Look around and you'll notice it everywhere on the roads - drivers looking down at their phones. Tonight at 6 p.m., what lawmakers and parents are doing to protect the group most at risk in North Carolina - teenage drivers.  

Tonight at 6: It's blamed for more crashes among NC teens than speed and alcohol combined. WRAL Investigates distracted teen driving.

The "Dueling Dinosaurs" exhibit opening this weekend at Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will feature what's believed to be the most complete T. rex skeleton ever discovered.

'Dueling Dinosaurs:' One-of-a-kind dig, laboratory access at Raleigh science museum

DinoLab at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods, so purchasing separate flood insurance is crucial in North Carolina, especially in high-risk areas.

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods: How to protect your home in North Carolina

Princeville residents weigh options after Hurricane Matthew

An N.C. State student who created a "monster" out of construction barrels was sentenced Tuesday  to 50 hours of community service.

RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Carolina State University student who created a &quot;monster&quot; out of construction barrels on the side of a road near campus was sentenced Tuesday to 50 hours of community service.

District Judge Vince Rozier deferred judgment against Joseph Carnevale until Oct. 30. If Carnevale complies with the sentence, the charges against him will be dismissed.

Joseph Carnevale, who created a "monster" out of construction barrels, was sentenced to 50 hours of community service.

Student sentenced for 'barrel monster'

Joseph Carnevale 

Raleigh police charged the 21-year-old history major and part-time construction worker last month with misdemeanor larceny and destruction of property after he took the orange-and-white traffic barrels from a construction site near N.C. State.

The 10-foot &quot;barrel monster,&quot; which Carnevale said was supposed to be sticking out its thumb for a ride along Hillsborough Street, grabbed attention on social networking Web sites, with thousands of supporters calling on the Wake County District Attorney's Office to dismiss the charges.

Hamlin Associates, the construction company that owns the barrels Carnevale used, has become a fan of his work and has asked him to create a replica of the figure that led to his arrest on June 10.

&quot;It's been positive publicity for us,&quot; Hamlin President Steve Hussey told The Associated Press in June. &quot;If we'd known he'd do that good of work, we'd have given him the barrels.&quot;

Authorities pursued the case, despite the construction company's desire not to press charges. Because the case has been deferred, Wake County Assistant District Attorney Steven Saad declined to comment Tuesday.

&quot;The law is what we enforce,&quot; Raleigh police spokeswoman Laura Hourigan said. &quot;We go out every day and do our job, and the job is enforcement, and that's why we did what we did.&quot;

Carnevale said Tuesday that he understood why he was charged, and that he believes his sentence was fair. He hopes to do his community service for Habitat for Humanity.

&quot;As far as (whether I) should have been (charged), there was a theft that occurred. I guess on paper, yeah, I should have been,&quot; he said. &quot;I was surprised in a city the size of Raleigh that they would go to the trouble.&quot;

Carnevale said he plans to continue his public art and that, despite his arrest, &quot;it was all worth it.&quot;

His advice to other artists: &quot;Don't get caught.&quot;

Amanda Lamb

Kelly Gardner

'Barrel monster' creator gets community service

Barrel Monster

An initial report from the Federal Aviation Administration indicates the small plane that crashed at Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Wednesday "bounced" as it attempted to land.

RDU plane crash: Aircraft 'bounced' during landing attempt, pilot expected to recover

Plane on tow truck

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office is investigating a drive-by shooting that injured a juvenile Wednesday night on Pleasant View Drive.

Child injured in drive-by shooting at Cumberland County home

NEW YORK (AP) — New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein ’s 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren’t part of the case.

Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction overturned by NY appeals court

Sexual_Misconduct-Harvey_Weinstein_11959

Orange County Schools informed Jaylan Sorrells and his mother, Ellen Sorrells, that Jaylan, who has attended the school for four years while also enrolled at the Partnership Academy, will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony. The decision by the school district has Jaylen Sorrells and his mother asking: Why is this happening?

Mother frustrated after son who attended classes at Orange High not allowed at graduation ceremony

Jaylan Sorrells

Authorities on Wednesday arrested a 16-year-old in connection to the death of a 13-year-old girl earlier in the week in north Raleigh.

Teen arrested, charged in death of 13-year-old girl found shot on Monday

Young girl shot at Raleigh apartment 

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

WRAL Late News 

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

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

Gov. Roy Cooper, museum leaders and museum paleontologist Dr. Lindsay Zanno on Thursday preview Dueling Dinosaurs, a brand new exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The exhibit opens to the public Saturday.

Preview of Dueling Dinos, opening Saturday in Raleigh

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

Videos

Coming off a momentous win in Game 2, the Carolina Hurricanes hit the road for Game 3 of the first-round playoff series against the New York Islanders on Thursday night at UBS Arena.

Hurricanes head north for Game 3 encore after dramatic win

Islanders_Hurricanes_Hockey_13476

Mohamed Diarra played one season in Raleigh, averaging 6.3 points a game during a 2023-2024 campaign that saw State reach the Final Four.

NC State's Mohamed Diarra declares for NBA Draft

Duke NC State Basketball

With Hurricane defenseman Brett Pesce likely out for the rest of the series vs. the Islanders, that opens the door for Tony DeAngelo to slide in. The regular season didn't go as he had hoped, but he's ready to step in 

Brett Pesce's injury 'a big blow' but Tony DeAngelo is ready to help the Hurricanes win

Tony DeAngelo

New York (CNN) — US stocks sank Thursday afternoon after the latest GDP report showed that US economic growth slowed to 1.6% in the first quarter of the year, a much weaker pace than expected.

Dow sinks 550 points after GDP report

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The Carolina Hurricanes scored 5 unanswered goals to steal Game 2 at home on Monday. What the win could mean for their ultimate goal this postseason, NFL Draft talk and more!