt to round up their monthly bill with the extra money going to a fund to pay the bills of the needy.<br />

Piedmont provides natural gas in more than half of North Carolina's counties.

Piedmont program lets customers help each other with bills

Natural gas prices 

Tuesday is expected to be another cold start, and some areas could see light frost.

Chilly Monday night ahead, light frost possible in the morning

Frost advisory, 3 a.m. until 8 a.m. Tuesday, April 23.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes were down big at home in the NHL playoffs, playing desperate hockey full of withering long shifts in the offensive zone as they tried to rally.

Aho, Martinook cap Hurricanes' late rally to beat the Islanders for a 2-0 playoff series lead

Islanders_Hurricanes_Hockey_23556

Police are investigating after officers found a 13-year-old dead early Monday morning in a Raleigh apartment.

'No mother wants to hear this:' 13-year-old girl found shot to death in Raleigh apartment

Crowd gathers outside Raleigh apartment complex where 13-year-old was shot and killed.

Athens Drive Magnet High School and Conn Magnet Elementary School won national awards Saturday at the Magnet Schools of America's annual conference.

Top two magnet schools in the US are in Wake County

Athens Drive High School

NEW YORK (AP) — A longtime tabloid publisher was expected Tuesday to tell jurors about his efforts to help Donald Trump stifle unflattering stories during the 2016 campaign as testimony resumes in the historic hush money trial of the former president.

'Catch-and-kill' to be described to jurors as testimony resumes in hush money trial of Donald Trump

Trump_Hush_Money_02331

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

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

Since his final NBA season playing for the Dallas Mavericks in 2021, JJ Redick has served as an analyst and basketball commentator for ESPN. 

Duke legend JJ Redick to interview for Hornets head coaching job, report says

JJ Redick and other Duke greats were honored at halftime during the Duke vs. Maryland game pm Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010, at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. (Photo by: Will Bratton)

It looked like the Hurricanes were heading back to New York tied 1-1, but the Canes offense exploded to snag the win against the Islanders.

Canes complete comeback, defeat Islanders 5-3 in Game 2 of first round series

Islanders_Hurricanes_Hockey_34303

The Minnesota Vikings need a quarterback in this draft. That much is easy to see. The hard part is picking the right one — and determining what it's worth to them to get him.

NFL teams often misfire on drafting QBs. But how often do they fail? And why?

NFL_Draft_QB_Hit_Rate_Football_44939

Roman Gabriel was the ACC Player of the Year in 1961 and 1962 and was selected No. 1 in the AFC Draft and No. 2 in the NFL Draft . He played 16 seasons in the NFL.