16 NC counties are under alert, including Chatham County.

Your guide to best brunch spots in Raleigh. 

Savor the flavor: Raleigh's 20 best brunch spots revealed

Rosewater Kitchen & Bar

As the number of juvenile offenders climbs, the state is looking at alternatives crowded detention centers to make sure young people already convicted of crimes can turn their lives around. 

Education, skills and rehab focus easing burden on NC juvenile justice system

Inside the juvenile justice system

All assets associated with the tag: outdoor dining

Outdoor dining Coverage

Check out these restaurants with the best outdoor dining in Raleigh!

The best outdoor dining spots in Raleigh

Raleigh Times Bar

The North Carolina State Farmers Market boasts 30,000 square feet for North Carolina farmers to sell fresh produce, plants and other specialty items produced on local farms.

Your guide to the North Carolina State Farmers Market

Produce at the NC Farmers Market

Fresh produce, shopping, dining & more: Your guide to the State Farmers Market🍑

Picnics are the perfect summer family activity. From utensils to napkins, don't forget a thing with this ultimate picnic checklist.


Planning a picnic? This is the only checklist you'll ever need

People of different ages sitting and talking on picnic

Imagine a painting of a pastoral scene on a fair summer day, a splendid feast laid out, fine carpets for lounging and guests nibbling on carefully transported morsels -- a proverbial picnic in the grass, with dogs and children at the edges.

Six easy recipes for the ultimate picnic spread

Six Easy Recipes for the Ultimate Picnic Spread

Raleigh's outdoor 'street-ery' dining became popular during the coronavirus pandemic, and now the option is here to stay.



Raleigh City Council paves way for permanent 'streetery' spaces 

Raleigh skyline from Boylan Heights bridge. Photo taken May 22, 2021. 

Outdoor dining streeteries in downtown Raleigh could be here to stay, having become increasingly popular since the pandemic started.

Raleigh outdoor streeteries could be here to stay

Outdoor seating could become permanent in Raleigh

Outdoor dining streeteries in downtown Raleigh are here to stay, having become increasingly popular since the pandemic started.

ANYONE WAS HURT OR WHAT EXACTLY CAUSED THAT FIRE. >> THE STREETRIS IN DOWNTOWN RAMMING ARE HERE TO STAY. THEY BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED. WRAL'S BRETT NORTHEAST IS LIVE IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH TONIGHT WITH REACTION FROM PEOPLE DINING IN THE AREA. BRETT? >> Reporter: HEY, JULIAN. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ACT. THESE STREETRIS HERE. YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY ACTUALLY TAKE UP SOME OF THE PARKING THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE HERE. JUST TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MUCH EXTRA SPACE IT PROVIDES FOR SOME OF THESE RESTAURANTS HERE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. THE CITY OF RALEIGH IS NOW LOOKING AT PROPOSALS TO BUILD OUT AROUND 15 MORE, UNLIKE THESE WITH THE TEMPORARY BARRIERS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, THE CITY IS LOOKING TO INSTALL PERMANENT STREETRIS. IT IS SOMETHING THEY HOPE HAPPENS. >> YOU CAN BE OUTSIDE AND THERE ARE MORE OPTIONS OF WHERE TO SIT SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE MORE PEOPLE IN THE PLACE THAT YOU WANT TO BE. YOU WON'T HAVE TO WAIT AS LONG AND IT IS NICE OUTSIDE. I THINK RALEIGH IS PRETTY EASY TO PARK ANYWAY, THERE ARE GARAGES EVERYWHERE. I DON'T THINK IT REALLY IMPACTS PARKING. >> Reporter: AND THE CITY SAYS THE TEMPORARY PERMITS FOR THIS TYPE OF SEATING EXPIRE MARCH 31st, BUT, OF COURSE, THAT COULD CHANGE AND ANOTHER ADAPTATION FROM THE PANDEMIC IS IS HERE TO STAY, THE CITY MADE THE CURB-SIDE PICK-UP STONES OUTSIDE RESTAURANTS PERMANENT. >> PEOPLE LOVE OPTIONS. BRETT NORTHEAST REPORTING IN

Restaurants have added heaters, fire pits and other measures to help keep outdoor dining an option during the winter months, when coronavirus cases have started to spike again.

LOCAL NEWS, THIS IS WRAL, COVERAGE YOU CAN COUNT ON. >> FROM RESTAURANTS TO RETAILS, STAFFING SHORTAGES ARE ONE OF THE TOP CONCERNS OF THE PANDEMIC RECOVERY. >> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. WE HAVE NEW HEADLINES AND REPORTING ON THE ONGOING STRUGGLES FOR MULTIPLE INDUSTRIES FOR YOU TONIGHT. INCLUDING, IN STARK PROGRAM MEANT TO HELP NORTH CAROLINA'S HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. THE PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION JOINS US LIVE TO TALK ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS FUNDING IN JUST A MOMENT. >>> WE BEGIN WITH THE NEW EFFORTS TO STAY IN BUSINESS AND KEEP EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS SAFE, AND THE GROWING CONCERN ABOUT THE OMICRON VARIANT. >> GERALD, I'M SMILING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THESE BUSINESSES ARE IMPRESSIVE, BOY, ARE THEY ADAPTING, IT'S BUSY HERE TONIGHT AT WINSTON THE GRILL, AND THIS PATIO IS REALLY LONG AND ACTUALLY WRAPS AROUND FOR THREE SIDES. I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. THEY HAVE PUT IN THESE CEILING HEATERS, THERE ARE FOUR, JUST ON THIS SIDE, THIS IS INSTALLED DURING THE PANDEMIC TO MAKE OUTDOOR DINING MORE OF A POSSIBILITY YEAR-ROUND, IT WAS EXPENSIVE, $100,000 BUT HEY, IT'S KEEPING THE CUSTOMERS COMING. TO KEEP CUSTOMERS LAUGHING HAPPY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, COMING BACK DURING A PANDEMIC, IT TAKES MUCH MORE THAN GOOD FOOD. WINSTON'S GRILL HAS RESPONDED TO WHAT DINERS WANT, AND THAT IS TO BE OUTSIDE. >> WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE OUR CHRISTMAS DEPARTMENT CELEBRATION THIS EVENING, BUT WE WERE NERVOUS ABOUT BEING INSIDE, SO, WE SAID LET'S GO FOR LUNCH, BECAUSE THE WEATHER IS GREAT. >> ACCORDING TO THE LATEST STATISTICS FROM THE NATIONAL WEST RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, 70% OF RESTAURANTS HAVE SHUT DOWN DURING THE PANDEMIC, THAT'S 110,000 NATIONALLY. >> I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. >> THE OWNER, WILL O'NEILL BELIEVES THAT RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE AND WILL SURVIVE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE VARIANCE, NEED TO PUT RESOURCES INTO MAKING OUTDOOR DINING A YEAR- ROUND OPTION BY KEEPING CUSTOMERS WARM AND IN OPEN SPACES. >> ADDING THAT THE ONLY BENEFIT OF NEARING YOU YOUR TWO OF THE PANDEMIC IS THE WISDOM THAT ONLY TIME BRINGS. >> HOW ARE YOU FEELING WITH THE NEWS OF OMICRON? >> YOU KNOW, I THINK, I'M NOT REAL WORRIED ABOUT IT. IF THIS WAS LAST YEAR, WE WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN WHAT TO DO THIS YEAR. >> THESE CEILING HEATERS, I KNOW IT'S WARM RIGHT NOW BUT THEY WILL KEEP YOU REALLY WARM, AND MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES. IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT RALEIGH RESTAURANT AND EAT OUTSIDE, THEN YOU WANT TO GO TO

Outdoor dining critical to helping restaurants survive pandemic

Vivace restaurant at North Hills

North Carolina launched a $500 million program Thursday to help restaurants and other small businesses recover from pandemic-related losses.