Shortages of teachers, infrastructure and technology workers will hamper schools' ability to provide the best education, facilities and tools to children, Superintendent Robert Taylor said Thursday.

Higher employee pay will be key to running Wake schools smoothly, superintendent says

Wake County Public School System Superintendent Robert Taylor speaks to the League fo Women Voters of Wake County, April 18, 2024

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

<b>ZEBULON</b> — July 29, 1996 - 6:42 a.m. EDT

Wake County investigators are trying to determine what caused a late-night explosion at a foam-making plant in Zebulon.

The blast happened last night in the parking lot of the Nomaco Company. Authorities say two men were readying a foam-filled trailer to be moved when the materials inside exploded.

One Nomaco employee and a contracted truck driver suffered burns and are being treated at Wake Medical Center.

Explosion at Wake County Plant Injures Two

NEW YORK — A man set himself on fire Friday afternoon near the lower Manhattan courthouse where jurors were being chosen for the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump.

Man Sets Himself on Fire Near Courthouse Where Trump Is on Trial

Trump Trial Enters Fourth Day With Opening Arguments Next Week

Storms moved east Friday in central North Carolina. Over the weekend, the Triangle will feel a cooldown due to an incoming cold front.

Storms move east in North Carolina ⛈️; cooldown coming this weekend

Weather for the weekend 

The crash involved a school bus from Corinth Holders Elementary School at North Carolina Highway 96 and Earpsboro Road in Johnston County, according to authorities.

Johnston County school bus involved in crash on NC 96 

Capitol Broadcasting Company, the parent company of WRAL News, is part of the 2024 class inducted into the North Carolina Media & Journalism Hall of Fame at the University of North Carolina.

WRAL parent company inducted to NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame 

UNC staff and hospital executives got their first looks at the product of the years-long construction project: a new hospital dedicated entirely to surgery.

New UNC surgical hospital to bring more beds, new procedures to patients

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

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

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

Videos

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.

Women's Lacrosse: North Carolina pulls away in the third quarter, beats Duke

Duke vs. UNC women's lacrosse

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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Mark Mitchell announced he has committed to the University of Missouri in a post to his Instagram post.

Former Duke forward Mark Mitchell commits to Missouri

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THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) — Nelly Korda, seeking to tie an LPGA Tour record with her fifth straight win, shot a 3-under 69 on Friday in the second round of the Chevron Championship, leaving her one shot behind leaders Atthaya Thitikul and Jin Hee Im in the year’s first major.